Washington Fans Slam 'Commanders'
The worst-kept secret in sports didn’t dampen the day for newly-christened Washington Commanders.
“As an organization, we are excited to rally and rise together as one under our new identity while paying homage to our local roots and what it means to represent the nation’s capital,” co-owner and co-CEO Daniel Snyder said in a statement. “As we kick-off our 90th season, it is important for our organization and fans to pay tribute to our past traditions, history, legacy and the greats that came before us. We continue to honor and represent the Burgundy & Gold while forging a pathway to a new era in Washington. Today may mark the first day for the Washington Commanders, but we are and always will be Washington.”
Maybe Snyder should have stuck with just “Washington.”
Washington Commanders
Judging by the hardly-scientific, but highly-critical medium of Twitter, the rebranding of the Commanders isn’t taking the Beltway by storm.
It’s more like an avalanche of disdain.
A Twitter poll on @WSHFootballSI asking fans what they thought of the new Commanders moniker came in at 85% disapproval once the final results were tallied.
No need for a recount. The people have spoken … and they don’t like it.
Tweeted Skip Nantz (@skip4866): “LOL, Washington Football Team was better!” A couple of fans offered up the name “Commodes.”
It wasn’t all swirling down the drain. At least one fan tried to put the new nickname in perspective, with Ced Banks (@cedric_is_coool) tweeting: “We all hated The Football Ball then came around” before adding “we’ll do the same for the Commanders.”
Snyder and Co. can only hope.
