PC College Students Push For Nashville Predators Name Change Because of "Stigma" Attached To It

By Tony Mangia

Well, the PC Police are at it again and — to no one's surprise — the roll out of another politically correct crusade started on a college campus.

A group of students at Emory University in Atlanta are politicking the National Hockey League's Nashville Predators to change their name to the Nashville Sabercats to shield sensitive minds from the stigmas associated with the word "predator."

Students suggest rebranding NHL’s Nashville Predators to the Sabercats to get away from stigmas associated with the word “predator”#NHL #Nashville @PredsNHL @sport_analytic pic.twitter.com/wPycYck3Ck

— Emory MAC (@Emory_MAC) February 19, 2019

Never mind that the budding social justice warriors are sticking their noses into another city's business (Don't they have enough problems with the Atlanta Braves name?) they don't seem to understand that the word "predator" has been around since cavemen grunted it at real life saber tooth tigers many hockey periods ago.

It was during a Power Point presentation in a marketing class where a section of Emory's fine student body proposed that the "Predators" should rebrand the name because the word has the offensive connotation of weird guys stalking women and perverts chasing minors via the internet. It wasn't the first call for a Nashville Predators name change. It began about a year ago through a Change.org petition sent to that relentless hidden camera, predator-catcher Chris Hansen — the television newser, who surprised morally-insolvent pervs in kitchens of "minors" all over America and on camera. The petition has now been closed (It had 10 supporters) presumably because Hansen is too busy dealing with his own personal bankruptcy issues.

The Emory marketing project also included rebranding proposals for sports teams like changing the name of the Oakland Athletics to the Oakland Guardians to represent the city's "rough reputation." That's odd because the initials O.G. have a way more violent connotation in most gang-ridden cities like Oakland. And then some students pushed for the soon-to-be Las Vegas Raiders to become the Bandits. I don't know about you, but Bandits sends me looking for a safe space faster than Predators.

Students want to rebrand #Oakland @Athletics to the Guardians. Team says new name reflects Oakland’s rough reputation. Oakland G’s reflect long history of winning#Athletics #OaklandAthletics pic.twitter.com/qOYYx24GQ2

— Emory MAC (@Emory_MAC) February 19, 2019

I'm sure some easily offended and attention-seeking students will somehow start a movement and find a way to disparage other NHL teams named after hungry prey-chasing animals — Panthers, Coyotes and Sharks — or deadly natural disasters — Hurricanes, Lightning, Avalanche or Flames — weapons — Sabres — or maybe the just plain stupid — the Blue Jackets.

For me, the team name that really represents death, disasters, perverts and preying on the innocent is the Senators. Now that's offensive.

Mike Fisher knocks out Kevin Bieksa's tooth in fight (VIDEO)

In the scoreless first period of the Predators-Ducks game Tuesday night, Kevin Bieksa and Mike Fisher got into a tussle, with Fisher appearing to give the Anaheim defenseman a little free dental work.

And no, that isn't a Chicklet.

looks like Bieksa loses a tooth as he gets punched squarely in the face. gross. pic.twitter.com/5wXtaDXnRq

— Stephanie (@myregularface) November 18, 2015

All I want for Christmas ...

Porn sounds heard on-air during Nashville Predators broadcast (VIDEO and AUDIO)

If you thought you heard some lusty female moaning in the audio background during the Predators-Blues broadcast on Fox Sports Tennessee Thursday night — you would be right.

Not once, but twice, during the telecast of the NHL matchup, viewers — more precisely, listeners — picked up the distinctive sounds of a porn scene.

How the sexy soundtrack got there is anyone's guess but, luckily, the announcers didn't confuse slap shot with money shot.

And what a time to run a Cialis spot.

Hurricanes' Michal Jordan gets another unfavorable comparison to... Michael Jordan (PHOTO)

The curse of having the same name as a celebrity or legendary athlete is a cross some people have to bear.

It might get you a convenient restaurant reservation over the phone but, in the case of Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Michal Jordan, that novelty has become tiresome.

During Wednesday's game against Carolina, the Nashville Predators trolled the Hurricanes player with an unbeatable comparison with NBA legend Michael Jordan. 

The 24-year-old Czech Republic native saw the comparison and showed a sense of humor about it.

Here we go again...story of my life!🙈 thanks a lot @PredsNHL thanks a lot pic.twitter.com/KwLYHRBsg9
— Michal Jordan (@TheBigCzech23) December 3, 2014

This guy knows the feeling:

Maple Leafs fans sing the 'Star-Spangled Banner' after singer's mic fails (VIDEO)

The Maple Leafs hosted the Nashville Predators Tuesday night at the Air Canada Centre and, as the "Star-Spangled Banner" was being sung, technical difficulties cut off the microphone.

Living up to the reputation that Canadians are the nicest people in the world, our neighbors to the north took over singing the U.S. National Anthem without missing a beat. 

Watch it unfold below:

It's too bad Toronto would go on to lose the game 9-2 but everyone was a winner just the same.  Eh?

Angry fan throws Maple Leafs jersey onto ice during play (VIDEO)

The Toronto Maple Leafs got their arses waxed at home Tuesday night, giving up five third-period goals to the Predators en route to a 9-2 loss.

And one fed up Leafs fan vented his frustration by tossing a jersey onto the ice late in the third period.

Another night, another Leafs jersey on the ice. This time during play. pic.twitter.com/mut2YS8Vnp
— Josh Gold-Smith (@GoldAndOrSmith) November 19, 2014

There's really nothing unique about throwing jerseys on the ice up at Air Canada Centre this season. Three days ago, a number of scarves and a jersey were thrown on the ice as the Leafs lost 6-2 to the lowly Sabres. It also happened twice in the Leafs first four games, and multiple players have given statements condemning the new form of protest. But this was the first time it has happened during live play:



Luckily play was stopped for that lively exchange between the Predators' Eric Nystrom and the Leafs' Leo Komarov.

And hockey is safer for it.

Jordin Tootoo makes young boy's day by giving away stick (VIDEO)

Jordin Tootoo was a bit of a tough guy when he was with the Nashville Predators but seemed to show a softer side the other night with the Grand Rapids Griffins (a Red Wings affiliate) in the AHL.

Following the pregame skate in the team's season finale last week, Tootoo came off the ice to head to the dressing room. On his way there, a young boy standing on the bench excitedly yelled out "Tootoo!" and reached out. The player stopped, said hi to his new friend and gave the boy his stick.

And if the kid's infectious laugh doesn't stick with you, his "Tootoo!" will.

Everyone together. Tootoo!

Penguins’ Robert Bortuzzo and Predators’ Colin Wilson in bloody ice brawl (VIDEO)

A first-period brawl between Penguins defenseman Robert Bortuzzo and Nashville center Colin Wilson Tuesday night left both skaters a bloody mess.

Both Bortuzzo and Wilson were hit with five-minute majors for fighting in the final minute of the first period.

The bare-knuckled bout was a draw, but the Penguins skated away with a 3-1victory.

Predators goalie Carter Hutton robs Michael Raffi of 'open net' score (VIDEO)

Nashville Predators goalie Carter Hutton recovers from a bad bounce by making a ridiculous, baseball-like sliding grab to rob Michael Raffi of what looked like a sure goal for the Flyers Thursday night.

The remarkable second-period save happened after Hutton went behind the net to get the cleared puck, but it unpredictably bounced in front of a completely empty net. The Flyers winger was there to take advantage of the miscue for an easy score but, somehow, Hutton makes a sliding move to prevent the goal — and make the save of the season.

Check out the different reactions of Raffi and the Nashville bench after the save.

Cody Franson takes nasty hit into stanchion from Mike Fisher: (VIDEO)

Toronto Maple Leafs defenseman Cody Franson suffered a cut to his nose, but seems to have avoided a more serious injury after being shoved into a stanchion Thursday night, according to USA Today. That’s great news after he was the victim of the scary hit by Mike Fisher during Toronto’s match against the Nashville Predators.

Fisher pushed Franson from behind into stanchion, causing Franson to collapse to the ice. When he got up on his own strength, he left behind a pool of blood:

Fisher was given five minutes for boarding and a game misconduct for his actions, which “surprised” him, according to the Tennessean’s Joshua Cooper. As far as Fisher is concerned, it was a hockey play. He added that he didn’t intend to cause an injury.

Regardless, it brought back vivid memories of when Boston Bruins defenseman Zdeno Chara delivered a similar hit to Max Pacioretty in March 2011. That scary hit left Pacioretty with a broken vertebrae.

Ice girl goes noodling for catfish during Predators-Coyotes game

During the first period of last night's NHL Western conference quarterfinals match-up between the Nashville Predators and Phoenix Coyotes, the ice girl skated out and picked up a huge catfish a Nashville fan had thrown into the rink.  Not only did the pretty woman pick up the live, whiskered fish with a smile— she did it barehanded.

When you think of 'noodling,'  that southern pastime of huge catfish being caught by toothless men with their bare hands, you don't think of hockey— well, maybe the toothless part— but I guess that's the way things are done in Tennessee.



The blonde ice girl— wearing a short yellow outfit—skated out after the Predators had taken a 1-0 lead and picked up the still gasping, bottom dwelling, scavenger and happily skated off the ice to cheering fans.

It looked like some sort of hillbilly version of Disney on Ice's Beauty and the Beast.

Earlier a referee had to use a towel to pick up one of the fish (he must not be from down south).

The slimy, good luck charm seemed to work and Nashville  beat Phoenix 2-0.

Sean Avery Speaks Out For Gay Marriage; Gets Bashed For It

Who knew that New York Rangers hockey-goon and serial dater Sean Avery had such a soft spot for relationships?  The abrasive and controversial NHL winger appeared in an ad this week endorsing same-sex marriage for the Human Rights Campaign's New Yorkers for Marriage Equality drive.  Now Avery is garnering criticism for standing up for the group's message.

Avery might seem like an odd choice to appear in the video, along with former-President Bill Clinton, New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg and actors Julianne Moore and Sam Waterston,  which advocates gay marriage.

The polarizing Avery--who once interned a summer at Vogue magazine, got suspended for making nasty remarks about his ex-girlfriend actress Elisha Cuthbert and got bum-rushed from Dallas to New York for his dirty play and filthier mouth--has never fit squarely into any mold.  Supporting same-sex marriage in the macho world of professional sports is another twist in his colorful image.

"I treat everyone the way that I expect to be treated, and that includes marriage," said Avery.

It would have been easier for Avery to stump for other popular, cut-and-dry social issues like safe-sex or drug use, but he took a position that even the most ardent Avery fans might not accept.