The Oklahoma City Guardians
On my Sports Animal radio spot the other day, Jim Traber wanted me to relay a message to colleague John Rohde: enough on the nicknames for the Oklahoma City NBA team. John had a nickname item in his Page 2 spread on Wednesday, then a column about nicknames on Thursday.
But the truth is, John is ahead of the curve. We should be writing more, not less, about the nicknames. This issue has consumed the city and the state.
I’ve gotten tons of emails just in the last 48 hours on the issue. It’s like fans are gaining momentum as the announcement nears, be it the next few days or a couple of weeks from now. I’ll share some of the ideas in a blog a day or two from now, but I thought I would share this story today.
A guy called me Friday. A longtime reader, he said, and a very nice fellow. Said he had the perfect nickname for OKC. He mentioned the American Indian atop the capital dome and said the team should be the Oklahoma City Warriors. He laid out a wonderful case for the name and went into elaborate detail about the color scheme and logo design.
Then I had to break the news to him. The NBA team in Oakland, Golden State, already has the Warriors name, and the league generally frowns upon teams doubling up on nicknames. He was bummed — even said “but we don’t play them, do we?” — but eventually surrendered. He let go of Warriors but didn’t want to relinquish the imagery. He asked if there was another name that symbolizes the Indian atop the dome.
I knew the statue had a name but couldn’t think of it. Told him I’d try to remember. Later Friday, I got an email from an Edmond dentist. He said he had the perfect nickname. The Guardians, named after the statue atop the capital dome.
Think about that. Within a couple of hours, I get two suggestions based on the Guardian, with different names, after having none for the Guardian in the six months to a year we’ve been talking about this.
I tell you, this is a fever pitch. I think there is more interest in this than in the OU quarterback derby we get every couple of years. With the Sooners, you know it’s one of either two or three guys, and everyone has a pretty good guess. This derby is a total wild card. Barons? Thunderbirds? Boomers? I have no idea what the name will be. The announcement, whenever it comes, will bring Oklahoma City to a halt.
-------------Berry Tramel can be heard Monday through Friday from 4:40-5:20 p.m. on The Sports Animal radio network, including AM-640 and FM-98.1. You can e-mail him here and follow him on Twitter @BerryTramel. Visit Berry's website here.
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Comments
well i know people like to have some input on what our team will be named. i prefer the Thunderbirds(i am a disabled veteran) but i am sure that with the NBA and mr Bennett will make a proper and fitting name of OKC. i am sure they will try to make it a name that majority of Oklahoma will like. anyhow i will accept what they choose and either way our OKC team will be successful.
Oklahoma city Arrows. (San Antonio has their texas spurs and Houston has their NASA rockets). It would in addition honor the Native American heritage without alienating any particular group. For the insignia, have two arrows crossing each other to form an X, symbolizing that anyone who wears a jersey is the “X” factor for the team. Let’s the fans feel a part, and the players form togetherness as they would all be an “X” factor.
Second suggestion, Oklahoma City Stallions. Again, you have the honoring of Native American heritage as well as the cowboy heritage. Stallions are swift and majestic. The top dogs of the horse world.
Yes, I agree with you on the name Thunderbirds. There is pride in that name so I hope the selectors go with that name. You do such a good job with your articles as I look forward to them every day. You have such a good sense of humor that I love. Thank you.
Cool to see both of the suggestions in the paper, not that someone else didn’t suggest those as well.
Going further on the Arrows nickname – a play on that: Aeros. Still use the insignia of a “X” with two arrows but Aeros also says it’s a team that moves forward. It also has some connotations of airplane and homage to the flight industry that has been a popular sector in Oklahoma.
Oh this is fun.
Watch this: Aeros gives the implications of having an “air of invincibility”. Aeros because OKC is “progressive,” “moves foward” (I said that already). Those are definite executive terms.
much ado about nothing!! It’s over, it’s been decided weeks ago. Give it up!!