This off-season, let's find a better nickname for Zach Bogosian.

I was just reading through the Atlanta Thrashers’ site, checking out various items. Pondering the true deal that is a $100 Home Depot gift card with any season ticket plan. Avoiding the Blue Crew audition nonsense. Checking out some mock draft-type stuff.

Then, on the front page, an ad caught my eye — an ad promoting the Thrashers’ draft party. All good. It’s at Philips Arena. One big party. June 25th. Etc. But then there was this subhead that just made me cringe and giggle at the same time: “Meet Bogo and Kane at Draft Party!”

Maybe it’s the the sign of a weird mind, but the acronym “BOGO” has kind of taken off in marketing circles — short hand for “Buy One, Get One.” I don’t know why it bugs me that Zach Bogosian’s nickname is “Bogo.” It would be nice if the Thrashers got a two-fer on Zach — two of him for the price of one. (Wouldn’t that be right up the penny-pinching ownership’s alley?)

Maybe all these years of grumbling about the Thrashers has led to this. But certainly there’s a better nickname than that. I thought the rule on NHL nicknames involved shortening and adding “r” or “s” on the end. So we’d have a “Kaner” (and I think that might just be his nickname, along with the more famous Kane in Chicago) or a “Kanes” by default right? That means “Bogs”? “Bogger”? Jeez, I don’t know, but “Bogo” rhymes with pogo, and it reminds me just a little too much of the cheesy adverts for Payless Shoes. Thus, “Bogo” must go, go.

(As an aside, I always thought Bobby Holik’s last name, when the standard NHL nicknaming conventions are applied, would be especially funny: “Holes” or “Holer.” I believe he was much too serious for such appellations, though I did read he loved listening to The Zambonis before games when he was in New Jersey, so go figure.)

Hey, I know it’s silly, but it’s the offseason … and a weekend. We need something to talk about. So let’s talk…

Chicago Blackhawks logo

Last week, Damian Cox published an article in the Toronto Star discussing the Chicago Blackhawks’ logo suggesting it was perhaps time to abandon the stereotypical image.  Since I am of Native heritage, Goddess Kaat suggested that perhaps I weigh in on the topic.  We have had numerous conversations about sports teams and the use of Native names and mascots and she thought it was finally time for the Goddesses to address it.

Initially, I was hesitant.  After all, we have much larger issues that are pressing to First Nations peoples, but upon further investigation I was shocked to find that Cox’s article had spawned a racist backlash on numerous message boards.  This is not uncommon when people feel their sports team’s history is being threatened.  Nothing gets people as riled up as their home sports team and its traditions.  Yet the misinformation and racism that was being thrown out on various forums was too disturbing to ignore.

Let’s briefly address the issue that has caused the big uproar.  Cox claims that the Indian head logo is much like the cigar store Indian and that the time has come to stop using ethnic groups as mascots.  He erred on the side of caution – by proposing the removal of the Indian head on the Blackhawks’ jersey.

This is a legitimate debate.  Indians have had their names and likeness appropriated by the dominant culture for years.  Yet whereas some issues seem pretty cut and dry (the nickname “Redskins” or the caricature Cleveland Indian,) the Indian head logo is not.  Some Native tribes actually use this same logo for their own sports teams.  When asked about the logo, Blair Atcheynum, a Native and former member of the Chicago Blackhawks, said it didn’t bother him.  But to other Natives it is still a symbol of the European conquest and hegemony.

To me, the real issue seems to be the fallacies in arguing for keeping the logo and the racism that has reared its ugly head in response to such an article. Such as:

-       “It’s the third most popular jersey in the league!  Thousands of people spend their money on team apparel because they like it.  It’s stupid to get rid of it.”

This is the ever popular “bandwagon fallacy.”  Think 5 billion Chinese people can’t be wrong?  Why not?  Guess what folks, they can.  The thousands of Nazis all thought they were right too.

-       “I don’t see it as insulting. I see it as honoring Native Americans.”

Great.  But this isn’t about you.  It’s about the group that is being represented.  They should be the ones determining what is honoring and what is insulting.

-       “Other teams are named after ethic groups.  What about the fighting Irish?”

Ever hear the term “two wrongs don’t make a right?”

-       “People are too PC anymore.  Indians need to get thicker skins if they’re offended.”

Well, we have pretty thick skins as it is.  We wouldn’t have been able to survive 500 years of conquest if we didn’t.  It’s not being PC. It’s common sense.  I think we can all agree that if a team logo was an Arab man with stereotypical Arab features wearing a Muslim headdress there’d be trouble.

-       “I’m from (such and such) tribe and don’t find it offensive.”

We’re getting closer.  If the people that are being represented are not offended, then perhaps it’s not an issue.  But if some are, then clearly it is.

-       “That’s not offensive.  Offensive would be a dirty Indian huffing glue … even though it would actually be more correct.”

Wow.  Really?  And this was one of the tamer of the racist posts I saw.

Unfortunately, what this post really brought to light was that Native Americans are the one ethnicity that are still allowed to be represented without their consent.  It also revealed that such ugly racism is accepted when it comes to certain ethnic groups.  And while I was initially on the fence about this particular team identity, I am beginning to think that the casual acceptance of such logos only tells people that it’s ok to be not only culturally insensitive but outright racist about that particular group.

Don’t get me wrong.  I am a sports fanatic and can appreciate the tradition behind many teams.  I understand that many people’s identities are largely based on their sports teams.  I’m more than willing to engage in an intelligent conversation about the topic at hand.  I simply think that in today’s society it’s become an all about “me” scenario and what might be disappointing to an individual fan of a sports team, rather than the good of an entire group of people.

Seems a bit petty when put that way, doesn’t it?

Image: Chicago Blackhawks logo from NHL.com.

Stan Kronke

Hello Colorado Avalanche fans and those interested in stopping the uncontrolled monster that is Kroneke Sports Enterprises.

Yes, that’s right, our buddy Stan Kroenke, who owns not only the Avalanche, Denver Nuggets and the Pepsi Center but also the Colorado Rapids professional soccer team, the majority of the English football team Arsenal and a new ticket agency called TicketHorse, is at it again. This time, he wants to become majority owner of the NFL’s St. Louis Rams.

But there’s a catch. To become a majority owner of an NFL franchise you can’t own another major sports franchise (including an MLB, NBA or NHL team.) Hence, Kroenke would have to sell the Avalanche and the Nuggets if he wants to join the big boys in the NFL game.

If you’ve been following Hockey Goddesses, you’ll know my disdain toward the current Avalanche regime, which I believe comes from the top. There is not a team in the league that is less fan-friendly than the Avalanche. A dismal 3rd from last in ticket sales last year from an organization that previously held the record for most consecutive sellouts (which in itself is questionable, but that’s a whole other post) has revealed this neglect for the fan experience. So, you can imagine the excitement I initially felt. Kroenke gone! A change in the guard! More fan-friendly! Is this too good to be true?

It turns out it just might be.

See, Kronke has tried to get the Rams’ ownership transferred to his wife, who would then become the majority owner, hence allowing him to keep the Avs and Nuggets.

Yep. That’s right. He is pulling out all the dirty tricks in an attempt to continue to expand his evil empire, which means the Avs will slip even lower in priority. We already have seen what happens when you own an NBA team as well as an NHL team. The NHL team will always be the redheaded step-child. With all the big contracts the Nuggets had to fill this past season the Avs were sacrificed, falling well under the league salary cap because, presumably, Kroenke didn’t want to dig too deep in those pockets.

Thankfully, the NFL said “no” to the transfer of the Rams to Kroenke’s dearly beloved, but that doesn’t necessarily preclude other family members from “purchasing” the Avs and Nuggets. So, unfortunately, there’s a very good chance we fans may actually be stuck with the same old Kroenke, the same old philosophy and the same ol’ poor treatment.

Sigh.

But a girl’s allowed to dream, right?

Photo: Stan Kroenke from daily.com.

On a different note, I swear Blackhawks goalie Nikolai Khabibulin was drinking grape Pedialyte on the bench during a timeout. The label was ripped off the bottle, but it was definitely a Pedialyte bottle. This information has no real value.

It is hard to be a Thrashers fan. You have to find amusement where you can.

Whatever it was, we goddesses wish him nothing but the best.

Sleetaks freak me out. Kind of like the Thrashers’s play of late. What the hell Thrashers? Before we get to that, let’s talk about “The Land of the Lost,” one of my favorite shows of all time. I don’t know why, but I love that show. From the Sleestaks to Marshall, Will and Holly to Chaka and the *gasp* Sleestaks to the weird pylons where the gang would rearrange those glowing marbles to try to get home.

Speaking of pylons. Let’s talk about the Thrashers’ defense. Oh nevermind. There’s really no defense to speak of. Let’s just watch the trailer for the new “Land of the Lost” starring Will Ferrell.

The Thrashers’ “play” is getting really depressing. The only upside, I guess, is that they are falling so fast they just may get that No. 1 pick. Of course, the way the Thrashers’ luck goes, they will start to win at the last minute and win just enough not to be last. Hooray!

I want the Thrashers to have a “Land of the Lost”-style time warp and go back to when they had Marc Savard and Dany Heatley. Oh, I can’t believe those lean times were really the glory days!

- Johan Hedberg is so tiny … and cute with his moose mask

- Not a big fan of Darren Eliot. He was kind of a jerk when we called him on the Thrashers post-game show a few years ago. Total homer who refused to allow a negative opinion.

- “Pinching” — the word makes me laugh.

- Ilya and Afinogenov look very similar when they skate.

- There’s a whole lotta spitting going on!

- Darren Eliot calling Enstrom “Toby” throughout the game seems so unprofessional.

- Hainsey is such a weird last name.

- Slava is not a dirty Russian!

- Slava is so cute. I can’t stand it

- Oh the Little-White-Russian line is on fire!

- I think the Thrashers need to take a weekly trip to Fort Benning.

- Way to go Johan! Getting the left buttock on the puck!

- I flunked my first blog-along.

- Yay Thrashers.

2nd period – Calgary Flames at Chicago Blackhawks (11-09-2008)

- I like Cristobal Huet’s mask.

- Patrick Kane just had a great goal and an even greater goal celebration.

- Facewashes rule.