Do you hate fun Minor League Baseball team names like the Biscuits, IronPigs and Nuts? Do you wish there were MORE columns about how the Washington Redskins should change their name? If this sounds like you, perhaps you’ll enjoy this story about how ridiculously angry people are at El Paso for changing their name to the El Paso Chihuahuas.
Before we get to that, though, let’s find out why a sports franchise would say, “sure, let’s call ourselves the West Texas Yappydogs.”
Via MiLB.com:
El Paso’s new Pacific Coast League franchise announced Tuesday that, yes, they will be known as “The Chihuahuas” in 2014 and beyond. The smallest of the world’s dog breeds was chosen over four other finalists in a “Name The Team” contest that garnered over 5,000 submissions, triumphing over Aardvarks, Buckaroos, Desert Gators and Sun Dogs.
… El Paso general manager Brad Taylor said Chihuahuas was chosen as the team name because they “represent fun and are fiercely loyal.” The region’s fans were able to submit names through the team’s website. The list was narrowed based on creativity, marketability, fun, relevance to El Paso’s unique character and the ability to trademark the name.
“El Pasoans played a significant role in identifying our new team name — they attended focus groups, suggested several hundred different names, and voted in record numbers for all the names,” said Alan Ledford, president of MountainStar Sports Group.
It’s true. In fact, here’s a clip of the winner having his name announced.
Unfortunately for El Paso, not everyone thinks the name means fun and fierce loyalty. Some people think it means WE HATE MEXICANS and they are ready to Facebook about it.
Some people can’t even get to that point. Here’s my favorite comment, from a man who is mad as hell and is not gonna take it anymore:
So what do you think? Are chihuahuas a negatively Mexican thing? Did Taco Bell and George Lopez ruin small dogs forever? Is this a case of the PC POLICE WOOP WOOP? And most importantly, how quickly can I get to El Paso and buy a stupid cap with a wimpy dog swinging a focus-grouped logo-bone?
