Anyone Used to El Paso Chihuahuas Yet? A Musical Salute

It's been two weeks, but many in El Paso are still finding it difficult to accept the nickname the branding company Brandiose helped give our new Triple-A baseball team...the Chihuahuas. Why? Maybe this will explain.

Don't get me wrong, I've written and said a number times that the team, the ballpark, the whole ball of wax is a great thing for El Paso. I'll be at the games.

But that NAME!

The merch may be selling -- which, in and of itself, is justification to the franchise -- but 90-percent of the people I've spoken to still don't like it and won't like it. I've calmed down from a very negative knee-jerk reaction, but I can't say I'll ever accept it. How can Brandiose say they did their El Paso research in creating the name and branding for...the Chihuahuas? Too many negative connotations to be merely and subtly sarcastic.

One of those off-beat nicknames you find around minor league baseball (the Lansing Lugnuts, the Montgomery Biscuits) would be fine, but Chihuahuas?

Shock value and cuteness to appeal to kids? Sure.

Negativity? By the boatload.

Not that El Paso should be overly-sensitive. The nickname isn't a deliberate joke, but it is a subtle one. Those who chose the name and say they did their research are smart enough to know this, but pleasing El Paso was never the goal, here.