The Minneapolis Star-Tribune does not refer to sports team names which is feels are denegrating to (i.e., derived from) Native Americans. Thus, for example, the Washington Redskins are never called the Redskins, only Washington.
It took a note to the paper’s ombusdman to let them know it was okay to refer to the Cincinnati “Reds” (since that’s actually is short for “Red Stockings,” which was their name when founded in 1869).
Frankly, I’ve never really understood the problem here. While there may have been some cases (and probably still are) where team mascots are more a target of lampooning than inspiration, it seems clear that most sports teams who use such names (such as the Indians and the Redskins) do so as a reference to the strength and bravery of Native Americans. Similarly, the Vikings (the Star-Tribune’s home team) and the Cowboys and the Celtics and the Fighting Irish and the (Trolley) Dodgers and the Trojans and the Yankees and the Angels draw on similiar symbolism (and even where there was once an ethnic tie present to these names, it’s largely long gone). Nobody from the Scandinavian, Western, Irish, Brooklyn or Turkish/Greek or Northeastern or Celestial communities seems to mind the nomenclature. Nor has even PETA been offended (as far as I know) by teams naming themselves after Lions, Bears, Rams, Broncos, etc.
I tend to be rather thick-skinned about these things, I suppose, but the Star-Trib‘s stand just seems silly.
Now, refusing to call the new Mile High Stadium “Invesco Field” — there’s something I can stand behind.
(Via OpinionJournal)