The "Bullets Forever" blog itself is superb, and the name was cool back when the blog started. But, the name has become outdated and irrelevant over the past 17 years, especially for the younger fans. Back in 1997 "Wizards" seemed like a silly, meaningless name that came from nowhere, whereas "Bullets" still carried respect and loyalty earned in the late 70's. "Bullets Forever" was a positive expression of fandom. But now when I watch a game I don't see the Washington Bullets playing under a silly name, I see the Washington Wizards playing well enough to earn respect and recognition around the league. The team makes the name, not vice versa. Ditto for the blog.
It's true that the blog name doesn't matter much, and name changes are awkward for a little while, but the "Bullets Forever" name no longer reflects the pride and respect the BF community feels for the Washington Wizards. The blog name is due for a refresh to a new name that most fans can identify with, and there is no time like the present. It might even be fun to consider witty new blog names as we wait for the season to start. Of course, this is just talk among us fans. The BF crew have sole control over their site names, but perhaps they would be interested in our thoughts.
To set the context, here are all the NBA team and SB Nation blog names:
Region | NBA Team | SB Nation Blog |
---|---|---|
New York | Knicks | Posting and Toasting |
Philadelphia | 76ers | Liberty Ballers |
Boston | Celtics | CelticsBlog |
Toronto | Raptors | Raptors HQ |
Brooklyn | Nets | NetsDaily |
Chicago | Bulls | Blog a Bull |
Milwaukee | Bucks | Brew Hoop |
Indiana | Pacers | Indy Cornrows |
Cleveland | Cavaliers | Fear The Sword |
Detroit | Pistons | Detroit Bad Boys |
Orlando | Magic | Orlando Pinstriped Post |
Washington | Wizards | Bullets Forever |
Atlanta | Hawks | Peachtree Hoops |
Miami | Heat | Hot Hot Hoops |
Charlotte | Hornets | At The Hive |
Dallas | Mavericks | Mavs Moneyball |
San Antonio | Spurs | Pounding The Rock |
New Orleans | Pelicans | The Bird Writes |
Houston | Rockets | The Dream Shake |
Memphis | Grizzlies | Grizzly Bear Blues |
Portland | Trail Blazers | Blazer's Edge |
Denver | Nuggets | Denver Stiffs |
Minnesota | Timberwolves | Canis Hoopus |
Utah | Jazz | SLC Dunk |
Oklahoma City | Thunder | Welcome to Loud City |
Golden State | Warriors | Golden State Of Mind |
Sacramento | Kings | Sactown Royalty |
Los Angeles | Clippers | Clips Nation |
Phoenix | Suns | Bright Side Of The Sun |
Los Angeles | Lakers | Silver Screen and Roll |
Looking down the team names, the name "Washington Wizards" seems as strong as any. It has good alliteration, good meaning (wizard means wise-ard, or one who is typically wise), good connotations of power and mastery, and wizardry is sometimes associated with basketball. It also has positive associations for fantasy or gaming fans. Phil Jackson said, "Wisdom is always an overmatch for strength." The main thing "Wizards" lacks is some local connection, but Nats and Caps are taken and the other names I've heard, such as the "Washington Monuments" or "Justice" don't seem to work. In contrast, the "Washington Bullets" had nothing going for it except a connotation of speed and threat. However, speed in a straight line has a limited role in basketball, and threatening someone with a bullet is just not right. If you consider most other team names, such as Lakers, Thunder, Knicks, Jazz, or Pacers, without reference to their team traditions, those names are weak. Many team names, like Heat or Spurs, don't even refer to humans. I propose that no other NBA team name is unarguably superior to "Wizards."
Looking down the blog names, many employ puns and/or local connections/team traditions, e.g., "Silver Screen and Roll" or "Detroit Bad Boys." Some are pretty straightforward, such as "CelticsBlog." "Bullets Forever" is the only blog name that disrespects its own team (i.e., it rejects the team's name). The "Denver Stiffs" sounds somewhat self-deprecating but is actually intended to celebrate the bench players who have little athletic ability but who still forge an NBA career, such as Joe Kopicki, a fan favorite of their 1984-85 team. Some blogs have obviously changed their names when their team changed its name or moved, the the Wizards blog would not be the first to change.
I'll not propose any blog names here, but feel free to suggest some in the comments, if you are so moved. I suggest that the name be fairly timeless and not linked too directly on the current roster or events. Once again, this is just suggestions and opinions among us fans and the BF crew have sole control.