Team Nickname

Discussion in 'Rochester Rhinos' started by Gioca, Nov 13, 2004.

  1. UVanMathias

    UVanMathias New Member

    Nov 29, 2004
    Livonia, NY
    I can agree with droppin "Ragin" and fixing the logo, but keep the Rhinos. In my vision I'd like to see the green and yellow background with a classic black outline of a Rhino or it's head. Maybe even throw in RRFC on that. But that's just me. I wish I could draw it. :confused:
     
  2. SC in SF

    SC in SF Member

    Nov 18, 2004
    SF
    Why not call them Rochester RR (Rochester Ragin Rhinos) or SC Rochester RR?
     
  3. Goodsport

    Goodsport Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 18, 1999
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Either Rochester Raging Rhinos or Rochester Rhinos.


    -G
     
  4. yankiboy

    yankiboy New Member

    Sep 2, 2003
    Laurel, MD
    You were just yanking our chains, right?
     
  5. Len

    Len Member+

    Club: Dallas Tornado
    Jan 18, 1999
    Everywhere and Nowhere.....I'm the wind, baby.
    I think this whole thing has gotten a little silly. Still, it's a way to kill time.

    ANYway, it struck me (well, it beats working); what if an owner decided to call his team the Orioles, Blue Jays, Cardinals, Twins, Cubs, Cowboys, Bills, Browns (after himself?), Maple Leafs......

    Man, would bigsoccer rake him over the coals......

    Just a thought.
     
  6. yankiboy

    yankiboy New Member

    Sep 2, 2003
    Laurel, MD
    yeah, you're probably right. But damn, man! At least most of the names have some sort of tie in to the town that they represent.
     
  7. UVanMathias

    UVanMathias New Member

    Nov 29, 2004
    Livonia, NY
    It does have a tie into the town. It's the name of our extremly successful A-League/1st Division soccer team. You should really check them out some time. Or we could call them the Rochester Flash, Copier Machines, or Yellow Mustards because they have ties to our city. :D
     
  8. DavidP

    DavidP Member

    Mar 21, 1999
    Powder Springs, GA
    It wouldn't bother me at all. It's right in keeping with American sports tradition. Isn't the object to try to weave pro soccer into the American sports fabric? To become one of the big three? You can't do it insisting that teams be named after European or Latin teams. Potential fans have to see soccer as the American sport it is; we've played soccer as long as anyone else in the world (heck, we had a pro league in the 1800's, for Pete's sake), and for as long or longer than most so-called "American" sports. It's just in only the last forty years or so that it's been on the pro sports radar screen. We name other sports teams Lions, Tigers, and Bears (oh, my!), so why "not" soccer teams? So what if it's not "soccer," (whoops, "football")? Neither is Nagoya Grampus Eight.

    Like I said in another thread, I've been in this game for just over thirty years, and I can't believe we're still grousing over something this stupid. This is America, we call it soccer, and we name our sports teams after animals (Rhinos, Rams, Tigers, Coyotes, Panthers), industries (Steelers, Packers), people (A's, Yankees, Senators, Indians, Braves, Roughnecks, etc.), socks (choose your color), and sadly, of late, adjectives and verb-nouns. Deal with it.
     
  9. DavidP

    DavidP Member

    Mar 21, 1999
    Powder Springs, GA
    Somehow, I don't think Atlanta Jerkunicas would work (after Boris, the owner). They'd end up being called the Jerks....
     
  10. Len

    Len Member+

    Club: Dallas Tornado
    Jan 18, 1999
    Everywhere and Nowhere.....I'm the wind, baby.
    DavidP, I was trying to make a point to those who say 'Rhinos' is a silly name. I was pointing out other names that some people might think silly. I agree with you (been involved with the game close to 40 years, myself); nothing wrong with Rhinos. I also agree about the soccer/football/futbol debate.

    Oh, and as far as

    "Somehow, I don't think Atlanta Jerkunicas would work (after Boris, the owner). They'd end up being called the Jerks...."

    I'm guessing the Falcons had been called a lot worse until recently.
     
  11. DavidP

    DavidP Member

    Mar 21, 1999
    Powder Springs, GA
    I'm in total agreement with you. Your point is valid. Maybe I had the wrong take on it, I didn't see it as a rhetorical question. I think people forget that some of the great teams of the past were named the Marksmen, Americans, Nationals, Ukranians, Brewers, and such. I think the in the first pro league back in the 1800's, the teams were named for the baseball teams that owned them. What would people think of Cruz Azul or Club America playing the Boston Red Sox or the St. Louis Cardinals in the CONCACAF tourney? Perish the thought! :D
     
  12. mouseboy33

    mouseboy33 New Member

    Dec 24, 2003
    There must be some really slow people on this board. If you Rochester supporters would acutally read the post instead of hopping on your high horse and complaining about people's opinion of your club name...you actually see that most of the posts were positive toward the RHINOS name. Most of us outsiders realize the the position the club holds in your area.
    Having said that....The supporters need to realize that the branding of your club is horrendous. Yes the club should retain the Rhinos name. But as been said a billion times Ragin needs to die quickly. And the logo and imaging of the club needs a top to bottom revamp. That is a reality the club must face, if they are to join to the MLS. You can be assured they will undergo a massive rebranding. That is a fact. The current youth team branding does not fit cohesively with the current MLS clubs.

    As far as the Amerisnob comments that have been made. "We call it soccer" and "We do things differently". Get over it already. America is not the centre of the universe so stop acting like it is. Those isolationist comments do nothing for the image of this country. Most people feel america is becoming more like China was years ago. A closed isolated society that cares nothing about the feelings of the rest of the world. Dangerous idealogy indeed. (And yes I realise its just soccer, but these Amerisnob comments poliferate these boards)
     
  13. yankiboy

    yankiboy New Member

    Sep 2, 2003
    Laurel, MD
    C'mon Mousey--don't ya think that you are overreacting a bit?

    We are not Europeans. So our clubs should not have names like "United", "FC" or "Real". Many of us think that it is stupid. It seems like grasping for a faux credibility.

    That doesn't mean that some of us or most of us think that the US is the center of the universe. It just means that we have our own traditions and one of them is usually having a plural name tht ends in an "S" for our sports franchises. In many cases it means that we are just trying to be what we are. Yanks. Where is the crime in that? It is not an assessment on anyone else's worth or culture.


    I don't boo hoo about what they want to name their teams in some other country. And if they are going to boo hoo because I still think that it sounds silly to call my MLS team "United" then they are the ones who need to get over it. They are taking themselves waaaay too seriously.

    It's the name of a team. Eleven people are kicking a ball around. What makes a team name important is the tradition that develops. That is the legacy.

    Recognizing who you are and not trying to be someone else is just trying to keep it real. I'm a Yank. From Baltimore. I like an "S" at the end of my sports teams names for teams based in this country. It's called a "preference". It has nothing to do with thinking that I am any better than anyone else.
     
  14. mouseboy33

    mouseboy33 New Member

    Dec 24, 2003
    This from a United Supporter. Cheers mate!
     
  15. yankiboy

    yankiboy New Member

    Sep 2, 2003
    Laurel, MD
    So glad that you understood my post. Especially the part:

    "I don't boo hoo about what they want to name their teams in some other country. And if they are going to boo hoo because I still think that it sounds silly to call my MLS team "United" then they are the ones who need to get over it. They are taking themselves waaaay too seriously."

    God bless the Chicago Fire. They don't have an "S" at the end of their name, but at least it's not a wannabe name. Can't take that away from them.

    Cheers right back at cha mate!
     
  16. Looper121

    Looper121 Member

    United States
    Jun 19, 2003
    Sec 104
    Club:
    Philadelphia Union
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Just go with the simple solution. Drop the Raging, and go with Rochester Rhinos. I wish they had a team when I used to live nearby. 'Twould be great for the city to get an admittance into the MLS.
     
  17. Gioca

    Gioca Member

    Jun 13, 2004
    Hartford
    Club:
    US Città di Palermo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    America is the centre of the universe, and you know it.
     
  18. Bayer04fan

    Bayer04fan New Member

    Aug 14, 2004
    Los Angeles, CA,USA
    I don't see anything wrong with naming our clubs as they do in Europe or Asia or S. America. This not a "Euro" tradition, it has become a football tradition. And if we are going to have a pro football league then, it is a must to follow that tradition. Come on what kind of name was the Burn, Mutiny? No wonder a lot of people including myself thought that MLS was making a mockery of the King of Sport.
    I think it is our arrogance that we think we don't have to follow the rules attitude that makes us lose respect worldwide. We wanted to split the beautiful game into 4 quarter so we could show commercials during WC94. Thats just WRONG

    I hope teams from now on WILL have Names like United or FC or AC, CD. ReAl does not make sense though because we have no royalty or royal history so that one is dumb but the others are cool!!!
    LA Galaxy shouldve been, Galaxy FC 96 but we are stuck with what it is for now.
     
  19. yankiboy

    yankiboy New Member

    Sep 2, 2003
    Laurel, MD
    Burn and Mutiny were terrible names, just like United, FC. Glad we agree on Real.

    The "King of Sport"? I'm not trying to be disrepectful. Maybe you meant to say the "Sport of Kings" and it was just a translation thing. It's a sport. I really enjoy it. I respect. Hell, you could say I "love" it and that is a "passion"--those would be true. But I don't worship it. The thing about it being a religion, that's pretty much for marketing purposes--a lot like the "King of Beers".

    Some of you good people take this stuff way too seriously. It's a game.

    "Mockery"? A shootout from the 35 yard line is corny. I don't know if it's quite a "mockery".

    Our "arrogance"? Because we have some names that are more representative of our culture? Seems like "arrogance" is when you want for people to shed their culture and be just like you. CD,United,FC--are great names, just not for our US based pro teams.

    In general, we should pretty much play by the same rules as anyone else. OK. We agree on that.

    DC "United" sucks. It's my club so I love it. I'm just happy to have a club. But the name sucks for an American based pro team. CD DC would suck, just like FC DC. I don't really think that just because the Burn exchanged on bad name for a wannabe name, that all of the sudden, everyone is going to flood into the stadium, because of "rebranding" the club. Which is pretty much what the ownership argued. If that was the case, it would have been better to change it to Club Dallas. Or CD Dallas.

    I like Raging Rhinos for the USL. If the team ever moves up to MLS, then they could drop the "Raging" if they want. If they don't, it won't be any more stupid a name than DC United or FC Dallas. It's just a name. The tradition is what the team and supporters create over time.

    We can just agree to respectfully disagree.
     
  20. Bleacherbutt

    Bleacherbutt New Member

    May 1, 2001
    Rochester, NY
    Fixed your post.
     
  21. Gioca

    Gioca Member

    Jun 13, 2004
    Hartford
    Club:
    US Città di Palermo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    No, spelling it in correct American makes it look like I was being serious. Unless you believe it actually is true, which it may well be, unless there are greater lands in the huge universe that we don't know about.
     
  22. mouseboy33

    mouseboy33 New Member

    Dec 24, 2003
    Nice post. Whilst I dont agree with wholesale Euro-nameing, I think paying homage to the tradition of this global sport is needed. American sports are for the most part enjoyed in America. Football is a world sport and should we "play" according to the traditions of the sport used the world over.
     
  23. Gioca

    Gioca Member

    Jun 13, 2004
    Hartford
    Club:
    US Città di Palermo
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Agreed. When movies were introduced in Europe, they didn't try to treat and market them the same as opera. I don't see why we're trying to make soccer like baseball.

    Face it, "Raging Rhinos" sounds like a name for a minor league baseball team. It's not fit for football.
     
  24. Dougly

    Dougly New Member

    Oct 14, 2003
    Cape Neddick, Maine
    Club:
    New England Revolution
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    Getting back to the Rhinos name...

    What matters, in addition to the level of play, which has certainly been MLS-quality for a few years now, is supporter backing. The Rhinos have some of the most impressive fan support I've seen in US Soccer. They love and back their team as the Rhinos, and they'll continnue to do so if they're promoted to the MLS (as I hope they will be).

    Personally, I find the "Raging" thing a bit hokey, but I don't see anything wrong with "Rhinos". (It's certainly no worse than the "Wizards" or the "MetroStars" - what the hell's a "MetroStar"?) But in the end, they don't care in Rochester what I think nor should they. They have the support, and that's what's going to get the seats in the stadium warm.

    Hell, if their name is having any effect on their level of support, I'd like to propose that ALL MLS sides add "Raging" to their names immediately. If Gilette Stadium had an OUNCE of the energy that the Rhinos Supporters brought to Ludlow last summer, it'd be better for everyone.

    Hope to see you in the MLS Cup playoffs in 2006.
     
  25. Goodsport

    Goodsport Moderator
    Staff Member

    May 18, 1999
    Club:
    San Jose Earthquakes
    Nat'l Team:
    United States
    On that note, if the fans in Rochester want their team (whether in USL Div I or in MLS) to remain named "Rochester Raging Rhinos" or "Rochester Rhinos", then they shouldn't instead be forced to endure a team-name change that they don't want.


    -G
     

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