In a town of secrets and spies, the Washington Football Team faces its greatest challenge ever protecting its new name before a Feb. 2 announcement.
The Manhattan Project received less scrutiny than Washington faces over the next 29 days. Everyone with a keyboard will claim the inside word. Why, it's Admirals because one website links itself to the Washington Football Team's site. No, it's Hogs because the announcement comes on Groundhog Day. Wait – do the stars on the jersey sleeve mean Commanders?
Kudos to team president Jason Wright for turning an 18-month quest into a series of Russian dolls where each layer reveals something new. JFK's womanizing was better known.
At least team officials ended wolves speculation on its YouTube video. Some fans are howling mad, but the simple truth is the team knew six months ago the Minnesota Timberwolves wouldn't share their trademarks for anything wolves related. Smaller teams using wolves wasn't a problem, but the NBA didn't want an NFL team to have the image because it would outsell Minnesota's merchandise. Minnesota twice denied Washington's request and ultimately Washington didn't want to be bogged down in a court battle.
Too bad – this team makes fans howl in desperation anyway.
The sad truth is maybe half the fans will be happy with the new name. But, over time, and hopefully with some winning teams, fans will learn to love the new nickname. The Washington Football Team is just too European soccer-ish. Many fans would have been happy to return to Redskins, but let's not awaken the woke crowd again. The NFL would have blocked that move.
The name is mostly a distraction from the team's persistent losing over 30 years. A once mighty franchise, as good as any sport's from 1971-91, is so starved for fans that even a major showdown versus rival Dallas saw FedEx Field nearly three-fourths Cowboys fans. Its season home finale versus rival Philadelphia was nearly two-thirds Eagles fans.
Owner Dan Snyder has sucked the life from this team over 23 years. A rebrand is at most a short-term bump. A merchandise spike that lasts only a couple years before winning is once more needed to refill an empty bandwagon that's officially crumbling with a guard rail sending Eagles fans into the tunnel on Sunday, just weeks after a broken pipe spewed sewage on supporters.
Hopefully, the team will leave the outlawed anthem "Hail to the Redskins" alone for a while. Let the fans sing it rather than force some sanitized song on them. It won't work.
A new name will take years to stick. Older fans will still use Redskins. But, it's a step towards a needed franchise reboot that will include a new stadium in 2027. A new generation with only stories of a gloried past needs to forge their own era.
Hopefully, the new name doesn't stink as much as the team on the field has.
Rick Snider has covered Washington sports since 1978. Follow him on Twitter: @Snide_Remarks.
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