Baseball in Fort Wayne

Posts Tagged ‘Dean-Pantazi’

I got so caught up in the hooplah of opening night and the many things going on in my life that I haven’t even had time to point out that I was on TV no once, but twice. Many thanks to Dean Pantazi of Indiana’s News Center and Chris Hopper of WaneTV for taking the time out to touch base and involve me.

On WaneTV (With Chris Hopper)

On Indiana’s News Center (With Dean Pantazi)

Since the official announcement, I have heard many people in favor of the Wizards’ possible name change — and I have probably heard just as many who are against it.

• Indiana News Center’s Dean Pantazi reminds us that “General manager Mike Nutter, who dropped the hint of a possible name change with the move to Harrison Square as early as last August.”
• Ben Smith takes and interesting twist on looking to history for a new name.
• Neil Kelty at Political Equinox cites the success of the organization to favor keeping the name – you’ll have to read the whole article to understand how it applies to politics.
• The New-Sentinel’s Reggie Hayes doesn’t seem to favor changing the name – OF ANYTHING!

In my humble opinion, a name change is something that the Wizards must consider. It doesn’t mean they have to change the name. However, opportunities for repositioning a brand or rebranding only come along every so often, and now is the perfect opportunity.

I have my own ideas for team names, and they are not the Kekiongas, the Generals, or even the City Lights. For that matter, we might as well consider the Lady Wayne Chocolates, the Dairymen or even Capeharts. All good names that did well to characterize teams in their respective days.

This is a new era. It needs to be new and forward thinking. It irks me when people instead take it as an apportunity to get their digs in about their distaste for Harrison Square. Okay, we get it. You’re mad and don’t approve. We hear you. It’s all well and good, but let’s support the project and hope it’s successful. Otherwise, the only fitting name might be the Summit City Apathy. Not sure what the mascot would look like, but visions of Oscar the Grouch come to mind.

But even it that were the case,  as long as you can use the ticket toget a discounted Billy Idol ticket, I’ll take it. REBEL YELL!!!