Only RGIII can make the Redskins change their name
Even sidelined with a knee injury after he was left for too long in last Sunday’s season-ender against the Seattle Seahawks, RGIII could make this happen. At just 22 years old, he has the owner’s ear and the city’s heart. With his incredible QB skills and laid-back demeanor, this transcendent kid from Texas could be the Chosen One, all right — the one person who could make Redskins owner Daniel Snyder come to his senses and realize that it’s time to stop demeaning Native Americans simply because his paraphernalia sells and because, as the story goes, the future billionaire had a Redskins belt buckle as a boy.
But I fear that Griffin is not that guy, and not just because he’ll be focused for the next few months on physical therapy. No young, dynamic leader of an NFL team is that guy. Pro players who take on controversial social debates are gone, replaced by athletes whose goal is to not offend — because that would mean fewer commercials, a loss of sponsors and, God forbid, a Q rating lower than Michael Jordan’s. …
Instead of Alis, Browns, Ashes or Floods, who do we have? Only RGIII — a young man with a pocketful of sponsorships.
Blowback
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Huggy-touchy-feely bullpie. Or we could just change the name to the Washington Foggy Bottoms.
Limerick on January 12, 2013 at 10:36 AM
Oh, let’s call them the Washington BigWigs and be done with this silly controvery.
The name ties in with our Founding Fathers’ tonsorial statements and reinforces the political class’s exalted status. Win/win
onlineanalyst on January 12, 2013 at 10:36 AM
controversy
onlineanalyst on January 12, 2013 at 10:37 AM
The Redskins are always either the #2 or #3 most valuable nfl franchise…
1. Cowboys
2 and 3. Redskins or Patriots
ninjapirate on January 12, 2013 at 10:38 AM
Have they thought about changing their names to the Washington Cheekbones?
Flange on January 12, 2013 at 10:40 AM
Only Tiger Woods can help open the Augusta National Golf Club to womyn!
We heard this crap 10 years ago.
thebrokenrattle on January 12, 2013 at 10:41 AM
If the Washington team must better reflect the area they exist in, then they should be named the Washington teat-suckers. Cause that’s all Washington is now.
john1schn on January 12, 2013 at 10:41 AM
How about The Bureaucrats?
Where does Elizabeth Warren stand on this?
Fezzik on January 12, 2013 at 10:44 AM
THE WASHINGTON VETS.
AND THEY COULD HAVE SEVERAL UNIFORMS EACH OF WHICH COULD REFLECT EACH OF THE ARMED SERVICES.
reliapundit on January 12, 2013 at 10:45 AM
And once it was known that the Master’s champ had a Clintonesque taste for women, they started letting them in.
Flange on January 12, 2013 at 10:45 AM
Wise trots out this story every 8-10 months or so when he doesn’t know what to write about.
To place this on Griffin is silly if not irresponsible.
Second, if Wise is so offended by the name why does he use it in his columns? Why does he cover the team? A principled person – truly outraged – would have nothing to do with the name or topic.
Third, there is no intent behind the name to demean Indians. It’s not use in a mocking or denigrating way.
This is another “Look at me! I’m so progressive and enlightened.”
SteveMG on January 12, 2013 at 10:48 AM
The Washington Leeches…..
tommyboy on January 12, 2013 at 10:50 AM
Lefties would crash a funeral to shill for their latests pc cause.
Blake on January 12, 2013 at 10:51 AM
I see the war against low syllable count words continues.
Do people complaining about this really give a crap about indians(that’s right, I said it), or do they just want to be a pain in the ass to conservatives and make themselves look super sensitive at the same time?
Dongemaharu on January 12, 2013 at 10:55 AM
Change the name of the team to the white skins that will tweek the lefties
ChunkyLover on January 12, 2013 at 10:58 AM
How about the Washington Wussies?
John the Libertarian on January 12, 2013 at 11:02 AM
This^
The thing I noticed about this article was Wise trying to guilt trip RGIII. It sounded like Leia from Star Wars “Help me, RGIII; you’re my only hope to change that wicked name”.
It is a progressive attempt to get RGIII back on their “plantation”. He is supposed to dance and entertain the white progressives!
William Eaton on January 12, 2013 at 11:02 AM
The name only offends arrogant and paternalistic white people.
RadClown on January 12, 2013 at 11:06 AM
Washington RG3s
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22044 on January 12, 2013 at 11:06 AM
Nor should it be.
Please- Who thinks the Redskins’ use of the name , logos, etc are demeaning? In fact, I suspect most think they actually portray the American native indians in a very positive way. What a joke.
Maybe I just found a reason besides RGIII to like the team. Go Redskins!! They’ll be my NFC team.
CW on January 12, 2013 at 11:06 AM
Oh, lol…now it’s RG III’s problem…I remember a few years ago, when Sam Bradford was about to be drafted and there was talk of the Redskins possibly getting him, it was On Him to get the name changed. Good grief…
ellifint on January 12, 2013 at 11:11 AM
I have several Aboriginal American (commonly called Indian) friends whose favorite team is the Redskins.
Only leftist activists are upset about the name.
itsnotaboutme on January 12, 2013 at 11:11 AM
Washington Looters or Moochers. Maybe they could change names every other week.
nokarmahere on January 12, 2013 at 11:15 AM
Stockholm syndrome.
/
CW on January 12, 2013 at 11:16 AM
You know if Snyder (Redskin owner) really wanted to annoy the progressives he could suggest using these names instead:
Washington Reagans (Ronald Reagan’s head replacing the Native American logo)
Washington Constitutionals
Washington Bullets (In honor of the old name for the basketball team)
Washington Rifles (In honor of the 2nd amendment)
If he suggested those as a replacement the progressives would shut up with this name changing business.
William Eaton on January 12, 2013 at 11:16 AM
Why don’t you stop demeaning Aboriginal Americans?
When you call them Native Americans, you lump them in with everyone who was born here.
I’m a White Native American, BTW.
itsnotaboutme on January 12, 2013 at 11:16 AM
The Confiscators.
itsnotaboutme on January 12, 2013 at 11:17 AM
Winnah!
Stu Gotts on January 12, 2013 at 11:22 AM
I proudly wear my Fighting Whities T-shirt and would become a fan if the Redskins took that name.
RadClown on January 12, 2013 at 11:22 AM
I don’t understand how calling a team “Redskins” or “Braves”, etc. is demeaning to Native Americans. Isn’t it a celebration of the contributions Native Americans made to our country?
If getting rid of Native American names, customs and rituals (I was in the YMCA’s Indian Princess when I was a girl, which no longer exist because it is “racist”), then you are just erasing them from our society.
And I like how we have some pundit who expects another minority athlete to be some savior for some political cause. Why is that? Why can’t they just play their sport and stay out of politics?
ramrants on January 12, 2013 at 12:09 PM
I happen to agree that the Redskins name is offensive and should be changed.
But what’s even more offensive is the columnist’s insistence on writing the “N-word” instead of simply “nigger.” What’s truly offensive is that a word we hear again and again (and AGAIN!) among a certain social class, and see again and again (and AGAIN!) in Twitter posts (although usually spelled “nigga”), has become so elevated as a symbol of hate that liberals dare not print its name.
The falseness, the preciousness of using “the N-word” is political in the extreme: by continually focusing on language, and making the rest of us scared to death of opening our mouths and violating one of its taboos, liberals not only stifle debate; they also absolve themselves of any meaningful action and real sacrifice (why do we still have all-black high schools in Washington DC?) that might actually help cure our racial ills.
bobs1196 on January 12, 2013 at 1:01 PM