It's no secret that I was rooting for the Flying Squirrels as the name for the new minor league baseball team coming to Richmond; it's also not a surprise to learn that I've been to precisely three baseball games in my adult life (one in Baltimore). Chalk me up as a dispassionate observer of the whole baseball controversy -- where to put a new stadium, how to renovate an existing stadium, what to name the new team.
If there's one thing I enjoy, though, it's watching Richmond's chattering public go through mental and emotional contortions that would make Elisabeth Kübler-Ross proud. From the angry vitriol that has been littering the Times-Dispatch's comments section for the past few weeks, you'd think that the new owners were requesting the first-born male child of every Richmonder be put to death. Which isn't to say that people shouldn't be passionate about their sports mascots, or that any of the original six names were worth their salt. Just that there are some cranky people in this town that like to gnash their teeth with self-righteous indignation.
No wonder we lost the war. And then never got over it.
Count me as a fan of the Richmond Flying Squirrels -- my daughter is going to love seeing a fluffy, ridiculous mascot swooping around the field between innings. Echoing one of the comments at RVANews, I just pray the team's owners stay the course:
If they follow through with the “outside the box” marketing and management style this team could be a hit. If they pander to city officials and Richmond blue bloods, the squirrel will be piloting a lead balloon.
