Tagged: Bowling Green
What Could've Been Has Been
As regular readers of this blog are well aware, I have devoted a fairly substantial amount of virtual ink to the Bowling Green Hot Rods’ “What Could’ve Been Night” (for all the background info you could ever need, click HERE).
Well, “What Could’ve Been Night” came and went, and all we are left with are the memories. That, and copious documentation of the promotion via the Hot Rods’ YouTube channel. And since I have slowly become adept at posting videos on this blog, I will share many of these creations. That’s just the kind of guy I am. The kind that shares videos.
The idea for the promotion first came about when the front office found themselves pondering “What Could’ve Been” had “Cave Shrimp” emerged victorious in the Name the Team contest. But why stop there? This philosophical exercise was soon expanded to include a wide variety of hypothetical scenarios.
Scenarios such as “What if Brooks and Dunn had chosen different singing partners?”
I would have taken this concept to its most literal extreme, and paired Dunn with a pair of brooks. As in bodies of water. At the very least, their music would always sound “current.”
Moving on to the next concept — What if Roseanne had actually been blessed with a beautiful singing voice?
Moving into an even more absurd realm — What if fainting was a sport?
It’s very easy to engage in “What Could’ve Been” hand-wringing when it comes to the world of sports, and the Hot Rods did not disappoint.
All of the above scenarios may be intriguing, but let us not forget that it was the possibility of being named “Cave Shrimp” that sparked this promotion in the first place. How awesome would it be if there was a team with the logo below? (answer: very)
I would love to see “What Could’ve Been Night” become common around the Minor Leagues — the supply of material is inexhaustible, and each club could expound on themes unique to their particular geographic area. And, most importantly, it would always give me something to blog about. Make it happen, teams. Make it happen.
benjamin.hill@mlb.com
Double Identity
I have not forsaken you, dear readers. I’ve been busy is all.
But, tardy or not, information will be conveyed. I am merely the conduit through whom the information flows, and my lollygagging is no match for the power of Minor League news. So let’s see what streams forth from that eternal wellspring…
In time for the 2009 campaign, the Minor Leagues will feature brand new teams in both Reno and Bowling Green. Let’s take a look at how these markets have chosen to identify themselves.
Cave Shrimp Lose — Regular readers will recall this post, in which I detailed Bowling Green’s “Name the Team” contest. Unfortunately, “Cave Shrimp” was not chosen. Instead, the club will be calling themselves the “Hot Rods”. Here’s the rationale for the club’s name:
“We
are very excited to develop the Hot Rods brand, which connects the
spirit and heritage of this region’s automotive industry with a
creative name and logo associated with the fun of minor league
baseball.”
And here’s the logo, which was designed by the all-powerful Plan B Branding.
This logo is like a Rorschach test, as everytime I look at it it momentarily assumes a different form. I swear, the last time I looked at it I saw an angry dog face. The dog’s tongue was sticking out the side of his mouth.
Moving On…
Also new on the scene for ’09 are the Reno Aces (formerly the Tucson Sidewinders). The name is on one level a reference to Nevada’s thriving gaming industry. But, as always, there is more. Take it away, press release:
“In addition to the name’s Nevada ties, it also has meaning in baseball
lingo– a team’s “ace” is its best pitcher. Reno’s affiliation with
Major League Baseball’s Arizona Diamondbacks should mean that Reno fans
will see many ace pitchers in the coming years as Diamondbacks pitchers
have won five of the last nine National League Cy Young Awards.”
Okay, press release. Bring it back. Here’s the Aces’ primary logo, which, to my eyes, is not nearly as amorphous as the Hot Rods:
Still…The diamond situated in the midst of the “A” is a nice touch, as is the reference to a baseball “club”. Reading way too much into it, the “c” looks vaguely like a spade. As of post time, however, I still cannot find a heart. Me and the tin man both.
Freshwater Subterranean Crustaceans Need Your Support
Hard as it may be to believe, the 2009 season is a mere seven months away. And in the Minor Leagues, where change is a constant, every season brings with it a host of changes big and small.
One of the biggest such changes on tap for ’09 is that the South Atlantic League’s Columbus Catfish will be re-locating to Bowling Green, Kentucky. And with the new location comes…wait for it…a new name!
After receiving more than 1100 entries in a “Name the Team” contest, the club has narrowed it down to seven choices. All of these names have something to do with the history, culture, or fauna of the Bowling Green area, and all of them are awesome in their own way. But, I think you’ll agree that one name is a little more awesome than the rest. Let’s see if you can guess which one has received a coveted Ben’s Biz Blog endorsement.
Speedsters
Cave Shrimp
Hot Rods
Bluegills
Turbos
Sparkplugs
Mammoths
Of course, my winner is Cave Shrimp. From the team’s website:
“Mammoth
Cave, located near Bowling Green, is home to the endangered Kentucky
Cave Shrimp, a sightless albino shrimp. The blind cave shrimp has been
registered as an endangered species since 1983.“
I have long advocated for teams to be named after species that are either albino, sightless, or endangered, so to see this holy trinity encompassed into one moniker is a dream come true. Whether you agree with my choice or not, make sure to cast your vote here. And, rest assured, I will continue to provide updates on the evolution of this new franchise throughout the coming months.
Ben's Biz Blog 
