Indians Win; The Heat is On
The Cleveland Indians easily defeated an over-swinging, under-pitching Yankees club to advance to the league championship series against Boston. Cleveland has perhaps up to now benefited from lack of attention as a small-market club. For example, immediately after the game ESPN aired a 20-minute press conference with the Yankees' manager.
But now that they've advanced in the post season, the Indians could find themselves under increasingly harsh scrutiny. I'm not talking about their ball-playing, but their brazenly un-PC name and logo. Now I find these "native"-American complaints about team names to be just as silly as the next red-blooded sports fan, but I have to admit that logo of theirs might be over the line - no, it's downright insulting.
The Indian headdress of the Redskins and the tomahawk of the Braves paint the kind of manly, warrior-like image that us palefaces admire in the American Indian legacy. I'm reminded of a colonist's description of an Indian warrior (from the book 1491): "a very lusty man, in his best years, an able body, grave of countenance, and spare of speech." No such dignified image is conjured up by the Cleveland Indian logo - more like some doomed brave in a Bugs Bunny cartoon.
Cleveland last made the World Series in 1997. Since then, we've had the NCAA ban on Native American names, imagery, and mascots, so there might be more pressure this time around. If the Tribe is quickly dispatched by the Sox, the logo will live another day. But if they get to the series, can they withstand the drum beats of change?
But now that they've advanced in the post season, the Indians could find themselves under increasingly harsh scrutiny. I'm not talking about their ball-playing, but their brazenly un-PC name and logo. Now I find these "native"-American complaints about team names to be just as silly as the next red-blooded sports fan, but I have to admit that logo of theirs might be over the line - no, it's downright insulting.
The Indian headdress of the Redskins and the tomahawk of the Braves paint the kind of manly, warrior-like image that us palefaces admire in the American Indian legacy. I'm reminded of a colonist's description of an Indian warrior (from the book 1491): "a very lusty man, in his best years, an able body, grave of countenance, and spare of speech." No such dignified image is conjured up by the Cleveland Indian logo - more like some doomed brave in a Bugs Bunny cartoon. 
Cleveland last made the World Series in 1997. Since then, we've had the NCAA ban on Native American names, imagery, and mascots, so there might be more pressure this time around. If the Tribe is quickly dispatched by the Sox, the logo will live another day. But if they get to the series, can they withstand the drum beats of change?
posted by ziel | 10/09/2007 12:21:00 AM
11 Comments:
"Watch where you're pointin' that dart, Hiawatha."
Bugs was the best. I gotta look into getting some dvd's - though I got the old Little Rascals and never watch them.
Go Tribe!!! Scalp the Red Sox!! Did you ever think that Chief Wahoo is in fact an accurate depiction of an indian, and that John Wayne's director got it all wrong?
Go Tribe!!! Scalp the Red Sox!! Did you ever think that Chief Wahoo is in fact an accurate depiction of an indian, and that John Wayne's director got it all wrong?
"...John Wayne's director got it all wrong?"
Not as bad when he was cast as Kengis Khan.
Ziel: Two things:
If you want to really relive your childhood, get some Crusader Rabbit cartoons on DVD. These are the precurser (sp?) to Rocky & Bullwinkle by the same guys (Jay Ward, et al.) and the first "adult joke" children's cartoons. They are pretty funny. Certainly funnier than "Get Smart", which we used to think was the ultimate humor and is now quite painful to watch. No, I did not buy the "Get Smart" deluxe DVD set. We don't buy anything. It's all Netflix, baby!. We are waiting for a Squeeze concert DVD while currently watching old (obviously) episodes of "All Creatures Great & Small".
As to the Indians logo, I always thought you were a big "States Rights" fan. If Ohio is cool with the logo, isn't that good enough? Doesn't this fall into the South Carolina/Confederate Flag category? If the state can and will take the heat, isn't it up to them? I realize this is a semi-private company as opposed to an actual state sponsored flag but the principle is similar. If there is enough national pressure or distain, I'm sure a change will be considered but it should be their decision. The college move was weak. I guess you couldn't get by with an NCCA logo for basketball of 4 big black bears and one small, white gopher?
Had some great times at Jabobs Field and wish the Tribe all the best. I realized how removed I've gotten from MLB when I saw the Rockies/Diamondbacks starting line-ups and realized I only knew about 3 names. Sad, on my part. I will watch the American League Campionship Series though I was pulling for the "fallen" Angels.
See you soon at your book signing in Miami. Is Ed Kranepool still coming?
Harlem
Wasn't Mzark Twain very mean about the Injuns?
Injun' Joe was surely one of the great villains of American Lit, but I don't recall any other anti-Indian sentiment in his works - but it's been awhile since I've read any Twain.
the cleveland Indias is one of the best baseball teams in the world, so I used to go to see some of its games when I was young.I think that this information is so interesting.
Hello i think that this is a great post!!!
yeah inclusive Bugs Bunny has win against this team, in fact there's a paradoy in Bugs play with this team, for that reason this is more a joke than something funny
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