The Bad Idea Bears
I know I'm merely the 342,139,243rd person to point this out, but the Anaheim Angels' new official name — the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim — is a home run in senselessness.
The city of Anaheim, which has a charter with the team formerly known as the Anaheim Angels, filed a TRO to enjoin this change, but a superior court just denied the request, which pretty much means the new name is official.
This change makes as much sense as a solar-powered flashlight or www.amish.com.
I can't think of any other professional team with two cities in its name. Even worse, the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim will be playing in Anaheim, not Los Angeles. (For those not familiar with California geography: if you live in downtown LA, you'd have to drive over an hour to get to Anaheim, which is in Orange County, which is at least several thousand plastic surgeons away.)
What next, the Waco Cowboys of Dallas?
Is BALCO supplying owners with "crack cream" now?
In terms of rankings in the bad idea department, this reminds me of Mayor Guiliani's decision, after the World Trade Center was first attacked in 1993, to build a new Emergency Operations Center in New York ... on the 23rd floor of the World Trade Center ... which didn't help much on September 11, 2001.Okay, maybe not that bad.But it's certainly as bad as Ford Motor Company's decision to sell the Pinto in Brazil without first learning that the word "Pinto" is slang in Portuguese for "tiny male genitalia."Speaking of translation problems: not only does "The Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim" not make sense in English, it makes even less sense in Spanish — or as our President would say, in Mexican.
Article comments
1 - Eric Berlin
I had no idea that was happening with the Angels. I wonder why in God's name they made the change?
In comparison, all of the minor league names you mentioned are kind of cool. There was something of a fad a few years back of hats and jerseys with funny/bizarre minor league names (one was something to the effect of the San Juan Sand Devils, which was pretty cool).
Eric Berlin
Dumpster Bust: Miracles from Mind Trash
2 - Temple Stark
When translated "from" Spanish.
It is stupid. Just to hit a bigger market - well fine. But you've just pissed off a whole city who only two years ago were VERY VERY proud of their world champion team.
I like your phrase "a home run in senselessness" But it hit the foul pole on the way out.
3 - Purple Tigress
I am also amused by the "The The Angels of Anaheim" as I think are many Los Angelenos.
But I guess the people involved in the name construction thought that people wouldn't notice since I guess we are also not to notice geographical problems (like the difference between Orange County and Los Angeles County).
I would make one correction. Padres refers specifically to the Spanish missionaries so I believe the most accurate translation would be "San Diego Fathers" (as in a Catholic Father).
4 - Purple Tigress
Correction: The The Angels Angels of Anaheim" for the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim.
So stupid, it's hard to repeat.
5 - JR
Red Nichols
6 - DJRadiohead
I think it's a brilliant way to reach increase market penetration. In fact, I think the Red Sox should change their name to the Los Angeles Red Sox of Boston. The New York Jets and New York Giants both play in New Jersey. Why not?
7 - Eric Olsen
"The New York Yankees of Hell" - for some reason that one sounds better. This story is a bizarre exercise in blatant geographical scrote-licking. Thanks Junichi, nice to see you around!
8 - Jake
When Major League Baseball gave Southern California a second team is was given to L.A. not Anaheim. When the Rams played in Anaheim they were known as the L.A. Rams. The arguement against the name is stupid and the ANgels can be called whatever name they want they are still the fastest growing baseball team by the economic standpoint
9 - Robert Wayne
Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim is just plain stupid. They should never have tampered with the name. California Angels was good enough. Too bad the Autry family didn't keep the team after Gene died.
10 - jonwvon
Hey Junichi,
despite controversy or allegiance to LA or Anaheim, where can I buy the hat ( LA on baseball with halo and wings) pictured in your blog?
11 - Dr Dreadful
I can't think of any other professional team with two cities in its name.
Not in North America, maybe, but in British football (soccer to you heathens!) they are abundant. Usually, though not always, they are the result of two or more teams merging, and the new team not wishing to lose the identity of either.
Some examples: Brighton and Hove Albion; Dagenham and Redbridge; Hayes and Yeading; Hampton and Richmond; Havant and Waterlooville.
12 - zingzing
doc, the mls team ny redbulls used to be known as the ny/nj metrostars.
13 - Dr Dreadful
Yes, I know. Did they play their home games on a barge in the middle of the Hudson or something?
14 - zingzing
nah. i think they've always played at giants stadium in rutherford, nj. but nj doesn't have the ny ring, does it?
15 - Dr Dreadful
They could've been the New Jersey No Room in Manhattans, I suppose.
Still, not actually having your stadium in a particular city isn't really any barrier to naming your team after that city. Ask Chris Rose, for instance. His beloved Manchester United don't play in the city of Manchester, but in the neighbouring district of Trafford. Crystal Palace, my local team when I was a boy, haven't actually played at the Crystal Palace since World War I. Grimsby Town, who recently dropped out of the League after a series of unfortunate events most of which involved being on the losing side of football matches, are based in the nearby town of Cleethorpes.
16 - Dr Dreadful
The extreme example, though, is probably the aforementioned Brighton and Hove Albion, who after selling their stadium some years ago without having the foresight to first build a replacement one, played their home games for a couple of seasons in the town of Gillingham, about sixty miles from Brighton.
17 - zingzing
many american sports teams, especially football teams (because their stadiums are so large), tend to play outside of the city they're named after. the washington redskins play out in some suburb in md. both the ny giants and jets play in nj. dallas plays in arlington. of course, a lot of teams are named after a state, so they're safe. and if they play in an old stadium, they're more likely to be where they say they are.