Sports

Time has come to change offensive Redskins name

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Why do we have to make a federal case out of everything until it becomes, well, a federal case?

The move to rid the Washington Redskins of that particular nickname — based on federal trademark laws that prohibit disparaging titles — was heard last week before judges in Washington.

Team general manager Bruce Allen said the entire matter is “ludicrous” because the Redskins’ nickname does not intend to denigrate anyone.

I believe him. But that’s not the point.

Look at it this way: If I’ve been calling you by a nickname that I came to know that you find offensive — and for logical reasons — I’m gonna stop calling you that name. I might slip, now and then, given that I have to get used to not calling you by that name, but I’m going to do my best.

Why would I choose to knowingly continue to hurt your feelings?

In other words, if you think you’re entitled to keep calling the NFL’s Washington team the “Redskins” because any combination of: 1) you always have, 2) you don’t think its offensive to Native Americans, 3) you don’t mean it to be offensive, and 4) it’s your Constitutionally guaranteed right to free speech, well, wooly bully for you.

But why not take Native Americans’ word for it? Why choose to be obdurate — stubborn, angry and wrong — when it’s possible that you’re legitimately, foolishly and needlessly stinging peoples’ feelings?

Even if one doesn’t get it, can’t he or she go with, “I don’t agree, but if it really bothers you, sure, I’ll stop”?

You can rationalize it all you want. If Irish-Americans have no problem with Notre Dame as the stereotypical, leprechaun-with-his-dukes-up “Fighting Irish,” fine.

But on the day that there’s a movement for Notre Dame to remove that nickname or mascot as offensive — a matter of offending sensibilities — that’s fine, too. I’ll stop using it, give or take a few slips. Again, if a name legitimately offends you, how hard is it for me to stop calling you that?

That’s a problem with political correctness. Political correctness has become so absurd, so easy to reject — calling spray-painted vandalism “street art” — that we forget some of the worthy corrections political correctness can and has achieved.

Staten Island’s Port Richmond H.S. used to be nicknamed the “Minstrels” — after dancers, singers and musicians who performed in blackface. In 1984, when Minstrels was replaced by “Raiders,” it seemed impossible that Minstrels 1) was ever selected, 2) stuck so late.

Of course, as per the Washington GM, though perhaps no one on Staten Island in 1983 intended anything derogatory. Still, it was time — long past due — to lose Minstrels.

Besides, who would cease rooting for the Redskins (or the Pale Skins) if they became the Red Dogs, Red Cats or the Sun Burns?

And for those who prefer to resist or defy the change — to dig in, as if maintaining the team’s nickname is essential to their lives, liberties and pursuits of happiness — well, they’re a bunch of fat heads. Though, if they prefer not to be called fat heads — it’s offensive, insulting — we would understand.

Glowing tributes for late legendary coach Curran deserved

The death of Archbishop Molloy H.S. basketball and baseball coach Jack Curran, at 82, Thursday, brought wonderful tributes. Among them, two stood out:

Former Duke center/forward Alaa Abdelnaby, now with the CBS Sports Network: “Kids want discipline, structure and love. He gave them that.”

And WFAN/CBS Radio Sports newsman Rich Ackerman, who grew close to Curran, recalls asking which sport he liked better, basketball or baseball. Curran, who always kept it easy-to-understand, said, “Baseball.” “Why?” Ackerman asked. “It’s outside,” Curran said.

* So, six weeks after snowmobile stunt artist Caleb Moore was killed — crushed performing tricks at high speed off a launch platform for ESPN’s X-Games — ESPN announces it has discontinued the event. Nevertheless, in a prepared statement, ESPN claimed Moore’s death had nothing to do with that decision:

“[It was] not dropped in response to what happened in Aspen. This decision was under consideration before Aspen.”

Got that? In the 18th year of ESPN’s X-Games — the X for “Ex-treme” — there was a fatality in a senselessly dangerous event. Six weeks later, ESPN drops that event. Yet, ESPN claims the two had nothing to do with each other — just a coincidence.

(Incidentally, Jon Frankel of HBO’s “Real Sports” cites Moore’s death in an examination of extreme sports having gone too extreme on Tuesday’s show at 10 p.m.)

* Remember Luther Wright, Seton Hall’s 7-foot-2 recruit from Elizabeth (N.J.) H.S., who washed out as Utah’s 1993 first-round NBA pick while suffering — and dramatically, bizarrely — from crack addiction and depression?

Greg Marotta does. A street-smart sports marketing exec — he used to be Don King’s head sales guy — Marotta recently found Wright in Jersey City and produced a fascinating catch-up with him, now seen on the new Roopstigo.com web reality series, “Healing Agent.”

Meantime, did it strike Marotta as odd that American flag-waving, “Only In America” King would demand a 10-bells ringside salute to rabidly anti-U.S. and recently deceased Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez?

“No, they were close,” Marotta said. “Years ago, Chavez was King’s bodyguard and driver when he did business in Venezuela.”

George Foreman’s second round, 1974 TKO of Ken Norton was a King deal, in Caracas, Venezuela.

Spring caps not worth comment

Ron Darling, twice asked by Kevin Burkhardt during SNY’s Tigers-Mets on Thursday what he thinks of the Mets’ Mr. Met-patch spring training caps, twice responded, “No comment.” The only thing those caps need is a little propeller on top.

* Mike Francesa on Monday told Iona coach Tim Cluess — the Iona-Manhattan MAAC final was that night in Springfield, Mass. — that the MAAC “used to play its championship game on the higher seed’s court.” Never. The MAAC, its first tournament in 1982, always has had at least its semis and finals at predetermined arenas.

* NCAA Tournament Lookalikes: Several readers have submitted Indiana’s hyperactive coach Tom Crean and actor Rainn Wilson as Dwight Schrute on “The Office.”

* Reader Peter Hynes, Norwalk: Best thing about the Blackhawks’ unbeaten streak ending is “we no longer have to watch ESPN pretend to care about it.”

* Maryland’s Towson University is this week’s NCAA Participation Builds Character winner. It’s dumping baseball and soccer to throw more money at basketball and football.

* Had a horrible nightmare: A bracketologist said I was off the bubble, refused to punch my ticket to the Big Dance. Awoke in a sweat. You, too?