What if you could change the name without really changing the name?
As a lakeshore city, I am sure someone has dumped off their koi fish into the lake at some point.
I give you… the Erie Koi.
I’ll see myself out…
Damn. Just…damn.
The Cleveland Soon To Be Not Indians just doesn’t have the proper ring to it.
The Cleveland '48s would serve as a reminder that it’s been awhile since the team last won a World Series.
I like the idea of Cleveland FC, if only I could come up with something appropriate for “FC” to stand for.
Fake Comanches?
Not bad! Beats “Fielder’s Choices”, anyway.
Well, Prince’s glyph is available, at least…
Supposedly the Indians were named to honor Lou Sockalexis, an outfielder for the Cleveland Spiders, but apparently it was adopted in 1915 to “keep the Indians reminded of what the Braves did last year.” [12]
The 1914 Braves won the World Series after being in last place on the 4th of July, sweeping the powerful Philadelphia A’s in the process.
Another vote for the Spiders, then. Though it would even better if St. Louis changed their name to the Perfectos as well.
It is really no worse than the Buffalo Bills, named after a guy who happened to have the city’s name as part of his name (well, nickname).
“Grovers” is no different than “Bills”.
I like it. I think it actually works better if it doesn’t stand for anything.
Hmm.
If it is fish you want, then Cleveland Sturgeons?
What Indian tribe is that referring to?
If we want a name that slyly infringes on tribal identities, how about the Cleveland Crows?
Cleveland had another team become the Ravens so there’s precedent…
I believe in the early days of baseball they might have used B.B.C. for “base ball club,” so why not Cleveland B.B.C.?
Initial Ian’s that don’t stand for anything is one of my pet peeves.
I’m happy that “N.P.R.” can’t declare itself to not stand for anything because the name “National Public Radio” is mandated by federal law. They don’t have to say it on the air but they can’t deny it’s their name.
“And when they met, it was murder.”
They’re doing this to gauge fan reactions. By announcing it this way, they’ll have a year to see how much fans freak out before they’ve committed to anything. If fans freak out too much (and you know that some fans will; it’s just a question of how many), then after a year they’ll say “Upon sober reflection, it would be disrespectful to the memory of Sockalexis and of all Native Americans to change the name”, and keep it.
ISWYDT
may I ask a silly question please :
Why do American sports teams need nicknames?
Other countries seem to do okay just calling their team by the name of the city.
When Liverpool beats Southampton, everybody knows that, well, the team from Liverpool beat the team from Southhampton.
But Americans gotta make you guess.
The Colts are from Baltimore, right? Well, yeah, 30 years ago. But now they’re in Indianapolis,. And there was bloodshed when they moved.
So how 'bout a radical idea: let’s call the Cleveland baseball team “Cleveland”.
And the Washington football team:" Washington".
[\spoilsport] 
Possibly not the main reason, but one reason is that there are two major league baseball teams from Chicago. There are two American football teams with “New York” in their name, etc.
Brian