The Best Birthday Date in Baseball

Jackie Robinson. Ernie Banks. Nolan Ryan. These three players of baseball immortality cannot be overlooked on this thirty-first of January. A whole month is winding down in 2013 and so far, it's been a breeze. With Valentines Day just two weeks away, the new year is setting in. Below is the Google Doodle from today.

Courtesy of: Google

-Ricky

A look at the 90s

The 90s in the MLB saw futuristic looks in the latter half or this decade, the NHL saw major expansion  and the first set of alternate jerseys. The NBA saw the most recent throwback collection come to life with that Suns jersey that spanned well into the early 2000s. But February 1 will see the start of the remaining throwbacks including Indiana, Chicago, Sacramento, Atlanta, Milwaukee, and Miami. The first two of those are the expectees for the aforementioned date.

-Ricky

That Tie Template

It's here as expected, the first tie template has been released. Determining how the best way to format it was tricky. I figured the it would be easy for people to play around with their programs except for Microsoft Paint-ers. For that reason I decided not to use a knotted template. This way, both sides are usable in "standing up" design.

Bland yes, but simple yet effective. I hope you can utilize this to your best opportunities and I hope to get a chance to get one up for the post while I am in Syracuse on the 10th of February.

-Ricky

2nd Generation Kits

So I got the upgrades a little earlier than I anticipate, I then assume the next will be quite a while. But I have since updated my club's kit alignment.

After a while I wanted to incorporate more brown, so I took the opportunity to do so with the keeper kits. this was to better compliment the home and road kits. for a time, the runner home and roads were just the opposite to start. I  changed it because of how they looked during match play.

-Ricky

New Teams, New Uniforms

I started a new soccer application today and it has us create jerseys. There are only two types at first and then you unlock the remaining two. I will show those soon enough. The plain jerseys are runner shirts and the colored sleeved ones are for goalkeepers.

Plain, I know but it's better than having pennies or playing a "skins" game. It works for now.

-Ricky

New Helmets,Too

Well I decided to split things up and show the new Spokane Shock helmets today! Pretty spiffy if you ask me. It is a very modern stylized verion of the logo, which has not been updated but rather an alternate introduced when they entered from the af2 in 2010.

Courtesy of: Zach Edwards' Facebook page

This is a prefect modernization of the original logo, but isn't too fancy (like the new New Orleans "Pelicans" logo - I like the colors though). It ties in well with team recognition and I applaud them for it.

-Ricky

Spokane Shock

Spokane showing their threads seems similar to something else we've seen . . .

 . . . Perhaps the Bandits uniforms?

I've notice posting problems lately . . . minor issue.

-Ricky

Ties, Ties, and More Ties

I'm trying to see whether or not tie designing will be popular on the BNG blog. Whether or not there is participation, I will continue to put up content featuring ties. In a little while, I will get a template up for at least neck ties and see how it goes from there. With luck forward!

-Ricky

Midweek Again

I found out I will be working on an Around the horn type in-class assignment in one of my classes. Thus I have begun to create a background and invent gimmicks such as Woody Paige's chalkboard (see my whiteboard below).

The original header can be seen in our Octobrian post

I will add more as these projects are completed!

-Ricky

Game Changers

I've changed my mind as I feel that replicating currently existing uniforms is counterproductive.Today is a day for myself since it is the only day between the Hoophall and the first day of classes. enjoy the free day!

-Ricky

Hoophall Day Four

My team (New Hampton) lost yesterday finalizing this year's record to 2-1. Day four went something like this:

1. Tilton Rams def. Vermont Academy Wildcats 71-67 | Men's
2. Brewster Bobcats def. South Kent School Cardinals 88-57 | Men's
3. St. Benedict's Prep Gray Bees def. Montrose Christian Mustangs 63-51 | Men's
4. (5) Huntington Prep Express def. New Hampton School Huskies 55-47 | Men's
5. Worcester Academy Hilltoppers def. Wilbraham & Monson Academy Titans 69-62 | Men's

Meanwhile I stopped by the Springfield Armor booth and got to take a look at something.

Pretty good for a high school tournament. The best if the rest tomorrow!

-Ricky

NHL Lockout Officially Over with First Games

Thirteen games were scheduled for yesterday and that included my Ducks thwarting Vancouver 7-3 at the Rogers Arena. The first televised game starts on NBC in a half an hour with my Eastern Conference team and hometown Buffalo at the First Niagara Center to play the visiting Flyers. The Buffalo Bandits also won their game in Rochester, spoiling the Knighthawks championship banner raising ceremony 14-13 in a back and forth affair. That means a two-way tie for second between Toronto and the Bandits in the East at 2-1 with Philly 2-0 and title holders Rochester 0-2.

Meanwhile the Spalding Hoophall Classic resumed as my team yesterday St. Rita of Chicago soundly defeated Lake Clifton of Baltimore 71-50 I also have most of the final results from the first three days. Honorary home team is in bold

Day 1:

1. Sabis Charter Bulldogs def. South Hadley Tigers (score not yet available) | Men's
2. Lenox Memorial Millionaires at Smith Academy Falcons (score not yet available) | Men's
3. Quaboag Regional Cougars def. Lee Wildcats 55-51 | Women's
4. St. Mary's (Lynn, MA) Spartans def. Sabis Charter Bulldogs 36-54 | Women's

Day 2:

1. Renaissance Phoenix def. Belchertown Orioles (score not yet available) | Men's
2. South Hadley Tigers def. Granby Rams 39-38 | Women's
3. Springfield (OR) Millers* def. Braintree Wamps 51-47  | Women's
4. Roger L. Putnam Technical Beavers def. HS of Sci. & Tech. Cybercats 64-69 | Men's
5. Springfield Central (MA) Golden Eagles def. West Springfield (MA) Terriers 76-67 | Men's

Day 3:

1. A. Lincoln (Brooklyn) Railsplitters^ def. Capital Prep. Magnet Trailblazers 95-68  | Men's
2. St. Rita Mustangs def. Lake Clifton Lakers 71-50 | Men's
3. (3) Whitney Young Dolphins def. (9) Long Beach Poly Jack Rabbits 85-52 | Men's
4. Chester Clippers def. (20) Gonzaga College HS Eagles 63-55 | Men's
5. Springfield Central (MA) Golden Eagles def. Manchester (CT) Indians 67-57 | Men's

*Top female prospect Mercedes Russell (Committed to Univ. of Tennessee)
^Replaced St. Joseph's (Pittsfield, MA) Crusaders {out with flu}

The remaining games will be covered in the following days.

-Ricky

A Chi-town Kinda Team

So I have a team (St. Rita) based in Chicago, who play later today, but the game before them featured Abraham Lincoln High of Brooklyn, NY taking place of St. Joseph's (MA) who could no longer part-take out with the flu. I got to see their jerseys and due to policy could not take pictures of any kind as a volunteer. I did find some online however.

Courtesy of: Black Sports Online.com

Courtesy of: MSG Varsity

I didn't actually see the warm ups, but I thought it would be good to display. I'll be back with today's results.

-Ricky

Quaboag Regional High School

My team from last night improved to 10-0 on the season with a comeback victory following a double digit deficit for most of the third quarter. Located from between Worcester and Springfield, MA, this game began the toughest portion of the Lady Cougars' schedule as they played Lee High School (MA). A fairly defensive team, QRH showed their prowess and held Lee to exactly nine points per quarter in the second half.

                   1       2       3       4   -  F

Cougars     17     10     10     18  -  55

Wildcats     17     16      9       9   -  51

I have off today, but I have been called in for a team who has a one hour practice after winning their game yesterday with a road game tomorrow.

-Ricky

Hoophall or Bust

Sorry if it seems like I am ignoring you the next few days, but I will be busy working the largest high school basketball tournament in the country starting today, so I will be putting stuff up from it.

The Hoophall Classic

The above link is to the main page. I'm supposed to provide my services for some pretty decent teams, so I'm very much looking forward to this!

-Ricky

Send in the Clowns

As party time is upon us at BNG, we get set to finalize preparations for tomorrow. There are some stipulations that prevent certain things as I work the 2013 Hoophall Tournament this weekend. However these would have no impact on the actual festivities. Nothing will have any major significance so things will be business as usual.

I am configuring tomorrow's topic so I will be back then.

-Ricky

Changing Time

For anyone who wishes to realign  the divisions of a given league are now free to do so, This however will not be featured on the templates page so save the below image so you won't have to go back to this post later.

Please note that tomorrow, I will be unveiling the logo for my 21st birthday preparations and celebrations that follow.

-Ricky

An Ode to the Past

This post appears blank as I prepare to complete the concepts from while I was abroad. You however can enjoy this day with whatever you wish. All complements of me. :D

-Ricky

Another Field Day at the Sabres Store

So I went to the Buffalo Bandits home opener and took the opportunity to get my own up close look at the new unis. I could have gotten the NHL jerseys, but that would have taken too much time for one trip. I even got Rochester Americans gear in (but not form close range).

Unlike traditional use, the colors are now reversed (again), meaning that black will be worn at home again. Although it has been flip-flopped as to having been back and forth the past few seasons.

-Ricky

Pennants and Banners

So I figured, why can't we add templates for banners and templates? That was an epiphany, this can be the start of jersey design as a background may eventually be translated onto a jersey.

Courtesy of Flag and Banner

Courtesy of Martin Family Living

Little did I remember, this idea had value when we first started out last May, but it made it's way back onto our radar - and here it is.

-Ricky