# Singular sports team names drive me **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [May 1, 2001, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968 "2001-05-01T15:28:18Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Man\_from\_Mars](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c5a1d2/32.png) [@Man\_from\_Mars](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Man_from_Mars)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968/21 "2001-05-02T03:27:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by scout1222 \* > \*\*The Afghanistan Pornagraphers. Hooah! That’s a good one. \*\* You got that right! Just imagine if they decided to go with the Afghani Porn. Yuck! ---
**Author:** ![OrcaChow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e47c2d/32.png) [@OrcaChow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OrcaChow)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968/22 "2001-05-02T07:25:57Z")
> [@](#): > > I don’t know the league, but Macon, Georgia has a hockey team called … the Whoopee. That’s right, the Macon Whoopee. They could’ve called the team, the “Bacon.” The logo could be Newt Gingrich fucking a sow. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 9:55am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968/23 "2001-05-02T09:55:48Z")
I can’t say I’m crazy about most of these singular names (I imagine pro basketball players in Miami exclaiming, "Hey, I’m a Heat! or “Look, I’m a Sol!”). On the other hand, I applaud the search for creative new names. Does the world really need another goddamn team named the Tigers, or the Wildcats, or the Eagles, or the Bulldogs or any of the other hideously overused mascots? Disclaimer: I am not against any team currently using those mascots. Hell, I wouldn’t want my beloved University of Kentucky Wildcats to change. I just mean that those mascots are used plenty enough. ---
**Author:** ![Booker57](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Booker57](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Booker57)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 12:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968/24 "2001-05-02T12:01:41Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Telemark \* > \*\*Go Dartmouth Big Green. > > Imagine a mascot for that one. \*\* A large roll of 100 dollar bills? Just a thought. ---
**Author:** ![tiggeril](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tiggeril/32/7234_2.png) [@tiggeril](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tiggeril)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 12:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968/25 "2001-05-02T12:47:12Z")
The University of Chicago Maroons. Our mascot is, technically, a phoenix. He looks like a big, red, plucked chicken. It’s hard to get excited about a big, red, plucked chicken. Especially when you have to call him a “Maroon.” I mean, really. If I’m at a soccer game, did whoever named the team not think of the fact that I’m cheering “Go Maroons?” Didn’t any of them watch Bugs Bunny cartoons? ---
**Author:** ![Spoons](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spoons/32/3141_2.png) [@Spoons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spoons)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968/26 "2001-05-02T13:55:04Z")
> [@](#): > > _Originally posted by RickJay_ > Actually, “Raptors” has aged better than I expected (I hated the name), and the dinosaur bit has become identified with the team. I always thought, though, that if the public tired of the dinosaur motif, you could make the team’s logo an eagle or a falcon. They’re “raptors” too, in the true sense of the word. Birds of prey are “raptors.” That would give the team a common symbol with an unusual, cool name, like Cincinnati Bengals (instead of “Tigers”) or Boston Bruins (instead of “Bears.”) **RickJay** , that’s what I was hoping would happen–that the dinosaur would fade away, and the “birds of prey” meaning would take over. Now, “Raptors” in that sense would make a suitable team name, I think–I once worked in a place where I could watch the hawks gliding on the air currents around the Don Valley. Oh well. Perhaps in time–they did get rid of the Barney figure on their uniforms. Hey, it’s a start. > [@](#): > > _matt\_mcl posted about the name “Raptors”_ > Especially when you consider that it’s Latin for “thieves” or “rapists”. LOL! Thanks for the translation, **matt\_mcl**! I’ll have to remember that the next time the neighbours talk about getting their kids Raptors gear as gifts–“Aren’t your kids a bit young to be raping and pillaging?” Well, it made me smile. Thanks again! ---
**Author:** ![CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crankyasanoldman/32/11670_2.png) [@CrankyAsAnOldMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CrankyAsAnOldMan)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968/27 "2001-05-02T14:08:33Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Manservant Hecubus \* > \*\* > > > [@](#): > > > > \*Originally posted by amarinth \* > > \*\* > > > > > [@](#): > > > > > > \*Originally posted by Manservant Hecubus \* > > > \*\*I happen to think that the Colorado Avalanche have one of the coolest names in sports. \*\* > > > > What do you call a single player? A snowball? > > \*\* > > This year, you call him the guy holding the Stanley Cup. \*\* _weeps daintily into her handkerchief_ Hey, there are people from Detroit who read these boards! Be a little more sensitive, wouldja? Anyway, NC State drives me nuts. Okay, so they are the Wolfpack. Go Pack, etc etc. But what is an individual player? A wolf? I’ve never heard one called a Wolf, even though that is what a singular member of a Wolfpack is. WTF? ---
**Author:** ![BiblioCat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/ed8c4c/32.png) [@BiblioCat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BiblioCat)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 2:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968/28 "2001-05-02T14:33:11Z")
Well, they may be hard-pressed to find names now that it is considered un-PC to call themselves the \ \ {e.g. Redskins, Braves, etc.}. Just a thought. ---
**Author:** ![OxyMoron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e9a140/32.png) [@OxyMoron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OxyMoron)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 3:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968/29 "2001-05-02T15:01:53Z")
Seriously, these sorts of names beat a lot of the ones out there. My high school, like USC, had Trojans. You can imagine what costumes people wore. Oh, and NYU, where I went to grad school? The original team name (until at least 1980, when the “new” gym was built with “Violets” on the BB court) was…the Violets. Not kidding, apparently NYU’s original building on Washington Square had a patch of violets in front of it. It was later changed to Bobcats, which sounds better…except that Bobcat also happens to be the name of the library’s computer catologue (the main library is named after Elmer Holmes **Bob** st, and it has a **Cat** alogue) - and I suspect the catalogue actually came first. ooooooy. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_Torque](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/e9bcb4/32.png) [@Max\_Torque](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_Torque)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968/30 "2001-05-02T17:36:24Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kinsey \* > **Well, they may be hard-pressed to find names now that it is considered un-PC to call themselves the \ \ {e.g. Redskins, Braves, etc.}.** I’ve often wondered…is it really a slur when, say, the Santa Fe Indian School has the mascot of “the Braves” (which, in reality, they do)? Y’all have overlooked some real priceless names in other areas. Tucson was supposed to have a WPHL team called the Scorch before they were denied a franchise. Their logo was a dragon; why they didn’t call themselves the Dragons is beyond me. Trying to be “unique”, I guess. I suppose they thought it was better than other names in the league, like the Mudbugs or the Aviators. ---
**Author:** ![elfkin477](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/a9a28c/32.png) [@elfkin477](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfkin477)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 5:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968/31 "2001-05-02T17:57:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kinsey \* > \*\*Well, they may be hard-pressed to find names now that it is considered un-PC to call themselves the \ \ {e.g. Redskins, Braves, etc.}. > Just a thought. \*\* I’ve always wondered about that… How is it that we still have a team called the Redskins, but not, say, The Georgia Crackers? You know, a team you can really root against. It’s $, isn’t it. ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [May 2, 2001, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968/32 "2001-05-02T21:41:08Z")
Is it just me, or does anybody else feel that mascots in general are useless. Why do we even need them? Okay, have them, but why do they have to be so prominent. Look, if I’m watching SportsCenter and they say, “And now in the world of baseball, the Boston Red Sox blahbidy blahbidy blah …” Oh, the Boston _Red Sox_. For a minute there I thought you were talking about the Boston Turdpuddles, thanks for cearing that up. Well, am I wrong? Just refer to them by their city names, we know who you’re talking about. Either that or just use the mascot name without the city (of course this would cause the need to get rid of all the afformentioned idiotic mascot names). Either say “Minnesota won again” or “The Twins won again” I don’t ever want to hear “The Minnesota Twins won again”!! Of course I’m basing all this on European football teams. They all have mascots, but you hardly ever hear of them referred to with city and mascot. It’s always Manchester United, never The Manchester United Red Devils. It’s always Rangers, it’s never The Ibrox Rangers. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 6:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968/33 "2001-05-03T06:27:19Z")
They were always singular. Back when they were un-PC, they were the _Indian_. The _Cardinal_ is so stupid it hurts my head. I mean, a singular color? What the fuck? They would have done better to go with the Thunder-Chickens. Student voting worked well at my alma mater. Kyla UC Santa Cruz Banana Slug ---
**Author:** ![OrcaChow](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/e47c2d/32.png) [@OrcaChow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/OrcaChow)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 6:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968/34 "2001-05-03T06:51:58Z")
> [@](#): > > Just refer to them by their city names, we know who you’re talking about. Final score: New York 13, New York 10. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968/35 "2001-05-03T07:15:12Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kyla \* > \*\*They were always singular. Back when they were un-PC, they were the _Indian_. The _Cardinal_ is so stupid it hurts my head. I mean, a singular color? What the fuck? They would have done better to go with the Thunder-Chickens. Student voting worked well at my alma mater. > > Kyla > UC Santa Cruz Banana Slug \*\* I’m a sportswriter for whom Stanford is a huge part of the job, and I can tell you with certainty that they used to be the Indians, not just one Indian. ---
**Author:** ![Kyla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/eada6e/32.png) [@Kyla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyla)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 7:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968/36 "2001-05-03T07:18:41Z")
I stand corrected. Cardinal is still mind-bogglingly stupid, though. ---
**Author:** ![Snooooopy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee7513/32.png) [@Snooooopy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snooooopy)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 8:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968/37 "2001-05-03T08:28:20Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Kyla \* > \*\*Cardinal is still mind-bogglingly stupid, though. \*\* Yeah. And have you seen their dancing tree at ballgames? Pretty goofy. ---
**Author:** ![Sauron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ce7236/32.png) [@Sauron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sauron)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 1:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968/38 "2001-05-03T13:14:59Z")
What really gets me, apart from the idiocy of team nicknames, is the way the ultra-hip-cool announcers :rolleyes: on ESPN and local stations massacre those same nicknames. Why must Boston’s baseball team become the “BoSox” or Atlanta’s team become the “Bravos.” The Yankees are sometimes called the “Pinstripers.” Chicago’s American League team is the “ChiSox.” They have a regular name, dadgummit. Use it. Oh, and Stuart Scott? If you don’t stop saying “Booyeah!” after every play on a highlight reel, I’m gonna rip out your uvula and beat you about the head and shoulders with it. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 2:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968/39 "2001-05-03T14:36:32Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sauron \* > \*\*What really gets me, apart from the idiocy of team nicknames, is the way the ultra-hip-cool announcers :rolleyes: on ESPN and local stations massacre those same nicknames. Why must Boston’s baseball team become the “BoSox” or Atlanta’s team become the “Bravos.” The Yankees are sometimes called the “Pinstripers.” Chicago’s American League team is the “ChiSox.” They have a regular name, dadgummit. Use it. \*\* I’d cautious against nick-nicknames that have long traditions of use, like Bosox or “Redbirds,” for the Cardindals, or “Bucs” for the Pirates. They’ve been using those names for eons. But “Bravos”?? “Pinstripers”? Yech. ---
**Author:** ![delphica](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e9a140/32.png) [@delphica](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/delphica)\ **Post date:** [May 3, 2001, 2:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968/40 "2001-05-03T14:58:22Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by xtnjohnson \* > \*\* Oh, and NYU, where I went to grad school? The original team name (until at least 1980, when the “new” gym was built with “Violets” on the BB court) was…the Violets. Not kidding, apparently NYU’s original building on Washington Square had a patch of violets in front of it. > It was later changed to Bobcats, which sounds better…except that Bobcat also happens to be the name of the library’s computer catologue (the main library is named after Elmer Holmes **Bob** st, and it has a **Cat** alogue) - and I suspect the catalogue actually came first. > > \*\* To add insult to injury, we’re **still** The Violets, as in, the team is called the “NYU Violets.” The Bobcat thing (and you are absolutely correct, it is from the catalogue) is just a way to make people feel better about the team, and plus it’s easier to dress a guy up like a Bobcat than like a Violet (he still got beat up last basketball season by fans of an opposing team, though). But officially, NYU remains the Violets. Is this the proper place to add a rant about the uniforms and mascots of pro teams changing, at what seems an alarming rate? The logos get cartoonier, the colors get stranger, and the team makes a freakin killing by selling the new junk. Then, if you will notice, they start reselling the OLD junk, only now it’s repackaged as some sort of retro nostalgia gear, for twice the price. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/singular-sports-team-names-drive-me/63968.md?page=3)