FRIDAY COMMENTARY – FEAR THE ELKS

(Listen daily for the Rod Pedersen Commentary on Cat Country 98 FM & Rock 98.5 FM)

FEAR THE ELKS!

IT DOESN’T EXACTLY ROLL OFF THE TONGUE, BUT THE NEW NAME FOR THE EDMONTON CFL FRANCHISE IS GETTING A UNIVERSAL THUMBS-UP ACROSS THE LAND.

IT WAS A YEAR AGO THAT THE TEAM WAS FORCED INTO A NAME CHANGE AS THE TERM “ESKIMOS” WAS DEEMED RACIALLY INSENSITIVE. I’VE HAD A LOT OF TRAINING ON THAT TOPIC LATELY AND THE SIMPLE FACT IS, IT HAD TO GO.

THE NAME I FAVOURED THE MOST WOULD’VE BEEN “EDMONTON EMPIRE” AND TO BE HONEST, IT WAS KIND OF THE FRANCHISE’S SECOND NAME FOR DECADES.

BUT THAT ONE WAS DEEMED INSENSITIVE TOO – WHICH STILL HAS ME SCRATCHING MY HEAD – BUT WHATEVER. IT’S NOT MY TEAM.

SO THEY HAD THE ‘NAME THE TEAM’ CONTEST, AND HERE WE ARE. I REALLY LIKE THE NAME “ELK”, BUT AM NOT SO CRAZY ON THE NAME “ELKS”.

BUT I KNOW IT’S NOT UNHEARD OF. THE SENIOR HOCKEY TEAM IN SHELLBROOK IS KNOWN AS THE ELKS, AND I SPENT A GREAT DEAL OF MY CHILDHOOD ATTENDING EVENTS AT THE MILESTONE ELKS HALL.

IT’S NOT THAT RADICAL.

A QUICK INTERNET SEARCH TELLS ME THE ELK – ALSO KNOWN AS THE WAPITI – IS ONE OF THE LARGEST SPECIES OF THE DEER FAMILY AND ONE OF THE LARGEST TERRESTRIAL MAMMALS IN NORTH AMERICA. WAPITI IS A SHAWNEE & CREE WORD MEANING “WHITE RUMP”.

ELKS RANGE IN FOREST AND NEAR-FOREST HABITAT, AND FEED OFF PLANTS, LEAVES AND BARK.

I’M ONLY NOW BECOMING FAMILIAR WITH WHAT THEY CALL “RUTTING SEASON”, AND IT SEEMS LIKE A TIME THAT WE DON’T WANT TO BE AROUND.

HONESTLY THE MARKETING AVENUES AND PROMOTIONS ARE ENDLESS OFF THIS. EDMONTON’S MERCHANDISE STORE IS GOING TO LOOK LIKE A CABELA’S, AND I CAN ALREADY ENVISION YOUNG KIDS GOING TO GAMES WITH REINDEER HORN HEADBANDS.

THEY DID GET IT RIGHT IN EDMONTON. AND IT FEELS LIKE A REALLY AWESOME FRESH START.

 

MAYBE ONE DAY I’LL GET OVER WISHING THEY’D DROP THE ‘S’.

 

THAT’S TODAY’S ROD PEDERSEN COMMENTARY

 

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Obama
Obama
3 years ago

I think it’s an incredible name and very indicative of Edmonton/Northern Alberta. I also believe long ago there was a team in Edmonton called the Elk/Elks which takes them back to their roots. The tie in with Cabelas is ingenious too. This is similar to the Cleveland Baseball team going back to a name from the early 20th Century Cleveland Spiders. I was asked why they didn’t become Edmonton Empire. I can only surmise the colonial connotations to that name would be no different than Eskimos. If you know any big game hunters the Elk are essentially the Stanley Cup… Read more »

E Wilhelm
E Wilhelm
3 years ago

Funny. Does anyone have a problem with the Maple LEAFS? Grammatically very incorrect. Besides ELKS retains ESK in the name. Very clever. Personally I can see the merchandise flying off the shelves, as it did when they dropped the name. I’d not be surprised for Elk merchandise to be the top seller in the league this year.

Patrick Strain
Patrick Strain
3 years ago

Not the best choice – They were going to keep the EE but other names in consideration were Empire , Express, Eagles , Energy – any of which would have been better I think. If you are going to have an animal name it should be a feared predator – Lion , Tiger, Panther ,Gator , Raptor are all good examples . An Elk is a herd animal that generally gets eaten by Timberwolves and ……… Eskimos ( whoops ! ) . Anyways , it’s done now and if they can win – nobody will care what they are called… Read more »