Bad sport nicknames

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Bixby17 · #1 Post by **Bixby17** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 1:26 pm

A while back I talked about a thing I was thinking of writing about bad sports nicknames. Well, after being bored over Thanksgiving visiting my folks, I actually shot a video with my similarly demented siblings:

http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/11/ ... -of-sport/

Here's a screen shot from the video:

It's mildly amusing.

cindy.wellman · #2 Post by **cindy.wellman** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 2:36 pm

I've been waiting to read some of your writing, and I was not disappointed. You are quite talented! It also appears that you make pretty nifty videos too!

This year, my daughter is a Titan at her middle school. I guess we just have to look forward to her high school years when she will be come a Trojan. LOL.

You did remind me that I need to go watch, "Remember the Titans" We bought the DVD, but somehow I missed watching it. I know it is about a sports team, but unlike most people here, I have no idea what it is about. My daughter's school has the giant posters plastered in several places around the school, and they comment about it regularly on their website, etc. DD has a list of Titan traits that they are supposed to emulate. LOL. I need to re-read that list.

PS - That is nice that you reply to the people who have left comments in the comment section; it shows class.

earendel · #3 Post by **earendel** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 2:40 pm

cindy.wellman wrote:You did remind me that I need to go watch, "Remember the Titans" We bought the DVD, but somehow I missed watching it. I know it is about a sports team, but unlike most people here, I have no idea what it is about. My daughter's school has the giant posters plastered in several places around the school, and they comment about it regularly on their website, etc. DD has a list of Titan traits that they are supposed to emulate. LOL. I need to re-read that list.

Regarding the movie Remember the Titans:

Spoiler

It's about the integration of a high school in Virginia and the way that the team overcame initial hostilities to become the class champion that year (1971).

One thing I learned in doing a little lookup on the movie - the daughter of Coach Yost was played by Hayden Panettiere, who plays Claire on "Heroes".

peacock2121 · #4 Post by **peacock2121** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 2:42 pm

Don't let BiT watch the video. His head might explode.

If you let him - make sure he has his helmet on.

wbtravis007 · #5 Post by **wbtravis007** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 3:14 pm

I can't get the video. Funny piece, though.

I have a little different view, though. The only difference between Tennessee's nickname and Houston's is the first syllable.

Right?

Well, if I had a choice between any Tex that I've ever known and almost any Tit that I've ever "known" ... well, enough said.

I've always thought the Houston franchise should have taken the opportunity to honor its state's Presidents by naming the team the Johnsons and calling the dance team the Bushes.

Can you tell that I'm not that crazy about the "Texans" as a nickname? And that I think that the "Titans" is at least better than the "Tennesseans" would have been?

starfish1113 · #6 Post by **starfish1113** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 3:37 pm

Steph, I don't buy all of your arguments, but the column AND the video made me laugh out loud. I also like that you respond to the folks who provide comments (well, at least to the ones that are well thought out and insightful; the flamethrowers deserve to be ignored!).

VAdame · #7 Post by **VAdame** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 5:31 pm

Ha! I remember people used to complain about the Pittsburgh Penguins & compare the name with the Anaheim Mighty Ducks -- usually stipulating that "At least ducks can fly!"

I always told them hockey players aren't supposed to fly; they're supposed to skate! And penguins seem to move pretty good on ice

About those Redskins, Braves, Indians, etc......yeah, I get why some people take offense. But did you ever hear any of the complainers gripe about the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame????? Nah, me neither.

About the Titans name: a Catholic school in a town near me is Saint Titus, and naturally their teams are the Titans. (alliteration, remember.) Well, their cheerleaders (7th & 8th graders) used to have uniforms with "St. Titus" written across the chest. They very quickly learned that if they wore their jackets open over the sweaters, the "St." and the "ans" were covered up -- leaving "Tit" in the gap! Once the nuns caught on, those sweaters were replaced with ones that said simply "Titans." They could still show "Tit" if they wanted to pull one side of their jacket over to the middle, but it wasn't as easy and would look pretty stupid!

tlynn78 · #8 Post by **tlynn78** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 5:34 pm

Hmm. It seems some Tennessee fans have no sense of humor. The story of the Titans would prolly have stuck with me longer had I had Bix as a teacher...

t.

TheConfessor · #9 Post by **TheConfessor** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 5:48 pm

I guess you're just trying to stir things up, but you seem to be in the minority if you consider the term "Titan" a pejorative. A standard dictionary confirms the generally positive attributes of the word.
http://www.m-w.com/dictionary/titan

Tennesseans are not aberrant in choosing to align themselves with the Titans:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Titan

I was in Belfast two weeks ago and saw the shipyard where the Titanic was built, so I guess they must admire Titans around there. I didn't notice anyone engaging in the kind of scandalous behaviour you attribute to Titans. Maybe you're just perpetuating a tired old stereotype, like all Scots are misers, all Irish are drunks, and all Titans are incestuous cannibals.

tlynn78 · #10 Post by **tlynn78** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 5:57 pm

and all Titans are incestuous cannibals.

Not all titans are incestuous cannibals, but The Titans (of old) were, indeed.

t.

BackInTex · #11 Post by **BackInTex** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 8:02 pm

peacock2121 wrote:Don't let BiT watch the video. His head might explode.

If you let him - make sure he has his helmet on.

I watched it. All I saw was a video by some t.u. chick who likes to simulate sex with her Barbie dolls. Not suprising given her choice for college has a mascot that is a castrated, drugged up piece of leather.

elwoodblues · #12 Post by **elwoodblues** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:49 pm

They could not keep the nickname Oilers because the only person who ever found oil in Tennessee was Jed Clampett.

I still think the worst nickname in sports is Utah Jazz.

earendel · #13 Post by **earendel** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 9:51 pm

elwoodblues wrote:They could not keep the nickname Oilers because the only person who ever found oil in Tennessee was Jed Clampett.

I still think the worst nickname in sports is Utah Jazz.

That's because they were originally the New Orleans Jazz. To me, the Lakers are worse because they were originally from Minnesota and the name made sense - in LA not so much.

elwoodblues · #14 Post by **elwoodblues** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 10:02 pm

I know the Jazz moved from New Orleans, but couldn't they have come up with something more appropriate for Utah? Maybe they couldn't. Utah Snow and Utah Mormons don't work, and what else does Utah have?

silvercamaro · #15 Post by **silvercamaro** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 10:04 pm

elwoodblues wrote:I know the Jazz moved from New Orleans, but couldn't they have come up with something more appropriate for Utah? Maybe they couldn't. Utah Snow and Utah Mormons don't work, and what else does Utah have?

Seagulls.

BackInTex · #16 Post by **BackInTex** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 10:06 pm

elwoodblues wrote:I know the Jazz moved from New Orleans, but couldn't they have come up with something more appropriate for Utah? Maybe they couldn't. Utah Snow and Utah Mormons don't work, and what else does Utah have?

Polygamists

#17 Post by **littlebeast13** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 10:30 pm

elwoodblues wrote:I know the Jazz moved from New Orleans, but couldn't they have come up with something more appropriate for Utah? Maybe they couldn't. Utah Snow and Utah Mormons don't work, and what else does Utah have?

Osmonds...

lb13

PlacentiaSoccerMom · #18 Post by **PlacentiaSoccerMom** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 10:33 pm

elwoodblues wrote:I know the Jazz moved from New Orleans, but couldn't they have come up with something more appropriate for Utah? Maybe they couldn't. Utah Snow and Utah Mormons don't work, and what else does Utah have?

Utah Bees
Utah Wasps

traininvain · #19 Post by **traininvain** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 10:38 pm

Are you sure that Zeus is a Groovy Guy and not just a Groovy Girl with a short haircut?

**************************

Titans isn't that bad, its odd that they would choose a name that had been used already by a pro football team, The NY Jets.

Toronto Blue Jays is pretty bad, I've got Blue Jays flying all over my yard, I've got to be at least 500 miles from Toronto.

Montreal Expos? I understand whats behind the name, but come on, it's still bad. Fortunately The Expos don't exist anymore.

Locally St Johns used to be known as the Red Men, but someone decided that it wasn't PC and they changed the name to the Red Storm. Red Storm, what does that even mean?

wbtravis007 · #20 Post by **wbtravis007** » Wed Nov 28, 2007 10:46 pm

PlacentiaSoccerMom wrote:
elwoodblues wrote:I know the Jazz moved from New Orleans, but couldn't they have come up with something more appropriate for Utah? Maybe they couldn't. Utah Snow and Utah Mormons don't work, and what else does Utah have?
Utah Bees
Utah Wasps

ICM! Nobody's gonna top Wasps.

traininvain said:

Titans isn't that bad, its odd that they would choose a name that had been used already by a pro football team, The NY Jets.

The original Texans are now the Chiefs.

Just one more good reason that Houston should've gone with "Johnsons."

VAdame · #21 Post by **VAdame** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 5:56 am

elwoodblues wrote:They could not keep the nickname Oilers because the only person who ever found oil in Tennessee was Jed Clampett.

I still think the worst nickname in sports is Utah Jazz.

Yup -- I tend to hate any team name that's not a plural (Heat, Jazz, Liberty, whatever)! Ugh, they just grate on the ears

"Mean Machine" from The Longest Yard is an exception (the real one w/ Burt Reynolds, not the recent abomination w/ Adam Sandler!)

Anyhow, the Jazz moved from N'Awlins......what else does Utah have.... Mormons, Osmonds, Polygamists, Bees, Sand.......I got it!

Mormoms are the Latter Day Saints, right? N'Awlins has the football Saints -- why not let Utah have the basketball Saints?! A nod to their history and way more accurate than Jazz!

peacock2121 · #22 Post by **peacock2121** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 6:01 am

BackInTex wrote:
peacock2121 wrote:Don't let BiT watch the video. His head might explode.

If you let him - make sure he has his helmet on.
I watched it. All I saw was a video by some t.u. chick who likes to simulate sex with her Barbie dolls. Not suprising given her choice for college has a mascot that is a castrated, drugged up piece of leather.

But..... did you head explode?

ne1410s · #23 Post by **ne1410s** » Thu Nov 29, 2007 10:11 am

Alma mater changed nickname from "Siwash" to "Prairie Fire" in the name of PC. Someone thought that was a good idea. Apparently Siwash was some kind of French-Canadian slur for native Americans. Well, that was the board of trustees story and they stuck to it.

Bixby17 · #24 Post by **Bixby17** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 1:23 pm

traininvain wrote:Are you sure that Zeus is a Groovy Guy and not just a Groovy Girl with a short haircut?

**************************

Titans isn't that bad, its odd that they would choose a name that had been used already by a pro football team, The NY Jets.

Toronto Blue Jays is pretty bad, I've got Blue Jays flying all over my yard, I've got to be at least 500 miles from Toronto.

Montreal Expos? I understand whats behind the name, but come on, it's still bad. Fortunately The Expos don't exist anymore.

Locally St Johns used to be known as the Red Men, but someone decided that it wasn't PC and they changed the name to the Red Storm. Red Storm, what does that even mean?

Very close watching.

YES! Zeus was played by Groovy Guy really is a Groovy Girl with his hair cut, but for the credits, there were some extreme space limitations.

I didn't cut the hair, it was already that way. Groovy Girl with the hair cut was cast in the role of Zeus because I ran out of Ken dolls.

Bixby17 · #25 Post by **Bixby17** » Fri Nov 30, 2007 1:33 pm

starfish1113 wrote:Steph, I don't buy all of your arguments, but the column AND the video made me laugh out loud. I also like that you respond to the folks who provide comments (well, at least to the ones that are well thought out and insightful; the flamethrowers deserve to be ignored!).

Just having fun.

It was a goof in honor of the Texans playing the Titans this week. Sports MBs are full of trash talk, and I figured I would throw something semi-literate together to give people ammo. Maybe part of my duties as the reigning UTF.

I really don't like their name or logo or mascot. Or their owner for that matter. I think they picked a raccoon as a mascot because that is what is living on Bud Adams' head.

And maybe this is the origin of the logo:

And in honor of the subject matter and Ace:

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