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Rays seem ready to dump Devil

Survival79

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Survival79

Survival79

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Could St. Petersburg be positioning itself for a Florida to Miami Marlins-type renaming deal?

Rocco's future near a critical deadline

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer

Published March 9, 2008

RAYS RUMBLINGS: Mayor Rick Baker sure sounded in his recent Times op-ed piece like he wanted the team to change its first name to St. Petersburg. Maybe they could be the Tampa Bay Rays of St. Petersburg? Or the Florida Rays of St. Petersburg?

It's still early innings

The best course is to continue to gather input and facts on a waterfront stadium.

By Rick Baker, St. Petersburg mayor

Published March 3, 2008

I also hope the ownership will take steps to more closely identify the team with the city, which has also invested time, land, heart and money into the franchise. It is true that the Rays are the team for most of Florida, but certainly St. Petersburg has played a special role in its evolution.

"If things have gone wrong, I'm talking to myself, and you've got a wet towel wrapped around your head."

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TBGKon

TBGKon

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Could St. Petersburg be positioning itself for a Florida to Miami Marlins-type renaming deal?

Rocco's future near a critical deadline

By Marc Topkin, Times Staff Writer

Published March 9, 2008

RAYS RUMBLINGS: Mayor Rick Baker sure sounded in his recent Times op-ed piece like he wanted the team to change its first name to St. Petersburg. Maybe they could be the Tampa Bay Rays of St. Petersburg? Or the Florida Rays of St. Petersburg?

It's still early innings

The best course is to continue to gather input and facts on a waterfront stadium.

By Rick Baker, St. Petersburg mayor

Published March 3, 2008

I also hope the ownership will take steps to more closely identify the team with the city, which has also invested time, land, heart and money into the franchise. It is true that the Rays are the team for most of Florida, but certainly St. Petersburg has played a special role in its evolution.

NO NO NO NO.......why cant the city just live with "Tampa Bay". It freaking refers to the region as a whole, not just their sister city across the bay.

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BBTV

BBTV

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While most of us know that it refers to a region, the fact that "Tampa" is in the name of the region does create confusion for most of the population.

Maybe they need to come up with a better name for the region.

"The views expressed here are mine and do not reflect the official opinion of my employer or the organization through which the Internet was accessed."

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batman1211

batman1211

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I may but completely naive but, is the word devil, as in devil ray, really that offensive to Christians or any other God-fearing religious people in the Tampa area (or any other area)? I have heard this, but I didn't think in seriousness. Are these extreme conservative Christians or everyone? I am a Christian and see no problem with it personally. Any comments?

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BallWonk

BallWonk

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I may but completely naive but, is the word devil, as in devil ray, really that offensive to Christians or any other God-fearing religious people in the Tampa area (or any other area)? I have heard this, but I didn't think in seriousness. Are these extreme conservative Christians or everyone? I am a Christian and see no problem with it personally. Any comments?

Actually, in other settings I've had biblical literalists quote chapter and verse on why even saying the devil's name is ungodly. So, yeah, it probably did offend some people on those grounds.

But whether the word "devil" offended people is neither here nor there. It was just a bad team name regardless. Too many syllables, bad division between words on the second syllable instead of the first, and an obscure name that most people don't use to describe the animal in question. A decade ago, I heard this conversation multiple times: "What's a devil ray?" "It's just a manta ray." "Oh. Then why aren't they the manta rays?" Also, splitting the name between a concluding "L" and a beginning "R" makes it a weak, mumbling name. "Rays" on its own is no great shakes as a team name, but it's an improvement on "Devil Rays" based on the sounds of the syllables and their pronunciation.

As to a name change to St. Petersburg Rays, would people on the Tampa part of the metro area really take offense? Is it really analogous to Minneapolis-St. Paul, or is it more like Washington, DC, and Arlington, VA?

20082614447.png
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CubsFanBudMan

CubsFanBudMan

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Also, splitting the name between a concluding "L" and a beginning "R" makes it a weak, mumbling name. "Rays" on its own is no great shakes as a team name, but it's an improvement on "Devil Rays" based on the sounds of the syllables and their pronunciation.

On a side note to this, I can't tell you how many times I saw it listed as "Devils Rays" -- ESPN scroll, AP stories, even spring training tickets.

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BallWonk

BallWonk

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Also, splitting the name between a concluding "L" and a beginning "R" makes it a weak, mumbling name. "Rays" on its own is no great shakes as a team name, but it's an improvement on "Devil Rays" based on the sounds of the syllables and their pronunciation.

On a side note to this, I can't tell you how many times I saw it listed as "Devils Rays" -- ESPN scroll, AP stories, even spring training tickets.

Ugh, that's even worse. Sandwich that extra "S" in there between two consonants and you get a "Z" sound.

For an example of how the mouth-form of the syllables affects the sound of a name, and how word division affects the rhythm of a name, compare the "mushy" sound of "Devil Rays" with the strong, rolling sound of "Sea Devils." If you think of that guy who does the movie trailer narration, the former becomes a "BAM-rhurh-rhurh" mumble, whereas the latter becomes a "BAM-BAM-bam" staccato sequence.

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DG_ThenNowForever

DG_ThenNowForever

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As to a name change to St. Petersburg Rays, would people on the Tampa part of the metro area really take offense? Is it really analogous to Minneapolis-St. Paul, or is it more like Washington, DC, and Arlington, VA?

As a former (brief) Tampa resident, I'd be likely to say that St. Petersburg is the Arlington, VA in that comparison. However, Minneapolis-St. Paul is more apt. "Tampa Bay" works well as a moniker for the entire Tampa/St. Pete/Clearwater region because there's a big freaking' bay right in the middle of all three.

See?

Tampa-Bay_map.gif

1 hour ago, ShutUpLutz! said:

and the drunken doodoobags jumping off the tops of SUV's/vans/RV's onto tables because, oh yeah, they are drunken drug abusing doodoobags

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Artmanc3po

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I may but completely naive but, is the word devil, as in devil ray, really that offensive to Christians or any other God-fearing religious people in the Tampa area (or any other area)? I have heard this, but I didn't think in seriousness. Are these extreme conservative Christians or everyone? I am a Christian and see no problem with it personally. Any comments?

Actually, in other settings I've had biblical literalists quote chapter and verse on why even saying the devil's name is ungodly. So, yeah, it probably did offend some people on those grounds.

Believe it or not, I went on a mission trip to Brazil years ago to teach English, and when I used the word devil or Satan in our translations (we were working from the Bible), the Christian folks down there acted like I had done something dangerous. So, I suppose some people look at word usage differently. As a Christian, I didn't have a problem with the Devil Rays name. My son's Little League team was the Devil Rays last year, and we had a great time with the green unis.

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TruColor

TruColor

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I've been saying for years . . .

FLORIDA RAYS.

It will happen.

Personally, I would HATE that. Just when we're about to have the Florida Marlins finally change to "Miami", it would JUST SUCK for the Rays to go there.

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Gothamite

Gothamite

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I may but completely naive but, is the word devil, as in devil ray, really that offensive to Christians or any other God-fearing religious people in the Tampa area (or any other area)? I have heard this, but I didn't think in seriousness. Are these extreme conservative Christians or everyone? I am a Christian and see no problem with it personally. Any comments?

Actually, in other settings I've had biblical literalists quote chapter and verse on why even saying the devil's name is ungodly. So, yeah, it probably did offend some people on those grounds.

Believe it or not, I went on a mission trip to Brazil years ago to teach English, and when I used the word devil or Satan in our translations (we were working from the Bible), the Christian folks down there acted like I had done something dangerous.

You said the name?

Voldermortimage.jpg

Now you've done it....

The Green Bay Packers Uniform Database! Now in a handy blog.

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Survival79

Survival79

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On a side note to this, I can't tell you how many times I saw it listed as "Devils Rays" -- ESPN scroll, AP stories, even spring training tickets.

Last year I heard a car dealership commercial offering tickets to Atlanta Braves and "Tampa Bay Devils Ray" games as part of a weekend giveaway.

I've been saying for years . . .

FLORIDA RAYS.

It will happen.

I wonder if Mayor Baker would prefer Florida Rays over Tampa Bay Rays? Is he more concerned with the word Tampa in the name or the lack of St. Petersburg?

"If things have gone wrong, I'm talking to myself, and you've got a wet towel wrapped around your head."

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Gothamite

Gothamite

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I'm sure this has been brought up before, but I can't go thru 57 pages of posts...

Was there any thought to dropping "Rays" and just rename the team "Devils"? Would make a great rival for the Angels...

Nope. Not even close.

A couple years ago, they announced that they were removing "Devil" from their home jerseys because their immense, enormous fanbase was staying away lest they accidentally support Old Scratch.

Given that, it seems highly unlikely that they would seek to drive away their last remaining dozen fans by making it official. :P

The Green Bay Packers Uniform Database! Now in a handy blog.

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McCall

McCall

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I'm sure this has been brought up before, but I can't go thru 57 pages of posts...

Was there any thought to dropping "Rays" and just rename the team "Devils"? Would make a great rival for the Angels...

Nope. Not even close.

A couple years ago, they announced that they were removing "Devil" from their home jerseys because their immense, enormous fanbase was staying away lest they accidentally support Old Scratch.

Given that, it seems highly unlikely that they would seek to drive away their last remaining dozen fans by making it official. :P

Sorry to go off topic, but this popped into my head after the last post. :D

 

 https://dribbble.com/MakaioCall

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TheGodfather

TheGodfather

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God those unis suck something awful.

I hate this team with every fiber of my being.

A handful of people were upset with the name Devil, so the new idiot owners just drop the name and thus start another downfall in this pathetic history.

:censored: the rays.

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