Do Native sports nicknames and mascots offend you ?

Explain why if so ....

People who are offended by them offend me.


I think they just feel guilty about what happened to the Native Americans.




I've always rocked a Chief Wahoo lid, so I've sort of done some research on the whole thing. I find that actual Native Americans are big fans of the Chief. A few times I've worn a new Indians hat and been approached by actual indians wanting to know where they can get one.



This is pretty funny.... http://www.shipbrook.com/jeff/ChiefWahoo/

Not me. I don't see what's offensive about them... but I'm not native, so my opinion doesn't mean much on the subject. You would think the exposure would be welcome though.

I'm a lifelong Indians fan, but I recognize why some of these team names or mascots would be offensive to some people. Some of the early Chief Wahoo logos were in really bad taste, much worse than the current version. The mascot that really stuck out for me was a local college, the Miami University (OH) Redskins. I think they're now the Red Hawks. I had a lot of friends who had graduated from there and refused to even acknowledge how Redskins would be inappropriate. Whether some Native Americans actually like it or not is really irrelevant. I think it boils down to what's appropriate and the right thing to do. To me, Redskins is wrong, while Braves and Indians are much less so.

I lament the overly political correctness of our society today but I can see how that and the Redskins would be offensive. I'm not Native American but my best friend is and he thinks they're pretty offensive. I highly doubt a woman's team called Mami's would be appropriate complete with Mami as their mascot. This is pretty much the same thing.

this issue is very complex. Some team names like the Redskins are a racist term while a team like the Fighting Sioux are definately not.

My grandmother was a full blood Cherokee that was on old speaker (term for someone who grew up in a house that only spoke Cherokee and knew alot of words and terms no longer used in modern Cherokee).

I am 1/4 my mother 1/2 Cherokee. Growing up I lived near Tahlequa, OK the capitol of the Western band of Cherokees that were moved their during the Trail of Tears (death march IMO).

I have my government issued BIA card (Bureau of Indian Affairs) and one issued by the Cherokee nation certifying my degree of indian blood and giving me my voting rights in tribal elections.

The reason I am typing all this is that no other minority in America has to have their degree of blood declared, have to find their names on a tribal roll from the 1800s to qualify to be recognized as a memeber of their own tribe or been relocated and grouped on reservations that to this day are in some of the worst areas in America.

To me if a tribe has an issue with a name of a team and wants it changed to me its the least that can be done. I know that the team in South Dakota had permission to use their name and so does Florida State.

A team name like the Redskins is ridiculousy offensive. A name like the Indians is so vague (no tribe specifically named) I don't see how it could be offensive other than most Native Americans don't call themselves Indians and I think the name Indians was a tribute to a former player.

I think its a case by case issue but to say that some names are not offensive is pretty silly.

kdailey4315 said:

I lament the overly political correctness of our society today but I can see how that and the Redskins would be offensive. I'm not Native American but my best friend is and he thinks they're pretty offensive. I highly doubt a woman's team called Mami's would be appropriate complete with Mami as their mascot. This is pretty much the same thing.

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I agree, I'm weary of PC but this doesnt seem to be a case of that. Imagine if you used other mascots with mention to skin tone...

My only experience is when I was at Florida State. Obviously the relationship between the Tribe and the University is very good and they work with each other to educate people about the history of the Seminole Indians. The only nickname I could ever see deemed offensive is "Redskins" because its a slang term for an Indian, but I myself don't consider it offensive. I could think of a few other similar terms for other ethic groups that would not go over too well with them, think the Movie "Basketball."

morgoth said:

this issue is very complex. Some team names like the Redskins are a racist term while a team like the Fighting Sioux are definately not.

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The issue with the "Fighting" Sioux is that mean of the North Dakota tribes people found it to be racist and stereotype of them. We may call a team the Fighting Aramdillos from Texas State University, but to imply that the team name carries a hostile or abusive moniker is very offensive to Native American heritage.

I don't think you have to be a member of a particular group to be offended at an act of ignorance. When I hear racial language or "humor" thrown around, I get pretty annoyed. Actually it goes beyond being offended. I'm also embarrassed for the imbecile and want to make a point of calling them out.

I think the intent for most of these mascot/nicknames is not to poke fun, but rather latch onto a perceived notion that they're somehow a force to be reckoned with. Personally I don't see much irreverence with Illini, Seminoles, Indians, Chiefs, Braves, etc, but the name Redskins has got to go. Like some of you have pointed out, how well would Brownskins, Blackskins, or Yellowskins go over?

My view on it that most Indian nicknames display bravery and courage which is no different then a Lion, Cougar, or a Tiger. You do not see people protesting the name Red Man Chewing Tobacco. You don't hear of any people protesting the name Hurricanes although it might bring bad feelings towards someone that lives in New Orleans.

The only name that comes close to mocking is Redskins.

Never have been, never will. People who are offended need to lighten up, and most of them are just looking for something to bitch about.

A little known fact about the "Redskins" team name is that it was thought to have been used to honor their coach who was thought to be of Sioux descent. They used to be the Boston Braves, same as the baseball team they shared a field with, and then became the Boston Redskins before they moved to

I can't find it but there was an article about the Chiefs organization giving 20 million over 20 years to native groups. There are three reservations within an hour of KC. If it was meant in a negative manner, "Chiefs" would not be something that would be used here. Redskins wouldn't go over here at all. I also think "Fighting Irish" is something that is negative toward my own people.

Card Magnet said:

Never have been, never will. People who are offended need to lighten up, and most of them are just looking for something to bitch about.

A little known fact about the "Redskins" team name is that it was thought to have been used to honor their coach who was thought to be of Sioux descent. They used to be the Boston Braves, same as the baseball team they shared a field with, and then became the Boston Redskins before they moved to

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Lets say a minor league team was called the North Carolina Moon Crickets. Would you be OK with it? A lot of terms were once acceptable but now are not.

justinmandawg said:

I can't find it but there was an article about the Chiefs organization giving 20 million over 20 years to native groups. There are three reservations within an hour of KC. If it was meant in a negative manner, "Chiefs" would not be something that would be used here. Redskins wouldn't go over here at all. I also think "Fighting Irish" is something that is negative toward my own people.

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Honest question...have you ever met an Irish-American who hated Notre Dame? Or the team name?

I can completely understand "Redskins" being offensive to a lot of people. Just because the name may or may not have been changed to honor a former coach, doesn't make it acceptable for the masses.

Walt Williams nickname while he was on the Maryland team was "Black" because of how dark his complexion was...if he died tragically, would it be acceptable to call the Terrapins the "Blacks" in honor of one player? Just a question.

Team names touch everybody, and therefore can affect everybody...whether valid or not.

I think most if not all teams with Native American names have them out of respect to Native Americans. It's the REASONING that you should find offensive, not the name itself. It's not as though the Redskins were named the Redskins to somehow slight Native Americans... that I know of.

kdailey4315 said:

Card Magnet said:

Never have been, never will. People who are offended need to lighten up, and most of them are just looking for something to bitch about.

A little known fact about the "Redskins" team name is that it was thought to have been used to honor their coach who was thought to be of Sioux descent. They used to be the Boston Braves, same as the baseball team they shared a field with, and then became the Boston Redskins before they moved to

Click to expand...

Lets say a minor league team was called the North Carolina Moon Crickets. Would you be OK with it? A lot of terms were once acceptable but now are not.

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I'm sure a lot of people would scratch their heads like me. I googled "Moon Cricket" to find out what you were talking about, but I have never once heard that expression in my life. Sounds like something Frank Zappa would name a kid.

200lbhockeyplayer said:

justinmandawg said:

I can't find it but there was an article about the Chiefs organization giving 20 million over 20 years to native groups. There are three reservations within an hour of KC. If it was meant in a negative manner, "Chiefs" would not be something that would be used here. Redskins wouldn't go over here at all. I also think "Fighting Irish" is something that is negative toward my own people.

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Honest question...have you ever met an Irish-American who hated Notre Dame? Or the team name?

I can completely understand "Redskins" being offensive to a lot of people. Just because the name may or may not have been changed to honor a former coach, doesn't make it acceptable for the masses.

Walt Williams nickname while he was on the Maryland team was "Black" because of how dark his complexion was...if he died tragically, would it be acceptable to call the Terrapins the "Blacks" in honor of one player? Just a question.

Team names touch everybody, and therefore can affect everybody...whether valid or not.

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Honestly a good number of Irish Americans are drunken fighters. Because some don't get that it's something they/we shouldn't be proud of, doesn't make it acceptable. Yes I do know Irish Americans that hate Notre Dame, they are Protestants (which is around 50% of Irish Americans)

Whether or not a team is named after a guy's nickname, if that nickname is derogatory, probably shouldn't use it.

A nickname between guys on a team that people are bothered by, shouldn't be something used, I don't think.

kdailey4315 said:

Card Magnet said:

Never have been, never will. People who are offended need to lighten up, and most of them are just looking for something to bitch about.

A little known fact about the "Redskins" team name is that it was thought to have been used to honor their coach who was thought to be of Sioux descent. They used to be the Boston Braves, same as the baseball team they shared a field with, and then became the Boston Redskins before they moved to

Click to expand...

Lets say a minor league team was called the North Carolina Moon Crickets. Would you be OK with it? A lot of terms were once acceptable but now are not.

Click to expand...

I would be perfectly fine with it....mainly because I have no clue what a moon cricket is.

Card Magnet said:

kdailey4315 said:

[quote="Card Magnet":1dmcb4ti]Never have been, never will. People who are offended need to lighten up, and most of them are just looking for something to bitch about.

A little known fact about the "Redskins" team name is that it was thought to have been used to honor their coach who was thought to be of Sioux descent. They used to be the Boston Braves, same as the baseball team they shared a field with, and then became the Boston Redskins before they moved to

Click to expand...

Lets say a minor league team was called the North Carolina Moon Crickets. Would you be OK with it? A lot of terms were once acceptable but now are not.

Click to expand...

I would be perfectly fine with it....mainly because I have no clue what a moon cricket is.[/quote:1dmcb4ti]

OK then, switch Redskins with any racist term for any other race. Are you OK with it?