Devils mad over proposal to change name

FoxSports.com ^ | 29 May 2005 | APEE

[MikefromOhio]

TRENTON, N.J. (AP) - What chance do the New Jersey Devils give a proposal that would give the NHL team a less demonic name?

Think hell freezing over. "I can assure you the Devils name will never change, and I think there are more important things to be thinking about than something that will never happen," chief executive officer Lou Lamoriello said. "It's who we are and what we want to be."

State Assemblyman Craig Stanley is taking issue with a satanic symbol representing the team, which has won three Stanley Cup championships.

"This is an age where symbolism is very important," said Stanley, a Baptist deacon whose resolution to rename the team is to be introduced in the Assembly next month. A new name would be chosen in a statewide competition.

--snip--

However, the team's name, chosen in a 1982 fan contest, comes from the mythical Jersey Devil, not the Christian symbol of the antichrist, according to Weird N.J., a travel guide to the state's most offbeat attractions.

The mythical Jersey Devil - with batlike wings, a forked tail and oversized claws - was said to terrorize Pine Barrens dwellers in the 18th century after being born the 13th child to poor south Jerseyans and morphing into a dinosaurlike beast.

[MikefromOhio]

I guarantee the state assemblyman has much better things to do....

[MikefromOhio]

ping!

[Tabi Katz]

This crybaby needs to get a life!

[mainepatsfan]

This is as ridiculous as lefties trying to get UMass to drop the name Minutemen.

[MikefromOhio]

yes he does....

[MikefromOhio]

or the rant that was on SI.com about having Indian names as sports mascots....

and it is about as ridiculous as the NCAA asking universities to justify why they name their teams what....

[cowboyway]

"This is an age where symbolism is very important," said Stanley, a Baptist deacon whose resolution to rename the team is to be introduced in the Assembly next month.

This is just great. Change the name to the Jersey Angels. All the players can try to win the Lady Bing trophy. Of course they'll have to send somebody else to pick it up for them after the rest of the league has beat the crap out of them.

[kabar]

How about the Duke Blue Devils? Satanic and racist.

[MikefromOhio]

LOL!!!!

[MikefromOhio]

yep...

how about the Red Wings? Communists....

or the Dallas Stars, it is discriminatory against the other players that aren't Stars!!!

[jocon307]

"How about the Duke Blue Devils?"

St. Dominic's Academy, a Catholic girl's HS in Jersey City also call their team "The Blue Devils".

[R. Scott]

Source

Without a doubt, New Jersey’s oldest, most enduring, and important pieces of folklore is the tale of the infamous Jersey Devil. For close to three hundred years now, Jerseyans have told tales of this mythical beast which stalks the Pine Barrens and terrorizes local residents. The recurring nature of this story begs a few of questions: Why have New Jerseyans embraced this legend so steadfastly, and above all others? Is there actually some sort of creature roaming the Pine Barrens of Southern NJ? And if so, what in God’s name is it?

Legend has it that in 1735, a Pines resident known as Mother Leeds found herself pregnant for the thirteenth time. (Leeds is the name of one of New Jersey’s earliest settlers, and many descendants of the Leeds family can still be found throughout NJ to this day.) Mother Leeds was not living a wealthy lifestyle by any means. Her husband was a drunkard who made few efforts to provide for his wife and twelve children. Reaching the point of absolute exasperation upon learning of her thirteenth child’s forthcoming, she raised her hands to the heavens and proclaimed “Let this one be a devil!”

I believe the hockey team was named for this, not for the Christian devil.

[AlGone2001]

What difference does their name make if their too good to play for the astronomical amount of money they already make?

I think they ought to be named the Crybabies.

[MikefromOhio]

don't know. Ask the assemblyman who is making an issue out of it...

[Einigkeit_Recht_Freiheit]

How about the New Jersey "Beelzebubbers"?

[MikefromOhio]

there ya go...

or the Lucifers :)

[Mr Ramsbotham]

Back in the sixties there was a notorious criminal on the Isle of Jersey, referred to by locals as "the Jersey Beast." Wearing a grotesque costume studded with nails he would kidnap children from their beds at night, rape them and then (in most cases) murder them. Believe it or not, his sentence was 30 years, so I imagine he's at large right now.

[LouD]

"This is an age where symbolism is very important," said Stanley, a Baptist deacon whose resolution to rename the team is to be introduced in the Assembly next month.

It's not yours to rename. Raise the money, buy the team, and call it whatever you want - otherwise, STFU.

[theDentist]

All the players can try to win the Lady Bing trophy.

That reminds me of a story about Derek Sanderson of the Bruins. He said his father gave him 1 piece of advice when he joined the NHL. "The first chance you get during the first game of the season, get into a fight. That way, you don't have to worry about carrying around that damn Bing trophy during the off season."

[MikefromOhio]

ouch....

I don't understand why murderers don't get hung or electrocuted anymore. Maybe we are too advanced? :-P

[MikefromOhio]

there you go!!

This looks and smells like more legislative morality to me...

[Buckeye Battle Cry]

How about the "New Jersey Wastelanders" or the "Land Fillers"
or the "Toxic Waste Siters" or the "Exit 16Wers"?

[Bernard]

How about the Jersey Clintons?

[MikefromOhio]

LOL

The Jersey $hitholers....

[freedumb2003]

I guarantee the state assemblyman has much better things to do....

Must be taking a clue from California State and Los Angeles City.

[MikefromOhio]

yeah but then some people would want it to be the Jersey Sopranos :)

[Mr Ramsbotham]

I don't understand why murderers don't get hung or electrocuted anymore. Maybe we are too advanced?

"Degenerate" is the word that comes to my mind. Any culture that doesn't have the will to deal with evil isn't going to survive for long, if history is any indication.

[MikefromOhio]

yeah and that guy in Texas that had that cheerleading law in their state assembly....

[TADSLOS]

"This is an age where symbolism is very important,"

It sure is, Assemblyman.

[MikefromOhio]

yeah...

thankfully most states in the US had a death penalty, but you get to sit on death row for 20 years or longer...

[beckett]

First, I agree that legislation to change name of a sports team is ridiculous and laughable.

Having said that, though, I have always wondered why any team would want to bring the kind of negativity associated with the word "Devil" into its gestalt. I'd hate to be a member of that team and have to call myself a devil. Names have power.

[MikefromOhio]

well considering that something around half of the Devils team was European, French Canadian or Russian, it loses meaning with them somewhat :)

[ConservativeStatement]

What would happen if Miroslav Satan was traded?

[MikefromOhio]

ohh man I dont know....

but that would be a great name to have on that team!!

[Mark17]

What would happen if Miroslav Satan was traded?

He is a good hockey player, but I have always wondered why he hasn't changed his name. :)

[ConservativeStatement]

Have a safe Memorial Day. :-)

[xkaydet65]

Not to mention that the Jersey Devil made an excellent X Files episode.

[Drew68]

I'd hate to be a member of that team and have to call myself a devil. Names have power.

Not me! For a hockey player's salary, I'd call myself a "Prancing Queer" if that was the name of the team!

Plus, can there be any worse team name than the Mighty Ducks?

[ActionNewsBill]

"New Jersey Wastelanders"

New Jersey Gun-Grabbers?

[MikefromOhio]

you too :)

[ConservativeStatement]

Do you remember Morris Titanic?

[ActionNewsBill]

I'd hate to be a member of that team and have to call myself a devil.

How bout those fans?

[Leo Carpathian]

Reaching the point of absolute exasperation upon learning of her thirteenth child’s forthcoming, she raised her hands to the heavens and proclaimed “Let this one be a devil!”

I believe the hockey team was named for this, not for the Christian devil.

Huh?

Devil of a logic!

[Leo Carpathian]

Miroslav Satan has nothing to do with satan.

His name when written in English as "Satan" has lost little "v" on the top of "S" which changes the sound from "S" to "SH".
So his name properly pronounced is "shatan".
One of the idiosyncrasies of transliteration between the languages.

Another popular Slovak name is "Horny" - which means something like "upper" or something to do with mountains. In English it gives wrong impression of the person :-)

As for NJ Devils, it is weird to see someone with their emblem-ed jacket in the church during the mass. Devil worshiping the Christ?

[ConservativeStatement]

Whenever the Devils played in Atlanta, John Buccigross on ESPN would make reference to Charlie Daniels' "The devil went down to Georgia." Neat tune.

[Colonel_Flagg]

How about these clowns getting the NHL back on the ice first?

[jwalsh07]

Yup, he should lighten up just like any other PC'er.

[jwalsh07]

How about these clowns getting the NHL back on the ice first?

LOL, somebody has their priorities in order.

[airborne]

Politicians have an uncanny ability to pick the most incredibly unimoportant subject to spend their time on.

I would think this taxpayer paid clown could find more pressing needs in New Jersey!

[mdmathis6]

How about the "stuning beebers"!?