New Names for the DC NFL team (OT)

[nycphils]

I like the Red Tails after the Tuskegee airmen, but the Washington Cavalry, Continentals, Minutemen, Independents, Freedom would all make sense.

[BaseballCat]

I like those names as well. Much better than Monuments, Presidents, Generals and a few more that I can’t remember from some story I read yesterday.

[Purduke]

I think you better scrap the Minutemen idea. I remember when I moved to CT 30 years ago, there was a student group in Amherst Mass trying to get the school to change the name because the Minutemen were part of American Imperialism etc etc. Plus, isn't one of the US-Mex border groups called the Minutemen? So that's 2 strikes. And wasn't the Minuteman once a missile program? Anti-war and American Imperialism again -- three strikes and you are …… discouraged from further participation.

Likewise, Colonials wouldn't work either. Colonials are those who colonize, no? That's not going to work -- surprised GW hasn't gotten the message yet. But perhaps GW is focused on a bigger battle.

I think Snyder should just go the path of least resistance. Go with something like the Minnows. Or better yet, maybe the Snail Darters -- weren't they beloved by a lot of the Washington crowd a while back?

[tom81]

They should pick a native animal as their name. In honor of Ben Franklin they should be named the Turkeys. “ For the Truth the Turkey is in Comparison a much more respectable Bird, and withal a true original Native of America… He is besides, though a little vain & silly, a Bird of Courage, and would not hesitate to attack a Grenadier of the British Guards who should presume to invade his Farm Yard with a red Coat on.”

[andyb]

As a DC native I am leaning towards Red Tails now. It doesn't roll off the tongue quite as easily as you want but it is also fitting for a city with a large majority of people of color that had been majority Black through most of the team's history in a league full of Black players. The Red part of the name also allows you to keep your team colors and the Tuskegee airmen might allow for some interesting logos tied in with the passing game.

The military and Justice team names just don't fit the moment of history we are in.

Of course none of us here in DC expect Dan Snyder to do the right thing. I am guessing the reason they are doing yet another study of the team name is to evaluate how much money they can make off of a name change. But we have to take small victories whenever we can I guess.

[julio]

And wasn't the Minuteman once a missile program?

Yeah, "once." As in, the Minuteman III is still in service - it is the only operational land-based ICBM in the US inventory. As Purduke noted, probably not the best choice for a football team mascot.

I like Redtails. It's a hawk; a dignified hunter (and a beautiful bird). And pretty much totally uncontroversial. Eagles, Seahawks, Raptors, Falcons, Redtails, Bears, Lions, Panthers. Fits right in.

[BostonRoss]

Patriots are missiles, too...

After decades of “honoring “ Native Americans, the current federal administration will likely issue an executive order mandating that the team name honor old white men. So call them the Senators.

[phillychuck]

The DC Snyders says it all.

[julio]

Patriots are missiles, too...

After decades of “honoring “ Native Americans, the current federal administration will likely issue an executive order mandating that the team name honor old white men. So call them the Senators.

The Washington Whigs?

[BostonRoss]

Some of the best team names are alliterative!

[bkox]

The Washington Lobbyists
The Washington Filibusters
The Washington Gridlock
The D.C. Energy

[Purduke]

As a DC native I am leaning towards Red Tails now.

One downside to that idea is there is already a professional football franchise named the Redtails. Phoenix in the WFLA (yes I did have to look it up). So Dan would have to negotiate a copyright buyout from a minority owner in a women's sports league for what he considers a reasonable price. Yeah, what could go wrong there?

[Philsmania]

Pigskins would be good...it's football, it has a tie to "The Hogs", they can keep the "'Skins" nickname.

[zambonir]

You can't actually copyright a team name. The Oklahoma City Thunder started up when there was still a hockey team just down the road in Wichita with that name (and they still exist). Oklahoma City itself also had a hockey team called the Blazers (as does Kamloops) despite Portland's NBA team (which is Trail Blazers, but no one calls them that). There have also been multiple hockey teams called the Bulls (one of which still exists). And of course there are multiple Giants, Panthers, Rangers (and there used to be Jets and Oilers, still are two hockey Oilers).

I can't decide if the "Red" part is a plus or a minus, though it's also pretty typical for teams that had to make similar changes (St. John's is the Red Storm, Miami is the RedHawks).

I think keeping "Skins" in any form would also be unwelcome.

[Purduke]

You can't actually copyright a team name.

OK. So what was it that the Copyright Bureau (?) was attempting to take away from the Redskins a couple of years ago -- went to SCOTUS. Was it just the logo?

[California_Dreamin]

Given my view of most of todays governors and 90% of Congress, I suggest Grifters or Spendthrifts. Washington would be well represented by that name given the way they all love to tell us what to do while spending our money for their oft times foolish purposes. Either is both appropriate and timely.

[zambonir]

Well, you still have to protect your trademark which would also include the full team name and the logos, but a name in and of itself is not necessarily protected. You can also claim the copyright on something (a book, a logo, a song) without actually filing a trademark. If the Redskins had lost that case (they weren't the plaintiff, but it affected them) they wouldn't have had to change their name, they just wouldn't have enjoyed the full protection of the law.

I think it would still be a bad look for them to big-league a women's football team, though I suspect the women's football team didn't have Tuskegee in mind.