Griffins Fauxback Design Contest - Group 1

[Editor’s Note: Paul is on his annual August break from site. Deputy editor Phil Hecken is in charge from now through Aug. 25, although Paul is still on the clock over at ESPN and may be popping up here occasionally.]

By Phil Hecken

Follow @PhilHecken



The moment you’ve waited for is finally here. Today we begin voting on the first group of contestants for the Grand Rapids Griffins “Fauxback Design” contest. In case you missed it, the contest parameters and rules were laid out here.

I received a whopping 119 Entries in this contest, so the voting will be broken down as follows. Today: First 30 entrants; Tomorrow: Second 30 entrants; Monday: Third 30 entrants; and Tuesday: Final 29 entrants. As in previous contests, the submissions will be listed alphabetically. The TOP THREE contestants receiving votes in each group will move on to the final group (for a total of 12 finalists — three from each group), from which the Griffins will make a decision and declare the winner who I will announce on Friday, August 25.

We’re using a new polling system, which we hope will eliminate (or at least drastically reduce) any fraud or shenanigans. You will be permitted to vote for as many designs as you would like, but you may only vote ONCE. As you glance over the designs, be sure to write down the name and number of your favorite(s) and then cast your votes in the poll which follows the submissions. The poll(s) will close approximately twenty-four (24) hours after being posted — the TOP THREE vote recipients will move into the final group (the winner of which will be chosen by the Griffins).

Today the lede will focus on the first 30 submissions. Subsequent days the designs and voting may be a sub-lede, so please be sure to check back and check the full post each day.

REMINDER: The Griffins set out the following parameters for designing an alternate (fauxback) jersey. Please use them to guide you as you make your decision(s) below:

Design Guidelines: • Create a brand new design for a Griffins alternate jersey (remember: you are ONLY designing a jersey, not a full uniform).

• DO NOT USE current or previous Grand Rapids Griffins logos or previous Griffins jersey design contest winning logo designs. Your work must be original.

• The jersey color must be red or black.

• This jersey will be part of an ’80s Fauxback Theme Night. If the Griffins existed in the 1980s, what would the jerseys have looked like?

• Use official team colors ”“ CMYK Colors: Red 12/100/92/3, Gray 31/25/26/0, Gold 43/49/76/21, Black 75/68/67/90, White 0/0/0/0.

And now, the first 30 contestants (click any design to enlarge):

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1. Gary Abbott



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2. Alec Asensio



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3. Darren Bausano



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4. Mitch Behrend



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5. Alden Benner



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6. Zach Blackwell



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7. Nate Blunt



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8. Roarke Boes



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9. Will Brandt



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10. Ken Burns (Note: Sent in only logo)



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11. Matt Busnello



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12. Adam Cain



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13. Chase Carlson



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14. Kris Connelly



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15. Mason Connelly



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16. Rob Connelly



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17. Matt Cooksley



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18. Tyler Crowder



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19. Lucas Daitchman



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20. Joseph DeBonis



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21. Allison Deters



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22. Tim Diederiks



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23. Spencer Dixon



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24. John Elbertson



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25. Jenny Emelander



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26. James Engelbrekt



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27. Courtney Fathers



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28. Brooks Freeman



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29. Ben Geiger



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30. Marc Genser



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GRIFFINS FAUXBACK JERSEY CONTEST — VOTE BELOW

[totalpoll id=”87475″]

Meet Adam Cain …



As you have now hopefully all voted on your favorite reader submissions for the Griffins Fauxback Contest (if not — scroll back up and do so now!), I wanted to briefly introduce you to Adam Cain, whose jersey submission last year was also selected by the Grand Rapids Griffins to be worn during a game. You’ll recall that our big winner was Dan Kennedy, whose winning design from last year was worn on ice in a January game.

Adam’s design was also chosen, and the Griffins wore his design too on the ice during a March 2017 game.

Adam sent along this message and some photos (Adam entered this year’s contest as well, and he sent these along with his new concept):

Hey Phil, I have also attached some pictures from the night my jersey was worn by the Griffins. I went to Grand Rapids in March and got to be a part of the pre-game festivities; just in case you want to use them on the site. Thanks again, Adam Cain

Here’s some shots. The winner of this year’s contest can expect some similar treatment from the Griffs! Good luck to everyone who entered — both to today’s first group and the three to follow!

Great stuff Adam — thanks for sharing and good luck this year.

Naming Wrongs update: Paul here. I’ve received a bunch of requests for RFK shirts, and I’m happy to announce that those shirts are now available in burgundy, gold, grey, and white (click to enlarge):

Scott Turner and I have no desire to profit from anything ’Skins-related, so we’ll be proud to donate all of the profits from these shirts to the American Indian College Fund. Even better, ESPN will match the donation.

These designs are now available in the Naming Wrongs shop. They’re also cross-listed in the Uni Watch shop, where card-carrying members can get 15% off. (If you’re a member and need the discount code, send me a note and I’ll hook you up.) My thanks, as always, for your consideration.

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And as long as we’re talking about Native Americans: Paul here (still). Yesterday I saw the new film Rumble: The Indians Who Rocked the World, a documentary that traces the impact of Native American music and musicians on rock and roll, blues, jazz, and so on. It’s great stuff, with extra attention paid to Link Wray, the Native guitarist whose brooding, sinisiter-sounding 1958 single “Rumble” helped give birth to the power chord (and sounded so dangerous for its time that it remains the only instrumental track to be banned by U.S. radio).

If you’re in the NYC area, Rumble is currently playing at Cinema Village. There’s a full slate of screenings today, and then it’s showing once a day, at 5pm, from tomorrow through next Thursday. Don’t miss.

Here’s the trailer, followed by “Rumble”:

The Ticker

By Mike Chamernik

Baseball News : The Orioles uploaded every media guide since 1954 to their team website. I wish more teams would do this. … More than a dozen MLB players shared the story behind their uniform numbers. The Cubs’ Albert Almora wears 5 because he’s not “big enough to wear two digits,” Red Sox SS Xander Bogaerts ignored the team rivalry and wears 2 in honor of Derek Jeter, and Dellin Betances wears 68 because he’s 6-foot-8. … The Padres wore their splendid 1990s Way Back Wednesday throwbacks yesterday (from @nickgrodo). … The Tacoma Rainers will wear first responders jerseys later this month (from @OTS_Baseball). … A New York-style pizza restaurant in Denver is using the Yankees’ logo (from Dave Feigenbaum). … Diamondbacks players and staff wore spacesuits and NASA apparel for their trip to Houston (from @igTXSalazar).

Football News : The 49ers are helping a Bay Area high school football team that had $11,000 worth of helmets and shoulder pads stolen from them last month. … The Dolphins released their home jersey schedule. They will wear white three times. … Players and coaches wore “Diversity is Strength” shirts on the sidelines at the British Columbia-Saskatchewan game on Sunday. The back of the shirt listed a number of former CFL players of different ethnic and religious backgrounds. “The league was apparently planning on rolling them out later this season but rushed them out after the horrific events in Charlottesville,” said Kit McGuinness. … Earlier this year we discussed how some teams used to paint one of the endzones in the visiting team’s colors. Sometimes, it went further than that: During a 1983 game at Lambeau Field, the Packers played “Hail to the Redskins” on the PA after every Washington score (from Steven R. Marks). … The Falcons new stadium will have a Chick-Fil-A, but like the rest of the chain, it will be closed on Sundays. … Here’s a good look at the new anthracite jerseys for Washington State (from @broc1984).

NBA News : The Pistons updated their title banners with their new logo (from Bryan Kimball). … One Suns writer is pleased that the team has yet to add an ad patch (from Phil).