Washington nickname, like Houston’s, could be game-changing
The Washington Football Team has narrowed its list of possible new nicknames. The franchise is working toward three finalists, according to team president Jason Wright.
Among the monikers still on the table are Armada, Presidents, Brigade, RedHogs, Commanders, RedWolves, Defenders, and the current stand-in, “Washington Football Team.”
This could be a crucial decision.
What’s in a name? That which we call a rose, or a Texan, by any other name would still stink and not have made it to a conference championship game or Super Bowl 20 years into its existence. Or would it?
Back in October 1999, the hottest topic in Houston was the world’s impending doom from Y2K. Second on the list was what Bob McNair would name Houston’s new NFL franchise.
The list of finalists: Apollos, Bobcats, Stallions, Texans and Wildcatters.
One of those names stands out as the worst team in the NFL right now. The others sound like they could have been all right.
Surely that is familiarity bias.
Back when I believe stamps were involved — I’m a youngster, you know — the Chronicle’s “Letters to the Editor” provided outstanding content for the paper. For your reference, online comments are to “Letters to the Editor” what saccharin is to sugar.
On Oct. 10, two months before the world was set to end, the Chronicle printed some of our readers’ thoughts on the naming of Houston’s team. Back then, your friends and neighbors had to put their name on their takes.
In hindsight, one wonders whether the Texans by any other name would have enjoyed more success on the field.
Yes, seems ridiculous that a team name would have any effect on wins and losses, but Stephanie Tobor thought the best name for the team was the Eclipse.
Can you imagine a team named the Eclipse winning a Super Bowl?
No team without an “S” at the end has ever won a Super Bowl.
OK, no NFL team in the Super Bowl era has had a name without an “S” at the end, but zero times zero equals zero. This is irrefutable logic and math, people.
Diane Craig suggested Houston’s team be named the Lone Stars.
A team named after a cheap beer wins it all? Not likely.
Kevin Bilberry wanted to maintain the oil theme and suggested the Drillers. Seriously, Kevin? The Drillers?
Those of you who believe the Texans are cursed might subscribe to the thought they were doomed when they elected not to follow the space-based standard of Astros, Rockets and Comets.
Make that the Space City’s championship-winning Astros, Rockets and Comets.
Robert Haynes (Galaxy), Jimmie Fredericks (Challengers) and C. L. Tortorelli (Explorers) all kept that in mind with their preferences.
Instead, we have the championship-free Texans.
Carol Monthy leaned toward Calvary with a team color of red. Bless her heart, that had no chance.
Steve R. Benavides was all in on Bobcats as a tribute to McNair. Columnist Kevin Sherrington of the Dallas Morning News thought that was comical.
“Bobcats? Hey, Bob, why not Bobtails? Bobolinks?” he wrote. “Guess Bobwhites was politically incorrect?”
Yeah, Liberty White Day with the Bobwhites might have been a bit of an issue.
FYI: The Texans’ Liberty White color is a nod to Liberty, the family dog when McNair was awarded the franchise.
When a vote to build the Arizona Cardinals a new stadium in Phoenix failed, McNair wanted to buy that team and move it here. That perennially poorly run franchise has been to the playoffs fewer times than the Texans have since Houston rejoined the NFL in 2002. Still, the Cardinals have played in a Super Bowl and two conference championships in that time.
Cardinals would have been a bad Houston team but not a bad Houston team name.
At one point, the Roustabouts was being considered. Terri Malone was not having it.
“I was shocked to hear the list of names to pick from — especially the Roustabouts,” she wrote. “How degrading can this name be? The definition of this is an unskilled laborer and/or a circus worker. You might as well call them the ‘clowns.’ ”
Um, that’s exactly what many are calling the Texans now.
The best take on the name issues came from Jim Belaskie of Missouri City. He was so right, and he said it beautifully:
“Imagine this … At the entrances to our fantastic new ‘glass palace’ football stadium, eight-foot, superhuman-sized sculptures. Toward the north, Bruce Matthews and Mike Munchak in a 3-point stance, side by side.
“Toward the east, Elvin Bethea about to sack an opposing QB, cowering and bracing for impact.
“Toward the south, Warren Moon, football ready to throw, pointing out at some unseen receiver.
“Toward the west, the main entrance, Earl Campbell, shoulders lowered, football in hand, ready to break through, and off to the side, Bum Phillips, cowboy hat on, urging Earl on…
“The Oilers are ours; we want them back. We had 38 years of tradition, and Texas never forgets tradition. Bud Adams was not the Houston Oilers; the players and coaches were.”
Imagine … statues of great Oilers outside Oilers Stadium.
Instead, we got some bulls.
If you see Jim Belaskie somewhere, buy him a beverage of his choice and send me the bill.
He was so right.