GoneTrending

JJ Redick was among the last players dealt at the NBA’s trade deadline, as he was sent from New Orleans to Dallas where the Mavs hope he will provide them with some additional three-point shooting and a veteran presence.

Redick being dealt came as little surprise to most, as he had been on the trade block for months, but he was “shocked” by the trade, in particular where he was traded, because he had made clear where he wanted to go. Redick’s family lives in Brooklyn and he wanted to be dealt somewhere in the Northeast where he could easily drive to see his family on off days and they could more readily see him play in the midst of COVID-19 protocols. Dallas, of course, is further from Brooklyn than New Orleans, and Redick felt he had an understanding with David Griffin and the Pelicans front office that if he were dealt, it’d be to a team in the Northeast or he would get bought out after the deadline.

The veteran shooter discussed all of this on his podcast, The Old Man and the Three on Wednesday, and took aim at Griffin for not being one to “honor his word” by dealing him to a team that wasn’t in his preferred location.

The entire situation is a tricky one and falls into a similar category as the current debate about whether the buyout market needs to be regulated or tweaked to avoid having veterans push out of bad situations and onto championship contending teams for the minimum. With Redick, it’s more than just being on a competitor, as he notes that Dallas is a great organization and has a team that’s intriguing to play for. It’s an issue of location and wanting to be closer to his kid, which is a more than understandable desire. However, as is always said at this time of year, the NBA is a business, and if a team was offering a haul the Pelicans believes makes them better, even if they wanted to do right by Redick, their primary job is to do right by the organization and make the team better.

The buyout market has formed because of the need to keep agents and players happy with your organization, a long con for the next time you have to work with that player’s agent and they are telling them whether that org is good or not. However, sometimes a player is too good for a buyout and the teams he desires aren’t the ones putting forth the best offers. That appears to be the case with Redick, a player many teams have a use for as a shooter, but that wasn’t a need, at least in a trade, for a team like the Nets or Sixers or Celtics after they dealt for Evan Fournier. As such, it was a team in Dallas that had the need and was willing to part with a package that interested the Pelicans, and while Redick’s frustration and hurt feelings are understandable, in the same way, so is how the Pelicans went about this deal.

Godzilla vs. Kong (HBO Max) — As you are well aware, we’ve seen a very long year without blockbusters (or almost any movies at all) in theaters, but a mega-blockbuster has arrived in both streaming and theatrical formats. It’s quite literally an actioner of gigantic proportions in a battle (starring Alexander Skarsgard and Rebecca Hall) for all of the ages. Not only does Kong punch Godzilla, but Godzilla punches back. It’s not quite Fast 9 in terms of ripped dudes with one-liners, but damn, it’s one hell of a movie event.

K-Pop Evolution (YouTube Originals) — Whether you’re a newcomer or a die-hard fan of K-Pop, you’ll enjoy this history of hitmakers and fandoms during this 7-part series that charts the global phenomenon’s rise to worldwide prominence. This series includes appearances from SuperM, H.O.T., BoA, SUPER JUNIOR, Kang Daniel, Red Velvet, EXO, KARA, Ha:tfelt, and many more artists.

Haunted: Latin America (Netflix) — The chilling reenactments of paranormal house sightings comes to life, south of the U.S.-Mexico border, in this (theoretically) reality-based series.

Laundry Guy (Discovery+) — Renowned laundry expert Patric Richardson will give domestic hope to those who are not well-versed in the art of fabric softener and caring for vintage coats. He’s salvaging items that were once thought lost, including precious wedding dresses and stuffed animals. It’s surprisingly emotional!

Riverdale (CW, 8:00pm) — School spirit is waning, so Archie and Veronica must do their best after the Bulldogs can’t stop losing football games, and Jughead is trying to pay things forward.

Nancy Drew (CW, 9:00pm) — Nancy’s got a new investigating gig for a florist, and she gets some unexpected help from Gil Bobbsey. Meanwhile, Ace is dealing with a cryptic text message.

Extinction: The Facts (PBS, 8:00pm) — David Attenborough hosts this exploration of a crisis of biodiversity that’s led to a million species facing a legit extinction risk, which (in turn) places mankind in peril.

Snowfall (FX, 10:00pm) — The John Singleton-co-created series sees Franklin blindsided while tracking down stolen cash is the name of the game for Teddy and Avi on a voyage to Panama.

Jimmy Kimmel Live! — Jamie Foxx, Lauren Graham

In case you missed these picks last Wednesday:

The Day Sports Stood Still (HBO, 8:00pm) — As sports fans will never forget, March 2020 saw the unprecedented shutdown of their world due to the COVID-19 pandemic taking root. Director Antoine Fuqua helms this glimpse behind the curtain of the abrupt stoppage, which also includes an exploration of the cultural reckoning happening through protests against racial injustice. Slowly but surely, the NBA bubble brought sports back to life amid quarantine life. Expect to see interviews from everyone from team owner Mark Cuban to the NBA’s Donovan Mitchell, Danilo Gallinari, and Karl-Anthony Towns, along with the NHL’s Ryan Reaves, the NFL’s Laurent Duvernay-Tardif, and Olympians Daryl Homer and Laurie Hernandez.

Seaspiracy (Netflix film) — This documentary (from the co-creator of Cowspiracy) hopes to illuminate how human behavior inflicts alarming and widespread harm upon the seas. From pollution caused by fishing gear and plastics to all of the damage caused by fishing itself (both illegal and otherwise), humans are taking a toll on the planet that could jeopardize its future (and mankind’s future as well).

When politics buff Cardi B sees something she doesn’t like going on in government, she’s almost guaranteed to comment on it. Most recently, Cardi shared her thoughts on a recently-passed anti-pornography law in Utah which mandates filters on mobile devices and tablets sold in-state. The law is the culmination of a conservative-led drive to turn porn into a “public health hazard,” even though the state is ending its mask mandate during a pandemic that’s killed over half a million people.

Clearly, she doesn’t like the law, drawing a comparison between its proponents’ stated intention of “protecting the children” and the prevalence of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints organization in the state. “I respect everyone’s religion but Utah restricting porn and not regulating the disgusting things that happens in the FLDS,” she observed. “That cult is disturbing.”

She elaborated in a second tweet, ““I will understand if they restrict porn because the state is very religious however they allow soo much disgusting things out there that they claim is part of their religion and that’s MOLESTING CHILDREN …Look it up!”

The FLDS Church is described as one of the largest of the fundamentalist Mormon sects and is designated a cult by the Southern Poverty Law Center. It’s received criticism for its practice of polygamy and racist attitudes toward Black people and interracial relationships and accused of trafficking underage girls across state lines, as well as child labor abuses.

Cardi is no stranger to drawing the ire of certain groups. Her song “WAP” is still a hot topic among conservative circles, even as those commentators ignored or brushed off racist terrorist attacks in the US, minimized a global pandemic, and tried to credit Donald Trump with the successes of the current administration.

Cardi B is a Warner Music artist. Uproxx is an independent subsidiary of Warner Music Group.

If Governor Matthew McConaughey sounds alright, alright, alright to you, you’re in luck: the Oscar-winning actor is serious about running for office.

“I’m not teasing the idea or anything. I’m actually trying to look at the idea and give it serious consideration. I have a new chapter for myself, personally in my life. I believe it is in some sort of leadership role,” McConaughey told CNBC’s Carl Quintanilla during an interview from his Airstream trailer in Austin, Texas, on Wednesday. “I don’t know what that role is. I don’t know my category. We’ve been talking about the ‘why’ of leadership and even, I would say, we need some more good leaders. And I’m not just talking about me. I’m talking about you out there, everyone out there, we need leadership.”

He continued, “We’ve gotten to this spot where, ‘You voice your opinion and it opposes mine. My gut reaction — our gut reaction — is, ‘Oh, you must be saying that at the exclusion of mine’… If I say I’m a believer, someone will say, ‘Oh, you must not believe in science.’ Well, I didn’t say that, I’m a believer and I believe in science… two different opinions can exist at the same time.” For instance: you might think Magic Mike is a bad movie; I think it’s a masterpiece. We’re both entitled to our opinion (but I’m right).

McConaughey has referred to himself as “aggressively centrist” in the past (his politics are a mystery even on the local level), but if he does run, he’ll likely do well in his politically-divided home state of Texas. The UT professor helped raise $7.8 million for those affected by Winter Storm Uri through his Just Keep Livin Texas Relief Fund.

(Via KXAN)

Zion Williamson has turned into one of the NBA’s most unstoppable players in recent weeks. The New Orleans Pelicans’ second-year standout has made carving up defenses look routine, making the Pels must-watch on a nightly basis and silencing any questions about whether or not he’ll become a constant in conversations about the best players in the league.

As is oftentimes the case when a basketball player ascends to being more than just someone with potential, unique doors are now being opened for Williamson, with the latest coming via a partnership with SLAM. A SLAM cover athlete on several occasions, Williamson will receive an NFT drop of a pair of covers — one from his time at Duke, one during his NBA career — along with a digital basketball.

“I’m really excited to partner with SLAM for the first-ever NFT cover and digital basketballs,” Williamson in a statement. “Through this drop, we hope to deepen our connection with basketball fans, while creating a unique opportunity for them to get in on the action and own a piece of history.”

The collection will drop on OpenSea starting on Friday, April 2. During his second year in the league, Williamson is averaging 26.4 points and 7.1 rebounds in 32.8 minutes per game while shooting 62.4 percent from the field.

While winter feels like a time to drink whiskey neat, spring is the beginning of cocktail season. But that doesn’t mean the brown stuff is out. Cocktails made with Scotch, rye, and bourbon abound. Perhaps none so famous as the iconic old fashioned.

Made by muddling sugar and water (or using simple syrup) and mixing it with Angostura bitters, whiskey (typically rye, American whiskey, or bourbon), and a big, honking ice cube plus an orange peel garnish (with a spritz of those citrus oils), this is a serious Donny Draper drink. We mean it, you’re gonna sip on this and then go online to buy skinny ties. Or a Cadillac.

To celebrate the return of spring and (some) socializing, we asked a handful of our favorite bartenders to tell us the whiskeys they use to make their patented version of an old fashioned. Check their picks below.

Pinhook Country Cask Strength Bourbon

Cory Coose, bartender at Tak Room in New York City

Pinhook’s Country Cask Strength Bourbon. This whiskey is beautiful and boozy with a lot of toasted coconut and cocoa notes. Perfect with a brown sugar cube. Rounds out the flavor and tastes like autumn nights in a glass.

Michter’s Single Barrel Rye

Josh Curtis, bar director at Carbon Beach Club at Malibu Beach Inn

If I’m making an old fashioned, I tend to rely on spicy rye instead of sweet bourbon. I like Michter’s Single Barrel Rye because its bright and the spiced notes blend nicely with Angostura bitters. Its orange citrus flavors are accented by the citrus peel garnish.

Rittenhouse Rye

Patricia Verdesoto, head bartender at Jams in New York City

My favorite whiskey to mix into an old fashioned is Rittenhouse Rye. Yes, Rittenhouse can hold its own with just a cube or two but something about its maple, spiced finish pairs well with the bitters in an old fashioned. It is delicate enough to carry the citrus notes from an orange twist while maintaining the kick that you’d expect from this classic cocktail.

Woodford Reserve Bourbon

Ben Potts, owner, and bartender at The Sylvester in Miami

I’m personally a big fan of Woodford Reserve. It’s a delicious whiskey that can stand on its own — or with a dash of bitters and some sugar. It has a complex, sweet, vanilla, and caramel-filled flavor that’s perfect for the iconic cocktail.

Elijah Craig Small Batch Bourbon

Andy Printy, beverage director at Chao Baan in St. Louis

When creating my version of the best universal old fashioned, I locked in on Elijah Craig Small Batch. Its profile and body are very rich, with toasted oak and graham crackers singing all the way through.

Coming in at 94 proof, it also has the shoulders to support various bitters and sugar combinations.

Wild Turkey 101 Rye

Blake Jakes, director of beverage for The Kennedy Bar in Pensacola, Florida

I’m a huge fan of Wild Turkey 101 Rye. I love the proof on it and the flavor overall just compliments the bitters and citrus oil so nicely. It’s also one of those whiskies that keeps changing, in a good way, as it dilutes.

Buffalo Trace Bourbon

Hayden Miller, head bartender at Bodega Taqueria y Tequila in Miami

Buffalo Trace has been my go-to old fashioned spirit for years. The flavor profile of sweet caramel, vanilla, and subtle spice takes very well to a light amount of sugar and bitters.

Old Forester 86

Bill Whitlow, owner of Proper Food & Drink in Covington, Kentucky

Old Forester 86 Proof is my favorite bourbon to put into an old fashioned at the bar. We have guests with all different levels of experience, so Old Forester isn’t overwhelming, but the high rye gives it enough backbone to hold its own and not get lost in the cocktail.

Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel Bourbon

Juan Fernandez, bartender at The Ballantyne, A Luxury Collection Hotel in Charlotte, North Carolina

Russell’s Reserve Single Barrel. I enjoy this bourbon because even though it is 110 proof it is very smooth. It has a lot of creamy caramel on the nose and taste, along with a bit of oak and spice. I prefer making old fashioned cocktails with whiskey that is a bit higher in proof. The extra alcohol blends with the higher proof whiskey to make a beautiful balance.

Old Overholt Straight Rye

Pete Marzulli, general manager at Agave West Village in New York City

Old Overholt Rye is my pick. Not only is it affordable, but it is aged in bourbon barrels, which really brings out nice smoky flavors that work perfectly in whiskey-based cocktails, especially the classic old fashioned.

Sagamore Straight Rye

Crystal Chasse, beverage director at Talk Story Rooftop in Brooklyn

Rye Whiskey is my go-to for an old fashioned. The spiciness of the rye stands up nicely to sugar and bitters.

My latest go-to has been Sagamore Straight Rye which has glorious notes of dried citrus, clove, and pecan that create a complex old fashioned.

Hudson Do the Rye Thing

Sebastien Derbomez, brand advocacy manager at William Grant & Sons

If you’re looking for an old fashioned that speaks to new American tradition, I’d recommend trying the newly reinvented Hudson Do the Rye Thing. The nose on the reinvented rye lures you in with sweet notes of honey, straw, and apricot, giving an old fashioned a wonderfully complex finish that will keep you thirsty for more.

In a stroke of what could be either genius or insanity, Young Dolph & Key Glock have shared an usual video for the outro from their second joint album, Dum And Dummer 2. While they’ve already put out videos for “No Sense,” “Green Light,” “Aspen,” “Sleep With The Roaches,” and “Penguins,” apparently they really wanted fans to be see their chemistry “Dummest & The Dummest” just plays in the background.

And truthfully, they could be right. While not a lot happens visually, the true treat is in the subtitles that appear on-screen, designating each rapper by a hilarious nickname and literally transcribing phrases like “rich white b*tches.” Set on the patio of the cabin the duo rented out for their “Aspen” video, the two discuss Glizock’s car trouble, scamming the cabin’s owner, and the opulent home decorations. Glock also gets lost on the way out.

Speaking of getting out, it looks like Dolph is ready to get out of the rap game. He announced that Dum And Dummer 2 would be his final release on Instagram, telling fans, “I hope y’all enjoying the new mixtape, it’s my last project putting out. I wasn’t gonna tell y’all but I thought y’all should know I’m done with music.” Of course, we’ve heard that before.

Watch Young Dolph & Key Glock’s ‘Dummest & The Dummest’ video above.

Dum And Dummer 2 is out now via Paper Route EMPIRE. Get it here.

Russ gave his legion of fans insane, crazy bars on his 2020 EP Chomp. Now he’s offering straight gas with his weed line, Chomp by Russ x Wonderbrett. It’s the exact same strain the rapper smoked while creating the aforementioned project’s lush offerings — five songs featuring elite hip-hop lyricists Benny The Butcher, Busta Rhymes, KXNG Crooked, and Black Thought, alongside DJ Premier and… the list goes on.

In collaboration with Brett Feldman and Cameron Damwijk — founders and cultivars of West Coast cannabis brand Wonderbrett — Russ’s cannabis line is a chance for the 28-year-old artist to offer fans a glimpse inside the Chomp creation experience. It’s also the kind of marijuana that any chronic-loving musician would be hyped to smoke during studio sessions.

Since his SoundCloud beginnings, Russ has been in complete control of his career and has become the obvious example of what it means to work independently in the music industry in the digital age. Releasing as many mixtapes as he has and as dedicated to the craft as he is, launching a weed strain (that won’t leave you slumped) with one of the most reputable cannabis companies in the game feels like it was always in the cards. The point being: it’s a good fit.

When the perfect opportunity to dive into the cannabis business arrived, Russ chose to produce a strain that was something that he enjoys himself. And that meant a balanced strain where users could avoid both sleepiness and overthinking.

“I’m not a heavy smoker who’s just gonna sit around and smoke all day but oftentimes in the studio I enjoy experiencing an alternative yet still tuned in perspective, so keeping a joint of something productive nearby comes in handy,” Russ stated in a press release. “I might as well control what’s in the joint so that’s what I’ve done here with Wonderbrett.”

Feldman added, “The result is a great introductory high that really serves to enlighten and inspire artists to create. It doesn’t give you a couch lock effect.”

The strain itself was created with a male from Wonderbrett’s OZK stable and crossed into a Cookies & Cream female. From there they went through 20 seedlings and settled on phenotype No. 4. Currently, Chomp is only available at Stiiizy — a dispensary located in Downtown Los Angeles. But the brand has promised that new outlets will be added on the daily (stay up to date here), including the Wonderbrett flagship dispensary, launching in LA’s Fairfax District later this year.

Chomp by Russ x Wonderbrett dropped on Monday, March 29th, and we tested it that day in both its flower and pre-roll forms. Check out our review below.

The Products & Presentation

1g CHOMP x Wonderbrett Pre-Roll & ⅛ CHOMP x Wonderbrett Box

Strain: Hybrid

Dominant Terpenes: Limonene, Humulene, Linalool, Caryophyllene, and Pinene

THC: 22.82%

CBD: .06%

Retail Price: ⅛ CHOMP x Wonderbrett Box for $60, ⅛ CHOMP x Wonderbrett Bag for $45, 1g CHOMP x Wonderbrett Pre-Roll for $15.

The Experience

First of all, the packaging. The design. The satin box. The gilded press. The snarling dog, showing its gnashing teeth. The rich, red, gold, and black colorway. The whole Chomp x Wonderbrett branding sets the tone for an opulent affair.

Though I tried Chomp as both flower and as a pre-roll, the experiences were somewhat different. First, let’s talk about what each product has to offer and then what made them different for me.

The pre-roll came prepared inside of a plastic tube container, emblazoned with Russ’s signature Chomp logo and necessary cannabis factoids. Once the top came off and the pre-roll slid into my hand, I was dealing with a Raw cone tightly packed with herb. The light up and pull was smooth to start, then I felt an immediate head rush followed by my nose feeling a bit spicy. This was just the very beginning of what would turn into an intense cerebral high.

After a few minutes, the stinging I felt in my nose disappeared and what arrived was a euphoric sense of happiness and urge to do something. Anything.

Slight overthinking did rear its ugly head, yet the happiness and excitement I was feeling had me floating above it all. Once the high fully set in, I became very grateful and happy — living in the moment. It felt as if all my senses opened up, making all of my perceptions more clear. Not to mention, I had full confidence in my thoughts and wasn’t judging myself for every little thing.

At this point, it’s clear why Russ would dub this as “studio weed” and why sharing a name with his Chomp EP was a necessity.

When it came time to explore the flower option I was met with the soft, sweet aroma of citrus and nuts, and frosted nugs inside a dark plastic container. I love an icy nug and Chomp is fully iced out. The flower itself was pretty rigid to the touch but strong and not brittle.

Once I packed out a raw cone with the minced Chomp nugs and lit it, the immediate head rush and nose-tingling occurred just like with the pre-roll. Once the high settled in though, the happiness I felt with the pre-roll was more extreme, if perhaps more chaotic. Maybe it’s the way I packed it that made the experience different, but I was laughing at everything when I smoked the flower and fell into a fit of laughter more than once. It really made my day fun and gave my mind the freedom for all of my ideas to flow without the weird voice of judgment that I get when smoking Sativa.

The Bottom Line

Chomp is definitely a strain best-suited for catching a late-night vibe at the studio or as a solo mid-day high if you’re a creative working from home. I can also see this as being a great strain to smoke in social settings and, of course, while listening to music. It’s a happy, relaxing herb that gets the creative juices flowing.

“The Naming of Cats is a difficult matter,

It isn’t just one of your holiday games…”

When T.S. Eliot wrote “Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats” in 1939, he probably never imagined his poetry would be turned into a delightfully despised musical. And when unsuspecting show-goers witnessed the spectacle of CATS on stage for the first time, they likely had no idea how much of the largely non-existent plot would be about what, why, how cats are named.

Silly, perhaps, but the naming of cats truly is a difficult matter. Cats are bizarro screwballs of the highest order. They start off adorable little puffs purring fur, and evolve into beautiful animal specimens that emanate strength and grace on the one hand and hilarious quirks and personality on the other. How can you possibly choose a name that truly befits such a magnificently weird creature?

You can’t. Which is why people end up naming their cats the silliest names they can think of.

On Twitter, Jennifer Xiao posted a simple observation that got a hilarious ball rolling: “Dog owners will pick names like max or bailey and cat owners will literally name their cat beef stroganoff.”

Cue the deluge of pretty kitties with shameless names.

Lots of pasta cats out there. How cute is “Wednesday Fettucine”? Come on now.

No shortage of fruit and fruit-flavored names as well.

Rooty tooty fresh and frutiy kitties, all day long.

Who names a cat “Egg”? Several people, apparently. Egg, Eggs, Eggsy.

CRUNCHWRAP SUPREME. I can’t.

Green Bean Casserole is a cutie. But the promotion and demotion of Beans is hilarious. “Grand Marshall Beans!”

And yes, someone actually did name their cat Beef Stroganoff. “Strogi” for short.

But food names are just the beginning. It gets so much better.

Meet beautiful baby Bong Water.

And Mozzarella Television.

Hallway. HALL.WAY. People are so magical.

Missy sounds normal enough, until you find out it’s short for Missile Launcher.

And then there’s Beanbag. Is her middle name Chair? Hope so.

Stinky and Pot Roast are cute. But Astral Projection (to the Nearest Target) might just take the cake.

Someone shared that their friend had named their huge cat Parking Lot. Another had a cat named Beep. Some shared epically long names like Lady Cassandra Johanna Von Mussel Klossowski De Rolo De Conerty II.

One person pointed out that the reason people feel they can name their cats any old random thing is because they never have to call their cats’ names in public. Yelling out “BEEF STROGANOFF!” or “BONG WATER!” or “PARKING LOT!” might be a little…awkward.

But of course, unique names are not the domain of cats alone. Check out this person who named their snake Minecraft Creative Mode and who once had a dog whose full name was Lego Star Wars: The Complete Saga (2007). (Lego for short.)

Going back to T.S. Eliot, he wrote that every cat has three different names—one everyday name that the family uses, one name that’s peculiar and unique even among other cats, and a secret name that only the cat knows and enjoys pondering on occasion:

“When you notice a cat in profound meditation,
The reason, I tell you, is always the same:
His mind is engaged in a rapt contemplation
Of the thought, of the thought, of the thought of his name:
His ineffable effable
Effanineffable
Deep and inscrutable singular name.”

Perhaps that’s why we give cats such silly, goofy, laughable names. They have their own cosmic, mysterious name we’re never going to know, so why the heck not name them Microsoft Windows or Spam Sandwich or Driveway? They’re just going to ignore us when we say it anyway.

As Major League Baseball’s opening day approaches, the 2021 season appears as though it’ll look a bit more like seasons we’ve seen in the past.

Commissioner Rob Manfred has informed teams that fans will be allowed in the stands this season, but each franchise must adhere to local health guidelines.

However, things will forever be different at Progressive Field, the home field of the Cleveland Indians. The team announced that fans will no longer be admitted if they are wearing “inappropriate dress” referencing Native American culture.

Fans will not be allowed into the stadium if they are wearing “headdresses and face paint styled in a way that references or appropriates American Indian cultures and traditions. Inappropriate or offensive images, words, dress or face paint must be covered or removed, and failure to do so may constitute grounds for ejection or refusal of admission.”

The no-tolerance policy also involves abusive or inappropriate language or conduct deemed disorderly or disruptive and bans people from solicitation of contributions and distribution of literature at the stadium.

Cleveland fans will still be permitted to wear clothing with its cartoonish, red-faced Chief Wahoo logo, although the team removed it from its uniforms two years ago.

Last December, it was revealed the team intends to change the Indians nickname it’s had since 1915. It’s believed that 2021 will be the team’s final season as the Indians with a rebrand coming in 2022.

The team has been known as the Indians since 1915 when its name was changed to pay homage to a former Native American player, Louis Sockalexis, who played for the team in the late 1800s when it was known as The Spiders.

Cleveland’s decision to phase out its association with Naive American imagery comes alongside the NFL’s Washington Football Team, who announced before last season that they were rebranding the team and dropping the former “Redskins” moniker.

Hopefully, this decision ends the ugly, long-standing history of Opening Day showdowns between Cleveland fans and Native American activists.

Warning: The following video contains strong language.

Chief Wahoo fans hurl insults at Native Americans

www.youtube.com

Recently, the team began asking its fans for their input regarding the new name. The questionnaire asks what type of qualities would they like to see in a new name (i.e., hard-working, loyal, inclusive). It also asks how closely the team’s new name should be associated with the city of Cleveland and whether or not it should keep the current red, white, and blue color scheme and the “Block C” logo.

The Indians released the following statement to 3News:

“We can confirm that we sent a survey regarding the name change out to our fans. This fan-solicited feedback is just one portion of a multi-phase process that we vowed to take when we decided to embark on a new name in December. Future decisions will continue to take time due to the complexities of the process.”

Last year, our partner site GOOD shared some of the most popular suggestions regarding a new team name for Cleveland.

Sports has a unique way of bringing people from all walks of life together. Let’s hope that going forward, Cleveland chooses a name that reflects the times and respects other cultures while instilling a sense of loyalty and pride to its fans.