Name the new Saskatoon IBL team?

[CJPhillips]

Help us give Saskatoon select a nickname for their new (2008) IBL team.
Go to Frozen Hoops at below link and pick from 20 names or send us your own
http://frozenhoops.com/id245.html Saskatoon IBL name
Also looking to pick the best of IBL logos also go to Frozen Hoops at below link
http://www.frozenhoops.com/id243.html IBL logos

[Shootmaster_44]

Curtis, I attempted to send comments regarding the names on your site and the form didn't work, so I'll post them here:

Ok in all honest all those are bad names or are used by other teams currently so they are all out. However, my idea is the Saskatoon Sheiks. Why I think this would be the best name is it was a professional hockey team in Saskatoon in the 1920's, so it has a connection to the city. Secondly, you could actually do something with the logo for the team, such as an angry looking sheik dribbling a basketball or carrying a basketball upon his horse or something along those lines.

As for the choices here is why I don't like them:

Saskatoon Ball Hawgz - For starters the hip-hop spelling of the name is enough to drive away the fans. Saskatoon does not have a thriving hip-hop community, even amongst basketball playing teenagers. So that is a bad idea.

Saskatoon Blizzard/Ice/Snowbears - For starters this is a spring league, so references to the cold and winter are a bad idea. Secondly, it gives the wrong perception about Canada, to the American fans of other teams. Calling our teams these names, would perpetuate the stereotype that we live in igloos and drive dog sleds.

Saskatoon POW/Rip - That is a bad name. It reminds me of the old Batman show where they'd use words like this as a way to underscore fight scenes. Secondly, what kind of logo could you make with these names, other than Batman beating up Joker?

Saskatoon Seven/Six - Not sure what this is a reference to. But basketball is played by 5 players and team consists of between 10 and 12 players, so it would seem silly to name a team an unusual number.

Saskatoon Shamrox - This presents legal trademark issues as the Chicago Shamrox of the National Lacrosse League already control the nickname.

Saskatoon Shield - This has nothing to do with basketball, the city of Saskatoon or really any sports. This doesn't present itself to a good logo and a good logo is the first step for marketing.

Saskatoon Sphinx - I'm not sure this relates to Saskatoon in anyway. I believe there is a tiny Egyptian community in the city, but no pyramids. Plus its a short hop from Sphinx to sphincter and that's the last thing we need to arm opposition fans with.

Saskatoon Steal - Actions don't typically make a good nickname. Plus this gives off a slight connotation that Saskatoon is full of criminals. This name would be akin to the old Washington Bullets name.

Saskatoon Storm - This name could work, except I'd be hesitant to use this name. Since the Saskatchewan Storm folded and left some local businessmen on the hook for money, associating this team with the old WBL team is a good way to scare off potential advertisers.

Saskatoon Swarm - I am certain the way the Star-Phoenix drags up old, bad news, they would instantly recall this as the name of the proposed indoor football team in the NAIFL. Bringing this to light, would in a sense cause the same problem as calling the team the Storm.

Saskatoon Swift - Again actions don't make good team names or present themselves to a good logo. This would be a good name perhaps for a mascot however.

Saskatoon T. Rex - This is too close to the Raptors. By calling yourself a name like this, you would look like you had no good ideas and felt the need to rip off the NBA. As well the band T. Rex I believe owns the copywrite on the name, so its a legal fiasco waiting to happen.

Saskatoon Xtreme - This is too trendy of a name. In 2 or 3 years when spelling Extreme with an X dies off, this team will be left with an anachronism, somewhat akin to the craze over teal in the early 90s. As well, this name doesn't present itself to a good logo, nor does Xtreme really say anything about the team. Are they Xtremely bad?

Toontown T. Rex - Firstly, for the same reasons as calling the team the Saskatoon T. Rex, this is a bad idea. Secondly, I've lived in Saskatoon my entire life and people stopped calling Saskatoon Toontown in about 1984. Use the proper name of the city or the province if you want to refer to the team.

Toontown Thunder - See above for using Toontown as a name. Secondly, Thunder is way overused as far as professional sports goes. This team needs a unique name to go by, not something that every league seems to have a couple of.

Sorry for the length of my email, but I thought I should let you know how a Saskatonian felt about all these names and why.

By the way, is this just your ideas or are these Troy Burns ideas for the names?

[CJPhillips]

Some are from people who sent the ideas to Troy while some are by people who have sent ideas to me and some are from my whacky imagination?

[Minor League Man]

I suggest Saskatoon Swords, because they share a venue with the Blades hockey team (Think Stockton's teams [Thunder for hockey, Lightning for arena football]).

[CJPhillips]

HERE ARE THE FINAL 12 NICKNAMES FROM WHICH ONE WILL BE SELECTED....WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITES?

1-Saskatoon Prairie Wolves
2-Saskatoon Swarm
3-Sakatoon Skyforce
4-Saskatoon Swarm
5-Saskatoon Shockwave
6-Saskatoon Snowbears
7-Saskatoon Shamrox
8-Saskatoon Gophers
9-Saskatoon Grasshoppers
10-Saskatoon Bridges
11-Saskatoon Buzz
12-Saskatoon Rattlers

[Shootmaster_44]

HERE ARE THE FINAL 12 NICKNAMES FROM WHICH ONE WILL BE SELECTED....WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITES?

1-Saskatoon Prairie Wolves
2-Saskatoon Swarm
3-Sakatoon Skyforce
4-Saskatoon Swarm
5-Saskatoon Shockwave
6-Saskatoon Snowbears
7-Saskatoon Shamrox
8-Saskatoon Gophers
9-Saskatoon Grasshoppers
10-Saskatoon Bridges
11-Saskatoon Buzz
12-Saskatoon Rattlers

I'm guessing Swarm is the one that someone hopes win, since its listed twice. However, of this list, I would say either Rattlers (though no rattlesnakes are found near Saskatoon, have to drive at least 4 hours south to find them) or Prairie Wolves. However, I stand by my choice of the Sheiks like I mentioned above.

[storm]

My first choice would be the Prairie Wolves and then the Skyforce, Rattlers and then Swarm

[Minor League Man]

HERE ARE THE FINAL 12 NICKNAMES FROM WHICH ONE WILL BE SELECTED....WHAT ARE YOUR FAVOURITES?

1-Saskatoon Prairie Wolves
2-Saskatoon Swarm
3-Sakatoon Skyforce
4-Saskatoon Swarm
5-Saskatoon Shockwave
6-Saskatoon Snowbears
7-Saskatoon Shamrox
8-Saskatoon Gophers
9-Saskatoon Grasshoppers
10-Saskatoon Bridges
11-Saskatoon Buzz
12-Saskatoon Rattlers
I still stand by my choice of Saskatoon Swords!

[nksports]

I realize this is late to the competition, but how about:

Saskatoon Swathers

We have a local high school around here named the Swathers (Hesston). It's farm machinery used for harvesting wheat.

[Minor League Man]

BTW, I saw Mr. Phillips accidentaly typed in "Swarm" twice, #4 is actually my choice, the SASKATOON SWORDS!

[Pounder]

Haven't some others on this board correctly questioned the "veracity" of these name the team contests?

I'm too occupied to search for website ownership (or existence) for any of these names... just a thought.

[CJPhillips]

The names were sent to me by the owners of the Saskatoon to place on my website www.frozenhoops.com With 150,000 plus hits to my site last month and more than a million to date I don't think I would be fooling around with such? When Calgary and Niagara Falls had teams in the ABA my site was the one lone element of keeping their fans up-to-date all this done as a volunteer, basketball junkie and basketball historian. Just google my name "Curtis J. Phillips basketball" or "Curtis J. Phillips NBA" and you will see the reality of such? So head to www.frozenhoops.com and make your vote to help out the owners in Saskatoon. Here are the most recent results. http://www.frozenhoops.com/id245.html

1-Saskatoon Prairie Wolves (12)
2-Saskatoon Swarm (8)
3-Sakatoon Skyforce (4)
4-Saskatoon Swords (2)
5-Saskatoon Shockwave (1)
6-Saskatoon Snowbears (2)
7-Saskatoon Shamrox
8-Saskatoon Gophers
9-Saskatoon Grasshoppers
10-Saskatoon Bridges
11-Saskatoon Buzz (5)
12-Saskatoon Rattlers (9)

[CJPhillips]

Here are the final 12 nicknames up for selection for the new Saskatoon IBL franchise. Vote below. Current votes in parenthesis. To date 64 voting members. Go to www.frozenhoop.com to vote
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1-Saskatoon Prairie Wolves* (20)
2-Saskatoon Swarm (10)
3-Sakatoon Skyforce (6)
4-Saskatoon Swords* (3)
5-Saskatoon Shockwave (2)
6-Saskatoon Snowbears (2)
7-Saskatoon Shamrox
8-Saskatoon Gophers
9-Saskatoon Grasshoppers
10-Saskatoon Bridges
11-Saskatoon Buzz (8)
12-Saskatoon Rattlers (13)