Originally Posted by SoonerDave

I very much like the 89ers name because it is most certainly unique, and it represents an extremely significant element of Oklahoma history - the 1889 land run. I don't get how that's "hickish," certainly no more so than a little red chicken hawk strutting around a barnyard.

I have no use for the Redhawks nickname, because I was told by someone I deem credible that it was "forced" on the team because it was originally intended to be used by the hockey team the city went after a few years ago. If you'll notice, the leg of the "R" in the circle-R logo is supposed to be dual-use; feathers on the bird's wing, but also three hockey sticks.

More important to me, however, than the nickname is the city/state reference. It should be the "Oklahoma City <whatevers>," not "Oklahoma <whatevers>". Tulsa has the Drillers, and the rest of the state contributes, oh, essentially *nothing* to the perpetuation of AAA baseball. The team plays in a park financed by Oklahoma City tax revenue, in the heart of downtown Oklahoma City, in front of fans that are substantially (if not in many cases exclusively) from Oklahoma City or its many suburbs.

The only reason we lost the "City" moniker is because the City tried to sell Oklahoma to the NHL as a "state"-oriented locale rather than a city-oriented one; hence the name "Oklahoma Redhawks" and not "Oklahoma *CITY* Redhawks."

Either way, I want "Oklahoma City" back. I'd prefer the "89ers" for its historical relevance in light of our pending state centennial. "Redhawks" is a meaningless marketing term that could be attached to any minor league sports franchise as a way to sell T-shirts; it adds no value whatsoever.

-SoonerDave