Houston Astros name change???
Posted: Tue Jan 24, 2012 5:00 pm
Man, talk about shaking up a franchise. New Houston Astros owner Jim Crane said he will consider a uniform change and a team name change when the franchise moves over to the American League in 2013.
"We're going to study the information both from the fans and from all sorts of marketing people," Crane said. "I'm not saying we're going to change. We haven't made the decision yet whether we're going to change."
The Astros, of course, made a name change back in 1965 when it changed from its original Colt .45s moniker to Astros when it moved into the Astrodome. I think we can safely rule out going back to naming a team after a gun. But here are a few other options:
•Oilers. Yes, a rip-off of the old NFL franchise name. But if Crane wants to change the uniforms, he could do worse than bringing back the light blue.
•Buffaloes. An homage to the long-time nickname of the minor league team in Houston before the Colt .45s joined the National League in 1962. While great herds of bison once roamed the Texas plains, they no longer do. However, buffalo meat is leaner and better for you then beef, so this would also be a promotion of healthy eating.
•Rainbows. Of course, you'd have to bring back the old uniforms.
•Ozones. Houston is one of the most ozone-polluted cities in the country, ranked eighth-worst by the American Lung Association. The team logo could be a pair of lungs.
•Halliburtons. Kind of has a nice ring to it, doesn't it? Houston Halliburtons.
•Meds. Houston is home to the renowned Texas Medical Center, which bills itself as the world's largest concentration of medical research and healthcare facilities. Although maybe the idea of a needle as the team logo isn't such a great idea.
•Houston Traffic Jams. More than 70 percent of Houstonians drive alone to work, helping create one of the most congested cities in the U.S.
•Killer Bees. A nice tribute to the greatest players in franchise history -- Jeff Bagwell, Craig Biggio, Lance Berkman and Buddy Biancalana
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