Better watch out: Penn State might get sued next by George W. Bush.
Thanks to the National Hockey League's Phoenix Coyotes, formerly the Winnipeg Jets, Penn State recently changed its trademark "Penn State White Out" promotion to the "White House."
The Coyotes franchise coined the term "Winnipeg White Out" in 1987, and of course, the team is now trying to protect its intellectual property. Never mind that the Jets only used the phrase once, and never mind that the Coyotes play in the Arizona desert and sport brick red, sand and black as its three primary colors. Could they be farther away from Penn State's blue and white?
A Coyotes' representative claimed the White Out is part of the company's legacy, as though any Coyote fans ever had any pride in a hockey team in a small city in Canada. Coyote fans barely have any pride in their own team, judging from attendance numbers. It's a mystery as to why the Coyotes would cling so dearly to the White Out, but maybe they just believe very strongly in "finder's keepers."
Now, at the formal request of the Coyotes, Penn State has to phase out the "White Out" name.
But the change to "White House" could be in vain now that many students are accustomed to using that phrase.
Downtown apartments are already plastered with "White Out" posters, and "White Out" just rolls off the tongue a lot better than "White House."
It's downright stupid for the Coyotes to hold onto the "white out" name, but does it really matter what Penn State calls the promotion?
What's in a name? No matter what the marketing department decides to call it, football fans will come out in droves wearing their whites. The effect still looked great on ESPN during the Notre Dame game last Saturday, and it mattered little that it was no longer a "White Out."
Maybe the change to the "White House" is a good thing for Penn State. After all, calling Beaver Stadium the White House offers a nice challenge to Michigan's "Big House," and anything that challenges Michigan's supposed home-field advantage is a plus.
Let's just hope the President doesn't share principles with the Phoenix Coyotes.
