Fmr. Washington Redskins Player: Many Native Americans Love the Team Name

Chris Cooley defends Redskins name to Keith Olbermann (The Washington Post)

After weeks of dormancy, there has been considerably more chatter about the Redskins name this week, for obvious Super Bowl reasons. That led to Chris Cooley and Keith Olbermann discussing the issue on the latter’s ESPN program this week.

“We have had the stance on this show that the Washington team needs to change the name and will change the name,” Olbermann said at the end of his segment with Cooley. “I know you’re affiliated with them; do you have thoughts that are independent off the team?”

“I think it’s really hard for someone like you or I to say,” Cooley began. “I’m a regular Caucasian-American, who doesn’t have a good idea of what it means to be called names. I can’t say exactly how those people feel, but what I can say is that the Redskins have done a body of research and determined that there are a lot of Native Americans who are really proud of this name. Currently there are over 60 high schools who still represent the name the Redskins. These people are very proud of it. Bruce Allen traveled through reservation to reservation; Bobby Beathard traveled to different reservations, and they established the fact that Native Americans are proud of this name. Now, for me, it’s not to say if it’s right or wrong. But until it’s determined that this one set of people has decided on what is right or wrong, I support the name Redskins because I believe it’s honoring what they represent.”