Trailblazers name change

This is bound to be a thread where people go off, but I’m legitimately curious.

with all of the uproar about sports teams names, statues of figures who used slaves and righting the wrongs of our past, I have a couple of questions.

1. The people who “blazed a trail” to Oregon, used slaves. So, should the Trailblazers rename if some people demand it?

2. what do you think would be a good name if that happens at some point?

PLEASE try and keep this to legit answers.

 

1. Absurd to change it with such a loose connection

2. if it does have to change then just change it to the Portland Explorers.

 

Thank you for the answer

 

Portland Sasquatch or Squatch

 

Portland Rosethorns

 

There is no need for a name change as there is nothing offensive about the name.

 

Portland already has a Thorns team and they have a championship.

 

Portland Crackers. PC for short.

 

Portland Rioteers.

 

Portland Progressives.

 

I was thinking the exact same thing, MM. I thought I would get flamed for bringing it up, but it’s a legitimate thing given today’s climate.

 

I've actually given this some thought. Not because the "trail blazers" used slaves (I assume this is Lewis and Clark? Did they?) but more the very idea of "blazing a trail" when the native peoples already lived here. It's like saying Columbus "discovered" America.
Probably the easiest thing would be just to call them "Blazers" and have it refer to the increasing numbers of forest fires because of global warming. The Warriors attempted a similar kind of rebranding - "Warriors" obviously originally referred to Native Americans, but they did that whole thing with the weird guy in a unitard who was supposed to represent a generic culture-less warrior.
Just so long as we keep the pinwheel - and there's no reason not to, because it's supposed to represent basketball anyway and has nothing to do with the name.

 

Just rename it Portland Antifa and drop the red and white from the color scheme.

 

Portland Hipsters
Portland Baristas (or better: Portland Espressos)
Portlandians (Portland Put-a-bird-on-its)
Portland Stoners
The Portland Plaid
Portland LumberJills (avoid sexism)
Portland Powellses
Portland Waterfalls (and play TLC before every game to admonish the visitors not to try to keep up)

 

The Portland Rivermen

 

Just drop the “Trail” and go with “Blazers”. No need to change the uniforms and it fits with the marijuana culture.

 

you had me at Portland Stoners but can we make it Portland Potheads?

 

Biased Propaganda!!!

 

I was an Explorer Scout and we blazed trails all the time, had nothing to do with settlers heading west. You can be a TrailBlazer i developing products or service's too.
Romans used slaves and threw people to the lions, should they tear down the Coliseum, nope.

 

Amazingly enough, American slavery was worse than Roman slavery. The Romans didn't essentialize their slaves as three-fifths of a person, and you could buy your freedom. All it meant was that you'd been defeated in war. Also, I believe, the children of slaves were not automatically enslaved.
If the Romans had systematically racially oppressed a sizeable subset of the people that still inhabit Italy today, your analogy might make sense.