Offensive sports nicknames/logos

[mcrosby]

I am doing a report on offensive sports nicknames/logos. Usually when anyone hears this they think of Native American nicknames. I have to come up with an argument that there are other offensive nicknames/logos that nobody seems to make a fuss about. Do any of you guys have ideas on non-native american nicknames that could be offensive?

Any help is appreciated.

[TBGKon]

Well technically the former Orangemen mascot of Syracuse was derogatory to Irishmen (I believe)

[slapshot]

Notre Dame Fighting Irish & Boston Celtics both feature Irish-derived nicknames with stereotypical leprechaun-like mascots.

There was a school in Colorado or Wyoming that had a nickname of "Fighting Whiteys", but that was more of a parody than anything.

[Eye]

The New Jersey Devils are definitely not offensive to me, but go to a church and they'll be angry I guess.

[ColeJ]

the only name that i find offensive in all of sports, is the redskins.

it's not cause it's native. they could change their name to the braves, warriors, or anything like that, and keep the same logo and uniforms, and they'd be fine.

but redskins is a racial slur.

[VitaminD]

The New Jersey Devils are definitely not offensive to me, but go to a church and they'll be angry I guess.

Is it time again already for some education? I feel like I just posted this.

(Oh wait! I did... HERE.)

The NJ Devils have nothing to do with the Antichrist. (Nor do the Duke Blue Devils, or Tampa Bay Devil Rays.) It's New Jersey folklore; seeing as how you list your location as "Nuevo Brunswick, Nuevo Jersey", you could probably find someone to get you up to speed on the specifics of the Jersey Devil.

The horse is dead; put the whip down...

[clippers6]

Names such as Warriors and Braves should not offend anyone. They no different than names such as Cavaliers or Knights. Savages is borderline. I'm OK with Savages as long as it refers to savagery and not as a term for Native Americans.

I have no problem with naming a team after an ethnic group although I can see how some might object to it. I think it is a bit tacky, but as long as the team is respectful there is no big deal. The Canadiens and Canucks seem to draw no complaints from anyone.

Redskins is just plain racist though.

[Discrim]

there's one I could see somebody thinking was offensive, though no one's ever made much of a fuss over it as far as I know...(could be because they're the only ones using the name)

the Waukesha South Blackshirts. who got the moniker because...drumroll please...duirng the Great Depression, they needed new football jerseys, but their usual reds were too expensive so they bought black jerseys instead. like with some other names, Blackshirts was originally leveled at Waukesha as an insult, but the Shirts took the name and made it their own. somebody who doesn't bother to try and find out why they're Blackshirts, however, could think they were honoring Benito Mussolini, promoting fascism or whatnot.

[OnWis97]

This does not exist anymore, but in Pekin, IL the high school was named the "Chinks" until the 1980s. Pekin is named because it is on the same parellel line as Peking, China. I read that they actual had a guy come out and hit a gong.

[Stampman]

Well technically the former Orangemen mascot of Syracuse was derogatory to Irishmen (I believe)

Well it's offensive to Irish Catholics.

Irish Protestants amy or may not share that sentiment.

[Coast2CoastAM2006]

any team name/mascot/logo can be offensive to anyone if a group makes an issue out of it.

even the Detroit Lions could be offensive to those that think using animals as logos is exploiting and demeaning lions. its a bit of a stretch but im sure there are nuts out there that would try to pull that argument.

Saints and ANgels could be offensive to non-religious people who see it as a violation of church and state as the "saints" and "angels" are promoting a particular religion. im actually surprised the church and state crowds hasn't started in on the Saints and Angels.

Carolina Hurricanes could be offensive to hurricane victoms. im pretty sure that a future NO team will probably not be called the hurricanes.

Norfolk Admirals, LA Clippers could be offensive to those that are anti-war and see the team names as a way of pushing war. See SF WWII battleship story.

The Cincinnati Reds could be offensive to people that are offended by the color red. I would be silly except in Dallas, there was a story where the city of Dallas painted some of the hi-5 beams red which happened tohave a yellow star on them. A Vietnamese man complained that the color red was offensive because it reminded him of the Vietnamese Flag and its representation of communism or something to that effect.

The Washington Wizards and Orlando Magic could be offensive to those that are offended by the names "wizards" and "magic" as it is promoting sorcery and witchcraft. if you've seen the show Trading Spaces: Meet Your New Mommy, there was a fat nut that went balistic after being subjected to stuff like astrology. She came home and had a violent break down after she found out that the other mom was not a christian and subjected the fat nut's family to astrology and other pagan practices. im probably sure if her daughter brought home a Washington Wizards jersey, she would probably have a violent breakdown or a violent BM which ever comes first. Though in her case it wouldn't hurt her to have a couple of Andrea Beaman's dishes, the fat nut could use a good BM.

some of it is a bit of a stretch, and some if it is probably out there, but I never underestimate the insanity of the mentally demented in high places and in powerful positions that could organize a rally or group to push a crazy issue.

[OnWis97]

Saints and ANgels could be offensive to non-religious people who see it as a violation of church and state as the "saints" and "angels" are promoting a particular religion. im actually surprised the church and state crowds hasn't started in on the Saints and Angels.

I would not think they would, as there may be "church" but is no "state."

[kreg13]

what about the washington bullets? or the colt'45's? and others like that....

i think there's a minor league baseball team called the canons....of course i, personally don't find any of these offensive but i know others do............

and also anybody remember this ad campaign...

THE KANSAS CITY WIZ. YOU GOTTA GO!

[ProvidenceRI]

"I'M THE WIZ!!!!!! AND NOBODY BEATS ME!!!!!!

[BJ Sands]

How about Ole Miss...

Just think about what they were rebelling for

[fleaster]

Yankees--could be percieved as offensive by southerners or foreigners--Ie. "Yankee Go Home"

Padres--If it were a Rabbi or Imam swinging a bat, would anyone object?

Reds--Offensive to anyone who regularly watches CNN or voted for Howard Dean.

Fighting Irish?... See my point.

Being offended is a regular part of life. We need to accept it and toughen up!

[rams80]

This does not exist anymore, but in Pekin, IL the high school was named the "Chinks" until the 1980s. Pekin is named because it is on the same parellel line as Peking, China. I read that they actual had a guy come out and hit a gong.

They haven't gotten much better (Pekin is arguably the most racist community North of the Mason-Dixon Line). For example, a couple of years ago, when my high school at the time was playing against them in a sectional final at their high school (Our team was primarily African-American), their student body chose to hang a tar baby in their section.

[kreg13]

yeah.....i think looking into obscure high school knicknames will yield a ton of info

there's been a lot of threads on here about it....

another one of my favorite illinois ones is the Centralia Orphans...

[cbeach40]

I remember on TSN's Off The Record a few years back Ted Nolan said he always liked it when sports teams picked Native Peoples as their mascots- it was a symbol that the team wanted to have represent them. If they thought that people like him were something to rally behind, he took it as a compliment.

[westcoastoiler]

I remember on TSN's Off The Record a few years back Ted Nolan said he always liked it when sports teams picked Native Peoples as their mascots- it was a symbol that the team wanted to have represent them. If they thought that people like him were something to rally behind, he took it as a compliment.

i think that is a bit like african americans using the 'n' word to describe themselves - it's sort of enpowering.

cleveland indians - doesn't offend me personally but they should change their name because it is blatantly ignorant. Indians are from India. using the word Indian to describe a native american is borderline racist imo. it's like calling a european person chinese - when they found america they were trying to find a better route to india and thought they had found india and indians so the word stuck. "native indians" is even more dumb and makes no sense. infact "native americans" while a respectful term for the uneducated to use, is actually not correct either, technically they are not native to america, they were here before it was named america by the white man.

so if you want to have a team called the "chinese" with a picture of robin hood, then go ahead, you may as well cheer for the Indians.

other offensive names? not sure that there are too many that i'm aware of anyways. one poster is right saying that any name could technically be offensive - i am an Oilers fan and i hate that Oil is essentially destrying the earth - pollution, wars, destroying ecosystems...but i am not offended by any means.

as far as your report goes - this is a university paper? if so you have an interesting topic and I would definitely start with the obvious ones like the Indians, Braves and Blackhawks...(black cocks? is that not offensive either?)

the mighty ducks is offensive because the movie sucked balls.