(8 September 2000) – The XFL Press had announced that the name for the San Jose team would be the Demons!
After a long wait, the XFL sure surprised me. I was hoping something that was somewhat related to the Silicon Valley. The most requested name, the Cyborgs. That could have been perfect. As one said, “The symbol could be a Cyborg, holding a football, in the Heisman pose.” In my opinion that would have been great, but unfortunately this is the XFL, and they are going to stick with the “Xtreme” look.
There were many other names that could have fit with San Jose. Sting Rays was one. This was my first pick. It was to honor the NHL team, the San Jose Sharks. This could have also gotten the colors silver, teal and black. But we got gold, red and black.
The last possible name (that would have been great) was the Shockwaves. There is an MLS team, the San Jose Quakes. But despite the mediocre performance by the team, the idea of an earthquake is another great way to show the history of San Jose.
But the XFL announced that the San Jose will have to cheer for the black and white face of a demon. A demon, a devil, an evil spirit, a fiend. A very wicked person. A cruel person. A person with great energy and vigor. An inferior Greek god. Other than the second to the last definition of demon, I would have to disagree with the XFL calling the team, the Demons. So why did they call it the Demons?
To be honest, I have no idea. The XFL hasn’t replied to my e-mail and I doubt they ever will. So I did a whole lot of reading. I found two possible explanations.
The first is from Nick-STL in a post in the XFLBoard discussions. He said, “My theory on why San Jose became the demons is to build on the LA-Bay Area rivalry. If Los Angeles is the city of angels, then the last thing they would want is to have a horde of demons running up the score on their team on national television.” Now that would be great, a rival between the Los Angeles Xtreme and the San Jose Demons. But rivalries are born not because cities are close together, but because of heart broken loses and exhilarating wins.
The second is one I just thought of while thinking back to the San Jose fans. Neil once told me, “Wishing injuries on anyone is totally classless.”
Well that’s what the San Jose Sharks fan are doing, they’re are rooting for the players (such as Bryan Marchment) that had cause some serious injuries to other players. Not that it’s bad, but this might make the Sharks fan “the most hated fans in the US”. And thus, they can call us the Demons.
I remember the time when I heard that there will be an NHL team in San Jose. A hockey team. Who watches hockey? Right now, San Jose. And then I heard the name. San Jose Sharks. My thoughts, “What kind of name is that? The Sharks? There isn’t an ocean in San Jose.”
My interest never caught on, until one day reading that the Sharks had made the playoff against the Calgary Flames in a upset win in Game 7 after 2 Overtime. I never understood hockey, except that you score by getting the hockey puck in the goal net. But after a few years of following the Sharks I became a big fan.
It doesn’t matter if the team name is the Sharks, the 49ers, the Raiders, or even the Demons. It isn’t the name that draws people; it’s the players, who play to win, the coaches who guide then to victory. And best of all, what is a team with out fans. So let’s ignore the name “Demons” by itself, and be glad we aren’t the Maniax or the Rage.
