The Bhoys sure could use you right about now.

via www.posters.ws

Being the soccer fan that I am, and looking forward to the rare occasion of being able to see one of the teams I root for (Celtic) on TV (Gol TV, Wednesday, Nov 30th, 12pm central time), I got to thinking about sports teams nicknames. This Europa League clash I am looking forward to features the Bhoys (Celtic) vs The Mattress Makers (Atletico Madrid). The world of soccer has introduced me to all manner of fascinating nicknames, and often teams have multiple unofficial nicknames. A team in the English Premier League I follow is West Bromwich Albion. They can be called The Throstels, though I have never heard them called that. They are usually referred to as The Baggies (or The Boing-Boing Baggies. Boing-Boing because they have a propensity for being promoted to the Premier League only to be quickly relegated to the league below, then soon back up to the Premier League, then down again).

Here are a few of the soccer team nicknames I am familiar with: The Toffees, The Latics, The Little Zebras, The Potters, The Yellow Submarine, The Hammers, The Canaries. If you would like a list (and who wouldn't) here's one of soccer team nicknames in the U.K. Here's another with soccer teams from around the world.

Now while I have no scientific evidence of this it has long been my understanding that this particular part of the midwest (Illinois, Indiana and Wisconson) is a rich source of odd high school team nicknames. I still can recall that as a youth my father would bemoan the time that his Evanston Wildkits went downstate (for basketball I believe) certain of victory when they heard they would be facing the Cobden Appleknockers only to be vanquished. Other Illinois High School nicknames: The Fisher Bunnies, The Freeport Pretzels, The Teutopolis Wooden Shoes, and The Hoopeston Cornjerkers.

So tell me some other team nicknames. Which ones do you like? Which ones do you think are terrible? If you were to be able to nickname a team, what would you choose?