Underused Team Names

[southpawstu19]

i was sitting here at my desk at work and was thinking about the lack of uniqueness in professional sports. i feel that there are a few, not many, redundant team names. why are there two giants, two panthers, (used to be two jets), and there are more im sure. and the second question is why arent some seemingly dominant team names used more often like dragons or sharks...any thoughts?

[IceCap]

i was sitting here at my desk at work and was thinking about the lack of uniqueness in professional sports. i feel that there are a few, not many, redundant team names. why are there two giants, two panthers, (used to be two jets), and there are more im sure. and the second question is why arent some seemingly dominant team names used more often like dragons or sharks...any thoughts?

Well Sharks is a tricky one. San Jose works because the waters of northern California are known to be frequented by sharks. However it wouldn't make sence for the NY Jets (you used them in one of your examples) to change their name to the NY Sharks.

Currect me if I'm wrong, but IIRC the waters off of NYC are to cold for sharks. So it all depends on location if your going to name a team "Sharks."

Miami could get away with it, which is why I'm surprised the Miami AFL/NFL club went with "Dolphins." "Sharks" would work much better, IMO (all though the unis the Miami Sharks used in Any Given Sunday blew). Miami Macos (a specific species of shark) would work even better.

As for "Dragons", I agree. That's a very underused team name that lends itself to some great logo concepts.

"Bears" is an other one I would like to see more of.

[bigwalk]

I would imagine there are two Giants for the same reason there are two Cardinals...they played in the same city for a period of time.

[BRM_PTX]

i was sitting here at my desk at work and was thinking about the lack of uniqueness in professional sports. i feel that there are a few, not many, redundant team names. why are there two giants, two panthers, (used to be two jets), and there are more im sure. and the second question is why arent some seemingly dominant team names used more often like dragons or sharks...any thoughts?

Well my This is the house that Vander-built fan.Dragons isn't used that much because I would like to think that the city would want a name that has to do with the city.Sharks like a user above posted would really depend on the area.

[Fred T. Jane]

To placate the apparent alum of the Railroad Tycoon's university, I think Commodores/Admirals and other nautical-related team names are under utilized.

[YELDARBfield]

As for "Dragons", I agree. That's a very underused team name that lends itself to some great logo concepts.

"Bears" is an other one I would like to see more of.

Dragons = Good.

Bears = Mindless killing machines = perfect name!

[Rocknjosie]

i was sitting here at my desk at work and was thinking about the lack of uniqueness in professional sports. i feel that there are a few, not many, redundant team names. why are there two giants, two panthers, (used to be two jets), and there are more im sure. and the second question is why arent some seemingly dominant team names used more often like dragons or sharks...any thoughts?

I think football team names can be summed up in five categories:

1. Large Felines. Lions, Panthers, Bengals, Jaguars, etc

2. Large Canines. the Browns to an extent

3. Horses and bovids. Broncos, Colts, Chargers, Cowboys, Texans, Buffalo Bills, Rams

4. Birds of Prey - Ravens, Falcons, Seahawks, Eagles, etc

5. Raiding humans - Raiders, Bucs, Vikings, (unfortunately) Pats & Chiefs

The rest have local significance, either taken from the MLB team that hosted them [Giants, Cards, Redskins(Braves), Jets] or a symbol of local industry [Oilers, Steelers, Packers] or just a local event [saints, 49ers]

The odd teams out are the Dolphins and Titans. But they're still reaaly large things. Felines are superpredators, they can kill anything smaller than them. Horses and Bovids, obvious symbols of power; Birds of prey show deadly grace and precision. I'm suprised dogs aren't better represented in the NFL. I'm a strong supporter of the LA team being the Coyotes.

Not suprisingly these are also the animals most commonly associated with nations and their armies.

[hawk36]

I'd say the most underused team names are ones that have to do specifically with the city or region they play in. To me, they are the best ones out there and very personal to the fans, yet rarely used.

Seattle Sounders (Puget Sound body of water that Seattle is on)

Colorado Rockies

Houston Texans

I'm sure there are others.

[TBGKon]

The rest have local significance, either taken from the MLB team that hosted them [Giants, Cards, Redskins(Braves), Jets] or a symbol of local industry [Oilers, Steelers, Packers] or just a local event [saints, 49ers]

IIRC, the Saints name origin goes to the fact that the expansion franchise in NOLA was awards on November 1, otherwise known as All Saints Day in Christian backgrounds.

[BBM]

I would imagine there are two Giants for the same reason there are two Cardinals...they played in the same city for a period of time.

You're half right. The football Giants did "borrow" the nickname from the baseball team, which was not uncommon in the day. At one time in the NFL there were teams call the Brooklyn Dodgers, Detroit Tigers, New York Yankees, Cincinnati Reds, etc. (those teams have obviously since folded).

But actually the Cardinals were in Chicago before St. Louis and had the moniker before the move. They took it due to the color of their uniform ("cardinal red"). It just so happens they wound up moving to a city with a team already named the Cardinals; but one had nothing to do with the other.

As for Dragons, I personally don't like the name, but I guess you could use it. Usually professional sports teams like to have a somewhat relevence to their city (the Giants weren't named that because of Jack and the Beanstalk, but rather the skyscrapers in New York) and there are no dragons in any professional sports city I'm aware of.

[Cooleyvol]

I would imagine there are two Giants for the same reason  there are two Cardinals...they played in the same city for a period of time.

The football Cardinals were in Chicago when they were named.

EDIT: BBM beat me to it.

[fonz]

The problem with using a unique name is that you run the risk of being mocked or looked at as strange. Look at the Mighty Ducks, Wild, etc. Most owners would rather play it safe and use a traditional name.

[leopard88]

The problem with using a unique name is that you run the risk of being mocked or looked at as strange. Look at the Mighty Ducks, Wild, etc. Most owners would rather play it safe and use a traditional name.

"Unique" doesn't necessarily mean strange. In the case of the Mighty Ducks and Wild, the names were panned because they were just bad names. One is from a Disney movie and the other represents some amorphous concept that may or may not be a noun (depending on how you look at it).

There is only one major sports team named the Dodgers, but I don't know of anyone who thinks the name is strange. Same with the Yankees.

[Gothamite]

The problem with using a unique name is that you run the risk of being mocked or looked at as strange. Look at the Mighty Ducks, Wild, etc. Most owners would rather play it safe and use a traditional name.

"Unique" doesn't necessarily mean strange. In the case of the Mighty Ducks and Wild, the names were panned because they were just bad names. One is from a Disney movie and the other represents some amorphous concept that may or may not be a noun (depending on how you look at it).

There is only one major sports team named the Dodgers, but I don't know of anyone who thinks the name is strange. Same with the Yankees.

Well put.

[YELDARBfield]

Best unusual name ever: Montgomery Biscuits

[IceCap]

At one time in the NFL there were teams call the...New York...

Technically the team that was the football New York Yankees is today known as the Indianapolis Colts.

[BBM]

At one time in the NFL there were teams call the...New York...

Technically the team that was the football New York Yankees is today known as the Indianapolis Colts.

Sort of. There was a team call the Boston Yanks back in the 40's. Wanting a bigger market, the owner moved the team to New York a few years later, making them the New York Yanks (and later Bulldogs). Having no money and little support, the NFL revoked the owner's team and sold it to a Dallas business man, who moved the team to Dallas and renamed them the Dallas Texans (but NOT the Dallas Texans of the AFL that would later become the Kansas City Chiefs).

Then in the early 50s, after the original Baltimore Colts (from the AAFC) folded, the city, still being a hotbed for football, demanded another team be instated in Baltimore. Since the Texans were going under, the NFL granted Baltimore a franchise, and many of the players from Dallas began as the new Baltimore Colts. But officially, THAT Baltimore Colts team is its own franchise, and does not consider the Texans or Yanks part of its "official" lineage.

But there was another football team back in the 1920's with the nickname "New York Yankees" that folded after just a few seasons.

[SvilleJet]

When speaking of unique team names 1 come to my mind. The St. John's Fog Devils which is a case of a local name. Some places have names that seem to have no point (Kansas City Royals) and are the ones I most wonder about.

[steiny_ramone]

Visigoths...

[Stampman]

I think my fantasy teams for the leagues here have unique names...

Pronghorns

Towers

Bulwarks

Cutthroats