So I guess the Knickerbockers should be the Knick, not the Knicks? The Metropolitans should be the Met, not the Mets? We're contracting the "star" portion, but it's still a plural word - the METROstarS.
So I guess ManU should be the "Manchester Uniteds" and Glasgow can have the "Celtics"! Falls under the "duh" category, but soccer team names are routinely singular. The original name for Metro was Empire Soccer Club. Yes, we've been stuck with a plural name. But given such a malleable name (with no geographical entity attatched), it's been up to the fans and the press to come up with a nickname that's better. "Metro" or "the Metros", both work for me. As long as we aren't called "NY/NJ" or "the Stars" any more.
That's not what I was saying. Manchester United and Glascow Celtic are not words in the form of a plural (though the concept, i.e. a team of men, may be in the form of a plural, ala Burn, Clash, etc.). But MetroStars IS in the word form of a plural, so grammatically, a contraction of it would also be in the word form of a plural, hence Metros. On your other point, I also don't really give a F#*@ about which one, and believe the fans use either interchangeably. I only pointed out the grammatical inconsistency of Cliffkram's initial point, because he seemed rather set upon the concept that it HAS to be Metro.
Personally I've settled on Metro as the (un)official team name. I might refer to the players, as a group, as Metros: among the Metros, Guevara is a standout, for example. I'll leave the Stars to Hollywood. Such are the vagueries and uses of the English language.
Gotcha. I misread your initial point, sorry about that. Keep in mind, though, that the American media routinely mixes up the singular and plural when it comes to sports teams (i.e. "New York has a five-game losing streak," "The Knicks have a big game coming up," etc.). Both sentences refer to the same entity, but because one uses the place name and the other the nickname, one is singular and the other plural. My point is that, gramatically, the issue is not settled, at least in this country. A matter of great importance, I know...
Couldn't we just Peppe Pinton his $X-million dollars already and properly call them "Cosmos"? I will never get used to this "MetroStars" crap. Give me my tradition back!
I wasn't referring to your post (I would have quoted it ) It never ceases to amaze me how we can end up with lengthy threads over a consonant, or the thickness of the stripes on the home uniforms, or [fill in the blank].
My girlfriend cannot physically change the channel when there's a Seinfeld episode on. It's not in her genetic makeup. After the fourth or fifth viewing, I no longer felt the need to rewatch
I agree that that should read Metros not Metro. Metro is a player, Metros is a team. Just like Stephon Starbury is a Knick and the team are the Knicks. United is not Uniteds because it means a group of people (players) united. Ahh...when the issue of the week is whether or not the league should call us Metros or Metro and not who should play on the flanks this weekend is great.