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Month: February 2015

Feb272015 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
All-Time MLS Franchise Rankings, 2015 Edition

All-Time MLS Franchise Rankings, 2015 Edition

Sports
The opening kickoff of the 2015 Major League Soccer season is nearly upon us, and now that MLS is celebrating its 20th anniversary I think they've earned the honor of having their franchises ranked by yours truly. For those unfamiliar with my other franchise rankings, the idea is simple. I come up with a point system for various categories for each team and do some simple math. Teams are then ranked according to average points earned per year, not total points. The idea is to introduce some objectivity to the exercise, and also to allow teams that perform well but may not have a bunch of titles to be rewarded for that. Likewise, teams that win it all once or twice but otherwise stink are not unfairly rewarded. And this also allows for older franchises to not be able to just pile up p...
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Feb252015 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Vintage MLB Spring Training Programs

Vintage MLB Spring Training Programs

Ephemera, Sports
Spring Training for the 2015 Major League Baseball season is upon us! So even if you're still sitting under a blanket of snow, you know that relief is on the way. To help you get warmed up and to take an excuse to look at some great vintage sports ephemera, here's a hand-picked gallery slideshow of some of my favorite Spring Training program and scorecard art from teams like the Dodgers, Red Sox, Angels, and Pirates. All of these and more are available for perusal at The Press Room, and clicking on any image will take you to its own page.
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Feb242015 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Here’s the New Cleveland Browns Logo, Let’s Look At It

Here’s the New Cleveland Browns Logo, Let’s Look At It

Sports
Forget the NFL Combine and pre-draft hype, or even the "who will move to Los Angeles?" rumor mill -- the juiciest piece of NFL news this month is the unveiling of the new Cleveland Browns logo. The visual identity of the Browns really hasn't changed in a substantial way since the team's inception (in the AAFC) in 1946. Sure, they've dabbled with different mascots and even rolled out a few alternate logos in 2003, but by and large the Browns have always been the Browns. An orange-ish helmet with no logo is as much an NFL trademark as is the Raiders' iconic pirate or the Cowboys' star. (As a subtle reminder, you can check out my rankings of all NFL logos on my Sports Lists page.) So now the big day is finally here, and here is what the Browns have ushered in for their new logo (from
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Feb92015 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Vintage 1983 Radio Shack Burger King AM Radio

Vintage 1983 Radio Shack Burger King AM Radio

Auction Finds
With the recent news of venerable electronics retailer Radio Shack's Chapter 11 bankruptcy filing -- and likely demise -- I was inspired to hit the usual auction sites to see what kind of Radio Shack branded stuff I could find. I was not disappointed with the results, which include this great AM radio with headphones that was made by Radio Shack and distributed at Burger King outlets in 1983. As you can see this radio was really a promotional item for the Whopper, and features Burger King's "Aren't You Hungry?" slogan from the early-to-mid 1980s. The back of the packaging features a detailed breakdown of the Whopper, as well as a nice black and white illustration of the standard BK franchise design that lasted through the decade at least. What isn't immediately visible fro...
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Feb32015 by Chris HolmesNo Comments
Beautiful Billboards #3: Seattle City Light, 1968

Beautiful Billboards #3: Seattle City Light, 1968

Advertising
This beauty of a billboard for Seattle City Light was photographed in the late '60s, and yet features a wonderful 1950s design. Click for a larger version. I mean c'mon, that housewife illustration is right out of a 1950s ad from Life magazine is it not? I wonder how long that billboard had been standing when it was shot. I'm sure it's too much to hope that it's been preserved. (via Seattle Municipal Archives on Flickr)
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