GW Hoops / GW New Moniker Discussion

**Posted by Tennessee Colonial** 2/06/2023 1:24 pm

Thanks Rising. I was glad to hear that Mike Jarvis made those comments. I wish I was there.

**Posted by 22ndandF** 2/06/2023 1:49 pm

GWRising wrote:
Although the game wasn't what we hoped, perhaps the best thing that happened Saturday was Mike Jarvis taking shots at the name change while addressing the Colonials Club before the game in front of board members, President Wrighton, and TV. There was a lot of applause for his remarks on that. Suffice it to say, this is not popular among the alums or HOFers ... at least those older than 40.

GWRising, it's nice to hear Mike Jarvis doesn't like the idea of the name change. What specifically did he say? By the way, I consider myself fairly woke, and don't like the way you insult people who are outspoken on social issues like race, human sexuality and other social issues of the day, but I do agree with you (and many others here) that the name change is unwarranted.

Last edited by 22ndandF (2/06/2023 1:50 pm)

**Posted by GWRising** 2/06/2023 3:53 pm

TC, I am paraphrasing here but he made a couple of jokes at the expense of the name change. And I believe he said something like we will always be the Colonials and that's the way he going to remember the 1993 team. Then he looked at TV and said I am probably going to get you in trouble.

22nd and F - I am trying to see where I insulted anyone. Don't recall any detailed discussions in this thread about race, human sexuality or other social issues. Care to enlighten me? That said, if you are referring to my attempt to rebrand as the "Wokesters" not sure how that would be offensive to those who consider themselves "woke".

Last edited by GWRising (2/06/2023 3:56 pm)

**Posted by 22ndandF** 2/06/2023 5:50 pm

GWRising, thanks for sharing what Mike said. I think I agree with him and you on this subject. In regard to your many tropes/insults, I wasn't referring to your Wokesters suggestion. I was thinking about a lot of the other things you've said here over the years. I'm not in charge of the board and am not into censorship, so please don't stop on account of me.

**Posted by GW0509** 2/15/2023 3:49 pm

Ambassadors
Blue Fog
Catalysts
Fireworks
Independents
Monumentals
Revolutionaries
Sentinels
Squad
Truth

https://gwtoday.gwu.edu/gw-announces-10-moniker-options-community-feedback

As part of the ongoing community engagement efforts to develop the new moniker, GW is launching “Moniker Madness,” a series of activities that will give students, faculty, staff and alumni opportunities to provide multiple rounds of feedback on the moniker options and help narrow down the list further. The first round, which kicks off Thursday, February 16 and runs through March 6, is called “First Impressions” and will include several community engagement activities that will allow the GW community to weigh in on the 10 options. The activities include:

15-minute online survey: A random sample of the GW community will be invited to participate in an online survey about their perceptions of GW and various moniker options.
Online rating activity: The rest of the GW community will be invited to participate in a brief online activity giving their initial impressions of the 10 moniker options, rating each on positivity scale.
March 4 men’s basketball game: At the nationally televised men’s basketball game on March 4, which tips off against VCU at 4:30 p.m. at the Charles E. Smith Center, GW community members will be able to participate in an in-person activity during the game to show support for their preferred moniker option.

After evaluating all the feedback from the “First Impressions” round of activities, GW will narrow the options further and then launch a new round for community feedback. As the university continues this deliberate and thoughtful process for developing the new moniker, it looks forward to engaging the GW community in many other ways over the next several months.

Last edited by GW0509 (2/15/2023 3:50 pm)

**Posted by Steve Urkel** 2/15/2023 3:58 pm

😬

**Posted by BM** 2/15/2023 3:59 pm

Let's go Revs!

**Posted by Steve Urkel** 2/15/2023 4:07 pm

it is shameful that Squad, Catalysts, Truth and Fireworks made it this far.
Just laughable suggestions

**Posted by RyanPuleo** 2/15/2023 4:12 pm

Students hate all of them except revs. Some kids like fog but is not a lot. Would be shocked if its not revolutionaries

**Posted by Free Quebec** 2/15/2023 4:16 pm

What a disgrace. These names suck. All of them.

I agree we will wind up with revolutionaries, which is boring and unoriginal.

As usual the administration has botched this from the start, and embarrassed all of us who try to rep our GW fandom.

**Posted by The Dude** 2/15/2023 4:20 pm

People hate anything new, in every one of these cases.

If GW was picking Colonials today, people would absolutely hate that name.

**Posted by MG14** 2/15/2023 4:24 pm

Frankly, it's embarrassing half those names are finalists. Whose 6 year old kid came up with Squad, Truth, and Fireworks? Has anyone tried saying "Go Monumentals"? It sounds awful when said aloud. Independents, Catalysts, and Ambassadors? If we're going to choose random words why start with those?

At this point just go with the Sentinels and be done with it. It's a unique name, fits what they're looking for, and students can bring cut-outs of the characters from X-Men.

All in all quite pathetic this is the final list after they spent what has to be a significant sum of money and time on this issue.

**Posted by Free Quebec** 2/15/2023 4:24 pm

Just call us the Foggy Bottoms. You’d sell a ton in merch And makes more sense than the blue fog.

**Posted by PKGW** 2/15/2023 4:56 pm

Is it just me or does anyone else see that the Colonials were revolutionary- we need history and vocabulary lessons for the students

**Posted by jf** 2/15/2023 5:27 pm

Blue Fog is weird.
Truth wouldn't work, even as an honorific, alas.
Squad is just dumb. How did that get there? "The Squad squad is averaging 70 points a game..."
Also, has political implications, which is even dumber in today's divided society.
How did we come up with this? Ryan provides good info, and with his colleagues, are great supporters
of GW basketball. But this smells of students who don't care about the team packing the issue, much like they did with the Colonials name.
No one appears to have thought about how this would affect recruits declaring, "I'm a Squad." Or "I'm a Blue Fog" or "I'm a Truth".....
Given all the consultants likely involved for a good six figures or millions, these are really the best options?
Sentinels, Monumentals, Revolutionaries, and a few others are okay if we are truly being forced to eat this crap sandwich. Catalysts is odd, could be marginially acceptable. Sounds enough like
Catamounts and is inoffensive enough for most people.
But seriously, couldn't the English Dept. come up with a few better names? (The History Dept sounds like fun, ask one of the Colonial-killing profs about Thanksgiving)

**Posted by Free Quebec** 2/15/2023 6:05 pm

Revolutionaries is 6 syllables. Is there any other team with a six syllable, one word nickname? Is there any even close?

**Posted by FredD** 2/15/2023 6:16 pm

Steve Urkel wrote:
it is shameful that Squad, Catalysts, Truth and Fireworks made it this far.
Just laughable suggestions

Amen! I wrote the school that

“All I wanted was a single syllable diminutive that can be used in a cheer.

None of the 10 do that. None of the lessons of the Commanders debacle have been learned at least in terms of the result. It looks like the process drove the decision and boxed GW in. I wonder how many participants wanted to BE right or be in control rather than PICK the best name?

I’m hurt and disappointed. Instead of being energized or willing to go along, this yet another grind my teeth moment. Beyond the cheer I don’t understand how these 10 advance anything.”

Better the 100TH Wildcat than any of these

**Posted by dmvpiranha** 2/15/2023 7:05 pm

I'm actually starting to get behind "Blue Fog". Team names are stupid anyways (I barely even hear Colonials during sporting events anyways and that was before this name change gained traction), but the name is unique and has a decent sound to it.
"Revolutionaries" is also solid.

I can see why "Ambassadors" and "Sentinels" were finalists, but both are kind of meh as a team name.

"Catalysts" and "Fireworks" are bad team names. Not big on "Independents" either.

"Monumentals" sounds grammatically incorrect. Is that even a word?

Is there a historical context behind "Truth"? It's a bad name either way.

"Squad" is laughably bad. Whoever pitched that couldn't have done so with a straight face. Makes the person who said "Buzz" earlier sound like a genius (unless it was the same person which also wouldn't be surprising).

Funny that the event is called "Moniker Madness". The entire process has been madness and the majority of names are so bad there was no need to waste money on a committee for this. Regardless, I doubt that anyone will care after a while.

**Posted by trops_fc** 2/15/2023 8:57 pm

GW0509 wrote:

March 4 men’s basketball game: At the nationally televised men’s basketball game on March 4, which tips off against VCU at 4:30 p.m. at the Charles E. Smith Center, GW community members will be able to participate in an in-person activity during the game to show support for their preferred moniker option.

Feel like this should get more attention - if senior night vs. VCU isn't enough to get people out, then here's a golden opportunity for fans to get their voices heard.

**Posted by GW69** 2/15/2023 9:14 pm

All of them suck.For me the best of the bunch is revolutionaries-but even that ain’t great.Should be “Revolution”.As far as I know only New England soccer MLS has that moniker.I don’t think any university does.Didn’t the colonials fight in the revolution?