Washington Football Team announces 'Commanders' as its new name

[BumRushDaShow]

Source: Washington Post

Finally, it has a name.

Eighteen months after dropping its longtime nickname, the Redskins, and beginning an extensive search for a new one, Washington’s NFL team revealed Wednesday that it will be the Commanders, a tribute to Washington’s military ties.

The announcement was made live on NBC’s “Today” show and on social media and was scheduled to be followed with a media event at FedEx Field with owners Daniel and Tanya Snyder and team president Jason Wright. The much-anticipated announcement finally closes the team’s 87-year chapter as the Redskins and marks the start of a new era — at least aesthetically, with the hope Commanders both resonates with fans and reflects the makeup of the Washington area, home to the Pentagon and bases for every branch of the military.

“It’s a name befitting a 90-year old franchise,” Wright said on “Today.” “It’s something that broadly resonated with our fans and something that we believe embodies the values of service and leadership that really defines the DMV and this community.”

Read more: https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/02/02/washington-football-team-new-name/

---

Link to tweet

Nicki Jhabvala
@NickiJhabvala
New logos
Image
Image
Image
8:19 AM · Feb 2, 2022

Congrats for doing the right thing.

[IronLionZion]

1. I was thinking Washington Insurrection

But I suppose we could call them the Washington Commies for short

[Wicked Blue]

3. I was just thinking Washington Commies myself

Or how about Washington Comedians?

[Walleye]

4. First thing I thought of. What kind of nickname

[IronLionZion]

6. Decatur Commodores were called the Commies

So I think it could work to troll the conservatives.

[Walleye]

9. I think it's gonna have to be Commies nothing else will work

Can’t call them the Manders

[DownriverDem]

20. Let's go Commies is

all over Facebook now.

[PJMcK]

2. Good for them

Weren't they 7-10 this season?

[BumRushDaShow]

8. Not that far from my poor little Eagles

[Harker]

5. It's a huge improvement, but nearly anything would've been.

Ugly name, though, to me.

[AngryOldDem]

7. Biden's dog can be the mascot.

[Rhiannon12866]

72. That was my first thought, did they choose the name after the president's dog??

[underpants]

10. Commies is already the running joke

About a month ago they released a video of them deliberating - one version didn't blur out a piece of paper with Commanders on it. They also bought the domain name last weekend. Team Snyder 👍

[COL Mustard]

25. The Decatur Commodores embraced it a long time ago

They were proud Commies.

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

[obamanut2012]

11. Love the muted red, the name, the logo

Good job!

[rsdsharp]

57. I don't think they changed the colors. They were burgundy and gold before,

and they still appear to be.

The only color change was an accident. When Vince Lombardi was coach he ordered new jerseys from his brother Harold, who represented a sporting goods company (Harold was gay, BTW). Vince was color blind, and when the jerseys showed up, just before the start of the season, they were closer to red than burgundy. It was too late to reorder, so they repainted the helmets.

[dameatball]

12. Go Commies? Flush em Commodes?

[FSogol]

13. Safe and generic! I look forward to their powerpoint presentations and spread sheets.

[MuseRider]

15. Good for them,

running Commies joke aside, the ball is in your court Chiefs. Every single person I know will not condone the loss of the name and that awful and disgusting tomahawk chop and chant.

[IronLionZion]

16. Kansas City Whites

[MuseRider]

19. That would not work at all!

There is no way that chant and chop will go away in anything shorter than 20 years no matter even if they become the Kansas City Florists. There will always be someone, this is Missouri we are talking about added by some really jerky areas of KCK, keeping this going. Like the antivaxers, they will die by the chant and chop.

[jmowreader]

48. That's been done

The Fighting Whites were an intramural basketball team at the University of Northern Colorado. They weren’t that good at basketball, but their t-shirt sales were high enough to allow them to endow a scholarship.

[IronLionZion]

55. The Peaceful Whites

sort of like New Zealanders or Swiss.

Then there are the Fighting Irish, Celtics, and Canadiens.

The best mascot is Scrotie from the RISD Nads. I suppose beavers exist too.

http://theballreport.com/the-story-of-scrotie-the-college-sports-mascot-who-was-a-dick-and-balls/

[k0rs]

34. The Chefs

Just drop the "i". Given KC's renown for BBQ, it would work. They could substitute toques (chef's hats) for helmets. Gordon Ramsey could be their mascot. "BBQ 'em Chefs!"

[IronLionZion]

46. Their slogan can be Low and Slow

[Shrek]

35. Keep the name, change the logo

[AngryOldDem]

17. Interesting fact...

Washington had an arena football team called the Commandos. Apparently it didn’t do so well. Looks like it disbanded in 1990.

So I really can’t give Washington points for creativity, here.

[COL Mustard]

24. I've lived here since the mid-1980s

I don't remember that. But there are lots of things I don't remember from that period.

[SledDriver]

18. Washington Lobbyists would have been better

[catsudon]

21. i don't like it

if it was other cities , sure... but being associated with 'Washington' it just conjured up an image of colonial power.

[onenote]

60. Question for those who strongly dislike the choice:What would you have chosen?

For the record, I have lived in the DC area pretty much my entire life. I've rooted for the home teams in baseball, football, basketball, hockey, soccer, etc. I also root for the teams that play for the college I attended.

Not once in my life has my decision whether or not to root for a team been based on whether I like the team's name. I know folks in Baltimore that were lifelong Colts fans. Not one of them decided to become Indianapolis fans when the team moved. They became Ravens teams -- not because they loved the name but because its their home team.

And i guarantee this: if by some miracle, the Washington Football Team had made a run deep into the playoffs in 2020 and 2021, the team name would have stayed Washington Football Team.

[catsudon]

73. pigskins would br great

noo text

[NoRethugFriends]

22. Renaming the right thing

The military name and insignias the very wrong thing

[COL Mustard]

23. It's a better name than the old one

But as long as the Snyders are involved, I won't watch, won't attend, and won't buy any team gear.

[BumRushDaShow]

26. Only one that matters in the NFC East is the

[COL Mustard]

31. I have a good friend who would agree with you 100%

However, they can go to the Super Bowl just like the WFT...by buying ticket!

[BumRushDaShow]

32. LOL

[JohnnyRingo]

27. Good. No more tomahawk chops or native costumes in the stands.

Instead they can dress like Admiral Farragut and emulate steering a frigate while yelling toot toot!

No more ridiculous than fictional Indians.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

28. What a bad name

[OneBro]

29. "F*ck it. Let's just go with 'Commanders.'

I have zero emotional investment in the new name, but glad they finally, begrudgingly changed it. I’m guessing there was no focus group and no vetting because the “commando commie” jokes started writing themselves seconds after the announcement.

Think they’ll get Russell Crowe to pose as their mascot?
https://m.

[Slammer]

63. song

Commie Commanders to the tune of Karma Chameleon?

[Paladin]

30. Definite improvement.

But damn near anything would have been.

[LetMyPeopleVote]

33. They named the football team after the president's dog?

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

Link to tweet

[CapnSteve]

37. Yay! the REAL Commander!

Ginger says "hi"

[link://https://drive.google.com/file/d/1ZVSFQtqQTt_Ar2bkC_-sgTR4yXq-x-Qu/view?usp=sharing|

[CapnSteve]

36. Bummer. I was hoping for Washington Red Tails...

...honoring the Tuskegee Airmen. Commanders is weak tea.

Better to be a Red Tail than a Commie!

[LiberalFighter]

38. Was someone on crack?

[doc03]

39. Doesn't suck any worse than the Cleveland Guardians nt

[Sneederbunk]

40. Washington Mule Deer overlooked.

[jgmiller]

41. Another uninspiring choice

Just like the Cleveland Guardians. Actually maybe the Guardians is worse because all I think of is "Guardians Of The Galaxy" when I hear there. If they want to honor Washington (the person) then why not the Generals? If that's too militaristic for them then The Presidents would be better. Commanders sound like something a committee came up with to be as inoffensive as possible.

[BumRushDaShow]

44. Well the "Guardians" were named for the statues that adorn a bridge in Cleveland

(Hope Memorial Bridge) that leads to the stadium.




There is already a "Washington Generals" basketball team that pairs up with the Harlem Globetrotters for their shows -

[BradAllison]

58. There's already a team named the Washington Generals.

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

They lose every game to the Harlem Globetrotters.

[jgmiller]

71. I forgot about them!

[BobTheSubgenius]

42. It took them 18 months to come up with "Commanders?"

How many were on the list that this name was chosen from? 3?

[jmowreader]

50. It probably didn't take that long to pick the name

Designing logos, building a mascot, writing fight songs, creating new cheerleader uniforms and routines, coming up with a new fan response to replace the tomahawk chop, and doing all the other things they needed to do to present a unified image takes a while. AND…they had to wait till the season was over to announce this so the press wouldn’t be calling them the Commanders in Week 8.

[Joe Nation]

43. I am always uncomfortable when sports mixes with either the military or religion

I hate seeing fly-overs, military bands, honor guards, because sports are really just entertainment. When you mix in either the military or religion, you elevate sports in a way that it shouldn't be elevated. It's a game. I think it is a slippery slope in any case.

[SmittyWerben]

45. I honestly liked "The Washington Football Team"

More like a small club team name than a sports franchise I suppose, but, "Commanders" was the best alternative? Sheeesh

[ZonkerHarris]

51. I did too. Had the feel of an English soccer club name

[IronLionZion]

56. We do that for soccer, like DC United, Los Angeles FC, FC Dallas, etc.

But we don't want anything too English for American football or we might have another insurrection at the Capitol

[BradAllison]

59. It was sooooo generic

Along with the "W". Just bad. ?Which they are keeping. Why?

Washington FC would have been okay, but Washington football team sounds like a video game couldn't get the proper licensing.

[IronLionZion]

66. Detroit City Football Club owns that trademark and color scheme

They had to veto several popular choices due to trademarks.

https://www.washingtonpost.com/sports/2022/02/02/washington-commanders-name/

[flying rabbit]

70. That was my pick too.

[StevieM]

76. I think they wanted Red Wolves but it was trademarked.

That would have been a cool name.

[Deep State Witch]

47. Go Commandos!

I mean... Commanders!

I'll probably still call them the WTFs.

[jmowreader]

49. You know what would be fun?

Make “I Am The Very Model of a Modern Major-General” the fight song.

This might be difficult because the song is impossible to sing.

[Retrograde]

52. I was rooting for the Washington Lobbyists

"Commanders" sounds too corporate-y, let's-not-offend-anyone-by-going-for-bland, and just, well, boring.

[ZonkerHarris]

53. The Fightin' Commies! Go Commies!

hahahahahaha

[NurseJackie]

54. It certainly makes sense. It's a safe and conservative choice. I like it just fine. BUT....

... I didn't see anything in the article with regard to what the team mascot will be? Will there be a furry cartoon creature that dances along the sidelines and interacts with the crowd and fans.

[IronLionZion]

62. I like the idea of a nice furry little mascot

like Biden's dog

[BumRushDaShow]

69. Maybe they can borrow one from the Nats

[Slammer]

61. Is it the height of bland or the depths of bland?

Bland uninteresting name and a bland uninteresting logo.

[generalbetrayus]

65. Commanders is a horrible choice.

In the popular book and series streaming on Hulu, "The Handmaid's Tale", the cruel, sociopathic men who rule the Gilead portion of the former United States are called commanders. They are the leaders of the group that fired on the US Capitol and massacred most of the Congress! Holy successful January 6 attack on the US Capitol! The commanders subjugated and dehumanized women. Great choice, Dan Snyder!

[Ameri Canadian]

67. Should've been the Hogs

The connection was already there with the fans. If Cleveland changed its team name (which I am NOT advocating!), the Dawgs would make perfect sense.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

68. When the team owners and players get together, ...

... is it "Masters and Commanders"?

It was an ok set of books, and a so-so movie.

[pfitz59]

74. I'm a retired Commander

Interesting name choice

[greenjar_01]

75. I'm sorry, but Washington Football Team was clever and cheeky and they should have kept it

That said, Washington Commanders is just the kind of brutish and stupid name that NFL fans crave, so probably a wash.