Philadelphia Spartans (Debate)

I guess this is my time to chime in with my rheotoric....

I really like Spartans and feel it is the best comprimise name out that's been discussed. I think it offer broad-based appeal:

1. Has ties with the history of soccer in Philadelphia (NPSL and ASL teams).
2. Fits in with typical "American" naming conventions
3. Evokes European names with "Sparta" being present for some teams (Sparta Prague, Sparta Rotterdam)
4. Has the tie-in with "Philadelphia" being a Greek name.
(minor point) 5. recent resurgence in interest in ancient Sparta due to 300 movie.

 

I don't know why, but this name grates on me. It could be because it really only started being raised as a serious possibility when "300" came out. A bit like naming a team started in the 70s the "Chicago Inferno" or the "San Diego Poseidon" or the "San Antonio Smoky Bandits" or the "Utah Shaft."

I know it's irrational, but I hear the name and I can see Gerard Butler on the Jumbotron and it just grates on me a bit.

 

i like what sideshow bob said

Instead of being the philadelphia spartans, it should be Sparta Philadelphia. now thats a good name for our team

 

Personally, I absolutely hate this one. It just seems to scream generic to me, like we couldn't come up with anything better. Plus, the amount of 300 references the name would invoke would be unbearable.

 

Put tennis shoes under that Spartan logo and you get this. You make me very angry.

 

I actually tend to agree. I think that if that were the sole reason for arbitrarily choosinig the name then it would be quite silly. (And, yes, I did list is as one reason, but I think it's of minor value.) But there are plenty of more legit reasons for using Spartans than simply 300, as have been stated. The name would be just as good had the movie never existed.

That said, I wouldn't complain if people who saw 300 decided to write-in this name because they enjoyed the movie.

 

For the reasons people have listed, this is light years better than all four of the shockingly awful official choices.

 

I dig this name, I like the NASL tie in and all the supporting reasons. I know I supported the atoms but it seems like that option is getting 86'ed. I could get behind this name if we all decided to vote for it and it didn't face some weird trademark death.

I do agree that the Sparta Philadelphia would sound majorly forced, whereas the Philadelphia Spartans is just that, a team name with history that doesn't make most people cringe and could probably be marketed easily. It's pretty palatable, has broad appeal both here and overseas, and allows sports writers to make the first connection to the old team name (like Steve suggested was important).

Also, for those who hate the new movie (count me in), the original film "The 300 Spartans" was much better (despite the crappy love story they lumped in). Plus, the rifftrax of 300 is incredible.

 

Just an FYI: it wasn't a team in the NASL. There were two Spartan teams: one in the National Professional Soccer League (NPSL) and a second one in the American Soccer League (ASL).

It's already been established that the trademark on "Philadelphia Spartans" has lapsed long ago. There's no issue with that.

 

Then "game on". Thanks for the extra info.

I do realize that there is no perfect name, so I'd just like something that doesn't make me cringe, like that lame "Philadelphia Free" those ad wizards from Nova came up with.

My friend judged the spartans name by saying it was stupid and that by the same logic it could be the Sparta Phildelphians...I, uh, had no comeback, I still like the name! Seriously, thats what these choices are doing to me.

 

Although Philadelphia my be of Greek origin, I don't think most people identify Philadelphia with Greece and Spartans and therefore we would have to explain to other MLS fans why we are the Spartans. Most people are aware that Seattle is in a sound, thus Sounders makes sense and does not need explaining; Spartans would not be as apparent to people outside BS, even within the Philadelphia region. Secondly, there are probably 10 high schools within a 20 mile radius of me with Spartans as their mascot. I think it just sounds like we replaced the traditional man-killing animal mascot with a man-killing man mascot. I'd rather Philadelphia adopt a more unique name with clear ties to our history and culture.

 

I don't really buy this argument. Philadelphia isn't just a greek neologism; it's the Greek name of a specific city, in ancient Asia Minor, around 500 miles from Greece.

I also worry that, because it's a common name in college and high school sports and has been for a long time, it might carry "minor league" baggage. This was the case with "Wizards" before Kansas City and Washington picked it up, and it still sounds a little bush league to me (of course, it could just be because it's a terrible name).

 

I think the argument for spartans is as weak as that against city. Spartans because the word philadelphia is greek...and we can't call it city because its not in the city blah blah. Both arguments are bs.

 

I loved the name, I loved the team, I saw them play, and I actually played a warm up game prior to them playing. This is a new era, let’s not go backwards. Let the past stay in the past and in our memories.

 

A handful of hoolie wanna-bes do not a consensus make.

Do not give up hope--I think there are going to be some real surprises when people outside of our exclusive little club here start to weigh in on the issue.

That said, Spartans presents a very palatable alternative.

 

What do you want from me? I just drove 6 hours from Pittsburgh. I have a headache.

"Hoolie wanna-be" may be an overstatement, and I wouldn't apply it to a lot of the core members here (including yourself). But I'll say this--over the past year I've encountered a few SOBs who are more about the "atmosphere" and what chants they'll be doing and such and have expressed very little passion for the game itself.

That's cool, mind you--support is support. But I can't help but feel these are some of the same folks who salivate over some of these oafish Euro names, reflexively dismiss any name remotely "American," and can't wait to splinter off and form ultra groups.

 

I don't get this at all. Other than there having been teams with the name even longer ago than the Atoms, the name in and of itself does not say soccer or Philadelphia to me. The wrestling team already has the name, and I think for them it's much more appropriate and makes sense.