The World's Most Ridiculous Non-Winning/Discarded Sports Team Names

[agentrygraphics]

While it's fresh in my mind...

Who could forget the New Jersey Nets had "New Jersey Swamp Dragons" trademarked and even had a logo ready to go had the NBA allowed it.

I seem to recall the San Jose Sharks having "Screaming Squids" as their #2 choice

Haven't the Kansas City Chiefs had the name "Kansas City Wolves" registered and ready to go in case the league bans Native American names?

The Nashville Predators had "Fury" and "Ice Tigers" as the other two choices with 'Predators' for the fans to choose.

[Lee.]

The Nashville Predators had "Fury" and "Ice Tigers" as the other two choices with 'Predators' for the fans to choose.

A classic example of designing the logo first, the finding a name to go with it.

[Saint Zephyr III]

In the 90s when there were talks regarding moving the Minnesota Timberwolves to New Orleans, the firm I was working for was asked to come up with marketing concepts for the:

Louisiana Purchase

They actually already had a logo complete with $ sign and a primarily green color scheme with purple and yellow secondary colors. Always thought that would have been a great team but, alas, it never happened.

...WHOA, you're telling me the Timberwolves were actually planning to be in New Orleans? I'm amazed I never heard of it.

But what a clunky title, even though it is a bit clever.

[Mac the Knife]

The Dallas Cowboys were briefly the Dallas Steers ... until somebody realized a steer was a castrated bull.

But they were originally known by a different name - the Texas Rangers.

[Mac the Knife]

Weren't the Houston Astros close to a name change back in the late 1990s?

Also my dad tells me a story about the New England Patriots originally being the Bay State Patriots for a few days... anyone else know about this?

I have no idea about the Pats but the Colt .45's/Astros nearly became the Houston Diesel when they moved out of the Astrodome. The owner (McLane?) wanted to rebrand, but at almost the last minute changed his mind.

[cappital92]

Apparently the Capitals were supposed to be the Washington Comet, if not for an intervention by Abe Pollin.

[DEAD!]

In the 90s when there were talks regarding moving the Minnesota Timberwolves to New Orleans, the firm I was working for was asked to come up with marketing concepts for the:

Louisiana Purchase

They actually already had a logo complete with $ sign and a primarily green color scheme with purple and yellow secondary colors. Always thought that would have been a great team but, alas, it never happened.

...WHOA, you're telling me the Timberwolves were actually planning to be in New Orleans? I'm amazed I never heard of it.

But what a clunky title, even though it is a bit clever.

http://query.nytimes.com/gst/fullpage.html...756C0A963958260

N.B.A. Settles Suit Over Timberwolves

Published: May 31, 1995

The National Basketball Association and Top Rank of Louisiana have settled lawsuits against each other stemming from Top Rank's failed bid to buy the Minnesota Timberwolves and move the team to New Orleans.

In a statement yesterday, the N.B.A. said the dispute had been settled, but neither side admitted any wrongdoing.

The N.B.A. rejected the proposed sale last June, claiming the deal was inadequately financed, and filed a lawsuit in Minneapolis to prevent the Timberwolves from being sold to Top Rank.

Top Rank sued the N.B.A. in New Orleans, accusing the league of interfering with the sale.

even more interesting:

http://vault.sportsillustrated.cnn.com/vau...05272/index.htm

[DrBear]

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned what might have been the all-time bad idea:

When Lamar Hunt moved the Dallas Texans to Kansas City to become the Chiefs, he originally wanted to keep the name Texans. You can imagine how THAT would have gone over.

ETA: Look closer, doofus.

[rams80]

I'm surprised nobody's mentioned what might have been the all-time bad idea:

When Lamar Hunt moved the Dallas Texans to Kansas City to become the Chiefs, he originally wanted to keep the name Texans. You can imagine how THAT would have gone over.

- The Dallas Texans were almost the "Kansas City Texans", which would have made no sense. Then they wised up and named them the Chiefs after KC Mayor H. Roe Bartel who's nickname was "Chief".

[mfoster]

Alexandria's WPHL entry was originally going to be the RiverCats, but the league fussed that it was too close to the Huntsville ChannelCats. I never saw the logo for it, but found out about it from their GM (I almost went to work for them in the summer of 1998).

The Fort Worth (now Texas, as they play in adjacent North Richland Hills) Brahmas were originally slated to be the Bulls, but ECHL's Birmingham entry raised a stink. Nevermind that Fort Worth is aka Cowtown or The Town of the Cow. There is a Bulls logo out there somewhere.

IIRC, the Kansas City Royals had a list of proposed names including Hearts and Stars. Maybe EZ's memory on that is better (not that he remembered it for his original post )

Oklahoma City's original AFL2 team was to be the Bullfrogs, but the AFL Portland Forest Dragons moved there before the Bullfrogs could get going.

It is rumored that the Oklahoma RedHawks (PCL) name/logo was originally intended for the city's expansion NHL team (the Sonic's Clay Bennett being the common thread between the two). I have always had a really hard time believing it, because I doubt the Wirtz family would have allowed it (see EZ's earlier reference to the Kansas City Mo-Hawks/Scouts). Plus, to me their primary logo (the R with the beak, eye, and feathers inside to O) is more of a ballcap logo than one for a sweater.

[mjrbaseball]

Here's the full list of precursors to Avalanche:

It is interesting that two of those names have been used in Denver since then:

Rapids -- soccer

Outlaws -- lacrosse (IIRC)

And of course, "Avalanche" itself is a locally recycled nickname (it was originally the name of Denver's MISL team).

I forgot about that.

Colorado Rockies is also recycled. (from the NHL, remember?) ... Maybe some Denver / Colorado team should start using as a logo.

[hawk36]

In the 90s when there were talks regarding moving the Minnesota Timberwolves to New Orleans, the firm I was working for was asked to come up with marketing concepts for the:

Louisiana Purchase

They actually already had a logo complete with $ sign and a primarily green color scheme with purple and yellow secondary colors. Always thought that would have been a great team but, alas, it never happened.

...WHOA, you're telling me the Timberwolves were actually planning to be in New Orleans? I'm amazed I never heard of it.

But what a clunky title, even though it is a bit clever.

I still think to this day the green back green and $ sign identity were a sure thing to be top selling merchandise in the NBA. Caps, parkas, shirts, beanies, etc. with the $ sign id would've been hot. Still can't believe no other team has jumped on this. Maybe, whomever was to buy the Timberwolves, owns the rights and is demanding a huge amount for it. I know I would. Now if I could only unearth my old zip disks and drive to find that ID.

[B-Rich]

First of all, it's interesting to note that there seems to be a definite point in time before which teams names sort of just came into being, either via dubbing by sportwriters or via a conscious decision by team owners, and a period after when the naming of teams became a big deal for cities and fans. This is probably because at that period in time, "civic awareness" for pro sports came into being--- it was no longer seen as entertainment, or a diversion, it was a point of civic pride. The awarding or relocation of teams became an event to be recognized, to promote civic pride. What better way to get the public MORE involved than to have a "naming contest" ? (I use quotes because quite often, it was all a sham anyway. Owners and mover and shakers knew the name they wanted well in advance, and merely had a contest to give people a feeling they were involved and had a stake in the team).

I put that point in time as the early/mid sixties. Think about it. In the late fifties, you just had the move of New York's two National League teams to California, leaving that city without a NL franchise. That and the fact that you had other cities trying to get into baseball led to a threatened third Continental League and ultimately MLB expansion. In football, you had a similar situation, with an actual 2nd league coming about primarily due to unrelieved expansion pressures, followed by expansion in both leagues. Basketball and hockey were a little late in getting in on the trend, with the ABA coming along and the NHL doubling the original six in 1967. But you get the idea.

THAT BEING SAID, a great source for some of those unused, unselected names is a little book called The Names of the Games, by Mike Lessiter, which I picked up in graduate school in the late 80s. Subtitled, The Stories behind the Nicknames of 102 Pro Football, Basketball, Baseball, and Hockey Teams, it is just that. As you can tell by the sub-title, the book is a little dated (102 teams? There are now 122 teams!) but it is still a great resource.

According to the book, here are some contest-entry and suggested names that didn't make it:

MLB

Kansas City Royals: Mules, Steers, Bluebirds, Cowpokes, Studs, Blues

New York Mets: Avengers, Continentals, Rebels, Burros (for the five NY boroughs), Skyliners

Meadowlarks (I shared alternate designs I had found on the 'net for those last two in a different, earlier thread)

NBA

Milwaukee Bucks: Skunks, Beavers, Stags, Hornets, Stallions, Ponies, Badgers, Packers and Braves.

Phoenix Suns: Dust Devils, Suntanos, Dudes, Wrens, Tumbleweeds, Sunspots, Gems, Scorpions, Rattlers.

(Kansas City) Kings: Steers, River Kings, Tornadoes, Plainsmen, Barons, Regals, Scouts, Crowns, Stars.

(Charlotte) Hornets: Knights, Gold, Spirit

Miami Heat: Sharks, Barracudas, Flamingos, Palm Trees, Beaches, Suntan, Shade, Tornadoes, Floridians.

Orlando Magic: other finalist was Juice

Minnesota Timberwolves: other finalist was Polars

NHL

St. Louis Blues: Apollo, Mercury

Buffalo Sabres: Bees, Mugwumps, Flying Zeppelins, Knoxen, Herd, Border Riders, Comets

New Jersey Devils: Blades, Meadowlarks, Americans, Colonials, Jaguars, Gulls, Lightning, Coastals, Patriots, Generals.

NFL

Cincinnati Bengals: Krauts, Celts; Romans

Miami Dolphins: Mariners, Marauders, Mustangs, Missiles, Moons, Sharks, Suns

Seattle Seahawks: Mariners, Skippers, Pioneers, Lumberjacks, Spacers, Sockeyes, Seagulls, Spinnakers

Atlanta Falcons: Knights, Bombers, Rebels, Crackers, Thrashers, Lancers, Firebirds, Fireballs, Thunderbirds

Tampa Bay Buccaneers: Sailors, Rough Riders, 76ers, Crackers

Not in that book, but from another great book I have called The Saga of the Saints, the New Orleans Saints sponsored a contest for names, under which some of the considered ones included: Jazz Kings, Tarpons, Mudbugs, Ramparts, Crawfish, Cajuns, Deltas. "Saints" was in the bag, however: note this letter from 1963, when officials were trying to get an AFL team:

Again, those "contests weren't always on the up and up.

[mmejia]

I'm pretty sure the story behind the Astros potential name change in 2000 has something to do with moving into their new downtown stadium. For some reason, despite a charming history within the "Astros" identity, management wanted a complete overhaul of their image to go along with moving out of the Astrodome and into their shiny new facility. I think "Wildcatters" as in a train engine, was the potential namesake.

This brings up another issue. As a lifelong Astros fan I've always thought it was interesting that the Astros completely redesigned their identity without anyone really noticing or making a fuss. They basically switched from an ultra-space age theme - rocket ships on merchandise, indoor stadium, astroturf, seat ushers and groundskeepers (at one time) actually wearing wearing space suits, spacey light show on the old scoreboard, a mascot called orbit, etc.. to late 1800's train engineer, complete with actual train on actual train tracks in left field, black and brick red colors, a mascot named "junction jack" that's a old west type rabbit, all while maintaining a shooting star in their logo.

[wman]

I can remember in a Flyers 1973-74 Stanley Cup Champions book I had when I was a kid that it referred to the new Washington franchise entering the league in the fall of 1974 as the "Washington Ice Caps'. I can't prove it but I read that thing cover to cover a dozen times as a kid, so either it was a mistake or perhaps...a never used name..

[myartsaywhat]

The Everett Silvertips of the WHL were almost the Admirals, Fleet, Golden Eagles, Sea Dogs or Boomers. They actually printed all of the names, logos and jersey variations in their inaugural season program. I have it, but not scanned.

[Lee.]

The Everett Silvertips of the WHL were almost the Admirals, Fleet, Golden Eagles, Sea Dogs or Boomers. They actually printed all of the names, logos and jersey variations in their inaugural season program. I have it, but not scanned.

Get thee to a scanner, stat.

[Lord Dravan]

I recall that when Columbus was granted an NHL team they went to the league with two name choices. "Blue Jackets" and "Justice". Not a shock that the NHL picked "Blue jackets" not sure why ownership thought "Justice" would have been a good name to market. Did they actually have a name the team contest???

IIRC, yes...and I submitted "Ohio Puckeyes" as a team name.

Awesome name, though not for an NHL team... "Puckeyes" would work in the CHL, IHL or even the AHL though, very creative.

[Lord Dravan]

While it's fresh in my mind...

Who could forget the New Jersey Nets had "New Jersey Swamp Dragons" trademarked and even had a logo ready to go had the NBA allowed it.

I seem to recall the San Jose Sharks having "Screaming Squids" as their #2 choice

Haven't the Kansas City Chiefs had the name "Kansas City Wolves" registered and ready to go in case the league bans Native American names?

The Nashville Predators had "Fury" and "Ice Tigers" as the other two choices with 'Predators' for the fans to choose.

In San Jose's case the number one name most fans submitted was "Blades" but the Gund brothers felt it had a violent over tone. Much like Abe Polin did when he dropped the name "Bullets" from his NBA team. The Gunds took "Sharks" which were the second choice. Though I did hear that "Screaming Squids" was out there, I didn't know a Squid could scream but hey im no hockey marketing expert lol

[Sport]

I recall that when Columbus was granted an NHL team they went to the league with two name choices. "Blue Jackets" and "Justice". Not a shock that the NHL picked "Blue jackets" not sure why ownership thought "Justice" would have been a good name to market. Did they actually have a name the team contest???

IIRC, yes...and I submitted "Ohio Puckeyes" as a team name.

That was you?! I remember seeing that on a list when they were picking names and I recall making fun of it. There was also "Buckice" and "Mad Cows" on the list. And justice would've been a terrible name, it sounds worse than minor league, like a group of police officers who play in a rec league.

When the franchise that became the Blue Jackets was trying to pick a name, I was (and still am) in favor of them bumping up the Columbus Chill's identity to the big time. The jerseys would have undergone a makeover to get the 90's off of it, but that is a cool (pun intended) identity. Those were some fun ECHL times.