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.

High School Pressured To Apologize For Fans Wearing Red, White & Blue At Game

Valley High School in Des Moines defeated Des Moines North High School, 57-55, in what locals are calling a game for the ages. Afterwards, most of the talk wasn't about the play on the court, but the attire in the stands.

Apparently some high schoolers from Valley showed up for Wednesday's neutral site Iowa State Tournament playoff game draped in red, white and blue which seemed to anger fans from Des Moines North, which features a diverse student body and players from refugee families.

The Valley students had chosen to wear red, white and blue instead of their school colors black and orange as part of a color theme day but some are claiming it goes further than that.

Following the game, Morgan Wheat, an assistant coach at Des Moines North, was somewhat skeptical.

"Any normal person, any educated person can look at that and think what the hell are these kids thinking," he said.

"Kids are kids, I get it, but I do have questions. I want to know why."

Wheat, who played basketball at Vanderbilt and Iowa State University, has a history with both high school teams. "I went to two state tournaments with Valley High School."

On Thursday, Valley High School's Student Leadership members bowed to PC pressure and provided an apology for flouting the colors of the American flag by hand delivering this letter to Des Moines North:

To the Students and Staff of North High School:

It has been brought to our attention that the decision by the Valley High School student section to wear U.S.A. apparel at our game last night was offensive to members of your community and fan base. We are deeply sorry if we have offended anyone in any way. We have traditionally dressed in such a fashion for great games such as the one last night. Everyone here at Valley has immense respect not only for your team and players but for your community as a whole. Please know that our intent was in no way to offend or demean—just to support our own team in a way we have done before.

Congratulations on a wonderful season and we wish you nothing but the best of luck in the future.

Sincerely,

Valley High School Student Council Leadership

It has become a recent trend where students across the country take part in themed nights during athletic events. But, like in too many recent cases, an American flag color scheme has been deemed politically incorrect.

Valley fans recently adorned themselves in red white and blue during a football game against rival Dowling Catholic — a private school — without any incident.

That's the way it should be.

Kentucky high school changes ’Stallions’ name because it is sexist

A Kentucky high school bowed to political correctness pressure and so-called public outcry over the use of its mascot and its name “Stallions” and is planning to change them both because it was considered sexist.

Lexington's new Frederick Douglass High School changed its mind Tuesday — one day after announcing the Stallions name — and said students will now choose a new horse-themed mascot instead of the manly Stallion image.

Score another one for the PC Police and overly sensitive feelings.

The change of heart came after a Lexington woman created a petition on the change.org website against naming athletic teams and the school mascot after gender-specific personas.

Diane Cahill said she created the petition, to be delivered to Fayette County school board members, after the mascot was announced Monday. The petition said in part, that “it is inappropriate and sexist” that the mascot and name for the female sports teams is the Stallions.

The Change.org petition called for the Stallion to be replaced:

"This is inappropriate and sexist when you consider the definition from “YourDictionary” …”The definition of a stallion is a male horse that has not been castrated, used for breeding or is slang for a powerful and virile man who has a lot of lovers” …

School officials say they’ve received other community input about the Stallion's message, negative and positive, but ultimately decided to let incoming students decide on the mascot, albeit keeping with a “horse theme.”

Photo by Tony Mangia

"How did they come up with this? The connotation of stallions pertaining to a girls’ softball team or basketball team just seemed really, really strange to me — a male breeding horse,” Cahill said.

Anita Courtney invoked Title IX, noting that the Stallion “leaves out 50 percent of the student population” and is “not in keeping with the spirit of […] gender equity in sports.”

“[T]here was absolutely no intent to offend or upset anyone,” Fayette County Schools Superintendent Manny Caulk said.

“I’m very grateful to Superintendent Caulk for listening to our concerns [and] for reassessing this choice by getting input from students [and] parents," said Cahill.

Can’t wait for the Geldings football team to show up on the playing field — or maybe the Nags.