The stupid thread. How did teams get their names?

[HotRack]

May I recommend that anyone who does not already have the ESPN College Football Encyclopedia go buy it. It has the the history, stadium size, student pop. ect. for all FBS schools in it including how schools got their nicknames and mascots. I think the newest edition came out around '04 so it is a little outdated on some stadium and school size but none the less a great reference for questions such as this

But that's no fun. Party pooper.

 

[Gramburglar]

But that's no fun. Party pooper.

Or it can make the party. Make a drinking game out of guessing the school size, stadium size, number of All-Americans, wins or losses the book is huge the possibilities are endless. Plus you get to know dumb s*** you most likely will never use.

Plus i think the page about CSU starts out like "CSU has returned to it's programs tradition...losing"

 

[Gramburglar]

But that's no fun. Party pooper.

And yes ButtSac sounds like a pooper

 

[Timbuff10]

UNC Tarheel?

Some North Carolina militia or regiment went off to fight a battle (I am guessing Civil war, although could have been revolutionary) and they got stuck in some tar pit on the way to the battle. Long story short, they showed up dirty with tar on the feet and ended up kicking ass. Just like the tar, the name stuck and that was the story. At least that was what was taught in the elementary schools there and I have also seen this story in at least two museums. There are though other such origins such as the from the ships and so on.

 

[Shldr2Shldr]

the Akron Zips is apparently short for Zippers. These are referring to some sort of over shoe sold by BF Goodrich in the 1920's and 1930's. Doesn't make any more sense to me now then it did before I read Wiki.

 

[CVilleBuff]

Some North Carolina militia or regiment went off to fight a battle (I am guessing Civil war, although could have been revolutionary) and they got stuck in some tar pit on the way to the battle. Long story short, they showed up dirty with tar on the feet and ended up kicking ass. Just like the tar, the name stuck and that was the story. At least that was what was taught in the elementary schools there and I have also seen this story in at least two museums. There are though other such origins such as the from the ships and so on.

It's a matter of debate. NC was a big source of tar naval stores dating back to the time of the English. Legend has it that it was said during the Civil War that NC troops "stuck to their ranks like they had tar on their heels"

 

[The Guest]

Va Tech also has a chant their students do (or at least used to...)

Hokie hokie hokie hai!
We're the boys from VPI (Virginia Polytechnic Institute)!!

Don't know if the nickname comes from the chant or the other way around, though...

[video=youtube;VQXejpU-Xss]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQXejpU-Xss&feature=related[/video]

 

[Buffnik]

May I recommend that anyone who does not already have the ESPN College Football Encyclopedia go buy it. It has the the history, stadium size, student pop. ect. for all FBS schools in it including how schools got their nicknames and mascots. I think the newest edition came out around '04 so it is a little outdated on some stadium and school size but none the less a great reference for questions such as this

I hope Rugged doesn't see this. If he starts reading that on the crapper, he'll never have time to post.

 

[ScottyBuff]

the Akron Zips is apparently short for Zippers. These are referring to some sort of over shoe sold by BF Goodrich in the 1920's and 1930's. Doesn't make any more sense to me now then it did before I read Wiki.

Akron was known as the "The Rubber Capital of the World" at the time. BF Goodrich was founded there and their past stadium was called the Rubber Bowl. Naming the Zippers after a popular shoe made of rubber makes some sense. Still wierd, but that is the connection.

 

[Unleash Hell]

How did Nebraska get Bugeaters? And why the change to cornhuskers?

 

[sackman]

Why is Alabama's mascot an elephant?

Because it's hard to make a costume shaped like a bloody tampon.

 

[The Guest]

Because it's hard to make a costume shaped like a bloody tampon.

Apparently it's easier than an elephant costume.

 

[CarolinaBuff]

Some pro and college team's names make no damn sense. I wanted to understand where they came from. Add to the list and maybe Allbuffs can publish this, or not.

Minnesota Twins - Minneapolis and St Paul are the TWIN cities.

Los Angeles Lakers - A move by the Minnnesota Lakers (the land of lakes) to LA

Green Bay Packers - Meat packing plants in Wisconsin.

New York Mets - I thing that is short for Metropolitans

Akron Zips - No clue

Virginia Tech Hokies - No Clue

Georgetown Hoyas - No Clue

Alabama - Crimson Tide and why do they have an elephant as a mascot?

I'm really curious about the Brooklyn/LA Dodgers. The rumor I heard was that it related to traffic.

Many many others. This is just for fun.

Since you mentioned the Mets, one interesting story I recall is they got their orange and blue colors from the Giants and Dodgers, the 2 teams who had recently left New York.

 

[BehindEnemyLines]

On the Ahhhbern question -- I believe the story is that they're mascot was originally the tigers. During one home game, they weren't doing very well, until an eagle flew in and landed somewhere in the stadium. The homies rallied, the fans et.al. noted the eagle, and viola - war eagles was born. Story I heard a long time ago, so tifwiw.


On the other hand, that eagle might have had to move when his tree got juiced. Who knows?

 

[HawtWf]

It's a matter of debate. NC was a big source of tar naval stores dating back to the time of the English. Legend has it that it was said during the Civil War that NC troops "stuck to their ranks like they had tar on their heels"

It was the Civil War. NC was already the "tar" state because of its tar abundance and became the Tar Heel state because of the willingness to stand and fight. God bless my great-great grandpappy:smile2:.

We have the ram, Rameses, because the students of early years decided they needed a mascot, and picked the ram for one of the players who was known as "the battering ram." Don't know how the hell the name Rameses was chosen.

 

[MEBuff]

I'm pretty sure Crimson Tide comes from a tv or radio announcer describing the fans at a game, saying all the red in the stadium looks like the crimson tide, the red algae in the Gulf of Mexico. While we're on the topic of Alabama, anyone know what a "Ramma Jamma Yellow Hammer" is?

 

[buffwoman526]

Hoosier anyone? And then use it in a sentence. and Hoosier mama or daddy doesn't count.

The origin of Hoosier isn't completely known even to Hoosiers. The standard answer to the question is that there was once a barfight in a bar in Indianapolis. Someone had his ear cut off during the fight. "Hoosier" came from the slurred speech of one of the bar patrons asking "whose ear?"

 

[slider]

I thought Hoosier was for "who's there"

 

[leftybuff]

VaTech used to be the fighting gobblers with a turkey mascot. The costumed mascot sort of morphed into the "hokie bird" and then eventually the team name was shortened to the Hokies. At least it's something along those lines.

Interesting, especially since Frank Beamer sort of resembles a gobbler...

 

[Duff Man]

On the Ahhhbern question -- I believe the story is that they're mascot was originally the tigers. During one home game, they weren't doing very well, until an eagle flew in and landed somewhere in the stadium. The homies rallied, the fans et.al. noted the eagle, and viola - war eagles was born. Story I heard a long time ago, so tifwiw.

On the other hand, that eagle might have had to move when his tree got juiced. Who knows?

There is another story that it originated before the Georgia game (huge rivalry) one year in some fashion, but there are about five different stories so who knows.

 

[Buffenuf]

Legend has it that it was said during the Civil War that NC troops "stuck to their ranks like they had tar on their heels"

Pretty funny! NC troops had one of the highest rates of desertion of any Confederate state!

 

[Denver_sc]

Movie quote, rep for who gets it. "The Jazz moved to Utah where they don't allow music." Hint: Somewhat CU related

Late to the thread, but: "The Oakland Raiders moved to LA and back again; no one in LA seemed to notice."

I loved that movie when I was in high school; I must've watched it about 15 times.

 

[BUFFset]

Movie quote, rep for who gets it. "The Jazz moved to Utah where they don't allow music." Hint: Somewhat CU related

BASEketball


edit: already guessed pg 2.

 

[Creebuzz]

Yup, "Hokie" came from a song that won a competition for a new "spirit yell" at VT.

Hoki Hoki Hoki, Hy
Techs, Techs, VPI.

..and then later on an "e" was added to the end, and that's that. Some UVA fans maintain that "hokie" is actually a term for a neutered turkey, and at least one link online supports that claim.

On big 3rd downs at Lane they have a turkey "gobble gobble" and the fans go nuts. They also do the "key play" **** that we do.

Personally, I like to think that VaTech is named after the little manual carpet sweeper/vacuum cleaner, also nicknamed a Hokie, that wait staff and busboys use to pick up crumbs off restaurant carpeting. We always figured VaTech chose that name because busboy would be the eventual profession of their student body. :smile: