FOOTBALL

FOOTBALL
Hitmen logo reflectspoorly on Valley
Fanfare:
I find it thoroughly disgusting to think that a local arena football team would choose to be called "Hitmen." By definition, a hitman is a professional assassin who works for a crime syndicate or as a hatchet man.
It's difficult to imagine a name for a team that could be more vulgar than Mahoning Valley Hitmen.
How could I in good conscience support any endeavor whose name is indicative of a vicious crime? Do we in this valley want to be referred to as hitmen? Haven't we tried over the years to shed the reference to our town as "Little Chicago"? Using Hitmen is more than regression.
If you want to argue that the title "Hitman" simply follows a long established precedent in names of sports teams, haven't we read about American Indian tribes vociferously objecting to names and logos that refer to them as wanton savages? Then why do we want to be referred to in the same vein?
Are there at present any teams using the word "killers"? No. That sees to be over the line of decency. Yet the word "Hitmen" goes beyond the word "killer." There's got to be a limit to how much indecency we can tolerate and I believe the word "Hitmen" goes far beyond that limit.
Was John F. Kennedy a victim of a hitman's activities? Were we proud of our local boxer who killed a man in the ring? This is not an objective for any sport activity.
In the future, are we to revel over a win where our "Hitmen" eradicated their opponents? Why can't we focus on a sport instead of making believe that we are run by mobsters? To indicate that is a direct insult to any number of public servants who are dedicated to eliminating this kind of activity in our area. To those who are promoting local arena football I ask, do you want our support, or do you want us to ignore you?
Henry Lepore
Youngstown
Logo not family-friendly
Fanfare:
As a mother in the Mahoning Valley, I am disgusted to read about the new football franchise.
I think that Jim Terry and everyone involved in bringing this team to the Valley think that it's a big game and it's so cool to have the Mafia appearance. Maybe they think since the Sopranos are so popular on TV, that they could name a team Hitmen and everyone would flock to the games so that they can be part of the hype.
I think that this is disgusting. All this team is doing is bringing back to light all the bad things that went on in this Valley. When you go to the Web page there are actually mug shots, bullet holes, shooting targets and gunshot sounds. The only thing it's lacking is blood.
I can't believe they ever thought this would be a success.
I have a 9-year-old son who is very interested in sports. We go to Scrappers games and will be going to some of the Thunders' games. We are so happy that we have the minor league teams so close that we can take them to games. My son begs for Scrappers shirts, football jerseys, baseball jerseys with his favorite player on it. When he learns of the new football team, he will want to follow it. But I will have to tell him NO. There is no way I will let him buy anything with the Hitmen emblem on it with a guy in a trench coat holding a gun.
What message does this send to our children about violence and gun safety? This needs to stop before it gets started. If you really want to bring a team here to the Valley, why not make the name mean something that promotes the Mahoning Valley?
Jennifer Morningstar
Austintown