Trew 2 the Game #25: The Hornets

By:
Published: December 17, 2013

This Saturday, December 21st, the Charlotte Bobcats take on the Utah Jazz in what is being called “Buzz City Night.” At halftime, Michael Jordan and company will reveal the returning Hornets brand. Here’s the official word, straight from the horse’s mouth, the horse being the Charlotte Bobcats website.

The game will serve as the official unveiling of the Charlotte Hornets brand identity and will include the introduction of logos and wordmarks that will be utilized when the Hornets name returns for the 2014-15 NBA season. Bobcats Chairman Michael Jordan will lead the unveiling event during a special on-court ceremony at halftime.

It’s understandable that the Jumpman would want to do this as soon as possible, injecting some excitement in a season that is unexciting-ish even though the Bobcats will likely make the playoffs. It’s also the holiday season and if Hornets shirts are going to be available for purchase you can bet on thousands of Carolina-area stockings to be stuffed with Hugo stuff.

The schedule fanatic in me is disappointed they didn’t wait until February 21st when the Pelicans take on the Bobcats in Charlotte for the very first and last time ever. This offense is only forgivable if the Charlotte Hornets make their (re)debut at home against the New Orleans Pelicans in November 2014. The latter event needs to be commemorated on a t-shirt so that current high school basketball fans can confuse their children in 2033 with tales that begin with sentences like, “You know how the Pelicans have won the NBA title the last fourteen years in a row? Well, they were once the Hornets and the Hornets were once the…Bobcats. I can prove it to you” followed by sliding on your Pelicans vs. Bobcats in Charlotte: First and Last Time Ever cotton T.

Meanwhile, the same design website that ran a highly successful, very interesting New Orleans Pelicans rebrand contest is running a Hornets one. More info is right here, including how you can enter your design. Maybe I’m wrong here, but it doesn’t seem like the same fans who were leading the charge to get the name back would be terribly excited about a vasty changed logo. Aren’t you nervous right now if you’re a Charlotte basketball fan? Then again, as long as the name, the teal and Hugo are in town maybe you’re just thrilled to your core. My guess is that Hugo (in mascot form) will be incorporated into the actual look.

Regardless of how the logo turns out (amazing, I’m sure), I’m happy for Charlotte. Your football team aside, you are a charming southern city with an interesting downtown full of buildings with crowns on top and look, you got your team back. It’s the same team it currently is but well, you know what I mean. It’s going to be strange for us New Orleanians for a bit but it won’t be anything compared to the weirdness you felt from 2002-2004. Still, bear with us as we all adjust to these changes. For example, we don’t know what to do with all of these Chris Paul jerseys or I’m In t-shirts. Any ideas?

By the way, it’s going to really be weird when the Bobcats make a miraculous run to the NBA Finals this season after you beat the Hawks in the first round and Miami crumbles because Lebron announced his return to Cleveland in the middle of the series and then Cody Zeller shuts down Paul George. We suggest you keep that banner, along with the New Orleans Hornets Southwest Division banner just for fun.

Chris Trew is a comedian and die-hard Pelicans fan living and working in New Orleans. You can listen to his weekly podcast, Trew2theGame, on the It’s New Orleans broadcast network or through iTunes and Sticher. New episodes (and columns!) every Tuesday. He’s performing this Saturday at 9:00p at the home for Nola Comedy, The New Movement. Follow him on Twitter right here.

2 Comments

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.