Josh Harris Speaks... Commanders is permanent name.

[mistertim]

Feels like the "he couldn't have done any better" and "he was going to take arrows either way" POV is a bit of a losers mentality.

He could have done better, he should have done better, and sure you take some arrows either way...but, less if the name wasn't actual trash or borderline racist. In the end Harris just didn't have the stones to do what is right.

Also, it is really, really sad that this fanbase and franchise is so hard-up for anything positive that folks think a single good season is the reason you make a decision that will effect the franchise for the next century. It's short sighted and stupid, all because of some jerseys JD5 would have sold either way.

I think there are a lot of huge assumptions here and in this thread in general. People talking about how he has pissed off the entire fan base with this decision (how do you know that? just because a handful of fans on a message board think so doesn't make it a realistic sample size) or is ignoring history or identity (again, why do you assume that your idea of identity is a belief held across the whole fanbase?) or that it's going to negatively affect the franchise for the next century (lots of hyperbole here and, again, why do you assume that because it affects you so deeply that it means it will affect every other fan or the entire team brand for so long?)

 

[Boone]

Today I am moving forward and will cease bitching. Please feel free to remind me of this. It took a day or two longer to get there but I can’t howl at the moon forever.

 

[Single-Bar Facemask]

The lip service that's paid by ownership to caring about the fans is exactly that - as a quick press release to tip their hat in saying they "care" is also effectively "free" as it can easily be generated by the PR team and will potentially be enough to assuage most fans.

Is it lip service only because it didn't have the desired outcome that you wanted?

IMO, Commander PK is 100% correct: the fan base is ALL OVER THE PLACE on this issue. There was NO WAY to make everyone happy. If they would have gone with what I wanted, others would have been upset. If they would have gone with some people wanted, there are others that would have been upset. There is no answer that would have pleased everyone.

I also think that Sheehan is right, in that those that are passionate about how much they hate the name, they're the ones that write in/call in and complain. Those that aren't as passionate or aren't against the name, they don't call in. There truly are people out there that don't care about the name any longer, they just want to see the franchise get back to it's winning traditions and getting some more Lombardi Trophies. Consider me in that camp.

 

[formerly4skins]

I think there are a lot of huge assumptions here and in this thread in general. People talking about how he has pissed off the entire fan base with this decision (how do you know that? just because a handful of fans on a message board think so doesn't make it a realistic sample size) or is ignoring history or identity (again, why do you assume that your idea of identity is a belief held across the whole fanbase?) or that it's going to negatively affect the franchise for the next century (lots of hyperbole here and, again, why do you assume that because it affects you so deeply that it means it will affect every other fan or the entire team brand for so long?)

As to pissing off the "entire fanbase"...I didn't really say that. I actually acknowledged that he takes arrows either way.

And, as to the future effect of the name on the the franchise...I simply sited that the decision by Harris, which is a generational commitment, was made on the back of a single year of success. That is fact. In my opinion, that is a short sighted embrace of the status quo by a guy too scared to make a move.

Like I said, it's just sad that folks think a single good season is the reason you make a decision that will effect the franchise for the next century

 

[Mark The Homer]

Oppenheimer's team did calculations that showed there was a 1% chance that igniting an atomic bomb would set of an endless chain reaction that would ignite the atmosphere and burn up the entire world. They reworked the calculations and still came up with 1%. They decided it was worth the risk and the rest is history.

So yeah. It's likely this name will be with us forever.

 

[Commander PK]

Like I said, it's just sad that folks think a single good season is the reason you make a decision that will effect the franchise for the next century

I think it’s not just the winning season, the wins and loses, it’s the realization through that winning season that this name and brand CAN work over the long haul. What would be concerning to me is if JD5 jerseys were not flying off the shelves because people hate the name and brand that much. A generational talent at QB and the name and uniforms are so bad, so ugly, that nobody wants to acknowledge him. Time has shown that for a lot of people that is not the case and they have accepted the change.

Can the brand be improved and expanded? Absolutely, and I believe it will be.

 

[Single-Bar Facemask]

In the end Harris just didn't have the stones to do what is right.

Since you have it all figured out, what, in your opinion, was the right thing for him to do?

 

[burgold]

Oppenheimer's team did calculations that showed there was a 1% chance that igniting an atomic bomb would set of an endless chain reaction that would ignite the atmosphere and burn up the entire world. They reworked the calculations and still came up with 1%. They decided it was worth the risk and the rest is history.

So yeah. It's likely this name will be with us forever.

I can't decide if this is a pro or anti post. lol

I really don't want an A bomb detonated on Redskins' nation

 

[mistertim]

As to pissing off the "entire fanbase"...I didn't really say that. I actually acknowledged that he takes arrows either way.

And, as to the future effect of the name on the the franchise...I simply sited that the decision by Harris, which is a generational commitment, was made on the back of a single year of success. That is fact. In my opinion, that is a short sighted embrace of the status quo by a guy too scared to make a move.

Like I said, it's just sad that folks think a single good season is the reason you make a decision that will effect the franchise for the next century

I wasn't saying you specifically said that about pissing the fans off; I mentioned in my post that some people in the thread in general had expressed those sort of sentiments.

As far as this huge generational effect, I think you're confusing your personal feelings and beliefs on the matter with facts. To you it's a huge generational commitment that will reverberate in some massive way for a century. But it's quite possible that for most fans it's really not a big deal and they just want to see this team succeed. The likely scenario is that 5 years from now (definitely not a century) if you were to ask the vast majority of fans "Hey you remember when Josh Harris made that massive decision about sticking with 'Commanders'?" they'd say "Um, what?"

 

[burgold]

Yeah, the unfortunate thing is that because of Snyder we have an entire generation of football fans who have almost no positive associations with the name Redskins.

 

[formerly4skins]

Since you have it all figured out, what, in your opinion, was the right thing for him to do?

Well, i certainly dont have it all figured out, and have never claimed to.

I do know what a shit-sandwich looks like though....and this one was prepared extra special by Dan himself. Some people have acclimated to the taste and some never will. Both are bound to happen.

But to answer your question, i think you do what Snyd-dog said he was going to do and actually involve the fans.

Have the process be fun and engaging...really make something special out of it. Have Harris use it as an opportunity, instead of being scared of making a move and keeping Dan's shit-sandwich on the menu.

 

[Riggo44]

Today I am moving forward and will cease bitching. Please feel free to remind me of this. It took a day or two longer to get there but I can’t howl at the moon forever.

 

[formerly4skins]

To you it's a huge generational commitment that will reverberate in some massive way for a century.

I say generational not because I think it will have some massive effect.

It's simply because this name...Dan Snyder's shined-up turd...will now endure forever. The thought of people using Commanders 50yrs from now, 100yrs from now, whatever...it becoming the history of this team forever tied to Dan.

Makes me want to puke 😆

 

[Riggo44]

But to answer your question, i think you do what Snyd-dog said he was going to do and actually involve the fans.

This is the problem that a lot refuse to accept: They did. They saw the sales across the board and saw a rebrand was unnecessary. Likewise, players and coaches have bought in. They've built a culture around the Commanders Label--starting with the draft. It means something to be a Commander. Keim and Fortier talked about this on Keim's podcast--this is not to be dismissed over diminishing fan outrage

Before this season, and I brought this up months ago and was pretty much ridiculed for it, but Harris said they were focusing on what would unify the fans. There was absolutely nothing unifying about changing the name--especially now, given how much people have bought the merchandise, renewed season tickets, et al. Changing the name again is potentially damaging to those who have invested in the brand. Likewise, they will improve the brand.

I think it's time to let Snyder go stew in his own juices in England. Completely and joyfully irrelevant to this team.

 

[Riggo44]

To you it's a huge generational commitment that will reverberate in some massive way for a century.

This is one of my biggest peeves with the anti-name people--they predominantly speak in "we" and "us" and "our team"--a lot of them act as the voice of the fan.

 

[formerly4skins]

They did.

They did not.

Seems like they used internal metrics and made the decision. Factoring in jersey sales does not come close to any form of "fan involvement".

Hell, at least Dan went through the motions of "fan involvement"...even if it was just BS in the end. Not that I like being lied to, but we didn't even get the window dressing from Harris.

 

[iheartskins]

Is it lip service only because it didn't have the desired outcome that you wanted?

IMO, Commander PK is 100% correct: the fan base is ALL OVER THE PLACE on this issue. There was NO WAY to make everyone happy. If they would have gone with what I wanted, others would have been upset. If they would have gone with some people wanted, there are others that would have been upset. There is no answer that would have pleased everyone.

I also think that Sheehan is right, in that those that are passionate about how much they hate the name, they're the ones that write in/call in and complain. Those that aren't as passionate or aren't against the name, they don't call in. There truly are people out there that don't care about the name any longer, they just want to see the franchise get back to it's winning traditions and getting some more Lombardi Trophies. Consider me in that camp.

I was saying it's lip service because that's what businesses - particularly large businesses - generally provide to their stakeholder base in lieu of genuine concern.

This is much less that ownership did or didn't do the right thing; it's more that we shouldn't expect them to act in anything other than their own self interest.

And if what you say is true (which I don't know either way and I don't think there's been any hard data that purports to speak to the entirety or a scientific sample size of the WFT fan base), then why would they do anything other than maintain the status quo.

Changing would only alienate one of the myriad, disparate groups of fans with an uncertain upside.

 

[Spearfeather]

I'm still saying there's a chance he'll change the name at some point down the road. When I say chance, I mean somewhere in the 1% to 2% range. Which basically means it's not going to happen.

I'm kind of wondering how they're going to navigate the 100th anniversary.
What's that merchandise going to look like ?

 

[mistertim]

This is one of my biggest peeves with the anti-name people--they predominantly speak in "we" and "us" and "our team"--a lot of them act as the voice of the fan.

Right. That irks me a bit too. And there's nothing at all wrong with someone feeling upset about it; they can feel however they want, and it's valid. But don't presume to speak for all other fans or assume that's a majority held opinion.

 

[formerly4skins]

Completely and joyfully irrelevant to this team.

Irrelevant, other than being a constant reminder on literally every piece of marketing collateral in use by the team?

His handpicked name and branding appearing on every single piece of team gear, at the top of every press release, all over the stadium, in the media, etc.

That sure doesn't feel irrelevant.