Jump to content

New name for Charlotte?


Conrad.

Recommended Posts

In fairness, the scientific name of a Bobcat is lynx rufus. So it's actually kind of clever for an institution of higher learning to use it. I'm assuming this is more a "Blind, Possibly Racist, Squirrel Finds Nut" situation with the Billcats.

In other words, the Charlotte Bobcats are not only named after an unpopular owner, but after Minnesota's even more irrelevant WNBA team?

That settles it. The name's gotta go. :P

CCSLC signature.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 252
  • Created
  • Last Reply

I'll see you "Reds" and "Blues" (and man, no way would those lame names be acceptible for a professional American team) and raise you "Cottagers", "Gunners", "Spurs", "Magpies" and "Hammers". Solid team nicknames, all.

There's a team called the Cottagers in England? If "cottaging" means what I think it does, that's unfortunate.

It does mean that. Didn't when the team was founded, but times change...

Here in the UK, even teams that are simply ______ United (or similar) often have official or unofficial nicknames - eg Manchester City, "The Citizens".

Here's a good page on the subject: List of football club nicknames

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I disagree with the franchise, not the city, keeping the name. That's just my own personal opinion though. For me sports are so much more than a simple business.

As a fan in the new city, it would be sort of like your new wife keeping the last name of her famous ex-husband. Every time you hear her last name, you are reminded that you were not her first husband. Sure, she could do that but why not give the relationship a fresh, new start?

So you're comparing a sports team to a loved one? Weak dude, weak.

You're obviously are not as big a sports fan as most then. Many a marriage has ended over a husband caring more for his team than his wife (sad but true). People love their teams, that's what makes millionaires out of players and owners alike and keeps this board going.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I disagree with the franchise, not the city, keeping the name. That's just my own personal opinion though. For me sports are so much more than a simple business.

As a fan in the new city, it would be sort of like your new wife keeping the last name of her famous ex-husband. Every time you hear her last name, you are reminded that you were not her first husband. Sure, she could do that but why not give the relationship a fresh, new start?

So you're comparing a sports team to a loved one? Weak dude, weak.

You're obviously are not as big a sports fan as most then. Many a marriage has ended over a husband caring more for his team than his wife (sad but true). People love their teams, that's what makes millionaires out of players and owners alike and keeps this board going.

:rolleyes:

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I disagree with the franchise, not the city, keeping the name. That's just my own personal opinion though. For me sports are so much more than a simple business.

As a fan in the new city, it would be sort of like your new wife keeping the last name of her famous ex-husband. Every time you hear her last name, you are reminded that you were not her first husband. Sure, she could do that but why not give the relationship a fresh, new start?

So you're comparing a sports team to a loved one? Weak dude, weak.

You're obviously are not as big a sports fan as most then. Many a marriage has ended over a husband caring more for his team than his wife (sad but true). People love their teams, that's what makes millionaires out of players and owners alike and keeps this board going.

Many a marriage has also ended over affairs, shopping sprees, and general incompatibility as well. If something as relatively meaningless as the fortunes of your sports team were going to break up the marriage, it was doomed anyway.

/No, I would not compare the Rams to a lover. At all. Maybe the hot crazy b!tch everyone ends up dating for about 2 weeks, only to realize that she's a yandere in training and that you need to get out and change your identity, but certainly not a lover.

//This had a point, I swear. It just kind of vanished midway through.

On 8/1/2010 at 4:01 PM, winters in buffalo said:
You manage to balance agitation with just enough salient points to keep things interesting. Kind of a low-rent DG_Now.
On 1/2/2011 at 9:07 PM, Sodboy13 said:
Today, we are all otaku.

"The city of Peoria was once the site of the largest distillery in the world and later became the site for mass production of penicillin. So it is safe to assume that present-day Peorians are descended from syphilitic boozehounds."-Stephen Colbert

POTD: February 15, 2010, June 20, 2010

The Glorious Bloom State Penguins (NCFAF) 2014: 2-9, 2015: 7-5 (L Pineapple Bowl), 2016: 1-0 (NCFAB) 2014-15: 10-8, 2015-16: 14-5 (SMC Champs, L 1st Round February Frenzy)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Generic sounding or not (and it really doesn't sound that bad to me), Bobcats is a hell of a lot better then Airmen, Flight, or Dragons. Cougars sounds alright, but really, do you actually want to homage a failed ABA team?

O/T. The Cougars' failure was more a function of the "regional franchise" concept proving ultimately unworkable (the team split its home dates between Greensboro, Raleigh, and Charlotte) and the Carolinas lacking the population and money at that time to support a major league team. That, combined with the fact that St. Louis was thought to be a more attractive market to the NBA in the event of a merger, led to the team moving.

Also, ABA retromania kind of works as a marketing tool.

On 8/1/2010 at 4:01 PM, winters in buffalo said:
You manage to balance agitation with just enough salient points to keep things interesting. Kind of a low-rent DG_Now.
On 1/2/2011 at 9:07 PM, Sodboy13 said:
Today, we are all otaku.

"The city of Peoria was once the site of the largest distillery in the world and later became the site for mass production of penicillin. So it is safe to assume that present-day Peorians are descended from syphilitic boozehounds."-Stephen Colbert

POTD: February 15, 2010, June 20, 2010

The Glorious Bloom State Penguins (NCFAF) 2014: 2-9, 2015: 7-5 (L Pineapple Bowl), 2016: 1-0 (NCFAB) 2014-15: 10-8, 2015-16: 14-5 (SMC Champs, L 1st Round February Frenzy)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

LOL!

six pages in and I've yet to see one single valid argument that supports the fact that the BOBCATS name is anywhere close to being respectable and remotely acceptable as a professional sports franchise name.

seriously, maybe its just me...but its a $h!tty name no matter how much people try to say otherwise. They should take this time to change it ASAP in my opinion because its forgettable at best.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's one: It ends with an "S"... that makes it more respecable than many in my book.

I never played against a junior high or high school with the name Bobcats.

Wildcats, Warriors, Eagles, Panthers, Blue Devils, Raiders, Falcons, Hawks? Yes.

I don't think "generic" is a valid argument against Bobcats. If no other pro (or even major/BCS college) team has it, that's original enough for me. I can't think of one other than the ex-AFL Florida Bobcats. EDIT: And Ohio U. (Just came back to add that.)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Here's one: It ends with an "S"... that makes it more respecable than many in my book.

I never played against a junior high or high school with the name Bobcats. Wildcats, Warriors, Eagles, Panthers, Blue Devils, Raiders? Yes.

I don't think "generic" is a valid argument against Bobcats. If no other pro (or even major/BCS college) team has it, that's original enough for me. I can't think of one other than the ex-AFL Florida Bobcats.

Ohio University (the one in the MAC, with no "The" or "State" in their name) uses the Bobcats nickname.

CCSLC signature.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Maybe it's more of a regional thing then. But when you look at a bobcat it just seems like a mascot that would more likely be adopted by a youth team than a team of grown-ass men. Just my opinion though.

Another possible reason that I just don't like the name:

I've always thought that nicknames that have modifiers are just bush league. Mud Cats. Sea Wolves. Ice Hogs. Ice Cats. River Rats. I totally get that the actual creature is called a bobcat, and that it's not bob cat, but it just feels like the others to me. Same with wildcats.

"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."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

six pages in and I've yet to see one single valid argument that supports the fact that the BOBCATS name is anywhere close to being respectable and remotely acceptable as a professional sports franchise name.

The prevalence of the bobcat in the hills and mountains of North Carolina makes it just as valid as naming a Phoenix-based team after diamondbacks.

♫ oh yeah, board goes on, long after the thrill of postin' is gone ♫

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Also, I think the "they don't need three names in a decade" argument is valid.

At most they could pull a Devil Rays -- Charlotte Cats ('cats?). That should satisfy those that don't like Bob.

And because it's the NBA -- home of primary logos that are officially secondaries -- they wouldn't officially change anything. Just all references, maybe put Charlotte on all unis like the old days (and $1 fines for saying Bob).

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I look at it like this: provided Jordan brings in the right people to actually build and maintain a consistent contender, or at least a respectable team (provided he even does), then in a few years, the nickname may become less of a point of contention and people will be more focused on the team on the floor rather than the names stitched across their chests.

I can remember when the Jacksonville Jaguars were still new and many people had issues with that nickname as well (maybe not nationally, but definitely down in North Florida at that time); two to three years later and the team damn near ended up in the Super Bowl--against its expansion kin (that'd have been one for the ages), and was able, for a short time anyway, to maintain a level of respectability. Even more recently, just go back to last year, when most of us wasted no opportunity ridiculing the Oklahoma City Thunder's moniker. Well, look what's done happened with that squad--they've become pretty darn good out there in flyover land and are challenging in the West. Now who's talking about/mocking their nickname around here? Not many--because they're paying attention to the team on the floor, not the nickname on their (home jersey) chests.

So yeah, if this team can get to a level where they can contend, or at least be respectable, I think the babble over the nickname may very well die down with them, as well. (And, for the record, even knowing the true reason behind the nickname, in and of itself I don't mind it at all, to be honest.)

*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

I still mock the Thunder name - I don't care how many games they win. It's just that everything that could be said has been said, so ain't nobody sayin' nothin' no more. I thought that Jaguars was a little silly back then, mostly because of the cheesy alliteration, but they knocked it out of the park with their identity, and looked like a serious legit team. The same cannot be said about the Thunder, and it's at least arguable about the B-Cats (I don't think that their logo / unis are very good, but I also don't think that they're as horrible as most on here do.) Also, my dislike of the name has nothing to do with its origin - I think stories like that are pretty cool actually.

"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."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I would agree that having a strong visual identity can do wonders for a name. In my professional opinion the mistake so many new teams make is that they look more like what was cool when they were brought into existence than going with a less showy but longer lasting brand.

The Bobcats, Thunder, etc. etc. would all benefit from toning it down a bit, and coming up with a solid design built on good design principles that will stand the test of time.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Isn't Charlotte considered "Flair Country"? Howabout the Charlotte Naturals? Their warmups could be done to resemble one of Flair's robes, and everyone on the team would have to bleach their hair.

"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."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I still mock the Thunder name - I don't care how many games they win. It's just that everything that could be said has been said, so ain't nobody sayin' nothin' no more. I thought that Jaguars was a little silly back then, mostly because of the cheesy alliteration, but they knocked it out of the park with their identity, and looked like a serious legit team. The same cannot be said about the Thunder, and it's at least arguable about the B-Cats (I don't think that their logo / unis are very good, but I also don't think that they're as horrible as most on here do.) Also, my dislike of the name has nothing to do with its origin - I think stories like that are pretty cool actually.

I also hate the Thunder name, but for another reason. I really do not like teams whose name is in a singular tense...Thunder, Wild, Lightning, Lynx, Storm, United, etc. For some reason, it never sounds appropriate as a team name to me without the plurality of an "s" on the end.

87Redskins.png
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Isn't Charlotte considered "Flair Country"? Howabout the Charlotte Naturals? Their warmups could be done to resemble one of Flair's robes, and everyone on the team would have to bleach their hair.

After every 3 pointer, the crowd could WOOOOOO the team

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Archived

This topic is now archived and is closed to further replies.




×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.