Brooklyn ‘Nets’ name annoys me to no end

[Ed Monix]

I had never noticed until Zach Lowe made a reference to it a while ago that they have to be the worse named team in the league. Since then it’s something I can’t understand ever happened, a team named after a netting not even then hoop itself is ridiculous, they can’t even use the monicker nothing but ‘net’ because they are called the Nets. What is even more frustrating is that when they thought about a name change they were going to go with ‘swamp dragons’. Absolutely moronic lol I feel like Ryan Gosling in that SNL sketch about Papyrus font.

I am amazed they haven’t changed their name to reflect the history of the dodgers, perhaps ‘The Royals’ after the Royal Blue that was introduced by Babe Ruth or even being called ‘The Blue Sox’ something unique to the NBA, always wearing the royal blue colored socks with their grey jersey would look amazing.

I personally hate their ‘big three’ but not the idea of having a legitimate team in Brooklyn for long suffering fans.

[nickagneta]

The origin of the name goes back to the ABA and that team wanting to change from the New Jersey Americans to something more New York like when they moved from Jersey to New York.

The thinking was to rhyme with other established New York teams but to denote basketball. So...Mets for baseball, Jets for football, became Nets for basketball.

Weird thinking but it was the mid 70's and that was a weird decade.

[86MaxwellSmart]

Pelicans have the worst name....by far.

[Section 87]

The Brooklynettes.

[Ed Monix]

Pelicans have the worst name....by far.

I agree it has no cache but at least it has some meaning, it’s not the ownerships fault that Louisiana has a crap state bird. When I heard that the Benson family were renaming the team I was hoping as owner of the Saints that they too would be called the Saints, but I imagine it would cause issues if the teams were sold separately in the future. Would have been cool though, you could have got a two for one season ticket type of deal for the football team and basketball.

[rocknrollforyoursoul]

"Nets" never bothered me, I guess because it's basketball-related.

Usually when I think of team names, I think about them in terms of how well they fit their cities/regions, but I don't think I've ever thought, "I just plain dislike such-and-such a name." But since this topic has come up, I'm now trying to figure out which team name (if any) just strikes me as a bad name to use for a top-level pro sports team.

I generally dislike collective singular names—Heat, Magic, Thunder (though I like Jazz, probably because it's been around my whole life and I was just used to it). I'm not a big fan of Pelicans (I actually prefer the shortened "Pels," but even that is nothing great). I kinda dislike Wizards, partly because I think Washington should still be the Bullets, and partly because Wizards, on its own, is kinda minor-league-ish.

But in the end, I'm going to agree with 86MaxwellSmart and say Pelicans is the worst. It's not an illogical choice—the brown pelican is, after all, the Louisiana state bird—but it's just weird (and not a good weird) to name a pro team after a goofy-looking, unintimidating bird. And how many people even know that the pelican is the Louisiana state bird? I had no idea before the New Orleans team took the name.

I think New Orleans should've sued Utah for the rights to "Jazz," and then the Jazz should've taken a different, more Utah-appropriate name, but I guess that's a whole other discussion! 

[nickagneta]

Lakers made sense in Minny. In LA, it's a stupid name.

[SparzWizard]

Lakers made sense in Minny. In LA, it's a stupid name.

We have no real lakes in LA LOL. Except Lake Elsinore in Riverside county or Silverlake lolol

[tenn_smoothie]

"Nets" never bothered me, I guess because it's basketball-related.

I generally dislike collective singular names—Heat, Magic, Thunder (though I like Jazz, probably because it's been around my whole life and I was just used to it). I'm not a big fan of Pelicans (I actually prefer the shortened "Pels," but even that is nothing great). I kinda dislike Wizards, partly because I think Washington should still be the Bullets, and partly because Wizards, on its own, is kinda minor-league-ish.

I think New Orleans should've sued Utah for the rights to "Jazz," and then the Jazz should've taken a different, more Utah-appropriate name.

Agree with you Rock-n-Roll, on all counts.
I miss the Bullets and hate the fact that it was the PC crowd that forced the new name.
I doubt the murder rate in D.C. declined after the change.

[Celtics2021]

"Nets" never bothered me, I guess because it's basketball-related.

I generally dislike collective singular names—Heat, Magic, Thunder (though I like Jazz, probably because it's been around my whole life and I was just used to it). I'm not a big fan of Pelicans (I actually prefer the shortened "Pels," but even that is nothing great). I kinda dislike Wizards, partly because I think Washington should still be the Bullets, and partly because Wizards, on its own, is kinda minor-league-ish.

I think New Orleans should've sued Utah for the rights to "Jazz," and then the Jazz should've taken a different, more Utah-appropriate name.

Agree with you Rock-n-Roll, on all counts.
I miss the Bullets and hate the fact that it was the PC crowd that forced the new name.
I doubt the murder rate in D.C. declined after the change.

The Bullets were changed as a reaction to the assassination of Israeli PM Yitzhak Rabin, a very close friend of then-owner Abe Pollin.

[Birdman]

Pelicans have the worst name....by far.

Without a doubt!!!!

[gift]

I remember someone suggesting Brooklyn Knights when they moved but I guess they didn't want to rebrand that much.

[Redz]

Aim higher.  Maybe go with the Brooklyn Rims.  Brooklyn Backboards?

[Celtics2021]

Aim higher.  Maybe go with the Brooklyn Rims.  Brooklyn Backboards?

Why stop there?  Brooklyn Rafters!  I look forward to announcers stumbling over Raptors-Rafters matchups.

[Redz]

Aim higher.  Maybe go with the Brooklyn Rims.  Brooklyn Backboards?

Why stop there?  Brooklyn Rafters!  I look forward to announcers stumbling over Raptors-Rafters matchups.

Pretty sure we'll reach the ceiling with this train of thought soon.