American Football oh dear.

[FatFreddysCat]

Eric Cantona to join the New York Cosmos, even worse in the advert for his arrival he's smoking a big cigar. How old is he now? what a farce. .......... ooops just seen it again and it;s as director of football 

[FatFreddysCat]

Eric Cantona Takes Over at New York Cosmos

[sipwell]

Don't mock my God, Freddy  :028:

[Nick the Swede]

Eric Cantona to join the New York Cosmos, even worse in the advert for his arrival he's smoking a big cigar. How old is he now? what a farce. .......... ooops just seen it again and it;s as director of football 

Is that proper football (soccer! Oh god how I dislike that word) or "Rugby with padded clothes"?

For you americans on here. Where does this custom, you have across the pond, in naming your team something (to me) silly come from?

I.e:
Cosmos
Redskins
Lakers
Jets
Bears
Dolphins
Lightning
Cowboys
Stars

Well you get the picture.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

Eric Cantona to join the New York Cosmos, even worse in the advert for his arrival he's smoking a big cigar. How old is he now? what a farce. .......... ooops just seen it again and it;s as director of football 

Is that proper football (soccer! Oh god how I dislike that word) or "Rugby with padded clothes"?

For you americans on here. Where does this custom, you have across the pond, in naming your team something (to me) silly come from?

I.e:
Cosmos
Redskins
Lakers
Jets
Bears
Dolphins
Lightning
Cowboys
Stars

Well you get the picture.

Lakers - originally from milwaukee, which is on Lake Michigan
Dolphins - there are dolphins in miami
Cowboys - based in Texas...nuff said really.

[Nick the Swede]

Lakers - originally from milwaukee, which is on Lake Michigan
Dolphins - there are dolphins in miami
Cowboys - based in Texas...nuff said really.

Sure, I guess those are given, but I'm more curious about as to WHY these words are added to the name.

There must be a story behind it, somehow.

[Jimpav]

Lakers - originally from milwaukee, which is on Lake Michigan
Dolphins - there are dolphins in miami
Cowboys - based in Texas...nuff said really.

Sure, I guess those are given, but I'm more curious about as to WHY these words are added to the name.

There must be a story behind it, somehow.

In fairness we have Tottenham Hotspur, Queens Park Rangers, West Bromich Albion amongst many others.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

Lakers - originally from milwaukee, which is on Lake Michigan
Dolphins - there are dolphins in miami
Cowboys - based in Texas...nuff said really.

Sure, I guess those are given, but I'm more curious about as to WHY these words are added to the name.

There must be a story behind it, somehow.

In fairness we have Tottenham Hotspur, Queens Park Rangers, West Bromich Albion amongst many others.

Bolton Wanderers?

[Nick the Swede]

Lakers - originally from milwaukee, which is on Lake Michigan
Dolphins - there are dolphins in miami
Cowboys - based in Texas...nuff said really.

Sure, I guess those are given, but I'm more curious about as to WHY these words are added to the name.

There must be a story behind it, somehow.

In fairness we have Tottenham Hotspur, Queens Park Rangers, West Bromich Albion amongst many others.

True, but not that common to be honest. Also, with the exception of 'Hotspur' most of these are shared by several clubs Wycombe/Bolton, QP-hahaha/Glasgow R, Burton/WBA to name a few. I don't think I've seen that occur in the US, or maybe it does.

[jarv]

Sheffield WEDNESDAY. I know the answer to that one....2 teams in Sheffield were formed but only one pitch. One was named United and the other had to play on WEDNESDAY, so they were named Sheffield Wednesday. This all took place about 1890 I think.

Personally, I don't see anything wrong with coming up with weird names if they have a local connection. The one I dislike the most is my local team, the New England Revolution. (Managed by Steve Nichol) I think back in the 70s they tried the New England Tea Men, (in NASL) that is probably worse.
I think they should have used BOSTON in the name. Any ideas anyone? :022:

[VB]

I used to play American Football for the the Fulham Cardinals (I still cant figure out why we were called that) Heathrow Jets and the London Mets.

What would Fulham FCs American style nickname be?

[Nick the Swede]

Sheffield WEDNESDAY. I know the answer to that one....2 teams in Sheffield were formed but only one pitch. One was named United and the other had to play on WEDNESDAY, so they were named Sheffield Wednesday. This all took place about 1890 I think.

Similar story as how Boca Juniors got their club colors. Back in the day the two major teams in Santiago actually had the same color on their kits and crests and decided to play a game where the loser would have to change their colors. Boca Juniors lost  the game and as they hadn't expected to lose they didn't plan for new colors. They then decided that whatever colors the flag of the next ship to come into port had would be theirs.

The next ship was from the Swedish trade fleet and since then Blue and Yellow has been their colors.

[AlFayedsChequebook]

Sheffield WEDNESDAY. I know the answer to that one....2 teams in Sheffield were formed but only one pitch. One was named United and the other had to play on WEDNESDAY, so they were named Sheffield Wednesday. This all took place about 1890 I think.

Similar story as how Boca Juniors got their club colors. Back in the day the two major teams in Santiago actually had the same color on their kits and crests and decided to play a game where the loser would have to change their colors. Boca Juniors lost  the game and as they hadn't expected to lose they didn't plan for new colors. They then decided that whatever colors the flag of the next ship to come into port had would be theirs.

The next ship was from the Swedish trade fleet and since then Blue and Yellow has been their colors.

More kit related trivia:

Brazil's famous yellow, green and blue kits came after they lost the 1950 world cup final to Uruguay. So devastated they lost the game, they held a competition to search for new kit colours (they originally played in white) using the national flag as inspiration. The winning choice was created by Aldyr Garcia Schlee who lived in a town bordering Brazil and Uruguay. He considered himself to be Uruguayan and had supported them in the 1950 cup final, meaning that Brazil's kits were designed by a Uruguayan!

I vote we use the same method when it comes to our third kits - never blue again!

[timmyg]

Eric Cantona to join the New York Cosmos, even worse in the advert for his arrival he's smoking a big cigar. How old is he now? what a farce. .......... ooops just seen it again and it;s as director of football 

For you americans on here. Where does this custom, you have across the pond, in naming your team something (to me) silly come from?
I.e:
Cosmos
Redskins
Lakers
Jets
Bears
Dolphins
Lightning
Cowboys
Stars

Well, Rugby teams have nicknames too, no?

It probably has everything to do with branding. In North America, the teams' names usually fall into three camps:

1) Original name that has some connection with the area (Dallas Cowboys; Baltimore Orioles; Boston Celtics, Toronto Maple Leafs)
2) Original name that wasn't changed when the team relocated* (LA Lakers, originally from Minnesota where there are 1000 lakes; Arizona Cardinals, originally from St Louis; Memphis Grizzles, originally from Vancouver, LA Dodgers and SF Giants, originally from Brooklyn/New York City). 
3) Some stupid recent name that has more to do with hyperbole or tough animals than reality (Magic, Panthers, Jaguars, Thunder, Bobcats, Thrashers, etc)

*I understand relocating is a cardinal sin in footy, but its dirty little secret that ensures survival in all American sports.

[Nick the Swede]

Eric Cantona to join the New York Cosmos, even worse in the advert for his arrival he's smoking a big cigar. How old is he now? what a farce. .......... ooops just seen it again and it;s as director of football 

For you americans on here. Where does this custom, you have across the pond, in naming your team something (to me) silly come from?
I.e:
Cosmos
Redskins
Lakers
Jets
Bears
Dolphins
Lightning
Cowboys
Stars

Well, Rugby teams have nicknames too, no? 

*I understand relocating is a cardinal sin in footy, but its dirty little secret that ensures survival in all American sports.

Rugby Teams might, not into Rugby whatsoever myself!

Well, sports in Europe and the US are two very different things. From "how" you support your team, value of the history of clubs/sports all the way to what sports appeal to Joe Public.

The reason for my original question is that they did try to add these kind of names to some ice hockey teams over here and most fans went ballistic. I think the reason some clubs tried is that they saw that American teams/clubs are far better in making money from Merchandise so they thought by some americanised aaggressivebranding they could increase their revenue streams.

Didn't go too well!

Come to think of it, ice hockey teams in the UK have these kind of nicknames too. Manchester Storm and Nottingham Panthers... Hmmmm....

[duffbeer]

Well, sports in Europe and the US are two very different things. From "how" you support your team, value of the history of clubs/sports all the way to what sports appeal to Joe Public.

While the most popular sports in the US are indeed different, exactly how are Americans different in terms of their support and value of the history of their teams?

[King_Crud]

Well, sports in Europe and the US are two very different things. From "how" you support your team, value of the history of clubs/sports all the way to what sports appeal to Joe Public.

While the most popular sports in the US are indeed different, exactly how are Americans different in terms of their support and value of the history of their teams?

They call their teams "franchises" and tend to move them around a bit is what i would say is the main difference

[YankeeJim]

Eric Cantona to join the New York Cosmos, even worse in the advert for his arrival he's smoking a big cigar. How old is he now? what a farce. .......... ooops just seen it again and it;s as director of football 

Is that proper football (soccer! Oh god how I dislike that word) or "Rugby with padded clothes"?

For you americans on here. Where does this custom, you have across the pond, in naming your team something (to me) silly come from?

.

I.ae:
Cosmos
Redskins
Lakers
Jets
Bears
Dolphins
Lightning
Cowboys
Stars

Well you get the picture.

s - originally from milwaukee, which is on Lake Michigan
Dolphins - there are dolphins in miami
Cowboys - based in Texas...nuff said really.

Actually, the Lakers were originally in Minneapolis, Minnesota. "The land of 10,000 lakes" as the state motto goes.
Laker

[Nick the Swede]

They call their teams "franchises" and tend to move them around a bit is what i would say is the main difference

+1

Plus the fact that the "away day" culture is very limited due to the sheer size of the country.

Other things are the "lack" of link to the local community, the teams/clubs are so big that there is rarely room for 2 similar sized teams in a medium sized town/city. This takes a lot away from the intensity of the derby feel over here I guess...

Also the lack of youth teams in the big clubs, it seems to me that the schooling of athletes are in little leagues and through the school teams.

I can't really see this kind of support for a Under 12 team in the US (I hope it happens though) due to the lack of youth teams in the same club you support:
Lech Cup 2010 (U-12) - Supporters Lech Poznań

Not saying that there is something wrong with US sports or its support, just very different to what I'm used to.

[finnster01]

We're not squeaky clean on the moving around a bit in England either. MK Don's being a recent example of a man-made town stealing a historic club to pretend it is actually a real town and as such should have a football club but couldn't be arsed to build one from scratch. So they built a new stadium and stole Wimbledon.

I think this will continue to happen, especially in the lower divisions. Clubs can't afford to run anymore and will either have to join forces and get FA approval or simply go into administration and eventually die.

25 years from now we will watch Middlesboro McDonalds vs Burnley BurgerKings. It isn't that far fetched actually :046: