What’s in a name? that which we call a rose / By any other name would smell as sweet. —“Romeo and Juliet”
Sports columnists and TV commentators, wanting to show their righteous rage over racism, are howling over the nickname of Washington’s National Football League team.
But the nickname, Redskins, is hardly a pejorative like racist names of yesteryear. The outrage over Redskins is political correctness run amok.
The picture of the Native American on the Redskins’ helmet is dignified and noble. NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell rightly says the nickname “stands for pride and respect.” Daniel Snyder, owner of the Redskins, calls it a badge of honor. Snyder makes two salient points:
• A poll of 1,000 Native Americans concluded that nine of 10 did not find the nickname offensive.
• The Richmond (Va.) Times Dispatch interviewed three leaders of Native American tribes in Virginia. None said he was offended by the name.
Snyder might have made another point: the very name Oklahoma comes from Choctaw words for red people: okla (people) and humma (red).
The clincher in the argument comes from Professor Grant Leneaux, dear friend of long standing at the University of Nevada, Reno.
He is a sensitive intellectual. If anyone would be offended by the word Redskins it would be Leneaux. He has Native American blood in his veins (Delaware) and is fiercely proud of the fact. Yet he says of the nickname: “It doesn’t bother me.’
DH rule wrong
The American League is at a disadvantage in the World Series because of its policy of having a designated hitter. The National League has no DH.
But, alas, not for long. The NL is planning to use a DH starting in 2017. It argues that more runs add more excitement to the game.
In the World Series completed recently, three of the games were played in the St. Louis Cardinals’ ballpark. In those games the Boston Red Sox had to keep one of its best sluggers on the bench.
The DH was instituted in 1973 to provide more hits, more runs and more fan excitement. But as Dan Hinxman, former sports editor of the Reno Gazette-Journal, pointed out, the DH kills late-game strategy.
“I prefer the National League game because managers have to figure out when to use pinch hitters and how to use their bullpen pitchers,” Hinxman said.
I agree. The American League should revert to old-fashioned baseball by abolishing the DH. Pitchers should bat. Ditto for the National League. The best pitchers learn how to bunt well to advance runners.
Yes, I know, the Red Sox won the series–and deservedly so–despite the disadvantage. Bosox designated hitter David Ortiz was magnificent with 11 hits in 16 at-bats. But my point remains
Jake Highton is an emeritus journalism professor at the University of Nevada. Reno. (jake@unr.edu)
DH rule wrong
The American League is at a disadvantage in the World Series because of its policy of having a designated hitter. The National League has no DH.
But, alas, not for long. The NL is planning to use a DH starting in 2017. It argues that more runs add more excitement to the game.
In the World Series completed recently, three of the games were played in the St. Louis Cardinals’ ballpark. In those games the Boston Red Sox had to keep one of its best sluggers on the bench.
The DH was instituted in 1973 to provide more hits, more runs and more fan excitement. But as Dan Hinxman, former sports editor of the Reno Gazette-Journal, pointed out, the DH kills late-game strategy.
“I prefer the National League game because managers have to figure out when to use pinch hitters and how to use their bullpen pitchers,” Hinxman said.
I agree. The American League should revert to old-fashioned baseball by abolishing the DH. Pitchers should bat. Ditto for the National League. The best pitchers learn how to bunt well to advance runners.
Yes, I know, the Red Sox won the series–and deservedly so–despite the disadvantage. Bosox designated hitter David Ortiz was magnificent with 11 hits in 16 at-bats. But my point remains
Jake Highton is an emeritus journalism professor at the University of Nevada. Reno. (jake@unr.edu)
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