11/05/24
August 25, 2009
New Jersey Devils Cut Down the Nets: After the New Jersey Nets decided to take Jersey off their road jerseys, the New Jersey Devils have responded with a new billboard: "We Proudly Wear Our State On Our Chest."
Considering that I was born & raised in Jersey, it would be safe for me to say: "I Proudly hate the fact that NJ is one of the highest taxed states"
I was born and raised in Jersey, but live in DC now. Highly taxed, AND unrepresented! Woohoo!
posted by inigo2 at 12:30 PM on August 25, 2009
Nice!! I guess we're in the same boat then inigo.
I been meaning to ask you, did your father ever have an encounter with a man with 6 fingers on his right hand?
posted by BornIcon at 12:39 PM on August 25, 2009
In the Yahoo article they pose the question:
Who currently ranks higher in the city's pecking order, your NHL or NBA team ?
I think it's safe to say in Toronto the Leafs are the king of the castle (hanger) over the Raptors.
I don't think many NHL teams are more popular than their NBA cousins.
Red Wings vs Pistons
San Jose Sharks vs Golden State Warriors
Rangers vs Knicks
Capitals vs Wizards
Wild vs Timberwolves
Those would be the only instances where I think the NHL team even possibly could be considered more popular than the local NBA squad.
I like what the Devils are doing. It shows some imagination and humour and may just sell a few tickets to proud New Jerseyites (Jerseyans) ?.
You want to talk about overtaxed, move north to Canada, we can show you overtaxation and Death Panels !
posted by tommybiden at 01:00 PM on August 25, 2009
Flyers over Sixers, recently at least. That's a fair number, probably close to half of the cities that have both NHL and NBA teams.
posted by cl at 01:38 PM on August 25, 2009
I thought about Flyers over Sixers, but perhaps it's my prejudice showing through. As a Maple Leaf fan I can't imagine anything positive about the Flyers.
posted by tommybiden at 01:59 PM on August 25, 2009
Never thought I would say this, but it looks like the Nets are the smarter franchise. Why would anyone really want to admit they were from Jersey?
Now if you take into consideration that both teams are so ashamed of their city, that they have to go by their state name, what does that say about the city? At least the Nets have been smart enough to try and disassociate themselves with the state when it comes to their team jersey.
Maybe the Nets could smarten up enough to go the Golden State Warriors approach and become the Armpit of America Nets? or the Our education system sucks Nets? or the Toll booths every 3 miles Nets?
posted by Demophon at 02:09 PM on August 25, 2009
Isn't this more because the Nets are moving to Brooklyn if/when the new arena gets built?
What has made me sick for many years is the two NFL franchises. Both gladly take state and local tax dollars and services and refuse to even consider a mention of New Jersey in their official names. Say what you want about the quality of NJ, hard to see NY state as all that much different or better.
posted by billsaysthis at 02:42 PM on August 25, 2009
Demophon, you can't say all that without at least telling us where you're from :)
posted by inigo2 at 02:46 PM on August 25, 2009
Now if you take into consideration that both teams are so ashamed of their city ...
Fans of the Florida Marlins, Texas Rangers, Colorado Rockies, Minnesota Twins, Arizona Diamondbacks, New England Patriots, Tennessee Titans, Minnesota Vikings, Carolina Panthers, Arizona Cardinals, Carolina Hurricanes, Florida Panthers, Minnesota Wild, Colorado Avalanche, Indiana Pacers, Minnesota Timberwolves, Golden State Warriors, New England Revolution and Colorado Rockies would disagree with that premise.
posted by rcade at 02:51 PM on August 25, 2009
There was a bit of a similar shit-storm when the Calgary Flames donned jerseys with the Alberta (and Canadian) flag on the shoulder.
Was this them making a claim at being "Alberta's team"? Or was it simply proud citizenry? Either way, it ticked off a lot of Edmontonians. But did it really?
Frankly, I'm not exactly sure how wrapped up in "location" many fans are when it comes to their love affairs with the teams. Diasporic Saskatchewan Roughrider fans might be the exception to this, but I'm not sure how many of them even identify proudly with Regina.
Regardless, the NJ Devils have found themselves a winner of an advertisement because tugging at heart strings can never really fail when it comes to patriotism/regional identity.
posted by Spitztengle at 04:36 PM on August 25, 2009
Inigo, I am from Western Massachusetts (must distinguish ourselves from the eastern half, where our local legislature believes the state ends at I-495), where we have the New England Patriots and Revolution, but in the case of their names, I can understand them using the area for a designation.
Foxboro is so small that it is mostly made up of the stadium and 2 stop lights, they aren't based out of Boston as much as FOX and NBC show you clips of Quincy Market and the Boston Common when they come back from commercial during Pats games.
Looking at rcade's list, it seems that the idea of using the state or area designation is something that has become more popular in the last couple of decades as most of those teams are either recent expansion teams or recently relocated teams that are attempting to enlarge their fan base by encompassing a larger metro area as their name than just their base city.
I know that the Marlins will be adopting the Miami name when they open their new stadium, and I am some what surprised that they didn't have it from the start considering that Miami is the 9th largest TV market.
posted by Demophon at 05:06 PM on August 25, 2009
N.J. is a dump I was born and raised there for my first 46 years. I moved to NV 15 years ago and I am also not proud to be from the most over taxed, most corrupt state in the union. In Bergen County they have blue laws like your living in the 1800's. I totally agree with the Nets.
posted by jonm7 at 06:38 PM on August 25, 2009
rcade
Don't forget the New York Islanders who play in Uniondale NY which is about 30 miles east of Manhattan and at least 15 miles of the Queens border.
posted by HATER 187 at 11:45 PM on August 25, 2009
Jersey?
Isn't that where music CDs go to disappear?
posted by owlhouse at 02:06 AM on August 26, 2009
Why would anyone really want to admit they were from Jersey?
Unless you're from Jersey, there's no need to belittle the Garden State. Allow me to do that, I don't mind.
posted by BornIcon at 10:21 AM on August 26, 2009
Born and raised in NJ, live 11 miles from the Pru Center ... who really cares? The Nets don't draw flies, and I thought the Devils were pushing to get the Nets to come to Newark.
BTW, as a fan of Philly pro teams, Flyers over Sixers for quite some time.
posted by jjzucal at 12:02 PM on August 26, 2009
Born and raised in NJ, live 11 miles from the Pru Center ... who really cares?
Obviously since you're a Philly fan you're not going to care. I know plenty of people that do. Hell, I don't really follow the NBA and I'm not a Devils fan, but I care. I think the billboard is great.
Isn't that where music CDs go to disappear?
Damn! Called out in 2 threads.
posted by goddam at 12:53 PM on August 26, 2009
Sorry, goddam. I just know you're stuff will be good.
Now where can I get hold of geekyguy?
posted by owlhouse at 03:14 PM on August 26, 2009
Yesterday I was visiting with an old friend who now lives in southern New Jersey. He gave me a rundown on his tax situation (high sales tax - he does his shopping in Delaware - and property tax), but what really got him was the bureaucracy. He is in the process of having to file environmental remediation plans because he mowed too far back in his back yard. It's not that he didn't own the property, but the state has some sort of wetland protection in the area (although the wetland is about 1/4 mile away) and he has to let half of his back yard go to weeds. Evidently the developers got into trouble on some other projects, and in order to get the state off their back, agreed to the restrictions. Of course, they never bothered to tell the homeowners. He says that the war has been going on for a year, and every time he files one piece of paper, they send him 3 more. I guess government bureaucrats need to make a living too. I'm sure it could all have been avoided had he known the correct pocket to line.
posted by Howard_T at 07:10 PM on August 27, 2009
Howard_T - that's not just a Jersey thing. Something similar happened to Dan Snyder (scumbag owner of the Redskins) out in Maryland. Of course, he's got the money to just do what he wants (cut down a bunch of protected trees) and pay the fines later.
posted by inigo2 at 10:43 AM on August 28, 2009
California has them too. In Mountain View (where I live) and other cities you need a permit to cut down a tree if its older than a certain age. But are you saying the government should not impose any environmental restrictions?
I would be hugely surprised if the developer your friend bought from did not include the wetlands disclosure as part of the sale if only because the lawyers would've made him. Whether it was mentioned verbally or disclosed in an obvious manner is of course a completely different story.
posted by billsaysthis at 12:16 PM on August 28, 2009
Considering that I was born & raised in Jersey, it would be safe for me to say: "I Proudly hate the fact that NJ is one of the highest taxed states"