ESPN Fantasy Hockey Designs

 Just some designs because ESPN wont let me upload images normally.

Wednesday: Don't Call it a Comeback (Mock HJC Post)

"Guess who just got back today,

Them wild-eyed boys that had been away,
Haven't changed that much to say,
But man, I still think them cats are crazy,

They were askin' if you were around,
How you was, where you could be found,
Told 'em you were livin' downtown,
Drivin' all the old men crazy."

-"The Boys are Back" by Thin Lizzy

You guessed it. I'M BACK [expletive]! Oh I forgot we shouldn't swear. Well either way I'm back and I'm ready to review your artwork, and occasionally mine, alongside telling some really bad jokes and then immediately apologizing for them. Couple of reminders before we continue that I'll expand upon really quick.

-Concept of the Week: 

We have three great concepts this week. Tyler K. has a Sarnia Sting concept that's the bee's knees (I know, low hanging fruit with that joke. Sorry). We have Ryan C. with a Florida Panthers concept to roar about (Yes, this is getting stupid. No I won't stop). We also have recent Prince George Cougars Redesign winner Brendan P with a nice entry that has moved on to our vote. And its nice and easy to vote too! click on the link to look at the concepts, then vote for the one that stands out as the best. I voted, did you?

-Gatineau Olympiques Redesign Competition:

We got the O, we got the Dub, now let's get the Q. Our redesign journey through the CHL continues over to Gatineau, Quebec where we need to scrap their LA Lookalikes (easy) and replace them with something much better (not easy). You have several eras of Olympiques history to choose from for colors or you can invent a new era, so long as you keep the name. I'm working on an entry right now so I challenge you to do the same! 

Formal deadlines:

COTW Dec 20-26 vote (ends Friday @ 4:30pm Eastern)

Gatimeau Olympics Redesign Entry (due Friday @ 11:59 pm Eastern)

On to the Concepts!

Jay S. - Star Wars Concept (The Empire)

Now that the Star Wars theme has finished playing in my head, I can now review it. As a casual fan of Star Wars (who refuses to believe Episodes 1, 2 and 3 should exist), I can say this would be a nice road jersey for the Dark Side. But only a road jersey. The Dark Side would want their regular jerseys to better suit their tastes: DARK. I want to see a black or red jersey. That aside, from a jersey execution standpoint, I Like what you have done here. Classic jersey style with good striping, although the hem stripe seems a little thin. If it were as thick as the arm stripes I'd have no problem. Also raise it up a little bit so you can have more of the white hem to add some parallelism to the jersey. The name and number fonts look good from a Star Wars standpoint (nice touch with the redone Reebok logo on the back), but the name is slightly big from a jersey standpoint. Some sort of red outline would also help balance out the colors. Side notes: Good job crediting as needed.

A concept that is surely an apprentice to some other Star Wars concept elsewhere in the galaxy. 75%

Jim M. - Las Vegas Spades Concept

Las Vegas Spades sounds like a fitting and surely realistic team name for the future Las Vegas franchise. There's only one problem with the name: You spelled it LOS Vegas instead of LAS Vegas. I don't know how that typo could happen since the O and A are on opposite sides of the keyboard, so please watch that. This concept surely has got a lot of style for sure and is definitely unique. The side panels and yoke differing from the jersey actually do work here. The swirls of grey on the jersey may be a little much, especially combined with the traditional arm striping. Maybe if you take some of the pizzazz off the jersey and onto the logo, I could rate this a little higher. I see what you are trying to do with the pants and socks, but for one, the traditional striping is way too high. I like the idea of consistency with the pants and socks, but it's a bit too crazy. Black helmet would also work better with a black yoke. TV numbers are a must.

Re-purpose the pizzazz and you'll be fine. 64%

Ryan C. - Los Angeles Kings Stadium Series Concept

Well, well, well, Ryan... We meet again... I do appreciate you trying to make this concept both conceptual and realistic. The large Stadium Series numbers do that, and then some. They look great with the outline that was missing from them. The logo choice is interesting. I say let the 90s stay in the 90s in some cases and in others bring it out. This case I say leave it in the 90s. There are many better logos to choose from with the Kings. Execution is flawless, as always with Ryan, but I also feel that you aren't done. Show me the back side! Show me the helmets! Show me the pants! Show me the socks!

I want more! 83%

Tex R. - Colorado Avalanche Concept

If there's one word to describe this concept, It's "big". Big striping, big logo and big shoulder patches. The last two are too big, so make them slightly smaller and you're good. Otherwise execution is decent. I say decent because there's no name on the back. I like no number outline because it works, but I would not be opposed to a maroon and silver outline to parallel the striping. The cream base color makes no sense, however, especially with the white on the shoulder patch. Cream generally does not look good as a base color on a jersey in most cases, but it can on a few occasions so I credit you for trying.

Rocky mistakes with a mountain still to climb. 77%

Will T. - Flint Firebirds Concept

With the Phoenix name already taken by Sherbrooke, the new Flint OHL franchise needed to settle for this, which is OK because of the alliteration of Flint Firebirds (I still think Tropics was a better idea). This jersey design is vastly underrated, going back to the first Ottawa Senators alternate in the Reebok Edge system. Blue and orange put together usually make for a good jersey, although I am a bit biased... Anyway, this jersey combines the modern elements of that Senators style jersey with some of the traditional striping you see at the bottom, which parallels the sleeve and sock striping. The only thing I could hope for is some more blue, probably some thicker stripe outlining, as well as a shoulder patch. execution is almost flawless, with all the correct CHL branding logos in place except for a CCM logo on the front of the jersey opposite the OHL logo. Definite upgrade over their current jersey, which is a better version than their Sabres ripoffs.This jersey is so great that you should own it. By that I don't mean produce a real copy, but rather ID your work. (Sorry Ryan, I know what you said about ID's for the mock post. I just wanted to use the joke.)

Rising from the ashes of their predecessors. 87%

My Concept of the Week nomination goes to Will T and his Flint Firebirds Concept.

That wraps it up for this week. Thanks for having me back. I promise I'll be back again, except I won't make a big fuss about it. See you next week. And yes, you can call it a comeback.

Awake and Refreshed

Hello everybody, my name is Phil Beck, owner of Phil Beck Designs (obvious). In the past my designs were placed in a grouping (for lack of a better term) called DDragon60 Studios (not obvious).

With the recent writer opening at Hockey Jersey Concepts, and my departure from the New York Islanders  department of community relations, I have decided that there is no time like the present to reinvent my graphic design work and my writing.

Having taken a class in sport media at Farmingdale State, I have improved my writing ability to the point  where my professor said that I should become a professional sports journalist. Therefore the best way to get some work is to keep writing and keep writing. So that's why I am applying.

The best advice I ever got about media careers came from the Sklar Brothers on the Jay and Dan Podcast: The best thing nowadays with the internet is that if something of yours exists, wherever it may be, it is still useful. Therefore by writing there I hope to step further into my life as a journalist.

As for here, I will use this blog primarily as a storage facility for my artwork, as well as a place to link to my writings on HJC, should I get the position back.

"Wait a minute, get it back? You had it and it went away?" Sort of. I had to leave the writing staff of HJC in 2014 to accept a job with the New York Islanders. Having been laid off from the job, I have decided to return to write for one of my favorite blogs, and add to some of the writing work to bolster my resume in hopes of turning professional.

So there you have it. My return is official, the rebrand is done and I will be looking forward to writing for HJC again. I'll occasionally post concepts here too for your viewing pleasure.