In Goal, #666, Satan

This is both really sad and a sign of the times we live in nowadays. Craig Stanley feels that it makes New Jersey look bad, but here's the thing: the name (New Jersey Devils) was chosen in 1982 by the fans. The fans of the team (those who actually pay to go) helped pick the name. Does this mean that fans are all Satanists? Should New Jersey hire massive amounts of priests to perform exorcisms after every game (just in case)? This has to be the silliest thing to harp on that I have ever seen. There are tax issues, budget issues, education issues, and this assemblyman is worried that the name "Devils" will hurt the state? Come on, Mr. Stanley. This is ridiculous. Do you complain to the assemblyman from Buffalo about Miroslav Satan (and it's pronounced Sha-tan, not Say-ton)? And how great would it be if the Devils traded for him? Imagine the headline: Satan Comes to New Jersey! (Jesus unavailable for comments.) What worries me even more is that you have been an assemblyman since 1996 and have chosen now (almost ten years and three Stanley Cups later) to complain. All hockey fans know about your team, that happened after they won their first Stanley Cup in the strike- shortened season. Did you JUST NOW discover that there was a hockey team with this name? Did you just discover that there was Hockey in New Jersey? Why wait this long to do something?
Understand, I am not a fan of the New Jersey Devils, but this is almost as bad as the senator who argued that the Colorado Avalanche should change their name, because people have died in avalanches, and the name would make their families hurt. Maybe we should change the name of the New York Yankees because that might remind southerners about their losing the Civil War? What's next? I'm sorry, you can't be known as "The Gold," because it might hurt the feelings of people who have only won silver and bronze. Get over it.
Sometimes, however, a name change done for a political reason ends up becoming a huge hit.
In 2002, the University of Northern Colorado intramural basketball team changed their name to The Fighting Whiteys. With three members of the team being Native American, this was supposed to be a statement against how certain teams have mascots or team names that are offensive to certain cultures. However, this plot backfired, because white people (and more) thought this was hysterical. Now team items are flying off the shelves or are being purchased in droves through the website.
Thus is born a dichotomy. On the one hand we don't want offensive team names and mascots (and what is offensive differs by each person), but, on the other hand, we don't want to change mascots or team names, and when someone tries to be intentionally controversial, we don't get the point but instead laugh at it and make it kitsch.
Look, I agree that certain mascots or team names can be offensive. The smiling Native American that is associated with the Cleveland Indians can be construed as offensive. So is having a team name such as "the Redmen" (which St. Johns in New York was, until protests made them become "the Red Storm"). However, there are certain names that are not really offensive. If I were of Norse ancestry, should I complain about "Vikings" being used? Maybe protests will break out over the defamation of "Pirates" (though complaints should be lodged against the Pittsburgh Pirates for not having a winning season in a long time). The point is that if we take away names like "Pirates," or if we don't allow weather-relateed names (Hurricane, etc), and if we take away colors and animals (because they can be considered degrading), then what do we have left? "I play Right Field for the New York Trains!" Wait, I can't use trains, because they can crash and kill people. Ok, new name: "I play Right Field for the New York Bubbles!" Hmm, that might upset people who have had bubbles pop in their eyes. Ok, how about, "I play Right Field for the New York Orchids!" It's insane. So, to Mr. Stanley, I would like to say this: Forget about this problem! Concentrate on fixing your states real issues. Changing the name of a hockey team might make you or your congregation feel better, but that won't help Jimmy the Struggling Student pass third grade. Start working on the real problems in New Jersey.