Naming the Nets
Monday, August 16, 2010
Will the Nets keep their promise and put "Brooklyn" in their name when they move to their new arena? Matthew Schuerman, WNYC Radio reporter, gives us an update.
Will the Nets keep their promise and put "Brooklyn" in their name when they move to their new arena? Matthew Schuerman, WNYC Radio reporter, gives us an update.
Comments [56]
New York Nets or New York Kings,
Brooklyn Monarchs?
How about that!!
Nets fan since the Commack Arena/Island Garden
Where's gerald Govan?
Everybody, Everybody, Everybody!!!!!.....how about some history for my favroit team moving to one of my favroit areas of new york. New york (Brooklyn) has always been known threw out history for its train tracks, rail stations, and rail yards. 'Good evening everyoooooooooone!!!!!!!.......introducing your 2011-2012......BROOKLYN EXPRESS!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
and with the 1950 or 60's train logo with train tracks going down the side of the uniform.
I dunno, Moshe--maybe "the Brooklyn Heights" just refers to the fact that basketball players are tall!
What a fascinating range of serious, jocular, and cynical suggestions!
Besides my own (and others') suggestion of "Dodgers," I was particularly taken with Brooklyn Eagles because the previous linkage of the those two words in the newspaper's name makes it sound natural and with Brooklyn Kings for the play on the county name.
Brooklyn Heights deserves special credit for cleverness, but given the tendency of the rest of the borough to feel that the Heights is snobby, looks down on them (ahem), and identifies more with Manhattan than with the rest of Brooklyn, it wouldn't be the most diplomatic choice.
Let's hope for Dodgers and be happy with Eagles or Kings if we have to.
The Brooklyn Hipsters
The Brooklyn Boondoggles.
The Brooklyn Kings!
My suggestions:
The Brooklyn Brass
or perhaps,
THE BROOKLYN BARONS!
Respect for history sometimes leads to funny results, like the Utah Jazz. Maybe you remember when they moved, but most people are just stumped by the source of the association.
The Brooklyn Bedbugs
Brooklyn Pawns
The Brooklyn Developers.
"Jams" is interesting, but then you could get opponents saying "Kick out the Jams!"
And I hate naming women's teams by adding "-ettes" to the name of the men's team. For one thing, "-ette" is a dimunitive, which tends to imply women are lesser. For another, it makes the women's team sound like a spinoff of the men's team, some sort of women's auxiliary rather than an independent entity. I love the creativity of many of the WNBA team names, esp. the Liberty, which works so well on many levels!
It seems like there will always be someone living in Brooklyn who remembers the shame of losing the Dodgers. They should know, more than anyone, that even relocated to the West Coast, they've always been the Dodgers.
Forget about semantics and pronounciation. Show some respect for history. Keep the name. The Brooklyn Nets.
@james
I was thinking the Ballers!
Jeff - Bklyn Prospects sounds like an invitation to hire the players away.
Seriously, Hawks sounds pretty good. And as for being in hock . . ..
The Brooklyn Heights
The Brooklyn Beats!
it's no contest:
'The Brooklyn Boondocks'
Surprised no one suggested The Brooklyn Accents!!!!
the Brooklyn Bums, or Dem Brooklyn Bums
How about the "Brooklyn Neighborhood Wreckers"?
The BROOKLYN EAGLES, like the famous newspaper.
The Brooklyn Traffic
The Brooklyn Revolution
The Brooklyn Bums
The Brooklyn Boom
what about The Brooklyn Dodgers?
The Brooklyn Prospects
(though I really like the Brooklyn Heights for a basketball team -- full credit to LM above)
I think it should include NY not Brooklyn, after all while we like to think so, we are not in an independent city anymore... post 1889 we became part of NYC.
The Brooklyn Invaders
BROOKLYN EAGLES, a historic name.
Actually they were known as the New York Nets when they were originally out in Long Island.
I think they should be called the Brooklyn "Hipster Doofuses"
the Brooklyn Dodgers!
The Brooklyn Bouncers
How about the carpet baggers!
I agree with Sid Block from Atlantic Yards. I came to the comments page not seeing his, but already thinking the Brooklyn Jams. If you take out the word "traffic", the name serves a double purpose, It might refer to the vital independent music scene in Brooklyn or it might refer to traffic conditions around the arena as well as along 4th Ave between Atlantic Yards and Shore Road. The established NJ fan-base might find the most direct (and non-Manhattan) route to be across Staten Island causing headaches on 4th Ave. and the Gowanus Express way. I am also blocks from the Yards in the North Slope,
Brooklyn Basketball
Brooklynettes sound like they should either be doing high kicks or be dipped in chocolate. Whatever, make it pronouncable.
the Brooklyn Muscovites
the Brooklyn Oligarchs
the Brooklyn Theft
The Brooklyn Heights
How many other pro' teams are named after a borough???
It's gotta be a city or state, and then some stupid mascot.
How about the New York Afterthoughts... or the New York Gentrifiers... or the New York Brooklynites?
Absolutely, let's grab back Dodgers. Those LA interlopers want a piece of us, they can step outside, after which we lock the door and laugh all the way to center court.
The Brooklyn Accents... what else?
Brooklyn Ballers
Let's hope for a name with Brooklyn in it. That would be very cool. Two suggestions.
An "upgrade"
The Brooklyn Hoops
and keeping with the non-plural names like in the WNBA...
The Brooklyn Best
But I would have no problem with the Brooklyn Nets
The Brooklyn Brownstones!
The Brooklyn Eminent Domains
I don't mean to commit sacrilege (you tell me, Marty) but what about the Brooklyn Dodgers? There are other repeating team names out there between sports... Could this be our long awaited return?
And who wouldn't want their first name to be Brooklyn?!
How about the Brooklyn Brawlers.
The Feh-ts!
“Ratners Tax Dodgers”- Because Ratner’s development is evading payment of billions in real property and other taxes.
Michael D. D. White
Noticing New York
http://noticingnewyork.blogspot.com/
Although the entire situation is infuriating and sad I would hope whatever name the team uses is a Brooklyn name, like the Brooklyn Nets. I think Moshe's idea of calling them the Brooklyn Dodgers is pretty cool too. Nets isn't a very exciting name to begin with.
The Netskys...
"The Brooklyn Traffic Jams"
"The Colossal Pains In The Rectum"
"The God-Help-Me-I-Can't-Get-Where-I Need-To-Be-Without-Leaving-Two-Hours-Early-On-Game-Nights"
“Prokie’s Plunderers,” “Prokie’s Pillaging Plundering Poachers” (four “P”s for pity’s sake), “Ratner’s Ravagers,” the “Development Decimators” or the “Despoiling Desolators”- For the reasons we set forth in our last comment.- This arena and land grab is interrupting the development that was bourgeoning in the area before Ratner interfered stepping in to halt development in 2003.
Michael D. D. White
Noticing New York
http://noticingnewyork.blogspot.com/
Putting aside my feelings about the Ratner project as a whole, I think the best name is the obvious one. They should be called the Brooklyn Dodgers.
"Dodging" is even more apt as a description of the action in basketball than in baseball (and yes, I know that the name was originally "Trolley Dodgers") and it would be great to bring this hallowed name back to Brooklyn.
I don't know if the LA baseball team controls the use of this name for other sports, but if they do, one would hope they'd be gracious enough to let their old hometown share it. After all, if there can be Cardinals and Giants in both football and baseball, why not Dodgers in both basketball and baseball?
“Prokie’s Pilferers” or “Prokie’s Property Pilferers” Referring to the theft of land through abuse of eminent domain for the politically privileged Prokhorov and Ratner. (With the team as a ruse and without bid, the government with massive subsides has assisted Ratner and his new buddy in acquiring exclusive control over a total 30 contiguous acres or prime densely-zoned real estate.)
Michael D. D. White
Noticing New York
http://noticingnewyork.blogspot.com/
“Neighborhood Nyets”- Because of its multiple trenchant references to history. Not only does it echo the team’s previous name, it reflects that fact that the team’s arrival in Brooklyn is being achieved by only saying “no” to the neighborhood (which is being torn down). That “no” was accomplished only be resorting to importing into the equation the negative of Russian billionaire Mikhail Prokhorov.
Michael D. D. White
Noticing New York
http://noticingnewyork.blogspot.com/
2 names for the Brooklyn basketball team:
"Brooklyn Ratners"
"Brooklyn Destroyers"
Leave a Comment
Register for your own account so you can vote on comments, save your favorites, and more. Learn more.
Please stay on topic, be civil, and be brief.
Email addresses are never displayed, but they are required to confirm your comments. Names are displayed with all comments. We reserve the right to edit any comments posted on this site. Please read the Comment Guidelines before posting. By leaving a comment, you agree to New York Public Radio's Privacy Policy and Terms Of Use.