SPORTS BALL!!! v2.0

[Xprimentyl]

Actually it is official now. I know, the weekend's jumping of the gun by a lot of sporting news outlets (the one I work for is totally guilty as well.) But I think today's announcement is from him and the official word. It looks like it is from his personal instagram account, so I suppose it could be a hack.

Ah, I hadn't caught up with the sports news yet this morning (gotta watch Let's Make A Deal and The Price Is Right first,) and my Google search hadn't been updated at the time I responded to Bob_McMillan, but as of 40 minutes ago, you are correct. Bon Voyage, TB12; wasn't a fan, but can't deny your G.O.A.T. status.

EDIT/UPDATE: So apparently, Brady retired via a lengthy Instagram post, thanking a lot of people within the Buccaneers' organization and the fans. What's curious is that he didn't mention anyone at the Patriots organization. Not a single mention of the entire organization with which he spent the first 20 of his 22-year career: no Belichick, no Kraft, not the team, not the fans, NOTHING. One has to wonder is the blood really that bad between them that he can't even bury the hatchet long enough to type at least a line to the effect of "and thanks to the Patriots and their fans for 20 years and 6 Super Bowl rings" ?

 

[Xprimentyl]

Finally, after 18 months, the NFL's Washington Football Team (formerly "Redskins") has selected a new name for the 2022 season: The Washington Commanders.

Not awful, I guess; I'm just glad it has changed. I personally was not one of those on whom "The Football Team" had grown. Lots of pundits claimed to have gotten used to it, liked it, and didn't want it changed again, but "Football Team" is just too comically generic, like naming a newborn child "Baby." When you're a highly scrutinized team with a recent history of mediocrity, the last thing you want when people joke about you is that you don't even have a real name.

Now the question's gonna be will their fans accept it? I know several fans (mostly old farts stuck in their ways) that have refused to call them anything other than the Redskins this whole time, digging deep into their closets for moth-eaten, "Redskin" emblazoned apparel just to spite the change. I imagine they'll be some pushback again this time, but I don't expect it'll change anything. Either they suck it up and root for their team (it is the same team,) or they quit supporting them proving they're fans of the name more than the team, which is, let me look it up.... yeah, really fucking stupid.

Anyway, welcome to the league, Commanders.

EDIT: the article I linked to talks about Native American woman Crystal Echo Hawk, executive director of the nonprofit organization IllumiNative, who now wants the Kansas City Chiefs to follow suit and change their name, too. Changing "Redskins?" Mmmmyeah, okay; I can see how it could be insensitive. But "Chiefs?" C'mon, there's nothing wrong with that. It's a title of a person and not a slur in any way, shape or form. We've got Cowboys, Packers, Texans, Raiders, Vikings, Patriots, Saints, Steelers, and 49ers, all just titles or people. Why "Chiefs" should somehow be scrutinized is beyond dumb. I really hope that one doesn't get any traction.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Given Washington's actions against Native Americans, having his name on the team isn't great anyway, but I guess not much you can do about that. "Washers" doesn't really sound right.

 

[Kyrian007]

Finally, after 18 months, the NFL's Washington Football Team (formerly "Redskins") has selected a new name for the 2022 season: The Washington Commanders.

I went to a high school with an "Indians" mascot. I live in Chiefs country in Kansas. My favorite NHL franchise is the Blackhawks...

And I couldn't care less if any of them change their name or not. If they don't, nothing changes. If they do; the value of the merch I already have goes up, and I can put new merch on all my wish lists and get all new stuff. The way I see it if a group of people is taking offense, is it worth it to bother fighting it? By not changing your name you get bad pr, you polarize your fanbase, and you miss out on a ton of new merch sales (and people stocking up on your existing merch.) By changing your name... shitloads of free news coverage, huge new merch sales numbers... and you can change a meh nickname (like anything Indian-centric) to something cooler.

Now "Commanders?" I think WFT really screwed up the "cooler" thing. But they can still do the rest.

And I hear the complaint over and over... "But tradition, they've always been called _________!"

F__k tradition. Is what a sports team is named and what the big furry looks like of any REAL importance? The answer is no. I live in a city that just got a minor league baseball team. They were the "Baby Cakes," with a big creepy baby furry bobblehead. We changed their name to the "Wind Surge" so the furry is now a flying pony. But I don't care, I got a new hat for Christmas and the fart jokes are plentiful... that's a win.

 

[Thaluikhain]

In Australia, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs used to be called the Berries, which is the the plural of the end of Canterbury, so I think that was a better name. I also think the uniforms of teams should reflect the names.

I'm in the minority on this, it seems, though.

 

[Xprimentyl]

I went to a high school with an "Indians" mascot. I live in Chiefs country in Kansas. My favorite NHL franchise is the Blackhawks...

And I couldn't care less if any of them change their name or not. If they don't, nothing changes. If they do; the value of the merch I already have goes up, and I can put new merch on all my wish lists and get all new stuff. The way I see it if a group of people is taking offense, is it worth it to bother fighting it? By not changing your name you get bad pr, you polarize your fanbase, and you miss out on a ton of new merch sales (and people stocking up on your existing merch.) By changing your name... shitloads of free news coverage, huge new merch sales numbers... and you can change a meh nickname (like anything Indian-centric) to something cooler.

I understand this sentiment completely; name changes aren't a big deal. But I don't want the norm to become leagues "sating the complainers." I'm not saying ignore complainers; if someone has what they feel to be a valid issue, the least leagues can do is listen, but I would hope they'd vet the issue before making substantive changes. Like I said about the Chiefs, there's nothing wrong with that name; it's a title, and not one exclusive to Native Americans, by the way. Their logo is an arrowhead, a tool, not an offensive representation of Native American people or their culture. Their mascot, I dunno, what is it a dog? A fox? I would hope the NFL would look at Miss Crystal Echo Hawk's demand that they change is a case of hypersensitivity on her part, and change absolutely nothing. Give her season tickets to CHIEFS games as a consolation "fuck off."

As for missing opportunities for new merch, not everyone has the means to run out and replace $300-$400 jerseys or $50 hats every time someone's panties get in a bunch for whatever they feel is a good enough reason. Jane Doe's great great great grandfather was killed during the gold rush of 1849, and she feel the 49ers need to change to something less insensitive? Yeah. No.

In Australia, the Canterbury-Bankstown Bulldogs used to be called the Berries, which is the the plural of the end of Canterbury, so I think that was a better name. I also think the uniforms of teams should reflect the names.

I'm in the minority on this, it seems, though.

Has there been any buzz about the New Zealand Rugby team, the All Blacks? Because at this rate, being tucked away on a little island in a remote part of the ocean won't matter...

 

[RhombusHatesYou]

Has there been any buzz about the New Zealand Rugby team, the All Blacks?

It's an interesting strategy to try and get all of NZ to tell someone to go fuck themselves.

 

[Gordon_4]

Finally, after 18 months, the NFL's Washington Football Team (formerly "Redskins") has selected a new name for the 2022 season: The Washington Commanders.

Not awful, I guess; I'm just glad it has changed. I personally was not one of those on whom "The Football Team" had grown. Lots of pundits claimed to have gotten used to it, liked it, and didn't want it changed again, but "Football Team" is just too comically generic, like naming a newborn child "Baby." When you're a highly scrutinized team with a recent history of mediocrity, the last thing you want when people joke about you is that you don't even have a real name.

Now the question's gonna be will their fans accept it? I know several fans (mostly old farts stuck in their ways) that have refused to call them anything other than the Redskins this whole time, digging deep into their closets for moth-eaten, "Redskin" emblazoned apparel just to spite the change. I imagine they'll be some pushback again this time, but I don't expect it'll change anything. Either they suck it up and root for their team (it is the same team,) or they quit supporting them proving they're fans of the name more than the team, which is, let me look it up.... yeah, really fucking stupid.

Anyway, welcome to the league, Commanders.

EDIT: the article I linked to talks about Native American woman Crystal Echo Hawk, executive director of the nonprofit organization IllumiNative, who now wants the Kansas City Chiefs to follow suit and change their name, too. Changing "Redskins?" Mmmmyeah, okay; I can see how it could be insensitive. But "Chiefs?" C'mon, there's nothing wrong with that. It's a title of a person and not a slur in any way, shape or form. We've got Cowboys, Packers, Texans, Raiders, Vikings, Patriots, Saints, Steelers, and 49ers, all just titles or people. Why "Chiefs" should somehow be scrutinized is beyond dumb. I really hope that one doesn't get any traction.

Yeah I can't see Chiefs being a big deal. Its a common enough name of a leader from everyone from the Planes Indians to the Ancient Gauls, a rank in more armed forces than I care to try and list and a fairly informal form of address between people. Like compared to Redskins, Chiefs should be a nothingburger. And hey, Washington is where lots of the US Military command staff are, including the Commander in Chief so I can't say the name isn't theme appropriate.

 

[BrawlMan]

Tom Brady retires. Fuck Tom Brady.

 

[Bob_McMillan]

Sort of a shower thought, but sports related.

People complain all the time about players flopping. I myself am not a fan of it. But in a sport such as basketball, fouling the other team is considered an actual strategy. I've seen people say "Player X did what needed to be done" after Player X fouls someone hard intentionally. Frankly, I see fouling another player is a much higher offense than flopping, considering a foul could genuinely lead to a season or even career ending injury. So to me, being okay with intentional fouls but not with flopping seems a little hypocritical. Is one more okay than the other just because it's a "tough", manly thing to do?

There's obviously a lot of nuance here, but this is just an observation as someone who just recently started following basketball.

 

[Phoenixmgs]

Finally, after 18 months, the NFL's Washington Football Team (formerly "Redskins") has selected a new name for the 2022 season: The Washington Commanders.

Not awful, I guess; I'm just glad it has changed. I personally was not one of those on whom "The Football Team" had grown. Lots of pundits claimed to have gotten used to it, liked it, and didn't want it changed again, but "Football Team" is just too comically generic, like naming a newborn child "Baby." When you're a highly scrutinized team with a recent history of mediocrity, the last thing you want when people joke about you is that you don't even have a real name.

Now the question's gonna be will their fans accept it? I know several fans (mostly old farts stuck in their ways) that have refused to call them anything other than the Redskins this whole time, digging deep into their closets for moth-eaten, "Redskin" emblazoned apparel just to spite the change. I imagine they'll be some pushback again this time, but I don't expect it'll change anything. Either they suck it up and root for their team (it is the same team,) or they quit supporting them proving they're fans of the name more than the team, which is, let me look it up.... yeah, really fucking stupid.

Anyway, welcome to the league, Commanders.

EDIT: the article I linked to talks about Native American woman Crystal Echo Hawk, executive director of the nonprofit organization IllumiNative, who now wants the Kansas City Chiefs to follow suit and change their name, too. Changing "Redskins?" Mmmmyeah, okay; I can see how it could be insensitive. But "Chiefs?" C'mon, there's nothing wrong with that. It's a title of a person and not a slur in any way, shape or form. We've got Cowboys, Packers, Texans, Raiders, Vikings, Patriots, Saints, Steelers, and 49ers, all just titles or people. Why "Chiefs" should somehow be scrutinized is beyond dumb. I really hope that one doesn't get any traction.

A guy at work wanted the team to be renamed Red Skins (for the potatoes), which would make sense due to the owner saying awhile back that he wouldn't change the name.

 

[Kyrian007]

I understand this sentiment completely; name changes aren't a big deal. But I don't want the norm to become leagues "sating the complainers." I'm not saying ignore complainers; if someone has what they feel to be a valid issue, the least leagues can do is listen, but I would hope they'd vet the issue before making substantive changes. Like I said about the Chiefs, there's nothing wrong with that name; it's a title, and not one exclusive to Native Americans, by the way. Their logo is an arrowhead, a tool, not an offensive representation of Native American people or their culture. Their mascot, I dunno, what is it a dog? A fox? I would hope the NFL would look at Miss Crystal Echo Hawk's demand that they change is a case of hypersensitivity on her part, and change absolutely nothing. Give her season tickets to CHIEFS games as a consolation "fuck off."

As for missing opportunities for new merch, not everyone has the means to run out and replace $300-$400 jerseys or $50 hats every time someone's panties get in a bunch for whatever they feel is a good enough reason. Jane Doe's great great great grandfather was killed during the gold rush of 1849, and she feel the 49ers need to change to something less insensitive? Yeah. No.

Starting with the last first, put me in the can't afford it group. I have a cool job, but it pays like crap. Merch I can afford is usually in the realm of the overpriced 40 or 50 dollar ballcap. That's why I said wishlist. Due to proximity I do get some merch in the form of swag, a perk of the job I guess. It seems like that was more common about a decade ago. Franchises are really cutting down on promotional swag these days.

I'm not sure in the case of the Chiefs that it is just hypersensitivity, it's just something that is more the fault of the fans than the team itself. Elaborate native headdresses with beer holders... I can see a native getting offended and accept they have a point. Drunk white dudes whooping around in "war paint" doing "rain dances..." yes the arrowhead logo and name "Chiefs" isn't particularly disrespectful or in poor taste really. But the fans won't stop war chanting or "tomahawk chopping" unless the name changes too. After all, the team has already banned that kind of paraphernalia and asked them to refrain from that kind of behavior... and as anyone can see on TV that hasn't stopped shit. I personally don't care if they change or not. But I see exactly why someone might have a problem with the name. After all, my high school's "Indian" mascot isn't exactly inherently offensive (despite exactly how far a dipshit genociding racist actually was from India when he "named" them) but I was at the pep rallies. I saw the football jocks dress up the wannabe-part-of-the-clique down-syndrome kid in a headdress and war paint and having him rain dance around while the band played the "war chant" and everybody laughed at him. I don't care, because I never cared about "school spirit" or "tradition." But I would never disagree with someone who had a problem with that. If I were a better person, I'd have a problem with that.

But I'm not. Actually I want particularly offensive team names, I would just punch up with them. If the Chiefs get a name change I want it to be European football inspired like KC's soccer team Sporting KC. Something like FC KC or Kansas City FC. Not only would that piss off traditional American football fans, I really can't imagine the soccer folks being that happy about it either. Win-Win for me and my perverse sense of humor. I would applaud and really root for a team with a particularly offensive name, as long as it offended someone who deserved it.

 

[Thaluikhain]

But I'm not. Actually I want particularly offensive team names, I would just punch up with them. If the Chiefs get a name change I want it to be European football inspired like KC's soccer team Sporting KC. Something like FC KC or Kansas City FC. Not only would that piss off traditional American football fans, I really can't imagine the soccer folks being that happy about it either. Win-Win for me and my perverse sense of humor. I would applaud and really root for a team with a particularly offensive name, as long as it offended someone who deserved it.

They can be the KFC chickens and get an endorsement.

 

[Kyrian007]

They can be the KFC chickens and get an endorsement.

Not bad. Actually I can't take credit for this, but I just heard on a morning show someone say that D.C. should have gone with Commodores. Not only is there a ton of music that goes with that, but for short they'd be the Washington Commies. I can hardly type well I'm laughing so hard.

 

[Thaluikhain]

Not bad. Actually I can't take credit for this, but I just heard on a morning show someone say that D.C. should have gone with Commodores. Not only is there a ton of music that goes with that, but for short they'd be the Washington Commies. I can hardly type well I'm laughing so hard.

From the Reds to the Commies. Huh.

 

[Xprimentyl]

I'm not sure in the case of the Chiefs that it is just hypersensitivity, it's just something that is more the fault of the fans than the team itself. Elaborate native headdresses with beer holders... I can see a native getting offended and accept they have a point. Drunk white dudes whooping around in "war paint" doing "rain dances..." yes the arrowhead logo and name "Chiefs" isn't particularly disrespectful or in poor taste really. But the fans won't stop war chanting or "tomahawk chopping" unless the name changes too. After all, the team has already banned that kind of paraphernalia and asked them to refrain from that kind of behavior... and as anyone can see on TV that hasn't stopped shit. I personally don't care if they change or not. But I see exactly why someone might have a problem with the name. After all, my high school's "Indian" mascot isn't exactly inherently offensive (despite exactly how far a dipshit genociding racist actually was from India when he "named" them) but I was at the pep rallies. I saw the football jocks dress up the wannabe-part-of-the-clique down-syndrome kid in a headdress and war paint and having him rain dance around while the band played the "war chant" and everybody laughed at him. I don't care, because I never cared about "school spirit" or "tradition." But I would never disagree with someone who had a problem with that. If I were a better person, I'd have a problem with that.

Ok, as I'm not a Chiefs fan (for more reasons than one since 2019...), I wasn't aware those kinds of fans were the problem. That, I can understand being upsetting. Still, I maintain a name/image change shouldn't be the answer. As evidenced with the whole Redskins-to-Football Team debacle, it only seems to cause the problem fans to dig their heels in deeper.

I don't how difficult it would be to manage something like this, but I'm assuming Arrowhead and the surrounding area is private property, and the owner can set rules of decorum. Perhaps disallow said offensive paraphernalia at games and tailgates? Instruct roving media crews not to give camera time to fans putting on offensive display? Remove fans that sneak forbidden paraphernalia from the game? My thought would be anyone bold enough to breach strict, upheld rules would be the outliers; most decent people who want to attend a game and keep their teams' name would comply.

I guess in the end, the solution is just to change ALL the teams' names. Hell, so far, it seems the Cleveland Browns are the only ones who've got it right: just pick an innocuous color and your logo is just your plain helmet to avoid stepping on anyone's sensitive feet... oh, wait... Chomps the Dog. PITA might have something to say about that. Ok, all teams pick a color, that's your name, your logo is your plain helmet and no mascots. /s

 

[Thaluikhain]

Ok, as I'm not a Chiefs fan (for more reasons than one since 2019...), I wasn't aware those kinds of fans were the problem. That, I can understand being upsetting. Still, I maintain a name/image change shouldn't be the answer. As evidenced with the whole Redskins-to-Football Team debacle, it only seems to cause the problem fans to dig their heels in deeper.

For the time being, perhaps, but I'd hardly be surprised if they'd forget about the issue soon enough. Have to wait and see.

 

[Xprimentyl]

For the time being, perhaps, but I'd hardly be surprised if they'd forget about the issue soon enough. Have to wait and see.

It sounds like it's the fans who're the problem, not the team, but as @Kyrian007 suggests, the team tacitly enables said fans. It's complicated with no easy fix that would satisfy all sides. At this rate, we might end up wiping all reference to Native American culture from ALL American sports just to be "safe."

 

[Kyrian007]

Ok, as I'm not a Chiefs fan (for more reasons than one since 2019...), I wasn't aware those kinds of fans were the problem. That, I can understand being upsetting. Still, I maintain a name/image change shouldn't be the answer. As evidenced with the whole Redskins-to-Football Team debacle, it only seems to cause the problem fans to dig their heels in deeper.

I don't how difficult it would be to manage something like this, but I'm assuming Arrowhead and the surrounding area is private property, and the owner can set rules of decorum. Perhaps disallow said offensive paraphernalia at games and tailgates? Instruct roving media crews not to give camera time to fans putting on offensive display? Remove fans that sneak forbidden paraphernalia from the game? My thought would be anyone bold enough to breach strict, upheld rules would be the outliers; most decent people who want to attend a game and keep their teams' name would comply.

I guess in the end, the solution is just to change ALL the teams' names. Hell, so far, it seems the Cleveland Browns are the only ones who've got it right: just pick an innocuous color and your logo is just your plain helmet to avoid stepping on anyone's sensitive feet... oh, wait... Chomps the Dog. PITA might have something to say about that. Ok, all teams pick a color, that's your name, your logo is your plain helmet and no mascots. /s

I'm just not a fan of the slippery slope argument of "where does it stop?" Mostly because the answer is always "somewhere." It's interesting you bring up The Browns. It isn't a color, they are named after a man. Specifically, the original head coach and part owner of the team Paul Brown. Should someone unearth some kind of old KKK role call and found out Coach Brown was a Grand Dragon or whatever... A name change wouldn't go amiss. Unlikely though, from all accounts other than being a bit of a hardass as a coach there isn't anything particularly scandalous about the dude. And that name is also interesting for another odd reason. The City of Cleveland owns the name... not the team or team owner. The City Government in Cleveland owns the name "Browns" and all team and individual team member records. When Art Modell moved the team to Baltimore, part of the agreement with the City of Cleveland was that a legal trust would be set up under City ownership that controlled the name and records. Then when Cleveland got an expansion team in 1999, they are technically still... the same old "Browns." And I don't know the legality surrounding it currently, I think that means the naming rights... should they ever have to change their name it would be the city council of Cleveland that would make that change.

 

[Xprimentyl]

I'm just not a fan of the slippery slope argument of "where does it stop?" Mostly because the answer is always "somewhere."

I understand, and my thought along those lines is that the "somewhere" is the Chiefs.

It's interesting you bring up The Browns. It isn't a color, they are named after a man. Specifically, the original head coach and part owner of the team Paul Brown. Should someone unearth some kind of old KKK role call and found out Coach Brown was a Grand Dragon or whatever... A name change wouldn't go amiss. Unlikely though, from all accounts other than being a bit of a hardass as a coach there isn't anything particularly scandalous about the dude. And that name is also interesting for another odd reason. The City of Cleveland owns the name... not the team or team owner. The City Government in Cleveland owns the name "Browns" and all team and individual team member records. When Art Modell moved the team to Baltimore, part of the agreement with the City of Cleveland was that a legal trust would be set up under City ownership that controlled the name and records. Then when Cleveland got an expansion team in 1999, they are technically still... the same old "Browns." And I don't know the legality surrounding it currently, I think that means the naming rights... should they ever have to change their name it would be the city council of Cleveland that would make that change.

I was being facetious. I know who the Browns are named after, I was just picking the team with most innocuous, inoffensive image and name, and jesting that all other teams should follow suit. I didn't know the city owned the name, though. Interesting. Makes one wonder if that shouldn't be the case for all cities that host major franchises.