Redskins Yes or no

[Thomasrickj]

I was born in DC and grew up as a fan of this team. If it's considered a racial slur, then I'm all for the name change. It really doesn't matter to me, but if it matters to other people, and they think it's offensive, then fine. It doesn't change my life.

At the end of the day it won't matter. As long as Dan Snyder is the owner I'll find myself cheering for them a little bit less every single year until I eventually stop caring since he's completely ruined the franchise with his piss-poor product he's put on the field. Snyder gets over-involved in everything, yet he doesn't seem to understand the sport and players enough and isn't qualified to make the big time decisions (and he hires his moron buddy Bruce Allen, who is the worst GM I've ever seen). RGIII was Snyder's golden child, but after that leg injury against the Seahawks in the playoffs, he never recovered and just wasn't the same anymore. Since RGIII was his golden child, he screwed up big time by never giving Cousins a full chance (Cousins was drafted same year, just 4th or 5th round instead). Cousins ended up putting together solid stats and was a pretty decent QB. By franchising him on consecutive years, making it obvious Snyder had no intention of signing him long term, that became the last time I really cared about the team. Is Kirk the best QB in the league? Of course not, but he's a good enough QB that you can build around to win (look at the Vikings). They were 8th of 32 in points for this past season and made the playoffs.

Now Haskins is supposed to be the answer? I just don't see it with him. While he's only been in the league for one year, he just doesn't seem like NFL star quality to me. At least there's Chase Young to look forward to, but that's about it.

This team hasn't mattered in 25 years, so of course Snyder isn't fighting it anymore since nobody buys apparel of a team that stinks (if this team wasn't garbage then maybe Nike and FedEx wouldn't be backing out now, which I think, is why Snyder is finally throwing in the towel and changing the team name.

 

[jbindm]

The DC Swamp Dogs
Washington War Hawks
The DC Battalion

 

[SpokaneCY]

what does everyone think

We on CF should have an approved list of team names.

Puppies.
Kittens.
Ponies.
Clouds.
Happys.
Inclusives.
Non-threatenings.
Sunshines.

And every 10 years a panel should reconvene to assess if "Kittens" becomes triggering then we do this idiocy all over again until sports, sports teams, sports legacies and histories are all but eliminated.

 

[brett108]

I wonder if those bent out of shape by the prospect of a name change are also bothered by the changes in uniforms that seem to occur with increasing frequency.

This has been my issue with the JP era and one thing I envy Hawk fans for. We have rebranded the team about 4 times since I came through the university in 2001-05 and I have a massive supply of merch that is no longer up to date. The Hawks on the other hand still just have the ugly Tiger Hawk. I hope CMC and continued football success will stop this, but I'm not holding my breath.

 

[harimad]

@jdoggivjc is 100% right. If they don’t become the Sentinels I’m going to be disappointed.

 

[Cyclonepride]

If this guy isn't going to be the mascot, then I'm offended.

 

[Cyched]

Beavers

 

[20eyes]

There has been a lot of noise around Red Wolves (or Redwolves) for the new team name. I really like this option because the Red Wolf is a real animal (unlike something like the Jayhawk), they are indigenous to the DC area, they can easily keep the red/yellow color scheme, and there are no canine mascots in the NFL.

Otherwise there is a push for Red Tails or Red Hawks as an homage to the Tuskegee airmen.

The most recent round of expansion, Panthers & Jaguars, seems to suggest that Red Wolves would be a logical choice.

Does Cleveland sell merch with bulldog imagery? Technically you're right but iirc Cleveland fans call them the Dawgs (meaning bulldogs)?

 

[BMWallace]

The most recent round of expansion, Panthers & Jaguars, seems to suggest that Red Wolves would be a logical choice.

Does Cleveland sell merch with bulldog imagery? Technically you're right but iirc Cleveland fans call them the Dawgs (meaning bulldogs)?

Oh yeah, I forgot about the whole Dawg pound thing. But can you really blame me for forgetting about Cleveland?

 

[RotatingColumn]

I think it should be changed. It should also end there, but it won't.

The Chiefs might as well change it now and get it over with. There's no sense in being called racist for a few years before changing it, just do it now.

 

[Dandy]

Washington doing this to save corporate sponsors? Change the name to Apples.

Washington Apples.

Apple logo on the helmet.

Dollar dollar bills.

 

[NetflixAndClone]

They should change their name to the redskin potatoes.

 

[jdoggivjc]

I believe it's been said they want to keep the same color scheme.

Failure for not knowing who the Washington Sentinels are.

 

[Dandy]

Failure for not knowing who the Washington Sentinels are.

Don't you dare question my knowledge of The Replacements.

 

[cydsho]

Keep it. But change another team in the NFC East to the Palefaces.

 

[Showtimeljs]

I think it should be changed. It should also end there, but it won't.

The Chiefs might as well change it now and get it over with. There's no sense in being called racist for a few years before changing it, just do it now.

Chiefs might be pressured enough to at some point to change...but lets be real, the redskins is a way more racist name. Where are the teams called the "whiteskins" or "blackskins"? Those names are cringe worthy and redskins is as well. The redskins should've changed 20+ years ago.

 

[jdoggivjc]

Keep it. But change another team in the NFC East to the Palefaces.

I officially nominate the Cowboys.

 

[WooBadger18]

If redskins is gone, I want the fighting Irish gone.

This is such a stupid argument that needs to die.

Good point on Irish. The name "Irish" doesn't have to be something bad but "Fighting" is a stereotype. What's missing from the Redskins comparison is an ethnic group that faces significant discrimination from our present day culture.

If a team were called Micks or Guineas and Irish and Italians were presently still facing rampant discrimination in this country it would be a parallel situation to Redskins. The Redskins name is just that obviously bad in terms of needing to go, there's not really any other team where it's so clear.

I wasn't aware of Fighting Sioux, it does seem identical to Fighting Illini.

I don't think the bolded is necessarily all that important. It doesn't help, but it's not the biggest problem. The problem is the team/organization is not Native American. There are American colleges and universities. Let's say one of them used the nickname. In that case, that team should be allowed to use "redskins" because they are Native Americans themselves.

The reason that current discrimination shouldn't be the primary driver in this is that if that the discrimination issue went away tomorrow, your logic would suggest that Washington should keep the name because discrimination is no longer an issue. But I don't think either of us would support that.

It's the same thing with Notre Dame. They have a strong connection with irish catholics in the United States. So it's ok for them to call themselves that (see, also, the Pella Dutch). However, it would be a different story if it was the Harvard University Fighting Irish and their mascot and team traditions involved a lot of Irish stereotypes. In that case, I would want Harvard to change their name even though te Irish no longer face discrimination in the United States

 

[isufbcurt]

Won't last. Marquette was the Warriors and had to change to Golden Eagles. I say go with Sharks....how can you be offended by a shark?

Which is dumb because Warrior doesn't necessarily mean Native American.

 

[RotatingColumn]

Chiefs might be pressured enough to at some point to change...but lets be real, the redskins is a way more racist name. Where are the teams called the "whiteskins" or "blackskins"? Those names are cringe worthy and redskins is as well. The redskins should've changed 20+ years ago.

Absolutely, Redskins is very insulting and should be gone.

A flattering name (in my opinion) is the Braves. But that name too will have to go and I doubt it will be Native Americans demanding it.

I just wish there was a way to do away with the obvious racist stuff without snowballing into "everything is racist" mode.