Worst Team Names (2 Viewers)

[Fred Lane]

Maple Leafs.

 

[Ilov80s]

Maple Leafs.

In a vacuum, it is a stupid name. However, I think it falls in with names like the Red Sox and Packers where it has become bigger than the actual meaning of the words.

 

[bicycle_seat_sniffer]

the red wings were originally called the cougars

the pistons started in ft. wayne indiana, so that name wasnt even a detroit name to begin with, but it fit

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

Any team that changes cities yet keeps the name despite it being geographically/culturally related.

Utah Jazz, LA Lakers, LA Dodgers, etc

 

[Ilov80s]

the red wings were originally called the cougars

the pistons started in ft. wayne indiana, so that name wasnt even a detroit name to begin with, but it fit

Both were changes for the better.

 

[Apes with Guns]

Redskins

it's not a bad name, but many find it offensive.

 

[Mr. Know-It-All]

Local high school: Benson Bunnies (not overly intimidating) and Papillion Monarchs (a freaking butterfly)

 

[tikigods]

Redskins

it's not a bad name, but many find it offensive.

If people find the Redskins offensive then I expect similar outrage over the name for the State of Oklahoma.

Oklahoma means, in Choctaw, okla and humma or red people.

I'll hang up and listen.

 

[Officer Pete Malloy]

Papillion Monarchs (a freaking butterfly)

The Butterfly Butterflies?

 

[squistion]

Redskins

it's not a bad name, but many find it offensive.

If people find the Redskins offensive then I expect similar outrage over the name for the State of Oklahoma.

Oklahoma means, in Choctaw, okla and humma or red people.

I'll hang up and listen.

Indeed there is no worse insult to a Native American than to be called a "Oklahoman" - practically the equivalent of the N word.

 

[Insein]

The obvious choice is the Pelicans but has anyone ever really thought about the Nashville Predators? It always makes me think of having Nashville hosting "To Catch a Predator Night" where a bunch of half naked men show up with small amounts of alcohol walk into the arena to be greeted by Chris Hansen.

Utah Jazz is horrible, maybe the worst.

But Pelicans is not that bad. Hornets was worse IMO. We don't have hornets in New Orleans any more than Utah is known for jazz.

Why are there Cavaliers in Cleveland?

Why are there Lakers in Los Angeles?

Toronto Raptors??? Why are there Raptors in TO again?

Cincinatti Bengals? Bengals, not Tigers mind you, no - Bengals.

Buffalo Bills - this would be better if Buffalo was in the west, but they're not, and there's not even a logo or even any kind of image or anything like that of Buffalo Bill associated with the team. What's on the helmet? Why it's a bison. They should have called the team the Buffalo Bisons.

I always thought the Kissimee Astros was always either the worst or the best.

For most of these, blame relocation. It used to be Minnesota Lakers, New Orleans Jazz and Charlotte Hornets (which the Bobcats are going to go back to which is why the Pelicans started this year).The Raptors were the NBAs attempt to capitalize on Jurassic Park popularity by naming their next franchise after them.

Cavaliers is simple alliteration I guess. Its Cleveland so who cares.

And what's wrong with the Bengals? That's actually a decent name.

 

[Insein]

I always thought the Stanford Cardinal was dumb as hell. Why is it singular instead of plural CardinalS? Typical Stanford pretentious crap.

Their nickname is a color as opposed to the type of bird like the MLB and NFL teams that are nicknamed Cardinals.

then its even dumber.

Cleveland Browns? Cincinnati Reds? You can't pluralize a color!

Browns were named after Paul Brown the owner.

 

[squistion]

I always thought the Stanford Cardinal was dumb as hell. Why is it singular instead of plural CardinalS? Typical Stanford pretentious crap.

Their nickname is a color as opposed to the type of bird like the MLB and NFL teams that are nicknamed Cardinals.

then its even dumber.

Cleveland Browns? Cincinnati Reds? You can't pluralize a color!

Browns were named after Paul Brown the owner.

In Christo's defense, as an attorney, he is in a profession that does not involve paying attention to details.

 

[tikigods]

I always thought the Stanford Cardinal was dumb as hell. Why is it singular instead of plural CardinalS? Typical Stanford pretentious crap.

Their nickname is a color as opposed to the type of bird like the MLB and NFL teams that are nicknamed Cardinals.

then its even dumber.

Cleveland Browns? Cincinnati Reds? You can't pluralize a color!

Browns were named after Paul Brown the owner.

The Browns play more like Cleveland Steamers

 

[Insein]

I always thought the Stanford Cardinal was dumb as hell. Why is it singular instead of plural CardinalS? Typical Stanford pretentious crap.

Their nickname is a color as opposed to the type of bird like the MLB and NFL teams that are nicknamed Cardinals.

then its even dumber.

Cleveland Browns? Cincinnati Reds? You can't pluralize a color!

Browns were named after Paul Brown the owner.

The Browns play more like Cleveland Steamers

Then Browns is appropriate no?

 

[SlaX]

The obvious choice is the Pelicans but has anyone ever really thought about the Nashville Predators? It always makes me think of having Nashville hosting "To Catch a Predator Night" where a bunch of half naked men show up with small amounts of alcohol walk into the arena to be greeted by Chris Hansen.

Utah Jazz is horrible, maybe the worst.

But Pelicans is not that bad. Hornets was worse IMO. We don't have hornets in New Orleans any more than Utah is known for jazz.

Why are there Cavaliers in Cleveland?

Why are there Lakers in Los Angeles?

Toronto Raptors??? Why are there Raptors in TO again?

Cincinatti Bengals? Bengals, not Tigers mind you, no - Bengals.

Buffalo Bills - this would be better if Buffalo was in the west, but they're not, and there's not even a logo or even any kind of image or anything like that of Buffalo Bill associated with the team. What's on the helmet? Why it's a bison. They should have called the team the Buffalo Bisons.

I always thought the Kissimee Astros was always either the worst or the best.

For the record, the name doesn't originate from having insects in Charlotte either. The name came from Charlotte's opposition against the British in the Revolutionary War. British commander, Lord Cornwallis referred to the city as "a veritable nest of hornets."

 

[Mjolnirs]

For the record, the name doesn't originate from having insects in Charlotte either. The name came from Charlotte's opposition against the British in the Revolutionary War. British commander, Lord Cornwallis referred to the city as "a veritable nest of hornets."

I did not know that

 

[bentley]

Redskins

it's not a bad name, but many find it offensive.

If people find the Redskins offensive then I expect similar outrage over the name for the State of Oklahoma. Oklahoma means, in Choctaw, okla and humma or red people.

I'll hang up and listen.

Indeed there is no worse insult to a Native American than to be called a "Oklahoman" - practically the equivalent of the N word.

There's pretty much no insult worse to anyone than being known as an Oklahoman.

As far as high schools go, the Muleshoe Battlin' Billies have to be pretty high up there. The town is pretty close to the previously-mentioned Hereford (actually true).

 

[Doctor Detroit]

The obvious choice is the Pelicans but has anyone ever really thought about the Nashville Predators? It always makes me think of having Nashville hosting "To Catch a Predator Night" where a bunch of half naked men show up with small amounts of alcohol walk into the arena to be greeted by Chris Hansen.

Utah Jazz is horrible, maybe the worst.

But Pelicans is not that bad. Hornets was worse IMO. We don't have hornets in New Orleans any more than Utah is known for jazz.

Why are there Cavaliers in Cleveland?

Why are there Lakers in Los Angeles?

Toronto Raptors??? Why are there Raptors in TO again?

Cincinatti Bengals? Bengals, not Tigers mind you, no - Bengals.

Buffalo Bills - this would be better if Buffalo was in the west, but they're not, and there's not even a logo or even any kind of image or anything like that of Buffalo Bill associated with the team. What's on the helmet? Why it's a bison. They should have called the team the Buffalo Bisons.

I always thought the Kissimee Astros was always either the worst or the best.

Jazz moved from New Orleans, Lakers from Minnesota, a bengal is a type of tiger, and the Buffalo Bisons are the AAA baseball team in town.

 

[Ballstein]

Knickerbocker's?....gimee a break

 

[tikigods]

Knickerbocker's?....gimee a break

Dutch settlers of New York. I'm guessing that is why there is orange in their team colors

 

[Christo]

Redskins

it's not a bad name, but many find it offensive.

If people find the Redskins offensive then I expect similar outrage over the name for the State of Oklahoma.

Oklahoma means, in Choctaw, okla and humma or red people.

I'll hang up and listen.

 

[Christo]

I always thought the Stanford Cardinal was dumb as hell. Why is it singular instead of plural CardinalS? Typical Stanford pretentious crap.

Their nickname is a color as opposed to the type of bird like the MLB and NFL teams that are nicknamed Cardinals.

then its even dumber.

Cleveland Browns? Cincinnati Reds? You can't pluralize a color!

Browns were named after Paul Brown the owner.

In Christo's defense, as an attorney, he is in a profession that does not involve paying attention to details.

 

[Insomniac]

Presbyterian College Blue Hose

 

[fantasycurse42]

Has anyone mentioned the "Rainbow Warriors"?

 

[tikigods]

Has anyone mentioned the "Rainbow Warriors"?

Hawaii or Greenpeace

 

[Leroy Hoard]

has anyone ever really thought about the Nashville Predators? It always makes me think of having Nashville hosting "To Catch a Predator Night" where a bunch of half naked men show up with small amounts of alcohol walk into the arena to be greeted by Chris Hansen.

lol

 

[Leroy Hoard]

I found the Pekin Chinks a little offensive.

I've loved that one long time.

 

[SaintsInDome2006]

The obvious choice is the Pelicans but has anyone ever really thought about the Nashville Predators? It always makes me think of having Nashville hosting "To Catch a Predator Night" where a bunch of half naked men show up with small amounts of alcohol walk into the arena to be greeted by Chris Hansen.

Utah Jazz is horrible, maybe the worst.

But Pelicans is not that bad. Hornets was worse IMO. We don't have hornets in New Orleans any more than Utah is known for jazz.

Why are there Cavaliers in Cleveland?

Why are there Lakers in Los Angeles?

Toronto Raptors??? Why are there Raptors in TO again?

Cincinatti Bengals? Bengals, not Tigers mind you, no - Bengals.

Buffalo Bills - this would be better if Buffalo was in the west, but they're not, and there's not even a logo or even any kind of image or anything like that of Buffalo Bill associated with the team. What's on the helmet? Why it's a bison. They should have called the team the Buffalo Bisons.

I always thought the Kissimee Astros was always either the worst or the best.

Jazz moved from New Orleans, Lakers from Minnesota, a bengal is a type of tiger, and the Buffalo Bisons are the AAA baseball team in town.

Wow, Doc, really? Yeah I know the history, it's just ridiculously incongruous for their cities (though the Lakers have so much tradition now it's ridiculous, but the name is still an absurdly bad fit for L.A., and the Jazz is terrible for SLC though they've been there a while now too.).

About the Bisons, perfect example - several NFL teams, the Cardinals and Giants come to mind, were named after what were originally the main pro teams in their cities, baseball teams. The Bisons baseball club had an old tradition when the Bills were founded, but they still would have been minor league then. I think Bisons would have been perfect, and again Buffalo Bill to this day has no association with the franchise's branding or the city. They have a buffalo/bison on the side of the helmet, that's the team logo, not some legendary cowboy from the west.

ETA: Though after a little research I uncovered this:

http://billsportsmaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/buffalo-bisons-1946uniforms_buffalo-bills-1949uniforms_aafc_buffalo-bills-1949-logo-buffalo-bill-cody-with-helmet-and-football-uniform-riding-a-buffalo_d.gif

So they were originally the Bisons in the AAFC, then for some reason changed their name to the Bills.... and they did have a Buffalo Bill western guy on their logo, but that was a different franchise but still there is history there from the original pro football team. The difference is the AAFC team tied it in with their logo but the AFL team did not... but retained the name. I still think it's nonsensical.

 

[Leroy Hoard]

I always thought the Kissimee Astros was always either the worst or the best.

 

[pollardsvision]

You guys have no taste. Most of the team names mentioned in here are fantastic.

 

[tikigods]

You guys have no taste. Most of the team names mentioned in here are fantastic.

Pelicans? I'd rather have a team named the Pecans.

 

[Fariq]

The obvious choice is the Pelicans but has anyone ever really thought about the Nashville Predators? It always makes me think of having Nashville hosting "To Catch a Predator Night" where a bunch of half naked men show up with small amounts of alcohol walk into the arena to be greeted by Chris Hansen.

Utah Jazz is horrible, maybe the worst.

But Pelicans is not that bad. Hornets was worse IMO. We don't have hornets in New Orleans any more than Utah is known for jazz.

Why are there Cavaliers in Cleveland?

Why are there Lakers in Los Angeles?

Toronto Raptors??? Why are there Raptors in TO again?

Cincinatti Bengals? Bengals, not Tigers mind you, no - Bengals.

Buffalo Bills - this would be better if Buffalo was in the west, but they're not, and there's not even a logo or even any kind of image or anything like that of Buffalo Bill associated with the team. What's on the helmet? Why it's a bison. They should have called the team the Buffalo Bisons.

I always thought the Kissimee Astros was always either the worst or the best.

Jazz moved from New Orleans, Lakers from Minnesota, a bengal is a type of tiger, and the Buffalo Bisons are the AAA baseball team in town.

Wow, Doc, really? Yeah I know the history, it's just ridiculously incongruous for their cities (though the Lakers have so much tradition now it's ridiculous, but the name is still an absurdly bad fit for L.A., and the Jazz is terrible for SLC though they've been there a while now too.).

About the Bisons, perfect example - several NFL teams, the Cardinals and Giants come to mind, were named after what were originally the main pro teams in their cities, baseball teams. The Bisons baseball club had an old tradition when the Bills were founded, but they still would have been minor league then. I think Bisons would have been perfect, and again Buffalo Bill to this day has no association with the franchise's branding or the city. They have a buffalo/bison on the side of the helmet, that's the team logo, not some legendary cowboy from the west.

ETA: Though after a little research I uncovered this:

http://billsportsmaps.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/10/buffalo-bisons-1946uniforms_buffalo-bills-1949uniforms_aafc_buffalo-bills-1949-logo-buffalo-bill-cody-with-helmet-and-football-uniform-riding-a-buffalo_d.gif

So they were originally the Bisons in the AAFC, then for some reason changed their name to the Bills.... and they did have a Buffalo Bill western guy on their logo, but that was a different franchise but still there is history there from the original pro football team. The difference is the AAFC team tied it in with their logo but the AFL team did not... but retained the name. I still think it's nonsensical.

The football Cardinals were not named after the baseball team in their city. First of all, there was never a Cardinals baseball team in Chicago to my knowledge. Second, the football Cardinals were so named due to their uniform color. They borrowed uniforms from the University of Chicago. At least this is the way I understand it.

 

[Ballstein]

You guys have no taste. Most of the team names mentioned in here are fantastic.

Pelicans? I'd rather have a team named the Pecans.

I like it, but I would rather the New Orleans swamp dawgs

 

[Shatner!]

My high school team was the Rabbits. Nothing spells ferocious like a little fuzzy bunny rabbit. We did change after a school merger to the most boring widely used name in sports...the Wildcats.

 

[ClownCausedChaos2]

I went to a Cathlic elementary school. For years, the school mascst was the Black Knights and the colors were black and gold. After an old nun became principal, she determined that to be too violent for a Catholic elementary school. She changed the mascot to the Blue Doves, and the colors to sky blue and white.

 

[Tom Servo]

I went to a Cathlic elementary school. For years, the school mascst was the Black Knights and the colors were black and gold. After an old nun became principal, she determined that to be too violent for a Catholic elementary school. She changed the mascot to the Blue Doves, and the colors to sky blue and white.

Oof.

 

[tikigods]

You guys have no taste. Most of the team names mentioned in here are fantastic.

Pelicans? I'd rather have a team named the Pecans.

I like it, but I would rather the New Orleans swamp dawgs

Not bad. If I got to name a team from the bayou, I'd probably call them the New Orleans Cross-Eyed Cousins.

 

[dancer]

My high school team was the Rabbits. Nothing spells ferocious like a little fuzzy bunny rabbit. We did change after a school merger to the most boring widely used name in sports...the Wildcats.

At least a rabbit is fast. My high school team was the Peglegs.

 

[Mr. Ected]

My high school team was the Rabbits. Nothing spells ferocious like a little fuzzy bunny rabbit. We did change after a school merger to the most boring widely used name in sports...the Wildcats.

At least a rabbit is fast. My high school team was the Peglegs.

My HS team in MA was the Hingham Harbormen and Harborwomen.

 

[Christo]

My high school team was the Rabbits. Nothing spells ferocious like a little fuzzy bunny rabbit. We did change after a school merger to the most boring widely used name in sports...the Wildcats.

At least a rabbit is fast. My high school team was the Peglegs.

My HS team in MA was the Hingham Harbormen and Harborwomen.

Okay, we're starting to touch on a pet peeve of mine at HS level. Say a school's mascot is the Eagles. The boys' teams are the Eagles. But the girls' teams are the Lady Eagles. WTF is it with that? Eagles are both male and female. Why not call the boys' team the Gentlemen Eagles? Because it's stupid, that's why. If the girls wear jerseys with Eagles you don't need to call them Lady Eagles. We can see that they are girls!

 

[FUBAR]

You guys have no taste. Most of the team names mentioned in here are fantastic.

Pelicans? I'd rather have a team named the Pecans.

I like it, but I would rather the New Orleans swamp dawgs

Our local minor league hockey team is the FireAntz. aside from the z, it's very fitting. Those things are vicious.

 

[Mr. Ected]

My high school team was the Rabbits. Nothing spells ferocious like a little fuzzy bunny rabbit. We did change after a school merger to the most boring widely used name in sports...the Wildcats.

At least a rabbit is fast. My high school team was the Peglegs.

My HS team in MA was the Hingham Harbormen and Harborwomen.

Okay, we're starting to touch on a pet peeve of mine at HS level. Say a school's mascot is the Eagles. The boys' teams are the Eagles. But the girls' teams are the Lady Eagles. WTF is it with that? Eagles are both male and female. Why not call the boys' team the Gentlemen Eagles? Because it's stupid, that's why. If the girls wear jerseys with Eagles you don't need to call them Lady Eagles. We can see that they are girls!

You're right when you have a generic name like "Eagles" what do you do when a name is gender-specific?

 

[GoFishTN]

My high school team was the Rabbits. Nothing spells ferocious like a little fuzzy bunny rabbit. We did change after a school merger to the most boring widely used name in sports...the Wildcats.

At least a rabbit is fast. My high school team was the Peglegs.

My HS team in MA was the Hingham Harbormen and Harborwomen.

Okay, we're starting to touch on a pet peeve of mine at HS level. Say a school's mascot is the Eagles. The boys' teams are the Eagles. But the girls' teams are the Lady Eagles. WTF is it with that? Eagles are both male and female. Why not call the boys' team the Gentlemen Eagles? Because it's stupid, that's why. If the girls wear jerseys with Eagles you don't need to call them Lady Eagles. We can see that they are girls!

So it's easy to differentiate who you're talking about?

 

[El Floppo]

My high school team was the Rabbits. Nothing spells ferocious like a little fuzzy bunny rabbit. We did change after a school merger to the most boring widely used name in sports...the Wildcats.

At least a rabbit is fast. My high school team was the Peglegs.

My HS team in MA was the Hingham Harbormen and Harborwomen.

My HS was the Indians... which got changed to the Red-Tailed Hawks a couple of years after I graduated. Go Red-Tailed Hawks!

 

[Mr. Retukes]

Redskins

it's not a bad name, but many find it offensive.

If people find the Redskins offensive then I expect similar outrage over the name for the State of Oklahoma.

Oklahoma means, in Choctaw, okla and humma or red people.

I'll hang up and listen.

There is a difference between "negro" and the N-word.

 

[Christo]

Redskins

it's not a bad name, but many find it offensive.

If people find the Redskins offensive then I expect similar outrage over the name for the State of Oklahoma.

Oklahoma means, in Choctaw, okla and humma or red people.

I'll hang up and listen.

There is a difference between "negro" and the N-word.

And the fact that Oklahoma is the word the Choctaws actually used to call Indians and that a Choctaw was the one who suggested using the name for the territory. To the Choctaw, State of Oklahoma means State of Indians.

 

[Godsbrother]

Redskins

it's not a bad name, but many find it offensive.

How?

 

[Tom Servo]

Redskins

it's not a bad name, but many find it offensive.

How?

Read any article on the subject at Deadspin. They've beat the subject to death, revived it and beat it to death again.

 

[Christo]

Redskins

it's not a bad name, but many find it offensive.

How?

Read any article on the subject at Deadspin. They've beat the subject to death, revived it and beat it to death again.

:whoosh: