How to Reinvent Your Troubled Franchise's Image: Step 1 of a series

Many draft picks ago, the Utah Jazz were solidifying their image. The Delta Center (or "The DC" as many geographically oblivious fans would fondly call it) was known as one of the strongest home courts in the NBA. John Stockton and Karl Malone played with immense pride that resonated with their elbows from rebounds and fists to opponents guts while setting those hard picks.

John with his choir boy image and Karl with his squirrel hunting persona created an ironic contrast to the "dirty player" accusations that followed them closer than their own shadows during their prime. Without a doubt, this was reinforced with the cold, steely gaze of Jerry Sloan yelling expletives along the sidelines.

Those days happened in what seems like many midwest championships ago. What we have now is a kinder, gentler Jazz. A "Smooth" Jazz if you will.

It is clear that the media machine brainchild of Smooth Jazz owner Larry Miller is reinventing his franchise akin to a child growing its' bangs to enter an emo phase. Today's Jazz no longer play in the "Big Business, buy your own damn lunch Delta Center". They play for a friendly logo now: "The Energy Solutions Arena".

The Utah Jazz have dropped a recognizable icon of the troubled airline industry to embrace a company about solutions. This is about you. This is about me. This is about a concern that we all face - What to do with Nuclear Waste? No, scratch that.... What to do with all this horrible, exessive, wasted "energy"? Energy Solutions has the answer.

It appears Larry had a solution as well. Nothing says "solution" more than the patch job he did on his once beloved Delta Center. Please feel free to admire the beautiful banner that was used as a "solution" for the once ugly Delta Insignia that littered the facade of the Jazz's home. (please ignore the strange, Delta Airlines logo that portrudes underneath. This is about a solution. An energy solution that all can embrace. One nuclear barrel at a time.)

-J