DawgTalkers.net Forums DawgTalk Tailgate Forum Contemplating New Names for the Cleveland Baseball Team

I am not a fan of changing team names. Even the Redskins. Why? Because perhaps at one time the name was derogatory, But nowadays, when someone uses the term Redskins, the vast majority of people don't think about Native Americans, they think of the Washington Redskins football team.

But times being what they are, I feel that it is inevitable that the Cleveland Indians are going to be changing their name in the next couple of years. So I wanted to discuss some options for new names because I can deal with a new name if it is something cool that I can get behind but if it is something stupid then I'm out.

I am going to make a request hear that I know will fall on deaf ears but can we please, please, please not argue about whether the name should be changed and stick to discussing options for new names? Thanks in advance.


So here are some of my thoughts:


The default that most people fall back to is Spiders. If that becomes our name then I am out.
The name I love is The Cleveland Buckeyes but I don't feel this is a viable option because of tOSU

A name I heard from Dan Labbe on a podcast is Guardians derived from the Guardians on the bridge into Cleveland. I think that could be cool.

Other names I like are:

The Cleveland Cosmos
I would use something like the photo below as the logo - it's a black hole eating a star
https://blogs-images.forbes.com/bridaineparnell/files/2015/11/Black-hole-eating-a-star-1200x675.jpg


The Cleveland Avengers

The Cleveland Vampires
We could get a vicious vampire logo for the hats and uniform then some cute little vampire stuffed toys for the little kids.
I think the idea of instead of bat day at the stadium we would have Vampire Bat Day

The Cleveland Commadores


Here is a video discussing some names. I am posting it because I love the C logo that the guy came up with for the Generals. Though unlike the podcaster I prefer the C and star to be the same color.



Would love to hear what thoughts you guys have about the options I propose and any other ideas that I may not have heard already.

The Tribe. A Tribe can reference any number of peoples. It isn't exclusive to any one group, nor is it offensive.

I am with you, not big on the spiders.

The warthogs is what I would name the Browns if we have to change that name.

If the team name is The Tribe, which it 100% won’t be, then Chief Wahoo can live on. That is not acceptable.

How about the Patriots!

Same Colors, new logo, An F4 fighter.

How about the Nationals!

First off, let me say that I really want the team to remain "The Indians". But as Bob Dylan said, you don't have to be a weather man to know which way the wind's blowing. I will grieve the loss because they were always my team, baseball was my first love when it came to sports, and it remains my favorite of all the sports.

With that said, I most empahatically DO NOT want my team named after an insect that I routinely smash flat when I spot them in my house. I leave them alone outside, but that's not good enough for them. They want my house as well as all of the outdoors.

I posted before that I would support a change to "Cleveland Buckeyes", because they existed here before from 1942-1950 in the American Negro League, and won two league championships in 1945 and 1947. They won the Negro League World Series in 1945. It would also be a fitting tribute to black players who were denied the opportunity to play in the Majors before integration. Yes, I know Buckeyes is an Ohio State thing, but we have Buckeye trees here in Cleveland too. MLB and the NFL shared the same name (Cardinals) in St Louis for a long time. Ditto "The Giants" in NYC.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cleveland_Buckeyes

I also don't hate "Cleveland Coyotes", and I can imagine a fairly cool logo with a howling coyote inside a C-shaped crescent moon. And yes, we have coyotes here in northeast Ohio. They better stay away from my pup when she's out in the yard too, or I'll dispose of them much like any spiders I find in my house.

How about the Cleveland Indians?

Gets harder and harder to think rationally in this crazy period we are going through ! Cleveland Indians it is.

How about the Cleveland Browns?

I was okay with Blue Sox ... gives you red, white and blue in the AL ... it can be called the “blues” which ties in with rock and roll hall of fame

How about the Cleveland Cuyahogas, and have a burning "C" as the logo?

I don't like Patriots but if we came up with a cool name that would let us use an F4 fighter as the logo, that could be pretty awesome

Agreed

Blue Sox or Spiders.

Let the group we honor decide.

It's not that hard.

.

Cleveland Defunct .... because that's what they would probably be to me if they change the name.

As I said, Hate Spiders
Not a fan of Blue Sox - doesn't have a ring to it that the Red Sox and White Sox have. And it comes across as a wannabe nickname. I want us to have our own identity.

I could get behind Blues

Do you mean Native Americans?
If so, then I disagree. If we change the name from Indians to something else than that's there say. At that point they deserve no more input into the new name than you or me.

Anybody have any thoughts about the names I suggested?
Like any of them?
Hate any of them?

Guardians
Cosmos
Avengers
Vampires
Commodores

I've talked a lot about the route FSU has gone with partnering with the Seminoles. I'd like for us to do something similar. Partner up with a local group and chart a path forward.

If that means keeping a similar name to what is currently there, then we do it with blessing and partnership in determining representation together.

If there's no interest, then figure out something that doesn't try to take ownership of something we have no business trying to take ownership of.

I hate the Guardians because it reminds me of the news source.

No offense, but I really ..... detest all of those.

I remember when the Browns were stolen, and the subject of names for a new team came up. Someone suggested "Bulldogs", and I though that might be an OK substitute if we didn't get the Browns name back. I'm not sure it fits a baseball team though.

I was one of the loudest--if not the loudest--voices on here when it came to Chief Wahoo and the Redskins. I thought both were terribly offensive.

I just don't get how the name "Indians" is offensive. It might not be accurate, but the name itself........is not offensive in my opinion.

I think that a lot of well-meaning movements end-up going too far and they only alienate the very folks who support your product.

It's honorable to fight battles that need to be fought. It's wise to choose the right battles to fight.

None taken
I don't love any of them
I am looking for a name that I can get behind
After Buckeyes, I do kinda like the Cleveland Cosmos

Was hoping to get everyone to brainstorm some ideas

I also want a cool logo - hate the block C

I guess I could live with Commodores, but its not something I'm crazy about.

I also wouldn't hate The Cleveland Grays, named after the militia that was formed in 1837 to protect the north coast from invasion from Canada. They fought in the Civil War, The Spanish American War, and WWI before being absorbed into the Ohio National Guard. Grays Armory, which housed them is now a museum and still sits at East 14th and Bolivar downtown.



https://case.edu/ech/articles/c/cleveland-grays

I haven't been a big fan of many of them. I don't mind Spiders since it is an old team name. Barons or Crusaders would fit the same mold (buy clearly different sports).

The one I don't see that I'd like to see is the Moondogs. Could have both the Dawgs and Dogs in the same city, though I see where people wouldn't like that much. It plays on the Rock n Roll history without being obvious (Cleveland Rockers or Cleveland Rocks).

I don't love Grays but I could get behind it with the explanation you gave.

What about the Cleveland Armory or something tangential that comes from an armory. The Cleveland Cannons. I don't really know much about armories.

I kinda like the sound of Moondogs but don't actually know what a moondog is.
I goggled it and get WWE wrestling and pizza

I always loved the name The Cleveland Crusaders
Not sure how I feel about stealing a name from a defunct hockey team though.

I never liked "Crusaders" as a sports team name because it reminds me of the Spanish Inquisition and their abominable treatment of non-Christians.

I like Cleveland Indians, also Cleveland Spiders because of the history.

Maybe it’s already been posted but I’d like to know what the majority of native Americans living in Ohio think about the name ‘Indians’.

The Crusades were a series of religious wars between Christians and Muslims started primarily to secure control of holy sites considered sacred by both groups. I don't believe that they had anything to do with the Spanish Inquisition.

If you don't like the name for what it reminds you of, fine. Just be reminded of the right thing.

I don't know but that is for a different thread. Please re-read the original post - thanks

Cleveland Kracken (because sea monsters, and we get to yell Release The Kracken)

and alternate version to appease the black mob

Cleveland Crackers

Or, Cleveland Salt

Because Cle sports fans are more bitter than any other fan base.
And there are salt mines under the lake.

Or it’s when Christians went hero ball and killed a bunch of Muslims for no reason.

Spiders is cool, and a throwback to the old days.

Buckeyes would be awesome, and also a throwback to the former negro league team that played in cleveland. Obviously selling buckeye merch in cleveland is not going to be a problem

someone mentioned guardians, and I have seen that on twitter. an ode to the statue things at the end of the nearby carnegie bridge. I think that would be pretty cool if done correctly.

I think they will figure it out. The Indians have a great color scheme, and that shouldn't go away. I think the block C is a good logo for their hat, so that eases the burden of having to worry about a new logo for the hat. They can kinda work that in.

I could get into the Kracken. The newest NHL team is the Seattle Keacken

The rest of you post wasn't quoted because it was uncalled for and frankly inappropriate

No worries, I am frequently inappropriate.

Oh, then you might like this suggestion: Lake Erie is full of perch right?

Cleveland Perch... think of all the fun merch you could sell surrounding a fish. On top of that, you could call the mascot "The Big P"