Ask the folks in Cuba, China, and Russia and late 18th century France how cool Revolutionaries are.  How dare we pick a new team name that explicitly celebrates the mass murder of millions of people.  What kind of monster are you.  

So, I've been giving some thought to this.  With some sports teams, you think of the name of the team and not where they're from.  Example.  We don't root for Washington when we watch hockey.  We root for the Caps.  Same thing for the Nationals.  We never yell, "Go Washington."  

With GW, it's different.  Think of our fight song.  How many times is the word "Colonials" mentioned in the song?  Not once.  On our sports uniforms, it usually has "GW" or "George Washington" and Colonials is less often used.  It's Gee-Dub or Raise High or something else.  In all my years, I honestly don't ever remember yelling "Go Colonials!"  It just doesn't roll of the tongue.

If the school is serious about its concerns about Colonials as a team mascot (which I personally have no problem with), then they can deemphasize the use of it and begin changing it over the course of time.  One of the other posters on the board mentioned going to "Buffs" as a team name, and I actually get that.  I kind of like it.  

So, that's it.  Go Buffs.

Or better yet, just leave the damned name alone.

I think any team name that is similar to Colonials (Generals, Revolutionaries, Colonels, etc.) fails for two reasons. First, it's going to feel like a knock-off version of Colonials. Second, you're just going to run into the same issues that you ran into with the Colonials, someone is going to find a reason why the name is offensive. (Also, Generals makes me think of that cheesy car insurance commercial).

My vote is to keep the Colonials. But, I totally agree with BGF's point that we are "Gee-dub" before we are the "Colonials". The idea I posted earlier for the Buffs was more just thinking out loud but its grown on me. Would add some punch to the first line of the fight song too.

I think we should sit back and take our lead from Robert Morris.  But if we did make our change, we should go with either the Colonels (since half the nation would not even know there has been a name change) or the Generals (which would be absolutely hilarious).

Count me as one who doesn't care one way or the other about the name.  Keep the colors.  Keep the fight song.  Nobody ever says the name right anyway.  It's not like we have a great logo that makes me that excited.

What's more frustrating is that the time and energy focused on a name could be focused on actually treating these athletes properly.  Rather than spend 2M on a name change, I'd rather the athletes get paid.  At the very least, make sure they are safe and comfortable during COVID.  I guess we all have different priorities.

7 sports cut for financial reasons, but let's greatly upset many athletic donors by changing the team name.
In the midst of a pandemic, with a plummeting economy and death around every corner.
Where students can't even safely come to class. And there are no fall sports with the Colonials.
   Hopefully, this letter with the already disturbing news wasn't an attempt to move away from the Colonials name. Athletic Dept. would be making a big mistake to ride with this.
.But let's spend $2 million to rebrand in the midst of a pandemic and economic collapse.
 This is not an issue where current students have more of a vote. In fact, until they've proven they can graduate and stick with GW, their input counts less.
    More than 1,000 dying a day, medical issues become politicized, race relations at their worst in modern memory, we may actually have a civil war over a presidential election. 
Yet, let's get rid of the Colonials name because it sounds like something else (Colonialism), even though it actually conveys the opposite.
  Those pushing this must be really proud of coming to GW and taking advantage of the chance to have meaningful political participation in Washington by changing their school's nickname.

 

The Dude wrote:

I'd be cool changing the name just not to have to see this identical thread year after year, after year after year.
GW Lions, anything. 

Dude, I'm laughing at your post, and you're not at all wrong. 
 

FredD wrote:

Dude you are so right! This could be our new “Should Bonds/Rose/Clemens be in the Hall?” Evergreen topic with all the calm civil brotherly rationality these questions bring to public spaces.

Fred - do you mean that you don't think we have enough on the current slate of civil evergreen topics already (Lonergan v. Nero, Penders Settlement, 5th recruit, Why we are not Duke/Gonzaga, etc.)? 
 

Last edited by GWRising (8/06/2020 2:28 pm)

https://president.gwu.edu/membership-special-committee-colonials-moniker

Looks like the committee has been assembled.

Stupidity and Ignorance reigns. I can't support stupidity. And this is just plain stupid. They shall reap the whirlwind.