The "general response" to the choices for a new name for the
Bullets -- Sea Dogs, Wizards, Express, Stallions, and Dragons --
has "been on the order of: 'You've got to be kidding,'" according
to Ken Delinger in a front-page piece in Monday's WASHINGTON
POST. Bullets Owner Abe Pollin calls each one "legitimate" and
said no additional names will be added to the contest. But team
President Susan O'Malley did say the final name may not be the
one with the most votes after the call-in contest. O'Malley: "If
we found trademark problems, we might move to the next name." A
panel of seven, including Pollin, O'Malley, Juwan Howard, WTEM-AM
GM Bob Snyder, HTS GM Jody Shapiro, WRC-TV Sports Dir George
Michael, and Boston Market President Steve Quamme, narrowed the
choices from the 2,996 submissions and over 15 pages of names
that ranged from "Accelerators" to "Zulus." Among the non-chosen
favorites: River Dawgs, Power Cats, Litigators, Glory, Fury,
Cobras and Monuments. The Pollins reportedly liked Wizards. In
addition to Glory, Cobras, and Monuments, Wolverines and Jaguars
ranked higher than the finalists, but "were rejected by the NBA
for trademark considerations." Kathryn Barrett, the NBA's Senior
Intellectual Properties Counsel, said she "could not be specific
about why certain names were rejected," adding that "more than
legal factors are involved." But the POST's Delinger notes that
the fact someone else already has a name would not "make it
impossible to use" (WASHINGTON POST, 2/10). Columnist Tony
Kornheiser, who mentions "Surgin' Generals," writes the Bullets
have been "too hasty" and should start over -- and "do it right"
(WASHINGTON POST, 2/13).
