Joke Insurance Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 Some others that have always stumped me:Akron, OH (that doesn't have to do with rubber)Augusta, GA (that doesn't have to do with golf)Baton Rouge, LABridgeport, CTColorado Springs, CO (that doesn't have to do with the geography)Grand Rapids, MI (that doesn't have to do with furniture)Harrisburg, PA (that doesn't have to do with government or Three Mile Island)Madison, WIMcAllen–Edinburg, TXNorth Port-Sarasota, FLSpringfield, MA (that doesn't have to do with hoops)Toledo, OHTulsa, OK (that doesn't have to do with oil or cowboys)Wichita, KS (that doesn't have to do with avation or the military)Winston-Salem, NC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Coast2CoastAM2006 Posted May 5, 2015 Share Posted May 5, 2015 For Houston you have the Rockets, Astros, the Texans, former Oilers and Aeros but can be tricky if you don't want to fall on the Nasa/Space or oil theme. Spoilers! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joke Insurance Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 I'm currently having trouble with Atlanta. I understand that the whole "fire" theme is a little touchy I guess, since my league is currently in the 60s but I also don't want a civil war reference. I've tried a train theme but I feel as if it would be a way too modern name for the 60s-70s establishment. Atlanta is just my Achilles heel. Kings, reference to MLK.Terminus, former name of Atlanta.MLK is currently alive in my universe. The current season is 1968. I don't think atlanta would be too happy with the name of Kings after MLK.Revised list (since this thread made me obsessed with finding a name):ExpressFirebirdsThrashersLocomotivesHere are some names suggested for the Atlanta MLS team. Maybe one of these will be helpful:Black HeartsPhoenixResurgenceOlympic Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WavePunter Posted May 6, 2015 Share Posted May 6, 2015 Atlanta Jerks (Dr. John Pemberton of Atlanta invented Coca Cola) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
neo_prankster Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 Anybody else having trouble with Cleveland?I tried Stevedores once, but it didn't really roll off the tongue too well. The Fictional Story of Austus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joke Insurance Posted May 8, 2015 Share Posted May 8, 2015 Anybody else having trouble with Cleveland?I tried Stevedores once, but it didn't really roll off the tongue too well.How about Commodores? Named after Oliver Hazard Perry who helped win the Battle of Lake Erie during the War of 1812. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tBBP Posted May 9, 2015 Share Posted May 9, 2015 I got a few quick hitters on some of these...Some others that have always stumped me:Akron, OH (that doesn't have to do with rubber) --> "akron" derives from the Greek and, loosely translated, means "high point" or "highest point". In Akron OH's case, it sits up on a bluff between two rivers.Augusta, GA (that doesn't have to do with golf)Baton Rouge, LA --> The city name, literally translated from French, means "red stick", so named by Sieur d'Iberville (sp?), a French explorer who upon his arrival was said to have noticed a red-colored cypress pole (possibly a tree trunk?) which then became a visual marker for the location. (Or something along those lines...I'm trying to pull from memory here.)Bridgeport, CT --> the city's roots were in shipbuilding and whaling. Also, for whatever this may be worth, supposedly the frisbee was invented there. (Extra credit CT anecdote: supposedly America's first hat was invented up CT-7 in somewhat nearby Danbury. I only know that because I spent way too much time in Fairfield county during my military days. )Colorado Springs, CO (that doesn't have to do with the geography)Grand Rapids, MI (that doesn't have to do with furniture) --> there's lots of Grand _________s up in Michigan, most probably named due to the Grand River. For whatever this may be worth, Floyd Mayweather Sr and Jr as well as James Toney are all from there, so maybe one could spin up boxing imagery? Along that line, so is former President Gerald Ford, whose name was all over the place downtown Grand Rapids when I was there; I'm pretty positive both his and his wife's bodies were buried there.Harrisburg, PA (that doesn't have to do with government or Three Mile Island)Madison, WI --> good luck dealing with anything not related to The Isthmus (sp?). (I will say that Madison's city flag can serve as the basis for a great soccer badge...)McAllen–Edinburg, TX --> well, you have palms and tropics down there. Beyond that, I really don't know. (The only reason i even know this place exists is because I once ran a load of freight down to neighboring Brownsville. And, of course, there's also Padre Island, not far off Brownsville's coast...)North Port-Sarasota, FLSpringfield, MA (that doesn't have to do with hoops) --> This place I actually know a little bit about. I know it sits at the confluence of several rivers, (the greater metro area) is pretty well surrounded by forests (the same is true for much of Massachusetts for that matter)...and the city bills itself as the "City of Firsts"--apparently several things aside from basketball were invented there. Not sure if you could spin an athletic identity off that, though...Toledo, OH --> this place I know a LOT about. You can basically go one of two ways with this: either its origins or most prominent industries. The city originated in the far reaches of what was once known as the Great Black Swamp, which was drained before Fort Industry, the settlement from which the municipality that eventually became Toledo, sprang. Because of its swampy origins, and the muddy grounds around at the time (and even still to this day in some parts), the city got the name "Frogtown", as muddy marshes and swamps are ideal habitats for frogs. Also related to swamps, Jeep has long had a presence there; just about every Jeep military vehicle produced was built there and I believe Jeep itself is still HQ'd there. On the other side, Toledo is well known for its glass industry and also has the nickname "Glass City" for the many glass innovations started there, particularly fiberglass, a key component in roof shingles. I say that because Owens Corning was founded and is still headquartered there. (That I know for certain.)Tulsa, OK (that doesn't have to do with oil or cowboys)Wichita, KS (that doesn't have to do with avation or the military)Winston-Salem, NC *Disclaimer: I am not an authoritative expert on stuff...I just do a lot of reading and research and keep in close connect with a bunch of people who are authoritative experts on stuff. || dribbble || Behance || Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo428 Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Cincinnati doesn't have any particularly distinct characteristics to give it an obvious team name. Also Cleveland. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Milo428 Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 Some others that have always stumped me:Akron, OH (that doesn't have to do with rubber)Augusta, GA (that doesn't have to do with golf)Baton Rouge, LABridgeport, CTColorado Springs, CO (that doesn't have to do with the geography)Grand Rapids, MI (that doesn't have to do with furniture)Harrisburg, PA (that doesn't have to do with government or Three Mile Island)Madison, WIMcAllen–Edinburg, TXNorth Port-Sarasota, FLSpringfield, MA (that doesn't have to do with hoops)Toledo, OHTulsa, OK (that doesn't have to do with oil or cowboys)Wichita, KS (that doesn't have to do with avation or the military)Winston-Salem, NCWith Springfield, MA, you can reference armor because I believe there is/was an armory there. With Toledo you could reference the city's nickname: Frogtown. It was built on top of a swamp and was infested with frogs in it's early days. Madison is surrounded by lakes. Hope this helps a bit. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Xist2inspire Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 I got a few quick hitters on some of these...Springfield, MA (that doesn't have to do with hoops) --> This place I actually know a little bit about. I know it sits at the confluence of several rivers, (the greater metro area) is pretty well surrounded by forests (the same is true for much of Massachusetts for that matter)...and the city bills itself as the "City of Firsts"--apparently several things aside from basketball were invented there. Not sure if you could spin an athletic identity off that, though...Toledo, OH --> this place I know a LOT about. You can basically go one of two ways with this: either its origins or most prominent industries. The city originated in the far reaches of what was once known as the Great Black Swamp, which was drained before Fort Industry, the settlement from which the municipality that eventually became Toledo, sprang. Because of its swampy origins, and the muddy grounds around at the time (and even still to this day in some parts), the city got the name "Frogtown", as muddy marshes and swamps are ideal habitats for frogs. Also related to swamps, Jeep has long had a presence there; just about every Jeep military vehicle produced was built there and I believe Jeep itself is still HQ'd there. On the other side, Toledo is well known for its glass industry and also has the nickname "Glass City" for the many glass innovations started there, particularly fiberglass, a key component in roof shingles. I say that because Owens Corning was founded and is still headquartered there. (That I know for certain.)For Springfield I used "Pioneers" once, because of the "City of Firsts" thing you mentioned (it was also a basketball league, so it was especially fitting). For Toledo, I went with "Sparks", because of the sparks caused by machinery in glass production. The mascot was a glass frog, lol. Tradition is the foundation of innovation, and not the enemy. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tBBP Posted May 10, 2015 Share Posted May 10, 2015 ^ Actually, "Pioneers" was really good, as that region right through there along I-91 from about Hartford on up to and through Springfield is also referred to as "Pioneer Valley". Cincinnati doesn't have any particularly distinct characteristics to give it an obvious team name. There's quite a few if you know where to look. It's along the Ohio River, it's also known as the "City of Seven Hills"...and the part very few know is that the city got its name from the Society of the Cincinnati--one of its members I believe originally settled in the area that became Cincinnati. The word "Cincinnati" itself comes from the Roman statesman Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, for whom said society named itself. Good luck finding more than a handful of people who know that, though. So the next time you wanna connect Roman history to the city of Cincinnati, now you have a good reason. *Disclaimer: I am not an authoritative expert on stuff...I just do a lot of reading and research and keep in close connect with a bunch of people who are authoritative experts on stuff. || dribbble || Behance || Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joke Insurance Posted May 17, 2015 Share Posted May 17, 2015 Cincinnati doesn't have any particularly distinct characteristics to give it an obvious team name. Also Cleveland.Cleveland Ghosts, perhaps?It has a paranomal history, doesn't it? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stampman Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 Toronto isn't that hard.HogsTowersScrapersSmokeBrokersGeeseSwansEdgewalkersHeronsOwlsKilldeersKestrelsGoldeneyesGrosbeaksCormorantsAdmittedly, some of those names are better than others, and may not work for everybody, but when do names ever work for everybody? Comic Sans walks into a bar, and the bartender says, "Sorry, we don't serve your type here." Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jch Posted May 19, 2015 Share Posted May 19, 2015 ^ Actually, "Pioneers" was really good, as that region right through there along I-91 from about Hartford on up to and through Springfield is also referred to as "Pioneer Valley". Cincinnati doesn't have any particularly distinct characteristics to give it an obvious team name. There's quite a few if you know where to look. It's along the Ohio River, it's also known as the "City of Seven Hills"...and the part very few know is that the city got its name from the Society of the Cincinnati--one of its members I believe originally settled in the area that became Cincinnati. The word "Cincinnati" itself comes from the Roman statesman Lucius Quinctius Cincinnatus, for whom said society named itself. Good luck finding more than a handful of people who know that, though. So the next time you wanna connect Roman history to the city of Cincinnati, now you have a good reason.The member that named the city after the Society was Arthur St. Clair who was a major general in the revolution under Washington. After the war he settled in what is now Cincinnati before becoming the governor of the Northwest Territory and later Ohio. So there are definitely American Revolution ties to the city. If you want to continue the Society of Cincinnati theme the logo for the society is an Eagle known as the Cincinnati Eagle. There is also a big Native American history to Cincinnati and the surrounding area. Several Indian tribes were from that region - the Miami and the Shawnee being the most prominent. President William Henry Harrison also settled there after the War of 1812. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Joke Insurance Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Toronto isn't that hard.HogsTowersScrapersSmokeBrokersGeeseSwansEdgewalkersHeronsOwlsKilldeersKestrelsGoldeneyesGrosbeaksCormorantsAdmittedly, some of those names are better than others, and may not work for everybody, but when do names ever work for everybody?While they are names that I personally haven't seen people use frequently, majority of them are of birds. There are too many of those these days. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForwardProgress Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 For me Los Angeles is easy. You have the movie industry, gorgeous weather, the option to use the L.A. initials in the name, or to even give them a regional name with Southern California at the beginning. Here are some ideas:Weather based:Los Angeles SunlightSouthern California SunlightLos Angeles SunbeamsSouthern California SunbeamsLos Angeles SunshineSouthern California SunshineSouthern California SkyMovie Industry based:Hollywood Blockbusters (my personal favorite if L.A. gets an NFL expansion team)Los Angeles Pilots (Not only does L.A. have a huge airport but "pilot" is the term for the first episode of a proposed T.V. show)Hollywood DirectorsHollywood IndustryHollywood StarsHollywood FameHollywood IconsHollywood GlamHollywood GlitzHollywood HitsHollywood HitzLos Angeles IndustrySouthern California StarsL.A. IconsSouthern California CameosSouthern California CameramenMost of these are right off the top of my head! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ForwardProgress Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 For me Los Angeles is easy. You have the movie industry, gorgeous weather, the option to use the L.A. initials in the name, or to even give them a regional name with Southern California at the beginning. Here are some ideas:Weather based:Los Angeles SunlightSouthern California SunlightLos Angeles SunbeamsSouthern California SunbeamsLos Angeles SunshineSouthern California SunshineSouthern California SkyMovie Industry based:Hollywood Blockbusters (my personal favorite if L.A. gets an NFL expansion team)Hollywood DirectorsHollywood IndustryHollywood StarsHollywood FameHollywood IconsHollywood GlamHollywood GlitzHollywood HitsHollywood HitzLos Angeles IndustrySouthern California StarsL.A. IconsMost of these are right off the top of my headJust thought of a couple more:Los Angeles Pilots (Not only does L.A. have a huge airport but "pilot" is the term for the first episode of a proposed T.V. show)Southern California CameosSouthern California Cameramen Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RollDamnHawkeyes Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Louisville (no hometown bias) because nobody can decide whether it's located in the South or the Midwest.Most larger cities have histories and regional tastes that make it a bit easier to figure out names for fictional sports teams, but mid-sized ones can be challenging, especially ones that are located inland and don't have the coastal/nautical themes to fall back on. Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Omaha, Columbus, and Portland (OR) also give me trouble for those reasons.Louisville is not in the Midwest. No one from the Midwest thinks KENTUCKY is MidwesternMaybe ppl in southern Ohio may get confused but please don't base the Midwest off of what you see in southern Ohio Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
RollDamnHawkeyes Posted May 20, 2015 Share Posted May 20, 2015 Louisville Cardinals should change their name to "Louisville steal everything from Iowa State but be really good at both sports so no one ever notices"1978198019952001 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Silent Wind of Doom Posted May 21, 2015 Share Posted May 21, 2015 Atlanta for sports other than soccer. There's nothing here you can really name anything after other than a Phoenix. I managed to name my fantasy baseball team the Copperheads however, due to those being a native snake of the southeast.Another town I think is hard is Richmond. Its just kinda there y'knowOh... Er... Uh...>_>; Never mind. You didn't see anything.Whenever I would try to do a fictional football league with teams in Europe and North America, it was extremely hard without recycling the names of the old WLAF and NFL Europe teams.For example, what else could be used in Frankfurt without rehashing the Galaxy?"Mariners" is the only substitute I could think of for "Admirals" in Amsterdam.For London it always comes down to Monarchs, Kings, Royals, Bulldogs, Black Knights and even Werewolves.The Barcelona Dragons identity seems to be quintessential identity of the WLAF and NFL Europe, but it's just too hard not to resurrect in a concept.Dublin gives me fits without resorting to either Shamrocks or Celtic Tigers. Maybe Brewers could be okay with Guinness nearby.As far as cities in the States go, Chicago is very tough without resorting to mob references like Hitmen, Mobsters and the like. New York is another tough one without using names like Skyliners or Skyscrapers which would be cool back in the 40's, but would be laughed at nowadays.Los Angeles also gives me fits without rehashing the Avengers of the Arena League. Especially when most of the city's teams kept names they used in their old cities, and should the Rams come back from St Louis, they'd be included too. Not sure how to pull of a "Guardians" concept for this town.Miami makes me feel like I have to have an aquatic name. Tritons anyone?The Bay Area is very hard without a cheap 49ers knockoff and anything I try for Oakland pales in comparison to the Raiders.What about Emeralds for Dublin? Or perhaps Harps, Celts, or Druids?Louisville (no hometown bias) because nobody can decide whether it's located in the South or the Midwest.Most larger cities have histories and regional tastes that make it a bit easier to figure out names for fictional sports teams, but mid-sized ones can be challenging, especially ones that are located inland and don't have the coastal/nautical themes to fall back on. Pittsburgh, St. Louis, Omaha, Columbus, and Portland (OR) also give me trouble for those reasons.Louisville is not in the Midwest. No one from the Midwest thinks KENTUCKY is MidwesternMaybe ppl in southern Ohio may get confused but please don't base the Midwest off of what you see in southern Ohio I've always considered Midwest to be the states that touched the Great Lakes (save for the Northeast's New York and Pennsylvania.)I've often played around with a third baseball league concept (although I lack the talent to create graphics for the identity that are professional-looking enough to warrant me showing it off.) I didn't have too hard a time coming up with names, but my hardest time was with New Orleans. I have a visual identity and everything, but it just seems like the best identity is already taken by the Saints. I went with Cajuns, but it still even today doesn't feel right.Some of the other names I went with, some of which were mentioned here:New Jersey Guards - Originally went with "Gardens" with "Guards" as an unofficial nickname, but decided Guard sounded more imposing and still felt like a pun on the state nickname.Richmond Rebels - When I was in middle school, I was drawing up some silly fake teams including the Santa Anna Santas and the Texas Instruments. One of them was the Richmond Confederates, in counterpoint to the Yankees, but the identity stuck with me and being the capital of the Confederacy I think the Rebel identity fits well.Orlando Suns - Self-explanatory.Indianapolis Stallions - Based on the Colts name in a similar move to the Bears naming themselves after the Cubs.Mississippi Rivers - One of my favorite sounding names.San Antonio Outlaws - Why isn't this name in use among the top five professional leagues?Mexico Warriors - Identity based around Aztec warrior imagery.Vancouver Lumberjacks - "Jacks" as a nickname.Santa Fe Desert Foxes - It just seems to roll off the tongue well. The name kinda popped into my head and I've stuck with it always because I like the sound.Because I've mostly played with expansion, I suppose the major cities that are already full of teams are places I've never thought of, and probably might find myself having a tough time with some.For Los Angeles, since we started talking about the Jags moving there a couple years ago, I really grew to love the idea of an LA team having the name with a red and gold color scheme and an Aztec theme. A good high shine on that red and gold, too. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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