May192005

Three-Pete Bites the Dust?

Rory MacDonald, TrojanWire

The law firm SHAUB, WILLIAMS & NUNZIATO LLP, representing Riles & Co., threatened us with a lawsuit for infringing on Trademark Registration numbers 1,552,980, 1,878,680 & 1,522,980 for the word "Three-Peat".

This is former Los Angeles Lakers coach Pat Riley, who obtained a trademark for the term "Three-Peat" when the Lakers were hoping to beat the Detroit Pistons in the 1989 NBA Finals, but didnt. Yet when the Chicago Bulls three-peated twice, and when Kobe and Shaq finally pulled it off for the Lakers in 2002, Riley was the only one allowed to put the word "Three-Peat" on a t-shirt.

TrojanWire is not even using the exact term "Three-Peat" (which is public vernacular anyways the same way "You're Fired" or "That's Hot" is).

Apparently Pat Riley, Donald Trump and Paris Hilton believe it is their right to own common words.

We do not, but there is little recourse for small or even larger operations when faced with the threat of intellectual property infringements. Penalties for copyright infringement can potentially reach $150,000 per work.

We are working on designing our way around the issue, but as of right now, there is no way to buy a "Three-Pete" shirt to show your support for Pete Carroll's 2005 Trojans accomplishing what Pat Riley's 1989 Lakers couldn't.

Related News: Store Permalink to 'Three-Pete Bites the Dust?'  Post a Comment (3)

Comments

Now I want to see Miami lose now more than ever...FUCK YOU RILEY!

Posted by: Johnsy at May 19, 2005 01:07 PM

Riley, you are a washed-up coach who could never accomplish what Pete Carroll has at USC. No one would ever confuse your crappy career with Pete's.

Posted by: Anon at June 8, 2005 12:03 AM

How about just tending to business this year and going ahead and getting the rights to "Four-peat"?

Or, use "Tri-Champs" and get on with it.

Posted by: Bob at July 28, 2005 03:46 PM

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