Former Panthers Coach Ron Rivera at the Center of Redskins Name Change
Over the last week or so, there has been tremendous controversy surrounding the name of Washington's football team, the Redskins. It has always been quite an odd name and always felt like it had a hint of disrespect to it. Whether or not the organization named the team in honor of Native Americans is beside the point.
Many across the country are vying for the team to change its name and possibly still honor the Natives’ culture and heritage. You see, teams like the Cleveland Indians and the Atlanta Braves are pretty basic names honoring tribes without referencing to a native's skin color. For many years 'Redskins' has been accepted by the American public because they associate it with the football team. However, if it were a term to describe someone outside of the game, it wouldn't be viewed the same way.
Former Carolina Panthers head coach Ron Rivera took over as the Redskins head coach earlier this winter and is doing all he can to get the team's renaming process accelerated.
"If we get it done in time for the season, it would be awesome," Rivera told The Washington Post on Saturday.
It seems as if team owner Dan Snyder has finally acknowledged the concerns surrounding the team name and is willing to move on from it. Several companies have dropped their affiliation with the team such as Nike and FedEx until the matter is resolved. This could be what allowed Snyder to give in to the idea, but nonetheless, a change is expected to be made sooner than later.
What do you think about the team being called the Redskins? Are you for the team changing its name? Let us know your thoughts in the comment section below!
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