Should Michael Jordan rename the Bobcats?

Yahoo! Sports

Mon Mar 01 11:50am EST

Should Michael Jordan rename the Bobcats?

Over the weekend Michael Jordan bought himself a nice little belated birthday present — the Charlotte Bobcats. Seems like a nice gift, right? But almost immediately, Jordan will be presented with the franchise's most pressing issue.

If Michael Jordan listens to his customers, and potential customers, he'll seriously consider a name change from "Bobcats" once his purchase of Charlotte's NBA franchise is complete.

This makes sense, considering the Bobcats were named after soon-to-be former owner Robert Johnson. Plus, not a lot of people like the name in the first place. In fact, since the sale, the Charlotte Observer's Rick Bonnell has been getting emails calling for a new moniker.

Back when the franchise was created, they had to choose between three nicknames — Bobcats, Flight and Dragons. Considering the choices, Bobcats might have been the lesser of the three evils. It's pretty obvious they're going to need our help.

Here's some suggestions to get started:

- Michaeljordancats: Keeps with the tradition of naming the franchise after its owner.

- Sonics: Hey, it's available.

- Mints: Refers to the Charlotte Mint, which was founded in 1837 after that nation's first gold rush. They'd have to wear those green jerseys all the time though.

- Limoges: This is a shout-out to one of Charlotte's sister cities in France. It has the added benefit of keeping Boris Diaw (notes) happy, which means it'll keep Boris Diaw skinny, which means it'll keep Boris Diaw good at basketball.

- Grahams: Charlotte is the birthplace of evangelist Billy Graham, and giving him a nod would be great for the rabid Christian fan base that's so important in that region.

Admittedly, these are all terrible nicknames. But surely, the combined power of the Internet can come up with something good. So let us know in the comments. Together, we can remedy this problem.