Where Is The Surly Teamster?

May 9, 2009

By Fortuna Köln

The Philadelphia MLS team finally has a name and a logo, which, as it turns out is actually pretty cool.

If someone told me beforehand that the logo would incorporate an angry snake, I would probably have been pretty wary of how it would turn out. This angry snake, however, has thankfully been subtly designed to cultivate and air of casual spite. Of course, this logo is only provisional (as is the name) but I think the snake will stick around regardless. If the snake goes, however, I think the only other logical choice for the Union would be an overweight teamster refusing to work until his bribe is paid (if they can make the snake look good, they can do this too).

I am a big fan of the chosen colors, blue & gold. Strangely enough, every school I’ve attended has had the same colors. Therefore it is only right that the MLS team I will now support will be the same. In South Philly they will refer to the team as the Oroazzuri. In every other MLS city they will refer to the team as “PU”.

No word yet on what the jerseys will look like, although I would imagine blue & gold stripes is a good bet. I have no idea who the shirt sponsor is going to be, but my suggestion is to keep it local. Tastykake, WaWa, are you listening?

All in all, I’m feeling more and more excited about the return of professional soccer to Philadelphia. Ever since the team was announced, I put off following MLS until I had a team I could support, and that day is almost here. The team will start playing in 2010, but in the meantime, let’s take a quick look at some of the Philadelphia professional soccer teams of old…

– read. like. support. –

The Philadelphia Atoms were Philly’s first professional soccer team. They are notable for winning the first NASL title in 1973 and having a pretty decent, yet dated logo. After winning the championship, their goalkeeper Bob Rigby made the cover of Sports Illustrated (the first soccer player to do so), with the magazine declaring “Soccer Goes American”. Of course, we all know how that turned out. The team eventually went broke, and I like to imagine that the lack of a belligerent symbol (would a mushroom cloud have been too much?) hindered Philadelphia’s ability to love them. Soon, however, they were reborn, with a fistful of flaming ball fury:

694px-philadelphiafury78logo The Philadelphia Fury, in all their glory. This team played in the old NASL as well and was remarkable on several levels. First of all, it’s investors included Rick Wakeman and Peter Frampton. Secondly, it’s logo was a giant flaming ball. Last, but not least, one of the greatest players ever to play the game, Mr. Peter Osgood spent some time here. While most people know him as the King of Stamford Bridge, I will add the title Duke of Veterans Stadium as well. They dissolved in 1980, the same year the Phillies won the World Series, cursing the city to never win another World Championship until construction began on a soccer-specific stadium.

So, judging by these precedents, Philadelphia Union should be lifting it’s first trophy circa Novemeber of 2010, and I hope to be there cheering them on.