# Which names for sports teams do you find offensive? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [September 24, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-names-for-sports-teams-do-you-find-offensive/669604 "2013-09-24T23:21:21Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [September 24, 2013, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-names-for-sports-teams-do-you-find-offensive/669604/1 "2013-09-24T23:21:21Z")
Choose from the list below. ---
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-names-for-sports-teams-do-you-find-offensive/669604/2 "2013-09-25T00:15:36Z")
This poll is a false dilemma because I don’t find any of them offensive. You could call your team, (my name) your mother is a cum swallowing whore, and I would not find that offensive because I recognize (and support) the innate human right to say whatever the fuck you want (yes, I know there are legal limitations). ETA: I see you allowed the escape “none of these offend me;” but my point still stands. ---
**Author:** ![LawMonkey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/d6d6ee/32.png) [@LawMonkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LawMonkey)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 1:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-names-for-sports-teams-do-you-find-offensive/669604/3 "2013-09-25T01:27:40Z")
Not a big fan of any of the “Indian” based names. I’m especially not a fan of the Cleveland Indians, but that’s more due to their logo, which seems to have been carefully designed by a committee of racists to be as offensive as possible. I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sports team named for the Eskimos, so I don’t even know what I’d think about that. None of the various European ones particularly bother me. Samurai doesn’t either, so long as it doesn’t have some sort of WW2 propaganda poster “Jap” as its mascot. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 1:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-names-for-sports-teams-do-you-find-offensive/669604/4 "2013-09-25T01:30:26Z")
None of them are inherently offensive to me. Depending on context, though, any of those might be offensive. ---
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 1:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-names-for-sports-teams-do-you-find-offensive/669604/5 "2013-09-25T01:31:52Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Depending on context, though, any of those might be offensive. To idiots who don’t understand life, sure. ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 1:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-names-for-sports-teams-do-you-find-offensive/669604/6 "2013-09-25T01:39:57Z")
> [@Mince](#): > > This poll is a false dilemma because I don’t find any of them offensive. You could call your team, (my name) your mother is a cum swallowing whore, and I would not find that offensive because I recognize (and support) the innate human right to say whatever the fuck you want (yes, I know there are legal limitations). > > ETA: I see you allowed the escape “none of these offend me;” but my point still stands. Is it your position that it’s impossible to say anything offensive? ---
**Author:** ![Mince](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ecd19e/32.png) [@Mince](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mince)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-names-for-sports-teams-do-you-find-offensive/669604/7 "2013-09-25T02:00:47Z")
> [@Snarky\_Kong](#): > > Is it your position that it’s impossible to say anything offensive? No. It is my position that anything humans say should not _be_ offensive. I recognize that people will always take offense. ---
**Author:** ![zombywoof](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/9e8a1a/32.png) [@zombywoof](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zombywoof)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 2:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-names-for-sports-teams-do-you-find-offensive/669604/8 "2013-09-25T02:05:28Z")
I find MLS faux-European team names like “Real Salt Lake” and "D.C. United’ offensive to the intelligence of fans. ---
**Author:** ![NDP](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ndp/32/55_2.png) [@NDP](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NDP)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 3:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-names-for-sports-teams-do-you-find-offensive/669604/9 "2013-09-25T03:12:04Z")
> [@LawMonkey](#): > > I don’t think I’ve ever seen a sports team named for the Eskimos, so I don’t even know what I’d think about that. From the CFL, the [Edmonton Eskimos](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Edmonton_Eskimos). > [@LawMonkey](#): > > Samurai doesn’t either, so long as it doesn’t have some sort of WW2 propaganda poster “Jap” as its mascot. 😛 I know this is obscure, but [the Samurai used to be the mascot for Shoreline Community College in Shoreline, WA](http://community.seattletimes.nwsource.com/archive/?date=19911108&slug=1315968) until it was deemed racially offensive and replaced by the Dolphins. ---
**Author:** ![thelurkinghorror](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/7c8e57/32.png) [@thelurkinghorror](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/thelurkinghorror)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 3:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-names-for-sports-teams-do-you-find-offensive/669604/10 "2013-09-25T03:38:07Z")
I interpret offend as not “WHATWHATWHAT!?” and more “eh, you probably could’ve gone with a better name.” On the topic of Native American names, things like the Braves name aren’t offensive, but that Tomahawk Chop thing is stupid. Florida State Seminoles were given the blessing of the tribe. ---
**Author:** ![bibliophage](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bibliophage/32/7615_2.png) [@bibliophage](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bibliophage)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 4:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-names-for-sports-teams-do-you-find-offensive/669604/11 "2013-09-25T04:03:55Z")
No option for the [Fighting Whites](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fighting_Whites)? ---
**Author:** ![Snarky\_Kong](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a183cd/32.png) [@Snarky\_Kong](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snarky_Kong)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 4:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-names-for-sports-teams-do-you-find-offensive/669604/12 "2013-09-25T04:35:15Z")
> [@zombywoof](#): > > I find MLS faux-European team names like “Real Salt Lake” and "D.C. United’ offensive to the intelligence of fans. Did you know the most popular “United” in the world also just picked the name because they thought it was cool? ---
**Author:** ![astorian](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ad7895/32.png) [@astorian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/astorian)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 4:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-names-for-sports-teams-do-you-find-offensive/669604/13 "2013-09-25T04:40:18Z")
Since I’m a Catholic boy from Queens and my Dad was a St. John’s University alumnus, I thought I should point out a few things: 1. The St. John’s basketball team, which USED to be a perennial powerhouse in my youth, hasn’t used the name “Redmen” in years. They’ve long since become the Red Storm. 2. When they WERE the Redmen, the name had nothing to do with American Indians. The team was called the Redmen because they wore red uniforms! The fans didn’t dress up in headdresses, didn’t do the tomahawk chop, didn’t do faux Indian whoops or war cries. So, oddly enough, St. John’s dropped a NON-offensive name for no good reason, while the Washington Redskins have blithely continued using a genuinely offensive name! For what little it’s worth, I would say: “Redskins” is a stupid, offensive name that ought to be changed. “Indians” doesn’t bother me, but Chief Wahoo has got to go. “Warriors” is fine. Heck, who says the warriors in question are Indians? Achilles and Hector were warriors, right? King David and Samson were warriors. William Wallace and Charles Martel were warriors. Where is the ethnic implication to this word? ---
**Author:** ![Happy\_Lendervedder](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/happy_lendervedder/32/8488_2.png) [@Happy\_Lendervedder](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Happy_Lendervedder)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-names-for-sports-teams-do-you-find-offensive/669604/14 "2013-09-25T04:57:03Z")
I think Redskins is the most offensive. Am I personally offended? Not really, but I think it needs to be changed. It is an offensive term. The Cleveland Indians’ logo is also offensive and needs to go. ---
**Author:** ![FoieGrasIsEvil](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/foiegrasisevil/32/16638_2.png) [@FoieGrasIsEvil](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FoieGrasIsEvil)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-names-for-sports-teams-do-you-find-offensive/669604/15 "2013-09-25T04:59:58Z")
> [@Happy\_Lendervedder](#): > > I think Redskins is the most offensive. Am I personally offended? Not really, but I think it needs to be changed. It is an offensive term. > > The Cleveland Indians’ logo is also offensive and needs to go. Maybe if the Redskins mustered an offense worthy of the offensive name then we could talk. ---
**Author:** ![Ken001](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/43a26b/32.png) [@Ken001](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ken001)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-names-for-sports-teams-do-you-find-offensive/669604/16 "2013-09-25T11:35:57Z")
A few years ago (well maybe quite a few) when I was at Otago University, there were various social rugby teams organised by the various faculties. The Med Students sorted out a team which they called Fallopian Tube and Steel. Strangely enough the Otago Rugby Union had a conniption and refused to register the team. 😃 Who knew…?? ---
**Author:** ![jcrenshaw](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ce73a5/32.png) [@jcrenshaw](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jcrenshaw)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 11:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-names-for-sports-teams-do-you-find-offensive/669604/17 "2013-09-25T11:43:03Z")
I find none of them offensive. I believe they were selected to HONOR the name that was selected. I am not full blooded American Indian and that group might feel differently. However I have never met and Irishman that thought FIGHTING IRISH was offensive!!! Indian Brave is a term of respect!!! I believe this carries over to the Atlanta Braves - the name show respect for a strong Native American. ---
**Author:** ![amanset](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/8dc957/32.png) [@amanset](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/amanset)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 12:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-names-for-sports-teams-do-you-find-offensive/669604/18 "2013-09-25T12:41:29Z")
None of them offend me personally, but that isn’t the issue. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-names-for-sports-teams-do-you-find-offensive/669604/19 "2013-09-25T12:56:27Z")
My high school team nickname was “The First Settlers,” so I don’t see how “Indians” is any more or less offensive. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2013, 2:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-names-for-sports-teams-do-you-find-offensive/669604/20 "2013-09-25T14:48:45Z")
> [@zombywoof](#): > > I find MLS faux-European team names like “Real Salt Lake” and "D.C. United’ offensive to the intelligence of fans. Me too! The F.C.'s don’t bother me so much, but “Real Salt Lake” is the one that irks me the most. The other one that bothers me is “Sporting Kansas City”. I didn’t like “Chivas USA” and “Houston Dynamo”, but now understand that the names are somewhat appropriate. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/which-names-for-sports-teams-do-you-find-offensive/669604.md?page=2)