We like to think of ourselves as being constructive. Be critical and be ready with solutions. The highly problematic Edmonton CFL team nickname has been an issue all along but awareness increased in recent years. We have a policy not to use Indigenous nicknames of pro and college teams in our coverage.
So when people asked what the new nickname should be, my answer was "Edmonton Elks."
When Edmonton made the bold move to remove the offensive nickname, the team wanted to get input. The initial request for names produced 38,761 entries. The short list had Elk, Evergreen, Evergold, Eclipse, Elkhounds, Eagles, and Elements. Full disclosure: took the survey and said "Elks." Elements and Evergold were a bit confusing but any of them would be better than the previous nickname.
The Edmonton Rugby Foot-ball Club was renamed the Edmonton Elks in 1922 before going back to the offensive nickname.
New Name. Same Game.
— Edmonton Elks (@elks) June 1, 2021
Let’s play some football. #ElksCharge pic.twitter.com/RhtwzcAmhv
The Twitter handle has changed to @elks. For the first time in our CFL coverage, we can identify the full name of every team.
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.@EdmFootballTeam will be the #EdmontonElks. My 1st, 2nd, and 3rd choices were Elks. So happy. Will be thrilled to hear "First down, Edmonton Elks." @CFL https://t.co/FVvKGVTYKp
— Chad Rubel (@canadian_xing) June 1, 2021
For more of the recent history, The Jim Jeffries Show looked at the matter from the perspective of an Australian comedian. Warning: the segment actually refers to the offensive nickname.
The revelation of the bodies of 215 children at a Kamloops residential school within the past week, and how some people weren't as shocked by that — this is yet another reminder of how poorly Canada has done to the Indigenous population. The nickname of a Canadian football team is a mild symptom in all of this. The previous nickname was a settler name for a people that wasn't appropriate. There is also the issue of using humans treated less than humans as a mascot. The Edmonton team mascots are thankfully not human beings.
CanadianCrossing.com CFL coverage
The Washington NFL team has gone with the Washington Football Team while the Cleveland MLB team will change its nickname in 2022. When we are on the other side with a nickname where everyone can be proud, the difference will be exhilarating.
Sports allows those offensive nicknames to be said and written as if they were saying Stampeders or Tiger-Cats. The Cleveland Spiders, the National League franchise in the city in the late 19th century, is better than the current American League nickname and mascot.
The elk is a majestic animal native to the region and fits the double E need to have alliteration in the nickname. Yes, technically elk is also the plural (think deer) but logistically the s is needed.
CFL kicks up Diversity Is Strength campaign
The CFL came out with a campaign on how Diversity Is Strength in 2017. As great as that campaign is, having an offensive nickname was a weakness. Now the Edmonton CFL team is as strong as the elk with the understanding of an enlightened human being.
photo credit: Edmonton Elks
Twitter captures: @elks; @canadian_xing
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