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When a team moves ... and the nickname becomes ironic

Dan S
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I suspect there is a whole generation of fans that fail to appreciate some team names. These two have always seemed particularly humorous to me:

LA Lakers: who moved from Minneapolis (in the land of 1,000 lakes) to arid SoCal
Utah Jazz: who moved from New Orleans (the anything-goes birthplace of jazz), to the most stereotypically stodgy state

Any others stand out to you?
 
time flies
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Baltimore Colts to Indianapolis. Like a thief in the night. (the owner that is)


have fun
kfw

edit...maybe it's the other way around?
 
JwRosenthal
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LA Dodgers came from trolley dodgers in Brooklyn.

Indianapolis Colts: comes from Baltimore and the horse culture being a Triple Crown state.
 
JwRosenthal
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time flies time flies
Baltimore Colts to Indianapolis. Like a thief in the night. (the owner that is)


have fun
kfw

edit...maybe it's the other way around?
Beat me to it
 
Duracuir1
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No Grizzlies in Memphis. Probably not many in Vancouver either, but they are closer.

And one that actually worked out…
5B0B2E38-BC3F-42C1-83BC-073353673915.jpeg
became…
D74DF816-D017-4407-8B67-B77C30D6BB5D.jpeg
 
Spruce
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Dan S Dan S
I suspect there is a whole generation of fans that fail to appreciate some team names. These two have always seemed particularly humorous to me:

LA Lakers: who moved from Minneapolis (in the land of 1,000 lakes) to arid SoCal
Utah Jazz: who moved from New Orleans (the anything-goes birthplace of jazz), to the most stereotypically stodgy state

Any others stand out to you?

Which state is stereotypically stodgy?
 
Dan S
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Arizona Cardinals: Originally from the mid-west (Chicago then St. Louis), where the bird is commonly found.
 
JwRosenthal
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Spruce Spruce
Which state is stereotypically stodgy?
Lol- I could see the move from New Orleans to Kansas City as an appropriate move for a team called Jazz, but not familiar with a bustling bop movement in Salt Lake
 
JwRosenthal
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Dan S Dan S
You know ... in a good way.
Lol, this is like when people say “you know who I’m talking about…those people”….um, which people do you mean? Please say it louder for all the hear.
 
mydeafcat
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I’ve never seen a Golden seal. Or royalty from Ohio.

The Oaklands Seals—->California Golden Seals—->Cleveland Barons—(merged with)-North Stars -->Dallas Stars (see @Duracuir1, above).

116A5C1D-F48C-47B7-893F-081BF9F867E4.jpeg 133FA725-1884-4435-80CA-D9B710BEA876.jpeg
 
F034E875-8BBF-4E3A-A046-7A0A3AC31634.jpeg C3094FE0-F149-42EF-AFA3-D0D2C4C5CC26.jpeg
Dan S
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mydeafcat mydeafcat
The Oaklands Seals—->California Golden Seals—->Cleveland Barons—(merged with)-North Stars -->Dallas Stars (see @Duracuir1, above).

116A5C1D-F48C-47B7-893F-081BF9F867E4.jpeg 133FA725-1884-4435-80CA-D9B710BEA876.jpeg

At least they changed the name to stay relevant. Like the Washington Senators --> Texas Rangers.
 
Dan S
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mydeafcat mydeafcat
I’ve never seen a Golden seal. Or royalty from Ohio.

The Oaklands Seals—->California Golden Seals—->Cleveland Barons—(merged with)-North Stars -->Dallas Stars (see @Duracuir1, above).

116A5C1D-F48C-47B7-893F-081BF9F867E4.jpeg 133FA725-1884-4435-80CA-D9B710BEA876.jpeg

I haven't googled it, but I suspect that the Cleveland Barons may have referred to "robber barons"?
 
mydeafcat
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Dan S Dan S
I haven't googled it, but I suspect that the Cleveland Barons may have referred to "robber barons"?
The Barons were named for an earlier local hockey club. Still, not sure where the Baron reference is from, nor The Crusader moniker given to the WHA franchise. Clearly, Columbus is a more successful locale for pro hockey.
 
Dan S
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mydeafcat mydeafcat
The Barons were named for an earlier local hockey club. Still, not sure where the Baron reference is from, nor The Crusader moniker given to the WHA franchise. Clearly, Columbus is a more successful locale for pro hockey.

Yeah, it's just a guess, but when I think of Cleveland, I think of Rockefeller.
 
mydeafcat
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Dan S Dan S
Yeah, it's just a guess, but when I think of Cleveland, I think of Rockefeller.
Indeed. I suspect you’re correct.

(When I think of Cleveland, I think of Peter Griffin. Rockefeller? 6th Ave and W. 50th St in NYC. )😁
 
Mark020
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The whole concept of moving a professional sports team is completely alien to me as European 😉
 
Pip
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Mark020 Mark020
The whole concept of moving a professional sports team is completely alien to me as European 😉
Wimbledon FC (who famously beat Liverpool 1-0 in the 1988 FA Cup Final) did it, or tried to, when they moved to Milton Keynes, renaming themselves the MK Dons. A lot of the fans did not like it and they set up a new club called AFC Wimbledon. AFCW are currently in League Two (the fourth tier in England) after getting as high as the third tier last season. MK Dons are currently in the third tier. They played each other twice last season with MKD coming out ever so slightly on top (one draw and one win). Plus not getting relegated tends to point to them having a better year.
 
Scooterino36
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Dan S Dan S
LA Lakers: who moved from Minneapolis (in the land of 1,000 lakes) to arid SoCal

They keep the Laker name so they can take credit for all those NON Los Angeles titles...

::stirthepot::

Couldn't resist. It's my birth right.
 
The Father
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Dan S Dan S
Arizona Cardinals: Originally from the mid-west (Chicago then St. Louis), where the bird is commonly found.

In Arizona the team commonly know as the Arizona Shit Birds

The Society of Ornithology filed suit against the professional team degrading Cardinals.
 
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