We’ve been talking and we think its about time we start working on a “nickname” for Chattanooga FC. What do we mean? Well, while it is typical American sports protocol to have a mascot (“Red Sox” or “Lions” or “Lakers” or even “Galaxy”), we’re actually talking more like the famous club teams around the world: Real Madrid – Los Galàticos; Arsenal – The Gunners; Bayern Munich – The Reds (among several others); AC Milan – Rossoneri; and so on and so on…
Heck, there are many teams have some crazy nicknames: Cheivo Verona – The Flying Donkeys (Mussi Volanti); Boca Juniors – Los Bosteros (“The Manure Handlers”!); Tottenham – The Lilywhites, and the like…
Now, one can make the argument that even teams like Barcelona don’t really have a mascot or nickname, but I’m not sure CFC is there yet.
So, what names are out there Chattahooligans? Here’s ones we’ve heard kicked around (we neither endorse nor mock these):
- The Rail
- The Locomotion (wasn’t this the women’s gridiron team name?)
- Steeldrivers
- The Squeeze (a Rock City reference?)
- The Bends (a Moccasin Bend reference of course – more joke than true candidate perhaps?)
- Track 29
- The 4-2-3
What else is out there?
You’re correct, “The Locomotion” is the women’s football team, so that’s out.
And “The Railroaders” were the previous pro team’s name, although I think that one would be a good choice.
As a Chelsea fan, I like “The Blues”.
Great ideas, keep them coming!
I like trying to think more historically, perhaps the old Chattanooga nickname:
“The Dynamo of Dixie” or “Dixie Dynamo”?
on the Choo-Choo theme, maybe more obscure railroad terms?
“Boomers” (term for traveling railroad workers)
“Hogs” (locomotives)
“Iron Benders” (term for switchmen)
“Kettles” (steam engines)
“Mule” (A movable, hand-carried derail)
“Stingers” (a pole to move electric locomotives)
But it would be nice to be able to move beyond the train references…
Well, if you think about the things that made it Chattanooga, metal and sugar both stand out. You could also point more directly to certain brands but that might involve copyright issues. Our civil war history includes two locomotives called the General and the Texas. But I gravitate to the crazier so I’d put out a couple (just for fun):
The Crossroads (We’ve got a bunch of freeways and Bone Thugs would dig it)
The Rail Yard (Where you keep the Hogs and the Kettles)
The Dirty, Dirty (Walter Kronkite did call us the dirtiest city in American in 1969)
The Border Land- (The county voted to cede from the Union and the city did not at the time of the Civil War)
Sugar Water- (I think that get’s around the copyright infringements)
The Bootstraps- (Because the city lifted itself out of economic despair)
But after reading all of this, I’m still pretty damn proud to be a Chattahooligan. So maybe we should just put a face on the name…
Nicknames are best left to organically evolve. If it rings true it will stick- but there is little worse than a forced nickname, so I’d say keep the dialogue going as a means of stirring the pot but let it come to pass naturally!
[...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Chattanooga FC, Sheldon Grizzle. Sheldon Grizzle said: A good discussion thread going on Chattahooligan.com for nicknames for @ChattanoogaFC. http://ow.ly/NQoU [...]
I think the Choos would be a good start but I agree with Tim and think that a good nickname will stick.
I like Josh’s ideas, but TIm has some good points. I always did like the ‘Railroaders’. Then we had the ‘Express’, indoor team?
Nonetheless, how about the ‘Signaler’s', sort of like the ‘Lookouts’. Thats retarded.
Aaron
I just saw someone post a great idea on Twitter- the Blues. Reminiscent of clubs overseas…I personally am not a fan of the ridiculous nicknames that teams in the US have (ie The Jazz, Nuggets, Marlins, etc). We don’t need to follow US tradition.
Not to be boring, but I still like Chattanooga FC! Otherwise, I agree with what Tim said. Sloganeering can be tricky. Perhaps something insane will happen this next season and the nickname will be presented to us from the field amidst thunderous applause.
What about the nickname of our city? The Nooga, This will make writing chants easier…
Here’s food for thought on the subject: http://wapedia.mobi/en/Glossary_of_North_American_railroad_terminology
I wish I could take credit for this one, but I can’t… what about the Chattanooga Corkers?
We could get REALLY literal and call ourselves the "Chattanooga Football Clubs." Our slogan could be "AS SEEN ON TV!" Now if we could only get the company that makes The Club to sponsor us…