I have family in Amarillo. I have been there many, many times. I have never heard of a prarie dog referred to as a "sod poodle," and none of my family or friends there have either.
Of the five nicknames that were thrown out in this Name The Team contest, Sod Poodles was a distant third on the list and only that high because Jerky and Boot Scooters were even more embarassing. It's a far cry to call this moniker passable, nevermind good. I get that MILB is moving towards branding where the more over the top it is, the better, and in some cases, they have hit a home run.. Yet, this debacle is far closer to Baby Cakes and Jumbo Shrimp on the "what the f, that's embarassing" than it is Iron Pigs, Yard Goats and Chiuhahas on the "so off the wall, it's actually really good" ones.
As piss poor as the name is, a good package could have PERHAPS added a layer of polish on this turd. Nope. Their primary (or the one I assume is their primary) looks like the damn thing has been decapitated, and adding the state of Texas to it in another logo doesn't help. The "cowboy prarie dog" (that I am assuming is supposed to be packing heat) instead looks like he just took the 72 ounce steak challenge at the Big Texan, and now is waiting in line to use the toilet, the circular one looks like three dudes standing in a circle at a Wham or Men At Work concert, and the A logo looks like Uncle Sal at the used car lot on the seediest corner of town.
A majority of those in Amarillo despised all these monikers, but especially crapped on the Sod Poodles one. Yet, they pushed it anyhow. Granted, I think the "we aren't going to any games now because of it" reaction a lot are throwing out is a bit of a stretch, but the majority are not pleased at being stuck with this name.