Stadium and team naming

[jbnv]

Pelicans is a dumb name with a dumb mascot

By what authority do you say this? Especially since you don't live in Louisiana.

[1995hoo]

The NBA took a different course when the Jazz and Lakers moved to where the names make no sense to where they relocated to.

It was pretty funny when for a time that you had the relocated New Orleans Hornets, a name that would have made perfect sense for a Utah team while the Utah team retained the New Orleans name. Pelicans is a dumb name with a dumb mascot, but it was good that they could work out giving the expansion Charlotte team their name back.

Hornets has an historical basis in Charlotte. During the American Revolution, Lord Cornwallis (the same one who surrendered at Yorktown) referred to Mecklenburg County (where Charlotte is) as "a veritable hornet's nest of rebellion." The name "Hornets" became sort of a local badge of honor. I recall when the NBA announced the four-team expansion to Charlotte, Miami, Orlando, and Minneapolis, the Charlotte team was originally announced as the "Charlotte Spirit," but it was changed to "Hornets" before they began play.

[jon daly]

There should really be a team called the Denver Omelettes. It doesn't matter which sport.

Macon, GA once had a minor league hockey team. Someone suggested that they be called the Macon Eggs, but they became the Macon Whoopies instead. Pre-Baby Boomer senior citizens may get that reference. It sounds like a really dated euphemism.

[kevinb1994]

There should really be a team called the Denver Omelettes. It doesn't matter which sport.

Macon, GA once had a minor league hockey team. Someone suggested that they be called the Macon Eggs, but they became the Macon Whoopies instead. Pre-Baby Boomer senior citizens may get that reference. It sounds like a really dated euphemism.

What's worse is their current minor league baseball team, the Macon Bacon. C'mon, man!

[1995hoo]

There should really be a team called the Denver Omelettes. It doesn't matter which sport.

Macon, GA once had a minor league hockey team. Someone suggested that they be called the Macon Eggs, but they became the Macon Whoopies instead. Pre-Baby Boomer senior citizens may get that reference. It sounds like a really dated euphemism.

I'm 45 (for a few more days) and I get the reference. I even mentioned it earlier in the thread.

[jon daly]

My apologies. I was at work and didn't read the whole thread. That might be rude. Let me know if I am violating forum norms and I will stop posting in threads without fully reading them.

[cjk374]

Pelicans is a dumb name with a dumb mascot

By what authority do you say this? Especially since you don't live in Louisiana.

There have been several local folks here in my part of the boot (sports talk shows & their callers...all Pelicans fans) that have said how they all thought the game mascot was scary a.f.

As far as the name goes....how many other things can you call a New Orleans team that isn't considered "too weird"?

The New Orleans Beignets

The New Orleans Crawfish

The New Orleans Hurricanes? No...I am thinking of the tall drinks, everyone else would think Katrina.

The New Orleans Cooks

I am really running out of ideas.

[1995hoo]

My apologies. I was at work and didn't read the whole thread. That might be rude. Let me know if I am violating forum norms and I will stop posting in threads without fully reading them.

No worries. Especially with obscure team names like that there's no reason to re-read the whole thread.

[Hot Rod Hootenanny]

Pelicans is a dumb name with a dumb mascot

By what authority do you say this? Especially since you don't live in Louisiana.

There have been several local folks here in my part of the boot (sports talk shows & their callers...all Pelicans fans) that have said how they all thought the game mascot was scary a.f.

As far as the name goes....how many other things can you call a New Orleans team that isn't considered "too weird"?

The New Orleans Beignets

The New Orleans Crawfish

The New Orleans Hurricanes? No...I am thinking of the tall drinks, everyone else would think Katrina.

The New Orleans Cooks

I am really running out of ideas.

Dew Drops
Dats
Meters
House-Rockers
Armstrongs
Nevilles
Jukes (or Jooks)
(Wild) Tchoupitoulas
K-Does
Funk
Javelinas [They have nothing to do with New Orleans, just a friend's band name]
Stigs (the NBA can pay off the BBC)
Ponderosa(s Stomps)
Comfort
Bonnett Carres
Picayunes (since the paper got bought out)
Ramparts
Derbignies
MRGO
Fontainebleau

[ce929wax]

I was always amused by the Montgomery Biscuits, I also hear that Fresno has a team named the Tacos.

[texaskdog]

Baby Cakes

[jon daly]

My apologies. I was at work and didn't read the whole thread. That might be rude. Let me know if I am violating forum norms and I will stop posting in threads without fully reading them.

No worries. Especially with obscure team names like that there's no reason to re-read the whole thread.

Thanks, I should stop worrying that every time I post I cross some sort of line. There's threads on bodily functions in OT, FFS.

I remember the Whoopees from a Stan Fischler book I got for Christmas as a 3 book box set when I was a kid. The others were on football and baseball. I still remember ther name 40 years later.

[Henry]

Pelicans is a dumb name with a dumb mascot

By what authority do you say this? Especially since you don't live in Louisiana.

I disagree with that assessment as well. While the New Orleans team could've come up with a better nickname, Pelicans makes a lot of sense because LA is the Pelican State.

[1995hoo]

I think the name Pelicans makes sense in terms of having a connection to local history or culture, but I think it sounds like a dumb name for a sports team.

Other dumb names that I can readily think of that aren't the result of keeping a relocated team's name: Houston Colt .45s (now the Astros), Montreal Expos (named for the 1967 World's Fair, which kind of made the name outdated), Atlanta United and Minnesota United in MLS (both dumb because there's already a DC United–why does one league need three teams with the same name???*), and Los Angeles Angels (simply because it's redundant–"Los Angeles" means "the Angels").

*I'm aware the CFL used to have the Ottawa Rough Riders (who have folded) and the Saskatchewan Roughriders (who still exist), but that's different because both teams adopted those names prior to the CFL's founding when they played in different leagues and they kept their names upon joining the CFL.

[kevinb1994]

I was always amused by the Montgomery Biscuits, I also hear that Fresno has a team named the Tacos.

Me and my dad are with you on the naming of the Monty minor-league baseball team. For those that are not in the know, they are the Double-A affiliate of the Tampa Bay Rays and play in the Southern League's North Division. They are scheduled to play our local minor-league baseball team, the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp (as stupid as this team name sounds, it relates to the local shrimping industry and the shrimp here is damn good), both this weekend (unfortunately we will be out of town for a family trip) and early next month (first weekend of June). For those that are not in the know, they are the Double-A affiliate of the Miami Marlins and play in the Southern League's South Division.

[gonealookin]

The stadium where the A's and Raiders (for one more season) play, the Oakland Coliseum, has a new naming rights deal.  It will be "RingCentral Coliseum" for three years with an option for a fourth year.  RingCentral appears to be a "cloud communications" company aimed at the small business market.

It's not a big-bucks deal, only bringing in about $1 million per year.

My question is whether a relatively short-term, cheap deal like that would justify putting that name on BGSs on Interstate 880.  I believe some of them still show "O.co Coliseum" after a previous naming rights deal that expired a few years ago.  Others just say "Coliseum".  Let's say there are several BGSs that might logically carry the "RingCentral Coliseum" name; how is that determination made, how much would it cost to change those signs and who pays?

[ce929wax]

Me and a buddy almost went to see the Biscuits when they played in Birmingham, but didn't do it.  It's on my list of things to do, though. 

Closer to home, we have the Lansing Lugnuts.

[kevinb1994]

Me and a buddy almost went to see the Biscuits when they played in Birmingham, but didn't do it.  It's on my list of things to do, though. 

Closer to home, we have the Lansing Lugnuts.

But are they a bunch of singing lugnuts? 

[1995hoo]

....

My question is whether a relatively short-term, cheap deal like that would justify putting that name on BGSs on Interstate 880.  I believe some of them still show "O.co Coliseum" after a previous naming rights deal that expired a few years ago.  Others just say "Coliseum".  Let's say there are several BGSs that might logically carry the "RingCentral Coliseum" name; how is that determination made, how much would it cost to change those signs and who pays?

I've always thought the way the New Jersey Turnpike signs the Meadowlands makes good sense. Their BGSs say "Sports Complex." Of course if there's just one facility you wouldn't have a "complex," but "Baseball Stadium" or "Football Stadium" might make sense (recognizing that places with both a college and pro football stadium in the same general area might need to clarify further). Signs in DC could do likewise: Verizon's naming rights on the arena expired a couple of years ago and they elected not to renew, so it's now technically Capital One Arena (most of us continue to call it Verizon Center), but all the road signs (big and small) continue to say "Verizon Center," including some BGSs on I-395 that use it as a "control city" alongside Nationals Park. I suppose those signs could be tweaked to replace Nationals Park with "Baseball/Soccer Stadiums" and "Arena," maybe. (The new soccer stadium, Audi Field, didn't exist when the signs were posted; it opened last July.)

The MTA in New York addressed the issue of who pays for changes when the Mets' new ballpark, Citi Field, opened. The old name for the subway stop was Willets Point–Shea Stadium. The MTA said they'd only put "Citi Field" on the stop and the map if the Mets or Citigroup put up some amount of money for it, and I think there was something about what would happen if it were renamed but I don't recall the details. Anyway, the Mets and Citi refused and the stop is now "Mets–Willets Point." Seems sensible to me. Of course, it's easy when only one team plays there, whereas many indoor sports arenas are home to a minimum of two (NHL and NBA) and often more. The DC Metrorail doesn't mention the arena in the name of the nearest subway stop, but the signs in the station guide you to "Arena" and some of the train operators mention it in the announcements (if you can understand them at all).

[Eth]

The MTA in New York addressed the issue of who pays for changes when the Mets' new ballpark, Citi Field, opened. The old name for the subway stop was Willets Point–Shea Stadium. The MTA said they'd only put "Citi Field" on the stop and the map if the Mets or Citigroup put up some amount of money for it, and I think there was something about what would happen if it were renamed but I don't recall the details. Anyway, the Mets and Citi refused and the stop is now "Mets–Willets Point." Seems sensible to me. Of course, it's easy when only one team plays there, whereas many indoor sports arenas are home to a minimum of two (NHL and NBA) and often more. The DC Metrorail doesn't mention the arena in the name of the nearest subway stop, but the signs in the station guide you to "Arena" and some of the train operators mention it in the announcements (if you can understand them at all).

This reminds me of the naming clusterfuck that is the station on MARTA's Blue/Green line that one gets off at to go to a Falcons/Hawks/United game. From what I can tell, it's still officially called (on maps, etc.) the remarkably unwieldy "Dome/GWCC/Philips Arena/CNN Center", usually referred to in speech (including station announcements) as just "Dome". The Georgia Dome, of course, no longer exists, and Philips Arena has been renamed. For now, MARTA seems content to just put up signs at Five Points saying "hey, go one station west to get to Mercedes-Benz Stadium".

[jbnv]

The New Orleans Hurricanes? No...I am thinking of the tall drinks, everyone else would think Katrina.

This is actually my personal choice for the name of a basketball team in New Orleans.

Definitely no food or crustaceans, though.

If we ever get a MLS team I'd nominate "Contraflow."

If they bring baseball back to New Orleans I'd nominate they reuse the name Zephyrs. At least it's not a tacky name and I think people appreciate it a lot more now thanks to the Baby Cakes fiasco.

(Since we're talking about BGS signs for stadiums: In New Orleans, they all say "Superdome." Of course, they didn't sell naming rights until a relatively-few years ago.)

[1995hoo]

It's funny, the oft-renamed Washington DC NBA franchise was at one point called the "Chicago Zephyrs." They changed the name to that from the original "Chicago Packers," which was selected to honor the local meatpacking industry but went over like a fart in church because of the Bears' rivalry with the Green Bay Packers. I assume "Zephyrs" was intended as a nod to Chicago's nickname as the "Windy City," given the mythological history behind "Zephyr." (I doubt I'm the only person my age who instead thinks of a monkey when he hears "Zephyr"–in the children's books about Babar the elephant, there's a supporting character who is a monkey named Zephyr.)

Regarding the name "Hurricanes," when the Hartford Whalers moved to North Carolina in 1997 and became the Carolina Hurricanes, some people objected to the name because they felt it was in poor taste after Hurricane Fran had pounded the state the previous September.

[LM117]

Regarding the name "Hurricanes," when the Hartford Whalers moved to North Carolina in 1997 and became the Carolina Hurricanes, some people objected to the name because they felt it was in poor taste after Hurricane Fran had pounded the state the previous September.

I remember hearing a little bit about that. I was living in Fremont, NC at the time.

Boy, do I remember Fran! It destroyed the canopy at the Shell gas station at the northern edge of town on US-117. It became Fast Break in the early 2000's (I forgot the exact year). The town was a mess.

[1995hoo]

Regarding the name "Hurricanes," when the Hartford Whalers moved to North Carolina in 1997 and became the Carolina Hurricanes, some people objected to the name because they felt it was in poor taste after Hurricane Fran had pounded the state the previous September.

I remember hearing a little bit about that. I was living in Fremont, NC at the time.

Boy, do I remember Fran! It destroyed the canopy at the Shell gas station at the northern edge of town on US-117. It became Fast Break in the early 2000's (I forgot the exact year). The town was a mess.

I was in my second year of law school at Duke and I lived in an apartment on Central Campus. Some of us had been out at Devine's or Satisfaction the night the storm hit. Driving home in the rain I noted the city had taken down a lot of the traffic lights and tied the span wire around the support poles. When I got back to my apartment, the only space left in the parking lot was under the willow tree in front of my apartment. I parked in a different lot a quarter-mile away where there were no trees or utility poles around. Someone else parked in the space I passed up and in the morning the willow tree was on top of his car. Trees down all over the city, lots of cars destroyed or damaged, lots of people without power. I never lost power because Duke had backup generators for on-campus housing, and I remember quite well on Sunday when a friend of mine whose car had run out of gas called to ask what I was up to and I replied, "Watching the Panthers game on TV." I wasn't really thinking about nobody else having power until his reply: "Fuck you!!!!" (He then asked if I would help him find gas for his car and offered to top off my tank in return.)

The lack of power meant a lot of the gas pumps weren't working and the gas lines were like the 1970s. I remember very well a local TV station interviewing some idiot woman who complained that she ran out of gas while waiting on line. Apparently she was too stupid to roll down the windows and turn off the car.

[amroad17]

The Frontier League (an independent baseball league in the Ohio Valley and midwestern section of the US) had some odd team names such as...
      - Chillicothe Paints
      - Johnstown Johnnies
      - Normal Cornbelters
      - Traverse City Beach Bums
And yes, our area team, Florence Freedom.

Can't say there weren't a few odd ABA names either...
       - Pittsburgh Pipers
       - Memphis Tams (Tams named for the states around Memphis--Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi--a Charlie O. Finley creation)
       - my second hometown, Virginia Squires (hardly a name that strikes "fear", which they did not the last two years in the ABA going 15-69 and 15-68)
       - Spirits of St. Louis (obvious why, however, I believe it is one of my favorite team names of all time--and what a team of oddball characters! Read about them in the book "Loose Balls", a history of the ABA.)