Why Aren't Sports Teams Ever Named After Blacks?

RichardPoe.com ^ | April 19, 2002 | Richard Poe

[Chi-townChief]

I have heard that the University of Chicago nickname, "Maroons", is somehow a reference to blacks.

[Squawk 8888]

IMHO there's no comparison. Brave, Indian and warrior may be offesive to some natives today but they used to connote honour, unlike the N-word which was always derogatory.

[Icthus]

"..The image of a fierce Indian warrior is itself a degrading stereotype.."

What a joke! These people never run out of of feel good causes do they?

[Big Bunyip]

New Zealand's rugby team is the All Blacks. Then there's the Edmonton Oilers and, er, ....

[Chi-townChief]

Aha! I've found the reference:

Maroons: Rebel Slaves in the Americas by Richard Price

The man who was to become the first African-American maroon arrived within a decade of Columbus' landfall on the very first slave ship to reach the Americas. One of the last maroons to escape from slavery was still alive in Cuba only 15 years ago. The English word "maroon" (The authors have chosen to spell "maroon" in lower case when it is used to refer to individuals who escaped from slavery. It is capitalized only when used generically to refer to contemporary peoples or ethnic groups.) derives from Spanish cimarrón -- itself based on an Arawakan (Taino) Indian root. Cimarrón originally referred to domestic cattle that had taken to the hills in Hispaniola, and soon after it was applied to American Indian slaves who had escaped from the Spaniards as well. By the end of the 1530s, the word had taken on strong connotations of being "fierce," "wild" and "unbroken," and was used primarily to refer to African-American runaways.

[Goodness Gracious]

Of course, there are other ethnic specific mascots:

Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Hope College Flying Dutchmen

There are also numerous "Vikings", a couple "Norseman" etc. Notice the European ancestry. More importantly, look at the reputation of these and other mascots of competitive teams: brave, dedicated adversaries.

The only issue I see as potentially offensive is the mascot of the Cleveland Indians, which is a stereotypical and cartoonish portrayal of American Indian physical characteristics.

As for the special rights groups not supporting the cause of mascot names, bear in mind that nearly EVERY special interest groups has a "just us" mentality, which is all too often the opposite of "justice".

[uglybiker]

Does this mean we can look forward to the annual Cryps/Bloods football game?

[gov_bean_ counter]

And I guess the early Creeks and Seminoles just got together every Friday night for bingo.

[Huusker]

The British Collegiate American Football League has the Sheffield Zulus.

The Zulus were/are a noble warrior tribe. They kicked the Brits butts in the Battle of Isandlwana. I'd be proud to play for a team named after them.

[willyone]

Did not Russell Means stand trial for the murder of a couple of FBI agents on a reservation in South Dakota? Also he was in the Last of the Mohicans and was a great actor in it.

[Snuffington]

The Zulus were/are a noble warrior tribe. They kicked the Brits butts in the Battle of Isandlwana. I'd be proud to play for a team named after them.

Nah. Michael Caine kicked their behinds in the movie "Zulu." I want to play for the "Michael Caines."

[gov_bean_ counter]

Why not name a team the "Liberals". That would conjure up images of a cheating, foul mouthed, change the scoreboard while you're not looking, change the rules while you're playing bunch of idiots. Or name a team the "Moderate Republicans". Of course if that team were to live up to its name, they would have to lie down in the first half then change jerseys at half-time and play for the other team.

[go star go]

They are: Dallas Cowboys, New Orleans Saints, Tampa Bay Buchaneers, etc...

[dts32041]

I like that, how about calling a team the jeffers. It doesn't which it belongs to, but loses every time it plays.

[Brett66]

Gotta admit, the Niwot N-ggers has a catchy ring to it.

[dts32041]

that is suppose to read it doesn't know which side it belongs to, but loses every time.

[gitmo]

The British Collegiate American Football League has the Sheffield Zulus.

The Zulus were/are a noble warrior tribe. They kicked the Brits butts in the Battle of Isandlwana. I'd be proud to play for a team named after them.

I would be proud too.

What would be embaressing would be to play for something called "The British Collegiate American Football League". Can't they improve on that name?

[scholar]

"Indians were not war-like until the white man made them so, ...

Mr. Means needs to go back and study a little history--the Anasazi didn't build their dwellings as they did because they liked climbing ladders.