11/11/2008

Blog Look Update

Here are some questions I have for poolies re: look of the blog. Cut loose in the comment sections with your thoughts on the following options;


- I can very easily return us to the 'original' look the blog has had since it first got set up. Blue background, small header font, Verdant typeface, tan body/black lettering, the works.

Personally, I'm over the generic blog look and want to find something else, but am agnostic about changing it. If the pool really likes the old look, I get it I'll stop messing around. Lets consider this to be the default position.

- As far as colour schemes and themes go, I'm wide open to suggestions, and would like your feedback to the following;

A. A rather serious technical issue; to video or not to video? I can add a gadget in the sidebar that searches for NHL highlights on YouTube, or for a top player from the top FUNHL team for the week (which spreads the wealth more evenly, even the bottom dwellers can win a week once a while). The issue is going to be for those with slower connections speeds, and to be frank, simpler may be best here because if even one GM finds loading the blog to be a horror show we shouldn't do it. However, how cool would it be to check the standings and find random highlights of your Fp waiting for you?

B. The pool originates in Calgary and I am personally a Flames fan, but we are no longer all Calgarians by nature or location. I've been using Iggy and Phaneuf as banner guys, but I think I have a solution that is fair to everyone. Especially me. Should the banner player - and to some extent colour scheme reflect an FP from the Predator Cup winning team?

In my case then Heatley or Malkin would be my nominations - I'd modify the colours to make use of whatever picture I find of the player that makes a good banner (ie. the current scheme with a Heatley home jersey picture wouldn't be terrible)

C. The alternative to this is to continue to feature a Flames player feature (Iggy, Phaneuf, Kipper, Bertuzzi, etc) and colour scheme.

Red isn't my favourite blog colour (I liked the calm tory blue but it clashed badly with Phaneuf), but the latest look is probably the best I've come up with. I've had too many people object to the black background white text, so whatever scheme we use is, it won't be the black background one I experimented with earlier.

D. I could go super bland. White background, black text, few gadgets, trim the blogroll etc, and go with a plain text title. Call it the minimalist option.

E. Screw it lets return to the 'original layout'.

Don't forget to add comments to the post as feedback along with the poll, and I think you can vote more than once if you want to say add video AND have the look of a Flames blog;

Blog Look Questions
Gimme Video
Put the League Champions FP on the banner
I have no problem being mistaken for a Flames blog
Minimalism, the Ikea furniture of philosophy, and blogs alike
We fear change. Original look please.
I've got something completely different to suggest!
pollcode.com free polls

7 comments:

Scourge said...

I dont know if this is a pain in the ass but what about making the header change as the current leader changes? Could be a Vendetta blog with Zetterberg\Lidstrom featured and if the BR takes over then a Hossa\Iginla BR logo takes over? Would require 12 templates i guess but i think that would look cool if your the current leader or we could have the SH blog for the year and rotate yearly...

Cameron said...

Yeah...no.

The unfortunate truth is that you can't save templates and then shuffle them whenever the leader changes. At least, I don't know how to do so.

Whenever you see a new template it means I went in and physically adjusted the parameters of the blog to whatever the new style is and this can be time consuming.

Its not a bad idea, just beyond my time and capabilities!

Cameron said...

Ok, I've added the NHL's video channel to our blog. It should (hopefully) update with new video every day.

Let me know if this presents any issues, or if you have other comments.

Bladerunner said...

I liked that black background with red and white... but guess I'm in the minority. The less drab the better....

Red Five said...

1) Could always rotate the header picture to match the FP of the leader that week

2) Video - please not highlights from every game - just the stuff you want every GM to see because they really shouldn't miss it - 7 minutes of highlights from Phx-Cbs isn't appealing

3) Keep up the work - always great to sign on and see new things

Cameron said...

Re: video

I don't actually control the feed from the NHL - which is too bad, because it would be pure concentrated hockey orgasm if I did.

All I have done is subscribe to their YouTube 'Channel' - which updates automatically, but is less than discriminate when it comes to the packages they put out.

That all said the owners of Nash, Boedker, Mueller, and Jokinen might want to see the Clb highlights.

I had Rick Nasty last year and he was guaranteed a ridiculous highlight reel goal every couple of games.

As much as I'd like to prejudice the NHL's feed towards Pens/Sens highlights with a sprinkling of Lecavalier, and a heaping of Malkin, I can't.

Two final things to consider;

I CAN add another gadget box of video and see if there is another complimentary channel to subscribe to.

I CAN add a gadget that acts as a news feeder of hockey headlines.

Stay tuned...

Cameron said...

I tried to add a newsfeeder and a video channel, but didn't like the results of the news feeder (sucks up a lot of space) and there wasn't another video channel (except for hockey fights) that would update often.

Fail.