Change was needed
Giaquinto, Sagnella agree NFL nickname needed to go
Nick Giaquinto won Super Bowl XVII with the Washington Redskins in 1983, but he no longer has the jersey he wore that day. The former running back gifted that to his nephew. Many other keepsakes have remained in his grasp through the years, including his championship ring, game programs and newspaper clippings, as well as his Super Bowl XVIII uniform.
All of those possessions are proud reminders of his past.
But Giaquinto, who was raised in Stratford, attended UConn and spent four seasons in the NFL with Miami and Washington , understands why the imagery on some of those items must change.
Washington announced Monday that it will be retiring its nickname and logo after 87 years, amid corporate and public pressure over the name’s racial connotations.
“I think it’s about time,” said Giaquinto, who’s now
65 and living in Milford. “I see it as a derogatory term. It doesn’t take anything away from the history of what the organization has accomplished over the years.”
Owner Daniel Snyder for years had resisted changing the name despite complaints that it was offensive to Native Americans. But the growing focus on race relations across the United States, prompted by the death of George Floyd on May 25, brought renewed focus to the issue. Soon, sponsors such as FedEx, Nike, Pepsi and Bank of America all pushed for change.
On July 3, Synder said the franchise would undergo a “thorough review” of the name.
“I think anything that’s a caricature is not appropriate,” Giaquinto said. “I think it’s a good place to start.”
Giaquinto said he didn’t think much of the name during his playing days, echoing the feelings of North Haven High football coach Anthony Sagnella, who was a replacement player for Washington during the 1987 strike.
“When you look at the name, it’s an offensive name to a whole group of people. I support (the change) and understand it,” Sagnella said. “I think as an individual I personally never really looked at the name; it was more the organization, the city, the coaching staff, you know what I mean? Like most people, I was kind of desensitized to the name.
“Change is hard for a lot of people, but it’s something that needs to be done. I don’t think it’ll change the loyalty to the team. It’s still in Washington. That’s what people ultimately identify with.”
Washington has won three Super Bowls, most recently in 1991.
Giaquinto, who retired from the NFL in 1983, said the team’s rich past won’t be erased simply because of a new name.
“It’s the same organization,” he said. “It’s not like it’s new ownership or a new organization, it’s the same. I think that the history is tremendous. They want to maintain that history.”
While the franchise has yet to release its new name, it plans to keep its color scheme of burgundy and gold, according to multiple reports. ESPN said there are no plans to use Native American imagery in the new logo.
Rochelle Ripley, a Native American activist from Glastonbury, welcomed the news.
“We hope they’ll pick something that makes them feel brave and courageous and that people will cheer for it and, at the same time, won’t make Native American people feel put down by what they’re doing,” Ripley said.
Ripley, who is of Lakota descent, has raised $18.5 million in goods and services for the Cheyenne River Sioux Tribe in South Dakota over the last 20 years, fulfilling a promise made to her late grandmother.
“Our skin isn’t red. It’s a coppery color,” Ripley said. “The typical argument I get is, ‘Well we’re just honoring you.’ Thank you very much, but we’re not honored by what you’re doing.’ When we tell you it’s not an honor, it’s an insult, you need to respect that. Notre Dame does not use Jesus as their mascot, it’s a Catholic university. They don’t put the cross as a symbol on their logo because it would be disrespectful.”