Just for fun ... (for those of you wanting to take this too seriously-move on) If I could have my way, I would like the MLS table to read like this: Chivas U. Chicago Fire DC United Dynamo Houston AC Columbus FC Dallas Galaxia L.A. Kansas City New England Town FC New York Cosmos Real Salt Lake Red Bull New York Seattle Sounders Sporting Colorado Toronto FC No more Wiz, Bang or Clash names. The few changes - Dynamo Houston would be better as the traditional Dynamo - as in Dynamo Kiev and Dynamo Dresden. Kansas City had the luxury of already having a traditional name - Manchester City, Bristol City, Leicester City. They didn't need a fairy tale name to add. British influence has been the tradition even in Latin America with Wanderers, Liverpool, Corinthians all steming from England. But a Latin influence cannot be ignored for America. AC Columbus already has a great name of an explorer - like Vasco da Gama - so let it stand. Sporting Colorado is sponsored at Dicks Sporting Goods - so why not use a tie-in ? Maybe Rapid Colorado - like Rapid Vienna ? Why shouldn't NY has 2 clubs - or 3 - NY has 2 baseball, basketball and NFL teams each in the area. Besides, its bigger than London and they have over 10 ! The war between the new Red Bulls and the new Cosmos would make summer in NYC hotter than blazes. I just cannot find anything wrong with the name Chicago Fire ... its sounds old. For more fun, here are some proposed traditional names for America soccer clubs maybe for the USL: Pumas - why not have the shoe company as a sponsor ? Ft. Lauderdale Strikers - why not ? Stuttgart Kickers, Bristol Rovers, Blackburn Rovers, Richmond Kickers. Crystal Palace Baltimore - yup, it already exists. I like it. Juventus New Jersey - are there any Italians in the Garden State ? Ajax Orlando - it was a good name, too bad it had bad management. FC Beckenbauer - has there ever been a major club named after a famous player ? A nice Adidas sponsorship ? Tampa Bay 1975 - the start of a great thing that ended poorly. FC Magellon - already have Columbus and Vasco, why not have an explorers tounament ? - Hudson Bay SC anyone? Rangers - any city could love this ? We have a baseball team in Texas ? Abbotsford (Canada) used this name. Celtic - what Rangers without Celtic ? We have a basketball team in Boston ? Here are a few tweeks for existing USL: Atlanta Calcio - it fits a low scoring club, doesn't it ? Still faster than a Silverback Inter Ohio - can they sign a few stars ? may take some time to sink in with Drew Carey as the no.1 fan. of Cleveland club. Des Moines Olympique - DMO por les ESPN viewers Atletico El Paso - I hate to change the long standing Patriots name - but its Texas. Ft. Wayne Arsenal - which would you rather have in your fort - a Fever or an Arsenal ? Laval Lionnaise - The Laval Lions for you Brit viewers. Laval is in Quebec I believe. I like to see these remain if only to keep some traditional American (Canadian) soccer names: Portland Timbers Seattle Sounders San Jose Earthquakes Vancouver Whitecaps If you have your own ideas ... send them on. cheers
We're Queen City FC here in Buffalo (Buffalo's nickname is the Queen City..yes I know that there are like 15 other cities with the Queen City moniker too)
Wow, we haven't had a MLS name thread for quite a while. (At least a week or two ) Can we find some way to work single table and pro-rel into this?
I agree! Why does everyone think we have to speak backwards like they do is Spanish, or use the names of European teams. Club soccer in the USA needs to develope its own image.
I would never suggest that every American club adopt a traditional team name. If you notice my list it included NY Cosmos and Seattle Sounders. however, if "develope our own image" means that we choose the hoobee doobees and wizbangers for club names, you can leave me off the supportes list. Regardless, I do appreciate your imput. Remember, this thread is for entertainment. cheers
Some people have really weird definitions of the word "traditional". P.S.: FC BECKENBAUER????????????
American soccer fans are like that one pathetic person that will do or say anything if he or she thinks it will make them cool, and everyone hates them
Of course we can!! Pro-rel will never work in the USA because of the money at stake. The owners will have no problem dragging MLS into court on some trumped up lawsuit. This is the USA after all...
When I was in Baton Rouge there was a good hardcore band called The Shitdogs. Too bad that's already been taken, as it would be apt for the Fire based on their last three matches. (When KLSU played them, or when they advertised in papers, they used the German word "Scheisshunds," which would appeal to our Teutonic brethran). In all, this is a great idea. Just so we don't get into an Emo-sounding trend. "Panic! at the Midfield," "Goalmouth Confessional," "Penalty Kick for Cutie," etc.
Sounders is a crappy name. Let's make it something more traditional, like Seattle S-Pulse. That'll tie in perfectly with the local pro sports scene anyway, they're already crazy about Ichiro. Oh, and the league can't be complete without Go Ahead Eagles, and Eleven Men In Flight!
You forgot Joe Public . Sounders has a 30+ year tradition in Seattle (just like the Quakes in SJ). The team owners would be hung by their nose hair if they suggested anything else. I think a team name should have a connection with the city the team represents (like the Hartford Mighty Insurance Salesmen, the Charlotte Fighting Bankers or the Atlanta Traffic Jammers ), and in that case Sounders, Earthquakes, Rapids, etc. all fit the bill. Most European style names don't (besides the obvious point that our teams are all franchises, not clubs, per se), unless ConEd sponsored Houston (Dynamo), or BNSF, UP, NS, or CSX maybe had a team (Locomotive (Lokomotiv) Somewhere).
It would be nice to see clubs have big corporate sponsors like in the old American Soccer League - i.e. - Bethlehem Steel, J&P Coats, ... I was really trying to find a midground ...which will hardly happen in these forums. I do take exception for the individual who asked "why we have to have things backwards" like Spanish or European. Well if my history is correct, those peoples were writing and saying their names BEFORE the USA was in existance, so wouldn't that make everything after that backwards ? It was also ironic that a Liverpool supporter wanted Americans to be original in naming their clubs. I suppose you take exception to the Uruguay club that named itself Liverpool ? Should we have come up with a different name for the sport because "soccer" was already being used ? How about "headbangers" ? That would fit the punk rock theme ... I'm glad we can have so much fun ... and if Beckenbauer FC isn't original, than neither was Franz. cheers all
The South African league has a club called JomoCosmos, after former Cosmo (and founding coach -- and one-time South African national team coach) Jomo Sono http://www.jomocosmos.co.za/
The best MSL club names are the ones that actually sound American like Chicago Fire, LA Galaxy, Columbus Crew or Colorado Rapids. Or the simple ones like Real Salt Lake, FC Dallas, Toronto FC. Infact thinking about it, they all sound alright apart from Club Deportivo Chivas USA.
Too bad Bayern Munich have unofficially adopted the nickname of FC Hollywood, that would be perfect for the LA Galaxy with Beckham arriving (even if they are nowhere near Hollywood).