If Newfoundland hockey fans would stop dancing in the streets for a moment, they might realize the logo of their new ECHL team is a vicious misrepresentation, a sordid stereotype of the sort that proud N------ have raged against for the past couple of generations, most recently after a visit to the province by that famous cook with a TV show.
Everyone knows Newfoundland dogs are gentle and friendly, just like the human inhabitants of the island they are named after.
And yet, the logo of the Newfoundland Growlers depicts a Newfoundland dog whose visage is ferocious, fearsome and aggressive. It is, indeed, growling.
Its oversized snout implies it is a dominant dog. Its meanness is such that it doesn’t even have eyes — instead, rectangular black spaces stare menacingly. Don’t try to pat this puppy.
Obviously, this is exactly what the franchise intended. After all, this corrupted image of the beloved Newfoundland dog will adorn the jerseys of hockey players, who will channel and display its ferocity and intensity.
That’s all well and good for the Newfoundland Growlers, but not so good for the image of one of this province’s most widely known and recognized ambassadors.
The ensuing damage that could be done to the province’s reputation is inestimable.
When the Growlers visit Cincinnati, Indianapolis, Worcester and so on, American hockey fans will be bewildered, and wonder whatever happened to the welcoming, endearing N------ who were introduced to the world via “Come From Away.”
Instead, they’ll meet … Growlers.
Broadway’s boost to the province’s image and prominence may come to naught, as many Americans erroneously conclude that the only friendly N------ come from Gander.
Objections to such deliberate dogploitation will, predictably, be met by feigned shock and vehement denial by the boys down at the Doghouse, formerly known as Mile One Centre.
The team brass and its salivating fans will undoubtedly point out that a “growler” is a small iceberg, colloquially also known as bergie bits, and the team nickname in no way refers to or glorifies uncharacteristically growling Newfoundland dogs.
This explanation is, at best, a doggie double entendre and, at worst, a crassly contrived canine concoction. The Growlers’ growling Newfoundland dog brings to mind not sea ice, but the malicious maw of a puck-pounding predator.
The team logo might cause fear in opposing players, but it can inspire only revulsion in patriotic N------ from Bay Bulls to Brampton.
The Growlers’ growling Newfoundland dog brings to mind not sea ice, but the malicious maw of a puck-pounding predator.
Noticeably absent from the discussion thus far is Labrador — most pointedly, Labradors.
The logo, by featuring a Newfoundland dog and ignoring the other beloved breed, Labradors, threatens to widen even further the gulf between the island and its colony.
You could argue a Labrador dog would have been more fitting for the team’s logo, because they are tougher than genial Newfoundland dogs.
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Equally problematic is the first half of the team name. “Newfoundland” Growlers? Are team owners and management so dismissive of the province’s history and culture that they are willing to misrepresent its actual name? Apparently so.
They must have been away on business some years ago when the province’s name was officially changed from “Newfoundland” to “Newfoundland and Labrador.” Then-premier Brian Tobin decreed it, and an obedient citizenry agreed it.
Mark my words, this unfortunate nomenclature will have repercussions, on-ice or otherwise. People in the northern colony won’t like it, and will inevitably cite it as yet another example of their Big Land being ignored and neglected, a site only to be siphoned for the benefit of members of the St. John’s Board of Trade and their multinational teammates.
That said, it is entirely plausible the ECHL vetoed the use of “Newfoundland and Labrador” in the new franchise’s name, on the grounds it would cause confusion when the Growlers go on the road.
Fans in other cities, seeing that Newfoundland and Labrador are coming to town, might be confused about why the game will feature three teams.
Brian Jones is a desk editor at The Telegram. He can be reached at [email protected].
