whether intended or not, this turned into a positive PR move. The Astros got a bunch of national publicity for a day. And Crane can now say that “the fans have spoken” and the Astros will follow their fans’ input.
That he reached out to get fans opinions? That he got people talking about the astros? Come on the guys a billionaire business man. He reminded people why the astros and the astros name is important. People were writing stories about the importance of the astros name to the city. I don’t see how you can think that’s bad.
There was some really good stuff that was implemented and it got completely ignored. You’re probably right, from the business side it got the Astros a pop. I hated having to hear everybody freak out about it. I hate negative attention like that too, and it gave every jackass another opportunity to make a snide comment.
The anger that came with a name change paled in comparison to my anger of the league change. The thing is though, every nickname that’s suggested, in jest or seriously, is just so horrible. I’m sure Astros would sound ridiculous if it were suggested now, but at least everyone is used to it. Plus, it’s kind of humiliating on a national level, and the last thing we need is for one more thing to get made fun of.
As far as I am concerned as a former lifelong Astro fan
I think if they were called the Houston Tampons they would look less ridiculous than they will when they are playing gimmickball at 9 o clock at night in Seattle. Since the league blackmailed them into the gimmick league, they should cut all ties to when they were a real baseball team so we can remember them separate from the bullshit that they are now.
My team has always been the Astros, but when the Astros were blackmailed into not playing baseball anymore, I stopped being a fan. It’s pretty simple. I would be an Astros fan again if something changed and they were still going to be playing baseball after this year. That’s why I want a name change, so I can say I was always a fan of the Astros without having to say that I am a fan of the new gimmickball team that will be in Houston.
Wait, so you’re a fan of baseball. Yet baseball was the one that blackmailed the Astros into moving. So you became a fan of the organization that made the move you’re upset with.
As a true lifelong fan I can say as long as the astros are in existence I will be a fan. Even if I don’t agree with the league pushing them around. I have no interest in starting over with a new team.
are playing baseball, but I have to admit that their decision to stop playing baseball after this season has made me stop caring as much already in preparation me to tune it out completely the season after this one. It was sort of like once Bud Adams announced that the Oilers were moving, I was always an Oiler fan, but I stopped caring then in preparation for them to be gone.
however, I believe that they should have called their bluff and refused to buy if they didn’t back down. The MLB wouldn’t have wanted to devalue their product, they would have relented.
Yea, because taking the bat out of the pitchers hands is a completely different sport.(Sarcasm) I hate the move and hate the DH as much as anyone but I can promise you I am a lifelong Astros fan and will not jump ship just because of some minor rule change. To all of you ’fans" that are bailing on the team now, you better change your user name when the team starts winning because i hate bandwagon fans.
Venting after it happened is one thing, but when you keep harping on this long it’s just annoying. If you’re not a fan anymore then maybe a website for Astros fans isn’t the best place to hang out.
The Astros are in the middle of a change that divorces them from a lot of their history. The answer to that is not to scrap the whole thing, but rather to hold on that much harder to the core stuff.
it’s not like ‘astros’ is a great name by any stretch. not only has it lost its relevance, it also rhymes with lastros, disastros and a$$holes (assonance). we’re just used to it.
It’s “outdated” only in the sense that it evokes the ‘60s. But names like the Red Sox/White Sox/Reds evoke 19th/Early 20th Century baseball. And that’s fine, because that’s when those teams were first formed.
But the Astros were a product of the ‘60s — modernism, hope for the future, space-age stuff. I like that. That’s when Houston started to change into the city it is today. Does it refer to something (NASA) that isn’t as big of a deal now? Yeah, I guess, but I don’t see how that matters.
And I like being able to call them the lastros and disastros.
Definitely not this off season, we couldn’t possibly live up to the new miami marlins uniforms. They’ve set the bar so high it would be impossible to compete with that in the same offseason.
Usually takes about two years to design and produce new uniforms (remember, you’re not just changing up the uniforms — you’re changing the logos, signage, everything). But if they start now it might be done in time for the 2013 season.
They had new uniforms ready by opening day 2000 with the move to Enron Field, which leads me to have faith that they could get it done in time. I don’t know when they started designing the current uniforms, though…
I don’t see why that should take such a long time to do. I could conjure up a new logo in a single night using my personal software. The Astros have more than a year to have this done.
As I recall, the Astros said that they had to get a uniform change finalized by the end of the 2012 season in order to get it approved by the league before the 2013 season. Although the Astros haven’t committed to making a uniform change, it certainly sounded like they are targeting 2013.
I imagine if they’re going to make a change they need to at least make the decision soon, so they can start designing them and go through any process MLB might have.
Great news.
Stupendous Man - January 31, 2012 via mobile
boo.
mikrobass3 - January 31, 2012
whether intended or not, this turned into a positive PR move. The Astros got a bunch of national publicity for a day. And Crane can now say that “the fans have spoken” and the Astros will follow their fans’ input.
clack - January 31, 2012
intended
Crane is a business man. He knew what he was doing.
lawson3 - January 31, 2012 via mobile
I don’t think it was on purpose. It blew every bit of goodwill that the new fan friendly changes would have brought.
MadMartygan - January 31, 2012
what good will did it blow?
That he reached out to get fans opinions? That he got people talking about the astros? Come on the guys a billionaire business man. He reminded people why the astros and the astros name is important. People were writing stories about the importance of the astros name to the city. I don’t see how you can think that’s bad.
lawson3 - January 31, 2012 via mobile
There was some really good stuff that was implemented and it got completely ignored. You’re probably right, from the business side it got the Astros a pop. I hated having to hear everybody freak out about it. I hate negative attention like that too, and it gave every jackass another opportunity to make a snide comment.
MadMartygan - January 31, 2012
Are you calling me a jackass?
Because I wrote an entire snide article about it. </3
CRPerry13 - January 31, 2012
Not you jackasses here. I meant national guys, and non astro fans. I don’t mind if it’s in the family.
MadMartygan - January 31, 2012
I still would have loved the Houston Honeybadgers, haha
CRPerry13 - January 31, 2012
Flavor of the week. Ha.
MadMartygan - January 31, 2012
Think Toronto Raptors.
MadMartygan - January 31, 2012
you say "everybody freak out"
I say the it was the common astros fan being passionate about the astros for the first time in a long time. It was a good move.
lawson3 - January 31, 2012 via mobile
Boo
I was a big fan of changing the name. You changed the product, might as well change the name.
Bobbythegreat - January 31, 2012
The anger that came with a name change paled in comparison to my anger of the league change. The thing is though, every nickname that’s suggested, in jest or seriously, is just so horrible. I’m sure Astros would sound ridiculous if it were suggested now, but at least everyone is used to it. Plus, it’s kind of humiliating on a national level, and the last thing we need is for one more thing to get made fun of.
MadMartygan - January 31, 2012
As far as I am concerned as a former lifelong Astro fan
I think if they were called the Houston Tampons they would look less ridiculous than they will when they are playing gimmickball at 9 o clock at night in Seattle. Since the league blackmailed them into the gimmick league, they should cut all ties to when they were a real baseball team so we can remember them separate from the bullshit that they are now.
Bobbythegreat - January 31, 2012
I can totally understand that point of view, as I think that was pretty much my initial reaction.
MadMartygan - January 31, 2012
former lifelong fan?
What does that even mean? lol. I think by definition if you stop being a fan then it wasn’t life long, unless you’re not living anymore.
lawson3 - February 1, 2012 via mobile
LOL
nice.
mikrobass3 - February 1, 2012
I am a fan of baseball, I always have been.
My team has always been the Astros, but when the Astros were blackmailed into not playing baseball anymore, I stopped being a fan. It’s pretty simple. I would be an Astros fan again if something changed and they were still going to be playing baseball after this year. That’s why I want a name change, so I can say I was always a fan of the Astros without having to say that I am a fan of the new gimmickball team that will be in Houston.
Bobbythegreat - February 1, 2012
Wait, so you’re a fan of baseball. Yet baseball was the one that blackmailed the Astros into moving. So you became a fan of the organization that made the move you’re upset with.
Timothy De Block - February 2, 2012
You misunderstand completely
I am a fan of the sport of baseball. The sport of baseball didn’t blackmail the Astros, the MLB did. I hope that cleared things up.
Bobbythegreat - February 2, 2012
Oh my mistake, the Sugar Land Skeeters are here
-—→ http://www.sugarlandskeeters.com/index.cfmTimothy De Block - February 2, 2012
I'll likely support the Skeeters more
going forward than the Astros. If I am going to support a team with bush league rules, it might as well be an actual bush league team.
Bobbythegreat - February 2, 2012
When will we stop hearing all of these complaints from “former” fans? It’s getting old.
Stupendous Man - February 1, 2012 via mobile
Sorry if that came off as prickish.
But why penalize the Astros by revoking one’s fandom when it wasn’t the team’s decision to switch leagues? That’s on Selig.
Stupendous Man - February 1, 2012 via mobile
i agree
As a true lifelong fan I can say as long as the astros are in existence I will be a fan. Even if I don’t agree with the league pushing them around. I have no interest in starting over with a new team.
lawson3 - February 1, 2012 via mobile
I'll be an Astros fan for life, as well...
…unless Buds Selig and Adams team up and move the team to Tennessee. That would be the end of the line.
Stupendous Man - February 1, 2012 via mobile
I will be a fan as long as the Astros
are playing baseball, but I have to admit that their decision to stop playing baseball after this season has made me stop caring as much already in preparation me to tune it out completely the season after this one. It was sort of like once Bud Adams announced that the Oilers were moving, I was always an Oiler fan, but I stopped caring then in preparation for them to be gone.
Bobbythegreat - February 1, 2012
I stopped reading after you said "thier decision"
Since its been well documented that they had no choice… But I’m sure the rest was really good.
lawson3 - February 1, 2012 via mobile
It was "their decision"
Crane could have called the MLB’s bluff, he had by far the best bid for the team, they wouldn’t have thrown that money away.
Bobbythegreat - February 2, 2012
I think its been pretty well documented that whoever bought the team was going to be forced to relocate the Astros to the AL.
conroestro - February 2, 2012 via mobile
That was certainly what the MLB wanted
however, I believe that they should have called their bluff and refused to buy if they didn’t back down. The MLB wouldn’t have wanted to devalue their product, they would have relented.
Bobbythegreat - February 2, 2012
Doubt it.
conroestro - February 2, 2012 via mobile
Yea, because taking the bat out of the pitchers hands is a completely different sport.(Sarcasm) I hate the move and hate the DH as much as anyone but I can promise you I am a lifelong Astros fan and will not jump ship just because of some minor rule change. To all of you ’fans" that are bailing on the team now, you better change your user name when the team starts winning because i hate bandwagon fans.
Uncle Chris - February 1, 2012
Sorry Stupendous Man
I tried to rec your post but i think it flagged it instead.
Uncle Chris - February 1, 2012
Ha…no problem. Seems like that happens a lot when rec’ing comments on SB Nation blogs.
Stupendous Man - February 1, 2012 via mobile
i want to complain about people complaining about people that complain. (grin)
mikrobass3 - February 1, 2012
I’m a dude playing a dude disguised as another dude…
Stupendous Man - February 1, 2012 via mobile
Amen
Venting after it happened is one thing, but when you keep harping on this long it’s just annoying. If you’re not a fan anymore then maybe a website for Astros fans isn’t the best place to hang out.
OremLK - February 2, 2012
Second that.
conroestro - February 2, 2012 via mobile
I think it's the opposite.
The Astros are in the middle of a change that divorces them from a lot of their history. The answer to that is not to scrap the whole thing, but rather to hold on that much harder to the core stuff.
Only_A_Lad - January 31, 2012
I agree with you.
clack - February 1, 2012
i disagree. let’s complete the divorce, get a fresh start and let the national league team in houston rest in peace.
mikrobass3 - February 1, 2012
it’s not like ‘astros’ is a great name by any stretch. not only has it lost its relevance, it also rhymes with lastros, disastros and a$$holes (assonance). we’re just used to it.
mikrobass3 - February 1, 2012
I think it's a great name.
It’s “outdated” only in the sense that it evokes the ‘60s. But names like the Red Sox/White Sox/Reds evoke 19th/Early 20th Century baseball. And that’s fine, because that’s when those teams were first formed.
But the Astros were a product of the ‘60s — modernism, hope for the future, space-age stuff. I like that. That’s when Houston started to change into the city it is today. Does it refer to something (NASA) that isn’t as big of a deal now? Yeah, I guess, but I don’t see how that matters.
And I like being able to call them the lastros and disastros.
Only_A_Lad - February 1, 2012
"And I like being able to call them the lastros and disastros."
ya got me with that one.
mikrobass3 - February 1, 2012
So what about the uniforms?
Is it possible that could be changed?
LordGav1n - January 31, 2012
I’m positive they will have new unis in 2013.
MadMartygan - January 31, 2012
Definitely not this off season, we couldn’t possibly live up to the new miami marlins uniforms. They’ve set the bar so high it would be impossible to compete with that in the same offseason.
lawson3 - February 1, 2012 via mobile
Yep.
I’d put the odds of the Astros wearing new uniforms in 2013 at 100%.
Stupendous Man - February 1, 2012 via mobile
Might be longer.
Usually takes about two years to design and produce new uniforms (remember, you’re not just changing up the uniforms — you’re changing the logos, signage, everything). But if they start now it might be done in time for the 2013 season.
I’d say 2014 is a little more likely, however.
Only_A_Lad - February 1, 2012
They had new uniforms ready by opening day 2000 with the move to Enron Field, which leads me to have faith that they could get it done in time. I don’t know when they started designing the current uniforms, though…
Stupendous Man - February 1, 2012 via mobile
I don’t see why that should take such a long time to do. I could conjure up a new logo in a single night using my personal software. The Astros have more than a year to have this done.
BustaPozee - February 1, 2012
As I recall, the Astros said that they had to get a uniform change finalized by the end of the 2012 season in order to get it approved by the league before the 2013 season. Although the Astros haven’t committed to making a uniform change, it certainly sounded like they are targeting 2013.
clack - February 1, 2012
In our latest podcast April 6th was a date mentioned that the Astros would have to have any changes in by.
Timothy De Block - February 2, 2012
Is that the date for uniform changes? That’s pretty soon.
clack - February 2, 2012
I’m not sure we were specifically talking about the name change, but it sounded like anything.
Timothy De Block - February 2, 2012
I imagine if they’re going to make a change they need to at least make the decision soon, so they can start designing them and go through any process MLB might have.
Timothy De Block - February 2, 2012
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