Logo of a college football team that plays in the Southern Conference, The Citadel Bulldogs. The school first fielded a team in 1905 and has won 4 conference titles. Former Bulldogs who have enjoyed pro grid careers include Paul Maguire, Cortez Allen, Greg Davis, Andre Roberts, Stump Mitchell, Travis Jervey and Angelo Coia.

Logo of a long-defunct college football team that competed as a Division II Independent school, the University of San Francisco Dons. Their program existed from it’s inception in 1917 until 1982. In 1951, despite finishing undefeated at 9-0, they were not invited to a bowl game. Although they were only a small college program, USF boasts 5 of their alumni who are Pro Football Hall of Famers – Ollie Matson, Gino Marchetti, Bob St. Clair, Dick Stanfel and former NFL commissioner Pete Rozelle.

Used from 1956 until 1972, this is an old logo of a college football team that begins play in Conference USA this season, the Jacksonville State University Gamecocks. Playing in various leagues since their inception in 1904, JSU has captured 25 conference titles and a Division II national championship in 1992. Former Gamecocks who have gone on to play pro football include Alvin Wright, Terry Owens, Jesse Baker, Keith McKeller, Eric Davis, Dieter Brock and current Buffalo Bill Siran Neal.

Logo of a defunct minor league hockey team that was a member of the American Hockey League, the St. Catharines Saints. Affiliated with the Toronto Maple Leafs, they began play as the New Brunswick Hawks in 1978 before moving to St. Catharines, where they stayed from 1982 until 1986. They had limited success on the ice, qualifying for the AHL playoffs 2 of their 4 years. Saint alumni include Craig Muni, Bruce Boudreau, Alan Bester, Steve Thomas and Ken Wregget.

This is an old English “B” script logo that was in use in the early days of the AFL’s Buffalo Bills. It was only seen on baseball style caps that the coaches wore, and was modeled after the script “D” that baseball’s Detroit Tigers used. Bills’ original owner and founder Ralph Wilson Jr. was a Detroit native and even incorporated the Lions’ blue and silver color scheme on the Bills’ original uniforms. By 1962, their third season of existence, the Bills switched to the now more familiar blue, white  and red with the red standing buffalo helmet logo.

An old logo of a college football team that plays in Conference USA, the Sam Houston State Bearkats. The school began play in 1912 and has amassed 15 conference titles and a pair of small college national championships. Former Bearkats who have enjoyed pro football careers include Jimmy Hill, Michael Bankston, Guido Merkens, Josh McCown, Stan Blinka and Keith Davis.

The original logo of a team that came into existence in 1979, the Entertainment and Sports Network, better known as ESPN. The network, led by commentators like Bob Ley, Chris Berman, George Grande and the late Tom Mees, made the decision to air coverage of the NFL draft in 1980. Commissioner Pete Rozelle took the idea to the league owners, who overwhelmingly rejected it. Being the visionary he always was, Rozelle ignored the owners and told ESPN president Chet Simmons to air the draft as a news event, which the league would be powerless to stop. Needless to say, the draft has become a huge event that fans attend live and that not only ESPN but the NFL’s own network air each year.

Logo of a hockey team that played in the defunct World Hockey Association, the New York Raiders. The club existed from 1972 until 1974, but only played one season as the Raiders. After experiencing financial problems they were sold and the new owners rebranded them as the Golden Blades. That only lasted through a partial season, as the club was moved again, this time to New Jersey where they became the Jersey Knights, playing in an arena with a sloped ice surface that forced opponents to skate uphill 2 of the 3 periods. Players on the Raider roster included Wayne Rivers, Norm Ferguson, Ron Ward and Bobby Sheehan.

Logo of a baseball team from the Appalachian League, the Burlington Sock Puppets. Burlington, North Carolina  has a history of minor league baseball dating back to 1958, when they had the Burlington Indians in the Carolina League and were a Cleveland farm club. After minor league baseball was contracted during the Covid pandemic, the Appalachian League was reorganized as a collegiate summer league for rising freshman and sophomore players, and the Sock Puppets were born to represent Burlington. The nickname is a nod to the city’s textile heritage.

Logo of a college football team that plays in the Missouri Valley Conference, the Illinois State Redbirds. The school’s early teams, which began play in 1887, were known as the Fighting Teachers and the Cardinals, but were renamed the Redbirds in 1923. They have won 10 conference titles over the years. Former Redbirds who have played pro football include Mike Prior, Mike Rodenhauser, Dennis Nelson, Estus Hood, Aveion Cason, Shelby Harris, Laurent Robinson and James O’Shaughnessey.