US Patent Office Cancels Washington Redskins Patents

((HT: WJLA-TV))

How's that one for you...???

On the grounds that the Washington Redskins nickname is of a "disparaging manner," the United States Patent Office has decided to pull the team's patent because of the apparent "offensive nature to Native Americans."

Team owner Daniel Snyder has given the NFL office and Commissioner Roger Goodell the "over my dead body" response in changing the team's nickname (though, he doesn't understand that he could have two separate revenue streams if he played his cards right). And, now, the NFL has gone ahead and taken this ingeniously active maneuver.

Here's the early returns
The team can, obviously, appeal- which they may already be doing after the 2-1 decision. And, here's the decision in full for your reading pleasure...

U.S. Patent and Trademark Office decision canceling Redskins trademarks

Anyone want to print up some Redskins t-shirts with some funny sayings to make a mint in the near future...???

Brother J-Dub... the floor is yours...

Anti-Redskins Nickname Ad Running During NBA Finals

((HT: National Congress of American Indians))

The NCAI wanted to run this ad during the Roman Numeral Classic, but they weren't allowed to...

So, they're doing the next best thing...

Running it during the NBA Finals and the HQ is quite sure that the Washington Redskins won't like it


If Daniel Snyder would only see a change to the nickname as a different revenue stream instead of a roadblock to maintaining the "history" of the franchise, things might be better off.

But the HQ also knows that stubborn people will always be stubborn people.

Chris Cooley Defends Redskins Nickname

((HT: Olbermann))

Well, okay then...

Here's the segment with Keith...


Yeah...

The HQ is of the opinion that a LOT of people disagree with Cooley...

DEVELOPING: Skins Two Letters Off On Gruden Hire

So, instead of Jon, it's Bengals Offensive Coordinator Jay getting the top gig in Raljon...

Gruden was an offensive assistant on his brother’s staff from 2002-08 in Tampa Bay. Redskins GM Bruce Allen was the Buccaneers’ general manager from 2004-08.

Gruden’s also worked with Redskins’ coaches Raheem Morris and Sean McVay (in Tampa) and defensive coordinator Jim Haslett (in the UFL). Morris, McVay and Haslett worked with Mike Shanahan in the 2013 staff.

McVay looks like the guy who will be in charge of the Redskins 2014 offense...

Rich Tandler discusses the off-season problems with Larry Michael... it's a long segment...
((HT: CSNWashington))

Shanahan Officially Done In Washington

The Washington Redskins prefer to say that Mike Shanahan was relieved of his coaching duties, that must be the politically correct way to say you head coach was fired.

Here's Shanahan Monday morning in his final press conference after being told he was fired.

Thanks Washington Redskins

"Redskins fans deserve a better result." owner Daniel Snyder said. “We thank Mike for his efforts on behalf of the Redskins. We will focus on what it takes to build a winning team, and my pledge to this organization and to this community is to continue to commit the resources and talent necessary to put this team back in the playoffs.”

“We are going to take a smart, step-by-step approach to finding the right coach to return the Redskins to where we believe we should be,” Executive Vice President/General Manager Bruce Allen said. "We will analyse accurately and honestly all of the decisions that were made over the past year."

Shanahan had one season remaining in his five year, $35 million contract signed in 2010.

We don't need to document all that was wrong with the Redskins this year, that dirty laundry was exposed on a daily basis by the four letter, NFL Network and other talking heads that cover the NFL.

Those of us in the OSG HQ are wondering who really wants this job.  

Atlanta Sports Talk Station Running Anti-Redskins Nickname Ads

From time to time, the HQ gets a heads-up on things that are just too "off" to be true...

Unless, they are true...

A sports talk station in Atlanta, 790TheZone, has drawn the ire of the ALS community with a completely unfunny work on Steve Gleason in the past and now, they may draw the ire of the National Football League for an ad campaign that the station may have actually allowed to purchase time...

We all know that the Washington NFL franchise is having issues over their nickname- as well they should...

As one of the "official" radio stations of the Atlanta Falcons, 790 runs a lot of Falcons content... the fact that they may be selling spots to the Oneida Nation on the topic won't play well...

From the Oneida about the spot they produced:

”Washington Reverend Graylan Hagler expresses his obligation as a faith leader to oppose the team’s use of a racial epithet. As Senior Minister at Plymouth Congregational United Church of Christ in D.C., Hagler has spoken out against the D.C. team’s name for more than 20 years.

Hagler mobilized more than 60 D.C. faith leaders who sent a letter last week to NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell and Washington team owner Dan Snyder calling upon the team to change its hurtful mascot.

“It is truly heartening to see religious leaders join the Change the Mascot campaign and recognize that this is more than a civil rights issue, it’s a moral issue,” said Oneida Indian Nation Representative Ray Halbritter. “We thank the more than 60 clergy members who have expressed their united opposition to the derogatory R-word, and we hope that their courageous actions will inspire others across the country to do the same.”

The ad can be listened to hyah...

If the spot is being covered as a news item, that's one thing...
If the Oneida bought ad space, that's another and 790 just can't get out of their own way...

Here's part of the past discussions with the team, the owner, and the nickname in the past few months...
((HT: The Oneida/ESPN))

Shanahan Daring Washington To Fire Him, Now...

Or, if we paid attention to grammar...

"Shanahan daring Washington to fire him now..."

The football team has now heard, through their head coach's press conference, that he may sit his starting QB for the remainder of the season...

Drawing some raised eyebrows and cocked heads...

So, for the rest of the year RGIII-10 may be sitting while Daniel Snyder mulls over the idea that he may need a new coach- among other things...

Like a 100-percent healthy quarterback... or having Kirk Cousins battle Robert Griffin III for the starting spot in next season's training camp in front of a new coach...

But, there was discussion that Shanahan was so frustrated by the chumminess of the owner and the highly-paid QB that he had packed up his desk last season and was already ready to go...

He answered that question today by not answering it...
((HT: CSNWashington))


And the clock continues to tick on he and his son's career in DC...

Oneida Nation Wants Meeting With All 32 NFL Owners

((HT: WUSA-TV))

The Oneida nation leaders met with the National Football League in New York City to discuss the state of the Washington Redskins nickname and their feelings on it...

"Their feelings on it" are that Redskins owner Daniel Snyder should receive some kind of sanction if he continues to use the nickname in future seasons. The Oneida have even invited Commissioner Roger Goodell and Snyder to Oneida homeland.

Here's coverage of the meeting...
 

"We met at the request of Ray Halbritter of the Oneida Nation," the NFL said in a statement. "We listened and respectfully discussed the views of Mr. Halbritter, Oneida Nation Wolf Clan Representative Keller George and their colleagues as well as the sharply differing views of many other Native Americans and fans in general. The meeting was part of an ongoing dialogue to facilitate listening and learning, consistent with the commissioner's comments earlier this year."
But... the Bravehearts...??? Really...???