I think the odds are low of a name change, but given the current state of affairs it's a non-zero possibility. And if we don't have input, the name will end up being some trite adjective in front of the word Hawks, which has happened with pretty much every other sports name change in America. Green Hawks, Fighting Hawks, Screeching Hawks, whatever. We don't want that.
I suspect that some members of Chiefs management read this site occasionally to get our takes on who should be starting at left guard or how they should handle a particular contract, so this is our chance to have input into the process. (Oh, and hi, Clark. Nice work last year, my friend. PM me about getting together for dinner next time you're in Denver.)
So we'll have a renaming tournament. In this thread, you may propose up to three names, and I'll structure everyone's suggestions into heats. Using the Chiefsplanet brain trust, we'll give Clark and his team valuable input into what the Chiefs should become if we eventually delete our homage to indigenous plains cultures. [Reply]
Originally Posted by jallmon:
The way I heard it was Lamar Hunt named them the Chiefs in honor of a KC politician known as the "Big Chief", for his help in getting the team moved from Dallas and established in KC.
I've long heard this story as well, but I'll confess that I've always been a bit skeptical of it. We've had the arrowhead since Day One in KC.
The only way I'd believe it is if Bartle suggested it as an inside joke or something. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Rain Man:
I've long heard this story as well, but I'll confess that I've always been a bit skeptical of it. We've had the arrowhead since Day One in KC.
The only way I'd believe it is if Bartle suggested it as an inside joke or something.
Eh, he was a big big deal in kc back in the day. He helped put together a group of influential businessmen in kc at the time to help attract the team (my great grandpa who ran the now gone Chevy plant was among them) and did a lot of great for Kansas City. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Ebolapox:
Eh, he was a big big deal in kc back in the day. He helped put together a group of influential businessmen in kc at the time to help attract the team (my great grandpa who ran the now gone Chevy plant was among them) and did a lot of great for Kansas City.
Admittedly, I have never lived in the KC area. It always seemed to me like it was a great story to deflect criticism, but I'll defer to those of you who are more knowledgeable. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Rain Man:
Admittedly, I have never lived in the KC area. It always seemed to me like it was a great story to deflect criticism, but I'll defer to those of you who are more knowledgeable.
As I wasn’t there, it’s quite possible it’s apocryphal. I also know other cities did the same thing bartle did, so it’s not impossible to believe it was a fact retconned in. [Reply]
Originally Posted by scho63:
And Black people call each other the "N" word all the time but I don't think a hockey team called the Nashville N******s would be a good idea. :-)
who cares? words are just words. they only bother you if you let them.
the fact is we are pretty stupid if we let are emotions and health be altered by a word.
but thats why they call it - spelling.. speaking casts spells.
why else would telling a kid he's stupid or evil ,over and over, then help psychologically f up his life? repeating these stupid racist arguments makes people believe them. they are unproven, unnecessary and untrue.
Originally Posted by scho63:
It's not for me to say. I'm not offended but I can sure see how if team was called the Yellowskins Asians would take offense.
So in the current environment, the pressure will be intense.
Ah, well kudos for having an open mind about it.
I definitely would have thought you to be in the "don't give them an inch because they'll take a mile" camp. [Reply]
If I was rebranding, I would go with the KC Spirit. Team colors would be navy blue and gunmetal gray. Matte navy colored helmets. Team logo would be the B-2 bomber. Cheerleaders would wear blue berets. Our receiving corps would be called the air force. Fans would wave blue camo flags in the stadium. There are all sorts of things you could do with military motif. Having a passing attack like ours is just the perfect match for the bomber. [Reply]
Originally Posted by ReynardMuldrake:
If I was rebranding, I would go with the KC Spirit. Team colors would be navy blue and gunmetal gray. Matte navy colored helmets. Team logo would be the B-2 bomber. Cheerleaders would wear blue berets. Our receiving corps would be called the air force. Fans would wave blue camo flags in the stadium. There are all sorts of things you could do with military motif. Having a passing attack like ours is just the perfect match for the bomber.
I just don't get the exclusive nature to the arrowhead and Native Americans. The earliest known users of the bow and arrow were 3000 BC Egyptians. Most likely was used 20000 BC stone age we just haven't recovered the evidence yet.
As for H. Roe "The Chief" Bartle I can remember that story being told by Bill Grigsby a dear friend of Mr Bartle. That man must of made an impression on many people. Bartle got the nickname of Chief by founding The Tribe of the Mic-O-Say BSA. I believe it real how the name was chosen. As this was after first sb and before the IV. I doubt there was much Indian protesting those days.
The drum that is more recent so if I recall American Indian nations gave it a blessing and had a agreement in its use. [Reply]
If they change the name, I will pump money into a start up. What will this startup do exactly you ask?
Well LET ME TELL YOU.
This startup will take game tape and super impose the Chiefs logo back on to everything, we will then take audio and super impose that ton the broadcast so the analyst are saying "Chiefs" etc.
I will host it through multiple shell companies and host downloads from Russia/Czech.
We will work really hard to make these downloads available at reasonable rates, and as soon as the games are done. In the future with DEEP FAKE technologies (They are good right now) we might be able to do real time.
This leaves the chop. This I wish would go I never partook because of its blatant ripoff of the Florida Seminole. it was never used at Municipal or early Arrowhead till the noles became a powerhouse. Then like the wave one day it appeared during the Peterson Shottenheimer regime and never died out. I hated it for its non-originality but didn't fault those who did. We are stuck with it now as how could you police that up in a crowd of 80,000. [Reply]
Originally Posted by srvy:
This leaves the chop. This I wish would go I never partook because of its blatant ripoff of the Florida Seminole. it was never used at Municipal or early Arrowhead till the noles became a powerhouse. Then like the wave one day it appeared during the Peterson Shottenheimer regime and never died out. I hated it for its non-originality but didn't fault those who did. We are stuck with it now as how could you police that up in a crowd of 80,000.
I wouldn't change anything else, but the chop sucks, for the reasons you noted. It's unoriginal and boring. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Wilson8:
The Chiefs name is a good one that I would like to keep it.
From the media stories that I have read, the main objections that Native Americans have would be with the tomahawk chop and with fans dressing in garish costumes.
I would agree with what TheMartyr wrote earlier.
I would also add a wall of honor inside the stadium that does a tribute to Chiefs or leaders from different tribal groups.
