Problem with singular nicknames

[Jungle Jim]

I'm not sure about the rest of the country, but here in the southeast, girls fast-pitch softball teams always seem to have names like Infusion, Adrenaline, Xplosion, etc.

[VancouverFan69]

The Minnesota Wild could do a 180 from having the worst team name in major pro sports to having one of the most creative if they re-branded themselves as the Moose. Moose is plural for the same word. After watching the Halifax Mooseheads win their first Memorial Cup yesterday and wearing the same uniform as the Wild's current home, I strongly feel that this name change would make a lot of sense. For those who may not know, the former Manitoba Moose in the AHL used to be the Minnesota Moose.

With forest green as the primary with bright red as the secondary colour and a similar looking Moose logo like Manitoba's last version, you got an instant winner on and off the ice.

[Discrim]

The inclusion of ___men seems a bit off to me. Sure, men doesn't end in s, but last time I checked, "men" meant "more than one man," and thus was plural. Never heard of the Syracuse Orangemans, did you? And then you got a number of animals for which the singular and plural nouns are one and the same (Moose being the best example). Only singular animal names I can think of off the top that were singular despite the presence of a plural were the Connecticut Whale and the Northern League's old Madison Black Wolf. Speaking of wolves, yes..."Wolf Pack" implies only one such group of wolves. That said, it implies a group of wolves.

[Tynamo]

I still don't know what to call a single player on that team.

[phutmasterflex]

Orlando Magicians

[BrianLion]

Orlando Magicians

I've always said that should've been the team name. That might've also staved off the creation of the horrible "Washington Wizards" moniker as well.

[B-Rich]

In 1971, ... the New York Cosmos (began) -- which despite ending in "s" arguably refers to the singular orderly universe as a whole (a la Carl Sagan) than a plural form of a Greek surname, or an abbreviation for women's magazine or drink that hadn't been invented yet.

No it doesn't. And it doesn't have anything to do with any of those.

It's short for "Cosmopolitans", a play on "Mets" being a shortened form of "Metropolitan".

Good point, Gothamite. Now that you mention it, I recall seeing/hearing that on the ESPN piece on the Cosmos history; can't believe I forgot it.

[BrandMooreArt]

...until you try to call a player by it.

"He's proud to be a Magic? ...a Magician? ...a Magi? Hang on, it'll come to me..."

still not seeing a problem. "i'm proud to be part of the Magic . . ."

[GriffinM6]

I have a fantasy team on this board called the Houston Stronghold. I really love the name I picked for them.

[Foxxtrot44]

...until you try to call a player by it.

"He's proud to be a Magic? ...a Magician? ...a Magi? Hang on, it'll come to me..."

I always assumed this one was similar to the Jazz...where an individual player is a Jazzman (entirely necessary link). Does no one want to be called "Magic Man?"

[ohryan]

...until you try to call a player by it.

"He's proud to be a Magic? ...a Magician? ...a Magi? Hang on, it'll come to me..."

still not seeing a problem. "i'm proud to be part of the Magic . . ."

I agree.

I used to be anti-singular names, but I really do like the name Orlando Magic - as in - you're a part of the magic and not just an individual singular member of the team. I think the Tampa Bay Lightning do an excellent job with this concept. Their slogan is "Be the Thunder" as in a plea to fans to be a part of the experience instead of just spectators. The fans get loud and make the noise (the thunder) which goes hand-in-hand with the players (the lightning) or the show on the ice. Their nickname (the Bolts) can be used if you really need to call out a singular player, but I just don't see a lot of need for that.

[B-Rich]

...until you try to call a player by it.

"He's proud to be a Magic? ...a Magician? ...a Magi? Hang on, it'll come to me..."

I always assumed this one was similar to the Jazz...where an individual player is a Jazzman (entirely necessary link). Does no one want to be called "Magic Man?"

Maybe this guy...

[oldschoolvikings]

Anybody bring up this one yet?

Speaking of, check out this helmet...

[JonBoy]

Isn't lynx also the plural?

[Sport]

Here's one problem with singular names - people don't know what form to use when speaking about the team.

As in, "The Blue Jackets are in 9th place, but the Avalanche is in 15th". I guess that's grammatically correct, but I think of a team, even with a singular name, as a group of people. I'd write that as "the Blue Jackets are in 9th place, but the Avalanche are in 15th".

I don't know.

[PaleVermilion81]

The Minnesota Wild could do a 180 from having the worst team name in major pro sports to having one of the most creative if they re-branded themselves as the Moose. Moose is plural for the same word. After watching the Halifax Mooseheads win their first Memorial Cup yesterday and wearing the same uniform as the Wild's current home, I strongly feel that this name change would make a lot of sense. For those who may not know, the former Manitoba Moose in the AHL used to be the Minnesota Moose.

With forest green as the primary with bright red as the secondary colour and a similar looking Moose logo like Manitoba's last version, you got an instant winner on and off the ice.

So... it'd be the most creative to copy an exact team name that was already used?

[Needschat]

I remember reading somewhere that the justification the owner of the NFL Providence Steam Roller gave in using the singular, instead of Steamrollers. In part, a team is a SINGULAR entity made up of various individuals, with a singular goal. Plurality would mean there were just individuals, with no set goal. Or something like that.

[yh]

Here's the list..

Rush Fire Danger Moose

Rage Frenzy Demolition Lynx

Heat Speed Battle Chill

Spirit Smoke Fusion Inferno

Crush Steam Illusion Pride

Fury Brigade Summit Growl

Force Thunder Spice Whoopee

Rampage Posse Rumble Brass

Avalanche _____men Krunch Frostbite

Mammoth Machine Power Barrage

Sting Freedom Venom Union

Stealth Xtreme or Extreme Safari United

Lightning Revolution Neon Jazz

Voodoo Edge Gold Silver Starzz

Soul Shockwave Quake Sky

Storm Justice Tsunami Wiz

Terror Galaxy Reign Clash

Freeze Surge Ice Burn

Breeze Crude Blast

Riptide Beef Sunfire

Blitz Fever Tempest

Conquest Diesel Sun

Blaze Cavalry Wolfpack

Mutiny Assault Express

You forgot Krunk.

[Gothamite]

...until you try to call a player by it.

"He's proud to be a Magic? ...a Magician? ...a Magi? Hang on, it'll come to me..."

still not seeing a problem. "i'm proud to be part of the Magic . . ."

That's not the same thing.

When they have to talk around the subject, that tells me it's a terrible name.

[Evil G]

Speaking of the Magic, it's weird to be in the same division with a team called the Wizards. Why couldn't they just call that team the Americans or something along those lines.