Washington Name Search Excessive Or Sensible?

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July 30, 2021

by David Earl

Apparent Sensible Approach

The poll had a fairly small sample size, but there is a common sentiment in the results, which is that fans don’t want the team to rush into a terrible decision, as some feel Cleveland did last week. After declaring in December, 2020 they were retiring the Indians name, Cleveland quickly transitioned to the Guardians. While the negative responses have poured in, primarily from outsiders, the organization at least made the decision to stick to the city’s roots.

As the Guardians are rooted deep within the city’s history, this swift change not only made some sense but allowed the team to move on from any further controversy, thus finally closing the door on continued scrutiny. Whether it’s a change you agree with, their process was handled in a professional manner some feel Washington should have taken, although that wasn’t the most popular opinion.

One remark on this process is is that it “should be well thought out”, which is understandable considering the legacy behind the team name. The Redskins name, before the racist narrative began, was a recognition of an iconic history layered in generations of pride and honor throughout this fan base. While it will always be contested otherwise in this new politically correct culture, “Redskins” carried a certain level of pride and honor throughout the Native American community, especially with a logo carefully designed under tribal supervision. A history of Vince Lombardi (however short), George Allen and the over-the-hill-gang, Riggins historic Super Bowl XVII 43 yard TD run, Joe Gibbs, the Hogs, Doug Williams’ improbable Super Bowl MVP, and so much more made a Redskins organization a beacon of NFL pride. It’s these storylines that created the generational attachment within the families who rightfully appreciate the methodical approach to this name change  many other fans will hate, with a few probably leavung altogether. That having been said, the most common sentiment is, “just trust in the process” and allow the organization, now run by professional adults, to make the necessary changes at the right time. That seemed to be a common sentiment in the poll comments.

When Sensible Becomes Frustrating

I  believe that the comment above encompasses almost everyone’s annoyances and frustrations in this process by this organization. Yes, it’s accurate to speak highly of the new front office and the “Adults” now in charge, but that doesn’t mean they are not beyond reproach. Some local and national media alike have ridiculed this organization’s renaming process, to include our own Steve Thomas in the Season Begins episode of our weekly podcast. While the sentiment about carefully making the right decision and direction in this rebranding process is accurate, the strain such a long methodical process takes becomes very apparent. A perfect example is how this fan base has debated over names like Redwolves and Warriors – there have been many examples of tense feuds between fans resembling the Kirk vs RG3 factions years ago.

I completely understand this comment especially after our iconic Redskins name being stripped away, but this current path (taking us well into the 2022 season) is also just entirely too excessive. While the process is a delicate one, there are certain elements of this that should have been stricken immediately. For example, if a name leans in any possible direction of Native American imagery like Warriors, don’t allow a hardcore fan base like this to a debate over these names for over a year. The debate alone over Redwolves, Wolves, Warriors, and so on illustrates the importance of why practicality is an absolute necessity. Then there’s the leaked list of names, the insinuation of possibly keeping “Football Team” or switching to “Football Club”, and so on (which Cleveland smartly never did) which is just lighting a fire when it’s just not necessary. Before I hear, “well, they are just fishing for feedback,” it’s not a direction to take after a long year adjustment to this current change that hit us all so swiftly. In my opinion, the common sense approach says that a fan base generation after generation cheering for one of the most iconic organizations in the NFL does not want to be toyed and played with to this extent.

Final Thoughts

Personally, I believe this organization started on the right course of action by not immediately committing to a new name. While the fan involvement was certainly a nice and important gesture, it was simply fishing for information and doesn’t need repeating a year later. They could have reduced a lot of the fan frustration and national ridicule by making early decisions, such as eliminating names with potential Native American imagery immediately. This just gives a sense of disorganization and, to some, incompetence which Ron Rivera has worked tirelessly to change. By no means am I saying Cleveland was perfect in any way but they at least were quick in commitment and took swift action without allowing the frustrating drama that ensued in our fan base.