PS2 Backlog Committee

Now up in the Revolution / Pilgrim division is:

The Virginia Cupids.

Looking to balance the flavors and themes in the United States baseball league, I wanted to add a bit of a softer touch. And since Virginia's state tourism slogan is "Virginia is for lovers." it was a perfect fit. And the general sentiment of passionate sports fans was a nice connection to a being who shoots his arrows of love, presumably hitting many targets within the state. And the mythos of Cupid isn't quite as effeminate as much of the common cultural displays would seem to indicate. He, according to various accounts, has super human strength (great for launching bombs), can fly, grow wings at will (great for leaping catches), carry the weight/burdens of others, and can alter his physical age (old guys finding the fountain of youth – does the team have a tendency to sign aging vets who find their groove again one more time?). So overall, I thought this was a good fit here.

Team Badge:



Just Cupid playing ball! Another side decoration of a cupid



Jersey:



primary imagery

Hat:



Another simple logo of this cherub-like being swinging a bat.

Cupid swinging the bat is a nice logo

The fourth of five to share within the Revolution Pilgrim is:

The Ohio Johnnies

Their name is a reference to Johnny Appleseed (Chapman) and his life and folklore, the majority of which is within Ohio. I also liked the loose sports association with another famous Ohio tree and seed – the Buckeye nut, and the mythological nature of a real figure is appealing to me within the context of team names. If you’re eccentric enough to make a name/legend for yourself by being a wandering vagabond and planting apple seeds as your passion in life, you’ve got some REAL charisma. It’s said that his dream was to produce so many apples that no one would ever go hungry. There’s lots of myth blended with truth in this historical figure giving him a larger than life appeal. I liked the name as well because it has a folksy sounding vibe. Plus with the abbreviated name for the team in New Hampshire being “Jacks” (since, you know, people are lazy ) you could have a Revolution League Championship series or other important games between the Jacks and the Johnnies which is very much in line with the “it’s a boys/kids game” theming that I want to permeate the flavor of this league at its heart, even if, paradoxically in my fictional universe, baseball is the singular and overwhelming passion of the nation, young and old.

Badge:



I wanted to incorporate the hobo's bindle along with the iconic apple of his inspiration. I also liked using lettering that was a little askew, yet harmonious, as a nod to Johnny himself.

Jersey:



Cap:

And to wrap up the Revolution Pilgrim division is:

The North Carolina Gold Mist Mountains

This name, while admittedly a bit lengthy and unwieldy, is inspired by the state metal/mineral (gold) as well as the beautiful Blue Ridge mountain range in Western NC. The "mist" aspect or gold mist is a reference to the dewy, humid air and fog that can give a hazy golden glow upon sunrise and sunset at times. I've spent a good deal of time in those mountains, and I truly love that area. (So unfortunate what happened to the people there with the hurricane. )

Badge:



Jersey:



Cap:







And that wraps it up for the division. So these five will fight it out each season for the Pilgrim crown:

isthatallyougot wrote: ↑Tue Apr 22, 2025 12:14 pm This name, while admittedly a bit lengthy and unwieldy, is inspired by the state metal/mineral (gold) as well as the beautiful Blue Ridge mountain range in Western NC. The "mist" aspect or gold mist is a reference to the dewy, humid air and fog that can give a hazy golden glow upon sunrise and sunset at times. I've spent a good deal of time in those mountains, and I truly love that area. (So unfortunate what happened to the people there with the hurricane. )

Very nice. I haven't spent as much time there as I'd like, but we had an unforgettable family vacation at a cabin near Bryson City years ago. Such a wonderful area.

canedaddy wrote: ↑Thu Apr 24, 2025 10:39 am Very nice. I haven't spent as much time there as I'd like, but we had an unforgettable family vacation at a cabin near Bryson City years ago. Such a wonderful area.

Just a gorgeous area - the whole region.

Well, we're finally on to the fourth of five divisions in the Revolution (East roughly), The Colonial.

First up in the Rev/Colonial is :

The Florida Loggerheads

I wanted a mascot that referenced the abundant shoreline and hybrid land/water nature of the region and people. I didn't want to rely on the well-known "gators" and while the Loggerhead turtle spends most of its time in the sea, it at least has a minimal land presence for that dual nature.

Badge:



Jersey:



Cap:



For some reason I ended up using three different images for this squad. Sometimes things just develop as they do, but I was happy with the mixed imagery overall.

Next up in the Revolution / Colonial division is:

The Mississippi Magnolia Blues:

I wanted to reference Robert Johnson, the birthplace of the Blues and his deal with the devil at the crossroads, and I almost named this team the Crossroads or Crossroad Blues, but decided to go a slightly different route. I've always thought the Magnolia tree is beautiful and since it's the state tree/flower (blossom), I combined things to create the Magnolia Blues. I love the coloring combination of the green/cream and figured I could also still incorporate the Blues idea since I felt it rolled off the tongue and created a certain deep South/Mississippi vibe. I also like the contrast of the symbolism. The Magnolia is usually related to luck and stability, while the "Blues", well, it's sung for other reasons. So maybe this team is volatile in its identity with lots of highs and lows or something. (They're currently in the playoffs as the only wild card in the Revolution and playing their division rival - the previously referenced Florida Loggerheads in the first round. They won the season series and are up 1-0 early in that best of 7. So maybe they just have the Loggerheads' number.)

Badge:



The Magnolia bloom combined with a simple harmonica.

Jersey:



Cap: