# Political Correct Sports Silliness Backfires **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [March 11, 2002, 5:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622 "2002-03-11T17:38:48Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Minor\_Irritant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e495f1/32.png) [@Minor\_Irritant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Minor_Irritant)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2002, 1:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622/21 "2002-03-12T01:32:18Z")
Hey, how 'bout the Canucks? ---
**Author:** ![Riboflavin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/f1d935/32.png) [@Riboflavin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riboflavin)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2002, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622/22 "2002-03-12T02:14:24Z")
What’s also interesting to consider is whether the hypersensitive types would object to a mostly-white team calling itself one of these names. I’d expect them to grow very angry over the fact that the team is being horribly racist towards the non-white team members, and that they should change their name to something honoring honoring the fighting prowess of non-whites. The PC types’ actions tend to hurt their stated goals; it’s hard to take a incidents of actual racism seriously when so often cries of racism are raised over silliness like sports team names, which don’t even offend the people they’re supposedly insulting to. And sign me up for a Fightin’ Whities T-shirt! ---
**Author:** ![Zappo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/b3f665/32.png) [@Zappo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zappo)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2002, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622/23 "2002-03-12T02:25:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by The Ryan \* > \*\*My high school mascot was the Lancer. I didn’t notice any outcry among people of European descent. > \*\* You didn’t go to high school in Philadelphia by any chance, did you? Zap! Proud Central Lancer (247) ---
**Author:** ![The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/9fc348/32.png) [@The\_Flying\_Dutchman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Flying_Dutchman)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2002, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622/24 "2002-03-12T07:15:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Minor Irritant \* > \*\*Hey, how 'bout the Canucks? \*\* Or the Edmonton _Eskimos_ What about the Yankees? An ethnic slur on the Dutch-Americans;) . But as long as they are a winning team, I won’t mind:D ---
**Author:** ![widdershins](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/f0a364/32.png) [@widdershins](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/widdershins)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2002, 8:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622/25 "2002-03-12T08:56:04Z")
The Fighting Ofeys The Blue-Eyed Devils The Man or The Men The Raging Rednecks The Walloping White Trash The Trailer Park Terrors The Frugal Scotsmen The Typical French (would forfeit every game) The Killer Krauts The Drunken Cossacks The English Soccer Hooligans The Appalachian Inbreds The Western Oppressors The Greedy Gai-jin The Dumb Polacks (nah, we’re not that intimidating) ---
**Author:** ![Odesio](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/odesio/32/20003_2.png) [@Odesio](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odesio)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2002, 9:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622/26 "2002-03-12T09:41:30Z")
If the opinions of the fine folks of the SDMB are any indication no lesson has been learned. I saw a picture of the mascot and I tried really hard to be offended. I couldn’t. I’ve yet to see a mascot based on a native american that I thought was offensive. So what if Chief Wahoo is built like a cartoon character? So is the Dallas Cowboy mascot. And no I don’t mean Crazy Ray. Marc ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2002, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622/27 "2002-03-12T15:40:49Z")
Has anyone considered sending the Good Prof a link to the SDMB? Maybe he could explain his reasoning directly…? ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [March 12, 2002, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622/28 "2002-03-12T21:02:08Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zebra \* > \*\*I would have named the team The White Devils. \*\* You’d have a large fan base among scholars of John Webster… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Badtz\_Maru](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e36b37/32.png) [@Badtz\_Maru](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Badtz_Maru)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 5:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622/29 "2002-03-14T05:41:09Z")
He screwed up using whites as the race, as most of us find the derogatory terms for us funny. If he really wanted to get attention he should have named them the ‘Knifin’ Negroes’ or something like that. ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 6:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622/30 "2002-03-14T06:38:17Z")
How about the Turnstile Jumpers? Not ethnic enough? Try the Battlin’ Bruthuhs and their cheeleading squad, the Skanky Hos. They can do endorsements for Rocket Fuel Malt Liquor. Damn! I’ll admit some surprise that any team would endorse the name “Trojans”. Aren’t they famous for getting suckered by that big horse and _losing_? It just shows the slipping academic standards at American universities. I’m waiting for someone to name a team “The Carthaginians”, who’ll get their field salted after every loss. > [@](#): > > Only a _Carpathian_ would come back _now_ and choose _New York_! - Bill Murray, _Ghostbusters II_ ---
**Author:** ![Katisha](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/bcef8e/32.png) [@Katisha](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Katisha)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 6:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622/31 "2002-03-14T06:59:17Z")
[hijack] > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Bryan Ekers \* > \*\*I’ll admit some surprise that any team would endorse the name “Trojans”. Aren’t they famous for getting suckered by that big horse and _losing_? It just shows the slipping academic standards at American universities. \*\* Blame Virgil. Remember, in the _Aeneid_ he depicts Aeneas as going on to Italy to found the city of Rome. And nearly every country in medieval Europe claimed a legendary Trojan founder (Britain’s was called Brutus – not the one who killed Caesar). Being associated with Troy was definitely a good thing. So, to answer your question…no, not really. 😉 (Of course, it’s also true that more people were familiar with Virgil than with Homer back then…) [/hijack] ---
**Author:** ![Bryan\_Ekers](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bryan_ekers/32/183_2.png) [@Bryan\_Ekers](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bryan_Ekers)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 7:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622/32 "2002-03-14T07:10:14Z")
D’oh! -well, someone had to say it. ---
**Author:** ![sturmhauke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@sturmhauke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sturmhauke)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 6:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622/33 "2002-03-14T18:59:01Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tranquilis \* > **While wiping his feet on a treaty, of course.** Shouln’t that be “ass”? ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622/34 "2002-03-14T19:44:00Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Tranquilis \* > \*\*Yeah, some of the mascots are kinda rude. That’s just a call for a new design competition, though, complete with fan participation, contests, give-aways, and hype. In short, nothing more than a marketing opportunuty. \*\* A good way to redo the Indian-themed logos is to revert to stylization as opposed to caricature. A good example is the [Atlanta Chiefs’ logo](http://home.att.net/~nasl/logos.htm) from the bygone North American Soccer League (cf. the current Cleveland Indians “grinning” logo). ---
**Author:** ![Tranquilis](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tranquilis/32/3639_2.png) [@Tranquilis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tranquilis)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622/35 "2002-03-14T20:14:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by sturmhauke \* > \*\*Shouln’t that be “ass”? \*\* Six of one, half dozen of the other… ---
**Author:** ![jk1245](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/49beb7/32.png) [@jk1245](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jk1245)\ **Post date:** [March 14, 2002, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622/36 "2002-03-14T20:38:01Z")
There is a Catholic high school here in Madison whose mascot is the “Crusaders” As of yet, no Muslims have complained. Also, sign me up for a fightin’ whiteys T-shirt and hat, if available. I’m also going to name my softball team this summer the “Lutefisk Lovers”, even though I wouldn’t touch that crap if you paid me. ---
**Author:** ![Truth\_Seeker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/5fc32e/32.png) [@Truth\_Seeker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Truth_Seeker)\ **Post date:** [March 16, 2002, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622/37 "2002-03-16T20:18:02Z")
[http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002/03/16/whites.htm](http://www.usatoday.com/news/nation/2002/03/16/whites.htm) From today’s USA Today. > [@](#): > > \*\*More than 1,600 e-mails have flooded into the university in Greeley, north of Denver. Some say it’s about time that a white person is made a mascot for a sport team. Others complain the idea as perpetuating yet another racial stereotype. > > ## “It’s obvious some of the people are taking it the way it’s not supposed to be taken,” said team member Jeff VanIwarden. > > - > - > > VanIwarden said demand for the jerseys has been overwhelming. He said when the shirts are printed, they will have a message condemning racial stereotypes to dissuade people from making light of the issue. \*\* So there! ---
**Author:** ![sailor](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a587f6/32.png) [@sailor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sailor)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 8:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622/38 "2002-08-20T08:20:32Z")
How about the “Quarrelsome Papayas”, “Acrimonious Pineapples,” “Bickering Breadfruits” or the “Irritated Guavas,” [http://starbulletin.com/1999/09/15/features/memminger.html](http://starbulletin.com/1999/09/15/features/memminger.html) The mascot could be a large gray blob named “Poo Poo the Compassionate,” ---
**Author:** ![BraheSilver](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ecccb3/32.png) [@BraheSilver](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BraheSilver)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 10:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622/39 "2002-08-20T10:35:49Z")
[Here](http://www.fightingwhites.org/) you go. Order a T-shirt. Though if you’re asking me (which you aren’t), I think the “mascot” looks like a guy from one of those '50’s billboards (the kind _Fallout_ makes fun of). Hokey, maybe smarmy even, but not offensive in the least. And putting “Fighting Whites” on your undies sounds like you’re making an effort to soil yourself. ---
**Author:** ![RexDart](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b77776/32.png) [@RexDart](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RexDart)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2002, 12:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622/40 "2002-08-20T12:04:45Z")
Just to get it in here, I can’t let ANY thread like this go by without mentioning the all-too-real northern Illinois high school mascot, the _Pekin Chinks_. They changed it to “Dragons”, I guess to keep the wonderful Oriental theme going. After following that thread, it occurs to me that they chose “Fightin’ Whites” as their political statement after failing to convince the local school from changing away from “Fightin’ Reds.” Looks like the Red Guard and White Guard are just whippin’ it up again, bloody Bolsheviks. On that note, I think “European imperialist oppressors” would have had a nice sound to it. Or perhaps “Eurotrash”, the mascot could be a drunken German discotechque type wearing leather and chains, doped up on ecstasy and passed out in some community fountain. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/political-correct-sports-silliness-backfires/97622.md?page=3)