What’s in a Name?
What’s in a name? For sports leagues and teams, not much. It used to mean something.
The NHL had Maple Leaf Gardens.
That’s the only name bestowed upon that building for generations of
hockey. And Montreal had the Forum. A
place seen as a shrine for much of Canada.
Both those buildings are gone now.
One, made into a grocery store with a little rink on top… the other
becoming a fancy movie cinema, yet maintaining a hint of its history within the
lobby. And they’ve been replaced by corporate
named stadiums. The Air Canada Centre…
and the Bell Centre. Bell Centre being
the second name put on the Montreal stadium… following the previously corporate
name… Molson Centre.
Baseball has kept several original names for their stadiums. Fenway Park, Wrigley Field, and Dodger
Stadium have all maintained their name. Even the New York Yankees, when moving
into a new building, kept the old name.
Where else would such a historic franchise play but Yankee Stadium? With none of these teams having sold naming
rights, it adds a depth to each of them.
They maintain a connection through the history of each franchise. A grandfather can bring his grandson to a
game in one of these stadiums and feel as though he has something to share… to
pass along. It’s one thing to say you
remembered watching this team back when you were your grandson’s age. But it’s something else altogether to be able
to maintain the building the team plays in as a connecting point.
Yes it’s true that the buildings have to change over the years. You can’t have sports franchises all playing
in eighty year old stadiums simply for the good of grandfathers and
grandsons. But naming a building based
on the team itself (Yankee Stadium, Dodger Stadium)… or the history of the club
(Wrigley Field, Fenway Park)… the building the clubs play in becomes something
special. It’s a part of the
experience. It brings that connection
between past and present that should be important to all sports.
Here, in Ottawa, tradition is not only a non-priority… it’s spat
upon. The Senators have been in the NHL
for 20 years. They’ve played almost all
of that time in the one stadium (moving in there half way through the 1995-96
season). So next season will be their 19th
year in the same building. It will have
its fourth new name in those 19 years.
As a new building, it received a reasonable name that one could grow
with. The Palladium opened for business
on January 15, 1996.
That name lasted a month. On
February 17th, the cornerstone for a fledgling franchise became
renamed after a software company… The Corel Centre was “born”.
Corel Centre lasted a while.
In January of 2006, a new chapter began.
Scotiabank Place brought the warm and fuzzy feelings that only a bank
can supply to a family outing.
But seven years is enough of that.
Despite its 15 year naming agreement, Scotiabank decided to sell off the
naming rights to the building. As of
this summer, the building will be known as Canadian Tire Centre.
Of course, I shall be calling it the CANADIAN TIRE CENTRE!!!... in
honour of the new CFL franchise that is coming to Ottawa.
Yes, naming silliness goes beyond hockey in this town. The new football team will be called the
Redblacks. A name based on the team
colours. That is assuming the team will
be going back to those original colours of the former Rough Riders days. But a stupid name isn’t bad enough. Had they left well enough alone, it may
actually grow on people. After all, New
Zealand’s All Blacks rugby team is an iconic name.
But Ottawa had to get dumb.
For, you see, it isn’t actually Redblacks. The correct spelling of the name is…
REDBLACKS. Yes, the club has told media
outlets that the name should be in all caps.
Because of this… I shall forever call the Ottawa CFL team by the
rightful name… the Ottawa ALLCAPS!!!
But back to the Senators.
Within the multi-named facility have been several restaurants. Marshy’s Sports Bar was run by former player,
Brad Marsh. And the name, Marshy’s has a
good sports crowd kind of name. “Come on
guys! Let’s head to the game early and grab a bite a Marshy’s!” I even once went there with dad and my uncle
and saw Marshy himself meeting fans and being a fine ambassador for the
place.
But no good thing lasts too long in Ottawa. When the Senator franchise took over
ownership of the bar, it was renamed.
Bert’s. Yes… Bert’s. I have an uncle Bert. A fine fellow. But not the name for a sports bar. Though the club’s website does tell us that
Bert’s is “the official Sens Army headquarters.” Cause, you see… Sens Army is what the team
calls their fan base. They came up with
this title while Canada was sending a real army into the Afghan War. At a time when we should have perspective on
what is important in this world. When
people spoke about how sports figures aren’t the real heroes. Soldiers, fire fighters and police officers
are the heroes of this world. It was at
this time, that a sports franchise decide to name their fan base an Army.
Ottawa did have another place to eat that hinted at the franchises
past. Frank Finnigan’s was a place to go
grab a burger before heading to your seats.
Finnigan was a member of the original Senator hockey team, playing
for them during the 1920s and early 1930s.
And the current club, besides naming a restaurant after him, retired his
number and named the street in front of the main entrance to the building after
him.
But with the new tradition of Canadian Tire comes new traditions in
the building. You can no longer grab a
burger at Finnigan’s. Nope, that place
has gone the way of the Marshy.
Canadian Tire has several companies under its umbrella. Sports Experts, Sport Chek, Mark’s Work
Wearhouse are all Canadian Tire properties.
And, with that, Frank Finnigan’s becomes… the Sport Chek Sports Bar &
Grill.
If sports teams were people, than the buildings they play in were
once the soul. Visiting teams would be
intimidated as they come in to the building.
The Montreal Forum had the “ghosts” of past greats there to help the
home team along in quests, many of which were successful, for the Stanley
Cup. And, although the move out of the
Forum and into the Molson Centre/Bell Centre was done with much ceremony and
tradition where people spoke of the “ghosts” being brought into the new
building… the Canadiens haven’t won a Cup since… and all talk of those ghosts
has vanished.
Today, the soul of sports teams is no longer the stadiums they play
out of. There is no soul in modern day
sports teams. It’s the first, and most
convenient thing for billion dollar owners to sell.
WEDNESDAY...
--- Exhausted today. Slept less than three hours. In slow motion at
work and, by 1:30, I pack it in. Just need the rest.
--- Home... Do a little clean up in the backyard before a much need
nap. Then get the last of my birthday gift from sis. A gift card from Lee
Valley. Add a little money of my own and the order is in for a new sprinkler as
well as five other goodies for around the house. I'm a suburbanite for sure.
THURSDAY...
--- Better today. I slept well last night and the fog is out of my
head. Just me and Marc at work. Keith taking time to work on his roof.
FRIDAY...
--- Fairly busy night. No real pause at work until 1:30. Left pretty
tired for the rest of the night.
SATURDAY...
--- Busy again. Not crazy busy but there's just not much pause.
Something new coming via email, CPIC, or fax every fifteen minutes or so.
SUNDAY...
--- Up around 11:30. Call dad to wish a happy Father's Day. Nap
during the baseball on tv. BBQ some sausages for supper. And do a forty minute
walk in the evening. Grey and cool today though. Rained much of the early part
of the day.
MONDAY...
--- Win softball again. A pretty close one but we pull it off 7-4.
TUESDAY...
--- Hour long walk today. And, on a day when I woke with no softball
in the plans, I play twice. RCMP team needed a body and one of the Monday night
teammates need someone for their game that happens right after it. I feel it by
the end. Tired and sore. A little pathetic considering I play 1st base in the
first game and catch most of the second one. Neither position needing much
effort. Ah well.
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