Extremely Inappropriate Nickname?

[Althius]

Playing a game out today, and I came across a pitcher in a fictional league playing for the Nationals: Javier "Grand Wizard" Olivarez.

I'm not trying to be the PC police here... but here is the only entry for "Grand Wizard" from Wikipedia:

Grand Wizard was the title given to the overall leader of the earliest form of the Ku Klux Klan, which formed during Southern Reconstruction. Nathan Bedford Forrest held the title until he dissolved the Klan, but even in this office he had very little real power, since most Klan "dens" (local groups) were effectively autonomous due to the Klan's semi-clandestine nature.

At the start of the 20th Century, the KKK sprung up again as the Knights of the Ku Klux Klan. Still commonly referred to as the KKK, this incarnation has used a different system of titles for their officers. The highest-ranking leaders of the modern Klan factions have more commonly used the title of Imperial Wizard. The title of Grand Wizard (or "Grand Dragon," a common variation) now typically applies to the main KKK officer at a state or regional level.

The notorious white nationalist politician David Duke attained the rank of Grand Wizard prior to leaving a branch of the organization.

[pstrickert]

That's an inappropriate nickname. I agree.

[Chappy]

The nickname "The Grand Wizard" has also been used by rappers and wrestlers, but yeah, it may be better to leave it out of a baseball game.

[AD31]

It is somewhat humorous when you see the name of the player. It reminds me of the "Mr. Show" sketch (old sketch comedy show on HBO) where there is a "new an improved" KKK that is open to minorites, and the grand wizard is a black man. They are trying to get all the "slackers" in the country to move to Seattle.

But on topic, are the nicknames randomly generated, i.e. does it take the words from a list and place them together. Like a word from an adjective list and from a noun list. Or is it just a list with complete nicknames?

[Mel Ott]

Originally Posted by AD31

It is somewhat humorous when you see the name of the player. It reminds me of the "Mr. Show" sketch (old sketch comedy show on HBO) where there is a "new an improved" KKK that is open to minorites, and the grand wizard is a black man. They are trying to get all the "slackers" in the country to move to Seattle.

But on topic, are the nicknames randomly generated, i.e. does it take the words from a list and place them together. Like a word from an adjective list and from a noun list. Or is it just a list with complete nicknames?

There's a nicknames text file that the game uses to generate the nicknames; some small percentage of players get nicknames when they're generated. I don't believe it mixes and matches "nickname components," though. Which makes me wonder how "Grand Wizard" got into the nickname file in the first place, actually.

[bababui]

Completly disagree. Neither Grand nor Wizard are offensive in any way. If we start leaving out nicknames that can be somehow linked to anything offensive, there would be few interesting nicknames left. I suppose then we should also ban Randy Johnsons nickname 'The Big Unit' because of its reference to genitalia?

[Mel Ott]

Originally Posted by bababui

Completly disagree. Neither Grand nor Wizard are offensive in any way. If we start leaving out nicknames that can be somehow linked to anything offensive, there would be few interesting nicknames left. I suppose then we should also ban Randy Johnsons nickname 'The Big Unit' because of its reference to genitalia?

I don't know. Do racist organizations with a history of murdering people use "The Big Unit" as an honorific?

If so, yeah.

[chippered]

Originally Posted by bababui

Completly disagree. Neither Grand nor Wizard are offensive in any way. If we start leaving out nicknames that can be somehow linked to anything offensive, there would be few interesting nicknames left. I suppose then we should also ban Randy Johnsons nickname 'The Big Unit' because of its reference to genitalia?

A reference towards the title of a person that promoted and carried out the killing of minorities and that of genitalia are two completely different things, and carry two verrry different levels of offense, IMO.

[silvam14]

Here's an idea?

People who find "Grand Wizard" offensive can remove it themselves from the nickname file.

There, feel better?

[Chappy]

Originally Posted by bababui

Completly disagree. Neither Grand nor Wizard are offensive in any way.

Yes, but Grand AND Wizard together are often associated with the KKK...

[bababui]

Originally Posted by Mel Ott

I don't know. Do racist organizations with a history of murdering people use "The Big Unit" as an honorific?

If so, yeah.

If whoever put that nickname in the file did so with the KKK in mind I absolutly agree with you. On the other hand, if it was an innocent act, maybe its time to let the words back into the language without the racist taint.

[Chappy]

Originally Posted by silvam14

Here's an idea?

People who find "Grand Wizard" offensive can remove it themselves from the nickname file.

There, feel better?

It doesn't necessarily offend me, because like I said, rappers (Grand Wizard Theodore is often credited with inventing scratching; who could forget the Grand Wizard MC Ricky D?) and others have used the nickname as well. But if you are mass-marketing a product, it's probably better not to include it.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by Mel Ott

There's a nicknames text file that the game uses to generate the nicknames; some small percentage of players get nicknames when they're generated. I don't believe it mixes and matches "nickname components," though. Which makes me wonder how "Grand Wizard" got into the nickname file in the first place, actually.

I would be getting suspicious if the same person that put this nickname into the game also was responsible for the USA names file. 99% of the names generated are Irish-Anglo or Latino. So maybe you have an uncomfortable point there.

[Chappy]

My nickname is in there, but I had nothing to do with it.

Should I assume you are speaking of who I think you are thinking of?

[Mel Ott]

Originally Posted by bababui

If whoever put that nickname in the file did so with the KKK in mind I absolutly agree with you. On the other hand, if it was an innocent act, maybe its time to let the words back into the language without the racist taint.

I don't think we know, or maybe even can know, what the intent of the person who made up the nickname file was. I don't think it matters, either, really. I'm perfectly willing to believe that it was an innocent mistake; but innocent or no, a lot of people will find that particular nickname offensive. As a marketing matter, SI might want to take that one out in a future patch.

[Doughnuts?]

Originally Posted by bababui

Completly disagree. Neither Grand nor Wizard are offensive in any way. If we start leaving out nicknames that can be somehow linked to anything offensive, there would be few interesting nicknames left. I suppose then we should also ban Randy Johnsons nickname 'The Big Unit' because of its reference to genitalia?

'The Big Unit' should be removed. It makes me feel inadequate.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by Chappy

My nickname is in there, but I had nothing to do with it.

Should I assume you are speaking of who I think you are thinking of?

Dont want to cast any aspersions but the namefile doesnt include any Jewish names (not even for Israel, if you wanted to create an Israeli player), any Slavic names or, any Italian names or any names we might associate as being African-American. Its the ultimate whitebread name file. Could be an oversight but looking at the name file its probably not.

[Doughnuts?]

Originally Posted by bababui

Dont want to cast any aspersions but the namefile doesnt include any Jewish names (not even for Israel, if you wanted to create an Israeli player), any Slavic names or, any Italian names or any names we might associate as being African-American. Its the ultimate whitebread name file. Could be an oversight but looking at the name file its probably not.

Well, Markus is German.

[bababui]

Originally Posted by Doughnuts?

Well, Markus is German.

Luckily, he didnt create the namefile you ol' rabblerouser.

[AD31]

Originally Posted by Doughnuts?

'The Big Unit' should be removed. It makes me feel inadequate.

When Randy was pitching for the M's, the manager at my work, who did not follow baseball, thought they were saying "The Big Eunuch" same body area, totally different meaning.