OT: Native American advocacy group threatens boycott if Washington does NOT change name back to Redskins

[18IsTheMan]

They threaten a Bud Light style boycott. As a disinterested 3rd party, as I was with Bud Light, I'd love to see it happen. I have no position on the issue, but the Bud Light thing has been fascinating to watch. Would be interesting to see it happen to a pro team.

Extremely doubtful the NFL would let it happen.

Native American group threatens Washington Commanders with boycott over name change - Washington Examiner

A Native American group has threatened to boycott the Washington Commanders football team if the team does not revert to its older title, the Redskins. The group, Native American Guardians Association, has asked the team to change its name back to the Redskins in a letter dated Monday. The team...

www.washingtonexaminer.com

 

[ToddFlanders]

Let’s be honest, Americans have never quite cared much what Native Americans think.

But I’ll die on this hill: they should be the Washington Football Team and not have a mascot (unless one comes up organically down the road - like “Hogs”).

Teams don’t need a mascot. And they just end up being generic anyway. Like the Panthers and Jaguars when they came on the scene. Clearly the market said “big cats” and bright colors like teal and electric blue were hot.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Let’s be honest, Americans have never quite cared much what Native Americans think.

But I’ll die on this hill: they should be the Washington Football Team and not have a mascot (unless one comes up organically down the road - like “Hogs”).

Teams don’t need a mascot. And they just end up being generic anyway. Like the Panthers and Jaguars when they came on the scene. Clearly the market said “big cats” and bright colors like teal and electric blue were hot.

I have no dog in the fight, but it's always seemed to me that it's mostly been people who are offended on behalf of Native Americans and not so much Native Americans who are offended. It doesn't seem to me that most Native Americans give a flip.

 

[Deleted11512]

Let’s be honest, Americans have never quite cared much what Native Americans think.

But I’ll die on this hill: they should be the Washington Football Team and not have a mascot (unless one comes up organically down the road - like “Hogs”).

Teams don’t need a mascot. And they just end up being generic anyway. Like the Panthers and Jaguars when they came on the scene. Clearly the market said “big cats” and bright colors like teal and electric blue were hot.

I believe most, if not all, of the Native American mascots were created with the intent to honor NA culture. When the Redskins name was created, it was to honor not only NAs in general, but their HC and 4 players were NA. It's not like all these teams said "hey, we should troll the F out of NAs and give our teams NA names."

They should have never changed it to begin with. You cannot make everyone happy. Now bc a different NA group wants to change it back are they going to pander to them? Do their wishes not matter as much as the other NA group?

I love the Braves. Love going to games. But games at Truist just aren't the same. The chop is dying, and that's just sad to me. I just can't wrap my head around the sterilization of culture and history that is going on. Instead of using the team and platform to educate folks on the NA culture and history, we're just wiping it away. How is that any better? Hell, change the name to rednecks. I'm good with it!

 

[Deleted11512]

I have no dog in the fight, but it's always seemed to me that it's mostly been people who are offended on behalf of Native Americans and not so much Native Americans who are offended. It doesn't seem to me that most Native Americans give a flip.

Yep. That's the problem. People that don't have a dog in the fight convincing people they should be offended....then taking "donations" for the cause.

 

[Stardust710]

Let’s be honest, Americans have never quite cared much what Native Americans think.

But I’ll die on this hill: they should be the Washington Football Team and not have a mascot (unless one comes up organically down the road - like “Hogs”).

Teams don’t need a mascot. And they just end up being generic anyway. Like the Panthers and Jaguars when they came on the scene. Clearly the market said “big cats” and bright colors like teal and electric blue were hot.

Your first point is what I was thinking. No one care about what they think. It will be reverse racism that's allowable.

 

[Prestonyte]

They threaten a Bud Light style boycott. As a disinterested 3rd party, as I was with Bud Light, I'd love to see it happen. I have no position on the issue, but the Bud Light thing has been fascinating to watch. Would be interesting to see it happen to a pro team.

Extremely doubtful the NFL would let it happen.

Native American group threatens Washington Commanders with boycott over name change - Washington Examiner

A Native American group has threatened to boycott the Washington Commanders football team if the team does not revert to its older title, the Redskins. The group, Native American Guardians Association, has asked the team to change its name back to the Redskins in a letter dated Monday. The team...

www.washingtonexaminer.com

Don't you love it when things don't go quite the way they were supposed to? Surprise!

 

[ToddFlanders]

I believe most, if not all, of the Native American mascots were created with the intent to honor NA culture. When the Redskins name was created, it was to honor not only NAs in general, but their HC and 4 players were NA. It's not like all these teams said "hey, we should troll the F out of NAs and give our teams NA names."

They should have never changed it to begin with. You cannot make everyone happy. Now bc a different NA group wants to change it back are they going to pander to them? Do their wishes not matter as much as the other NA group?

I love the Braves. Love going to games. But games at Truist just aren't the same. The chop is dying, and that's just sad to me. I just can't wrap my head around the sterilization of culture and history that is going on. Instead of using the team and platform to educate folks on the NA culture and history, we're just wiping it away. How is that any better? Hell, change the name to rednecks. I'm good with it!

I think it's very probable that you're correct - that the names and imagery were never meant to demean or dishonor. That said, not everything holds up. I think you could even go back forty years to the 80's, and if the Redskins name and logo never existed, if a person that suggested it for a professional football team they would probably be laughed out of the room (and then let go). Same for the Indians logo, etc. It seems it was all grandfathered in as acceptable because of tradition. But tradition for tradition's sake is pointless. Traditions are traditions because they have value that transcends the eras. But sometimes their value doesn't hold up.

Mascots are silly and for children. The Washington Football Team is strong!

 

[18IsTheMan]

The TV show community was ahead of its time when the community college in the show endeavored to come up with a mascot that would be totally unoffensive to anyone. They landed on the Greendale Human Beings.

 

[Irvin Snibbley]

I have no dog in the fight, but it's always seemed to me that it's mostly been people who are offended on behalf of Native Americans and not so much Native Americans who are offended. It doesn't seem to me that most Native Americans give a flip.

It's the same with the oil pipelines and oil wells on Tribal Lands.The do gooders from out of state come in and raise enough hell on behalf of the local tribes that the project is stopped...No one bothers to ask the local tribe what they think...They lose a major source of revenue but the outsider agiators don't care.They just pat themselves on the back for saving the tribe and go on back home.

 

[SCExpat38]

Mascots are silly and for children.

Just curious, does that apply for you to Gamecock as well?

 

[Bubba Fett]

Never happen. There are 6 billion reasons why it won't.

 

[18IsTheMan]

It's funny, living in the DC area, EVERYONE still calls the team the Redskins, and probably always will. Aside from those in the media who have to comply, I don't hear a single person call them the Commanders. I've chatted with folks wearing a Commanders shirt/hat/jersey and they still call the team the Redskins.

It's anecdotal, but it's been reported that the new owners also refer to the team as the Redskins around the offices.

 

[ToddFlanders]

Just curious, does that apply for you to Gamecock as well?

Of course. Those kids playing football for USC aren’t actually Gamecocks, they’re people. They’re USC students, not birds. If mascots never existed, it wouldn’t take away from the game whatsoever (outside of novelty shirts using “Cocks” in various ways).

But, if mascots are truly meant to unite a fanbase, and be something they can rally around, then something organic is the only thing that really makes sense. Something organic, like with the Gamecocks, at least has a real tie to the team and school based on circumstances. But now we’ve just decided everyone needs a nickname - so we’ll get a top marketing firm to come up with something iconic that will unite the fanbase (something that’s impossible).

 

[Stardust710]

Of course. Those kids playing football for USC aren’t actually Gamecocks, they’re people. They’re USC students, not birds. If mascots never existed, it wouldn’t take away from the game whatsoever (outside of novelty shirts using “Cocks” in various ways).

But, if mascots are truly meant to unite a fanbase, and be something they can rally around, then something organic is the only thing that really makes sense. Something organic, like with the Gamecocks, at least has a real tie to the team and school based on circumstances. But now we’ve just decided everyone needs a nickname - so we’ll get a top marketing firm to come up with something iconic that will unite the fanbase (something that’s impossible).

emotions can go either way on this one, but Uniting a fan behind a mascot is impossible?
An example is ohio. A name could be their mascot. When someone screams out "O.H" there is some jackoff screaming back "I.O". Lords knows I heard it enough.

 

[18IsTheMan]

Just curious, does that apply for you to Gamecock as well?

Many college mascots are unique compared to pro mascots because college mascots in many cases actually have some kind of tie to the location and/or history of the team in question or the mascot/nickname arose organically and was eventually adopted by the program.

Obviously, any native South Carolinian immediately understands the relevance historically of our Gamecock mascot and nickname. It appeals to an identity as a South Carolinian. Countless other college mascots/nicknames fall into the same category.

The fact that pro sports teams have meaningless nicknames/mascots speaks only to their soulless reason for existence. Houston Oilers was a cool nickname and had a meaningful association. Tennessee Titans is generic and meaningless.

 

[Prestonyte]

Let AI do its thing and see what you get.
Nothing will make everybody happy.
Personally, I like Redskins

 

[Gradstudent]

Hard for me not to say Washington Redskins after all those years, when referring to them, I always mess it up.

I do the same with the Chargers. I still always say San Diego Chargers.

 

[Stardust710]

Hard for me not to say Washington Redskins after all those years, when referring to them, I always mess it up.

I do the same with the Chargers. I still always say San Diego Chargers.

What are they now? When did they change?

 

[CockofEarle…]

Let’s be honest, Americans have never quite cared much what Native Americans think.

But I’ll die on this hill: they should be the Washington Football Team and not have a mascot (unless one comes up organically down the road - like “Hogs”).

Teams don’t need a mascot. And they just end up being generic anyway. Like the Panthers and Jaguars when they came on the scene. Clearly the market said “big cats” and bright colors like teal and electric blue were hot.

Flanders, I’ve got u covered.

Washington will contribute a sum of wampum to the Pamunkey’s & in turn they will release the hostage name. Furthermore as a sign of good faith Bill & Mary shall be freed too.
It’s a win win for everyone.