best sports team nicknames

Led by Hall of Famer Art Monk, the 1982 Washington Redskins wide receivers and tight ends carved out a unique place for themselves in NFL history. Credited with inventing the choreographed endzone celebration which resulted in a league wide excessive celebration ban two years later the unit was known for having a blast and winning football games. Victors of multiple Super Bowls, the group popularized the group high five after touchdowns, beginning in the 1982 playoffs.

The 1999 Miami of Ohio RedHawks had one of the most improbable NCAA Tournament runs in recent memory. Entering as a 10 seed, the team upset University of Washington and #2 Utah on its way to the Sweet 16. Led by All American Wally Szczerbiak, the forward scored 43 points in round 1 and more than 23 the rest of the way before eventually losing to Kentucky. Happily, his name fit perfectly with the amusement park from National Lampoon s Vacation, and an amazing nickname was born.

The 1982 Miami Dolphins defense allowed only 131 points in the 9 game, strike shortened season. The nickname was coined because six out of their 11 starters had last names beginning with B Bob Baumhower, Bill Barnett, Lyle Blackwood, Kim Bokamper, Glenn Blackwood, Charles Bowser, Doug Betters and Bob Brudzinski. The Dolphins won the AFC Championship, before eventually losing in the Super Bowl. But the name lives on.

The 2004 Red Sox had four Hall of Fame caliber players Pedro Martinez, David Ortiz, Manny Ramirez, and Curt Schilling and many other great ones. Most importantly, they were all colorful. Dubbed The Idiots by Johnny Damon and Kevin Millar because of their eclectic roster and being too dumb to understand the supposed Red Sox curse, the 04 Sox did the impossible and won Boston their first World Series title in 86 years. And they did so in memorable fashion, by coming back from a 3 0 deficit in the playoffs against the New York Yankees, their hated rival.

Since 2012, the Seattle Seahawks have had one of the best and most outspoken secondaries in the NFL. Led by Richard Sherman, who burst onto the national scene by yelling at everyone from Tom Brady to Erin Andrews, the rest of the unit consists of the hard hitting Earl Thomas, Kam Chancellor, Byron Maxwell and Brandon Browner. A play on comic supervillains Legion of Doom, the Seattle defense is consistently one of the tops in the league, their greatness culminating with a blowout win in Super Bowl XLVIII.

Coined by offensive line coach Joe Bugel when he said in training camp, Okay, you hogs, let s get running down there, the Washington Redskins mammoth offensive line of the 1980s and 1990s was one of the biggest and best in football. Led by Hall of Famer Russ Grimm, the unit led Washington to three Super Bowl championships. To this day, fans of the team still wear pig noses to games in honor of the Hogs.

A longtime NBA laughingstock, the Los Angeles Clippers finally began righting their ship in the 21st Century. Drafting DeAndre Jordan and All Star Blake Griffin, then assembling a solid team around them, all LA needed was one final piece to go with their squad of high flyers. When they dealt for All NBAer Chris Paul in 2011, they finally had that piece. Tops in the league in dunks ever since, the nickname was coined when Griffin, having just heard news of the trade, excitedly yelled, Lob city to close friend Jordan, as cameras captured the moment. It s been the team s monicker ever since.

Mark Clayton and Mark Duper were the two best receivers to ever suit up for the Miami Dolphins. With eight pro bowls between them, the early 1980s duo flourished with Hall of Famer Dan Marino throwing them the ball. Dubbed The Marks Brothers, the two were entered into the Miami Dolphins Ring of Honor after their retirements.

Known for their dominant defenses and massive, punishing linebackers, the Chicago Bears have long held this well known nickname. Particularly referring to the dominant 1940, 1941 and 1985 teams, the name refers to a park known as Midway Plaisance on Chicago s South Side. The name is just as recognizable in Chicago as Singletary and Butkus.

In 1969, only their eighth year of existence, the New York Mets improbably won the World Series after never having had a winning season prior. Also known as the Amazin Mets, the team was managed by Casey Stengal and led by Tom Seaver, Nolan Ryan and Yogi Berra, all Hall of Famers. The season captured the imagination and tabloids of New York City, normally a right reserved exclusively for the Yankees.