Miami: When in Doubt, Re-Brand

Tomorrow's Super Bowl in South Florida will bring the same stadium spruce-ups that we've seen in years past. But one thing that's atypical is the fact that this year's Super Bowl actually brings a new name to its host stadium. So start getting used to the awkward, yet geographically-appropriate moniker of Sun Life Stadium. Or better yet, don't get used to it, because odds are that the joint will have a new name by sunrise. This is the mind-boggling seventh name in the 23-year history of the stadium, making it the Sean Combs of sports structures. Herewith, an abbreviated naming history of... that big bowl in Miami Gardens:

1987- 1996: Joe Robbie Stadium. Named after the Dolphins' original owner.
1996: Pro Player Park. No amateurs allowed!
1996 - 2005: Pro Player Stadium. Was the triple alliteration too much?
2005 - 2006: Dolphins Stadium. No repect for the Marlins!
2006 - 2009: Dolphin Stadium. The definition of nitpicky copy-editing.
2009: Land Shark Stadium. Little lager firm, big-time naming contract. An 8-month contract.
2010: Sun Life Stadium. They're a financial firm. Cliche.

So how to solve the idenity issues plaguing this poor stadium? Go back to basics and re-christen it as Joe Robbie Stadium. Why not honor the man who founded the first pro sports team in the state and built the darn thing in the first place? It makes too much sense to actually happen.

End Zone Aesthetics

Tonight's primetime Colts-Ravens matchup isn't just a must-see because it's an intriguing matchup of two great teams. It's yet another opportunity to admire my favorite pair of end zones in the NFL (that's right, no aspect of stadium design is too esoteric for this blog to evaluate).

The end zones at Lucas Oil Stadium (which really ought to be called the Oilfield) employ two design elements that I love: copious amounts of color and a distinctive font. The bold blue with the white Colts lettering is particularly nice-looking in an age where most FieldTurf end zones feature boring green backgrounds. If you don't have to worry about natural grass browning or being mowed, why not spend the money one time to paint your synthetic end zone?

Because Seattle is the only other team in the NFL to have a colored end zone, all of my other favorites come from the college ranks. The gold standard is Tennessee's checkerboard in Knoxville, which is as signature to that program as Rocky Top (read a cool article about the guy who paints those checkerboards here). I'm also a fan of Florida State's strikethrough lettering, USC's colorful, bold block design, and the diamond-studded end zones at Virginia.

As for the worst end zones in football? That has to go to Heinz Field, hands down. The clashing end zones feature a yellow "Pittsburgh" at one end (which isn't even written in the cool Steelers font), and plain white hash lines at the other end. Perhaps this is some half-hearted shout-out to Notre Dame, but your guess is as good as mine.