By: TJ Hartnett

TheSouthernSportsEdition.com news services

After far too much resistance, the Washington Redskins are finally taking a name change into consideration.

It’s crazy that it’s 2020 and the process has just now begun (it feels inevitable at this point, no?), but better late than never.

In the same vein, the Cleveland Indians have apparently begun thinking about a change as well, and in fact Indians manager Terry Francona has even come out in favor of the shift.

As you might expect, the conversation then directed its’ attention to the Atlanta Braves, who were faced with a modicum of controversy during the playoffs last year regarding the now-beloved tomahawk chop (itself a tradition adopted from Florida State University).

The Braves responded by announcing that they are not planning to change the name of the team, but that they are reconsidering the use of the Chop.

I’ve written about this very topic before, and my views haven’t changed: if the Braves name is offensive or hurtful to anyone, then it should be changed. It’s the name of the team, not the legacy or moments that fans cherish – those will remain, regardless of what the Atlanta baseball team have on the front of their home jerseys.

The chop, which I have participated in enthusiastically thousands of times, should almost certainly be no more.

It’s cultural appropriation at its core: a facsimile of a stereotyped Native American war cry done while pantomiming the swinging a tomahawk, which perpetuates the stereotype of the “savage Indian;” and 50,000 non-Native Americans shouldn’t be doing it every night, given the grotesque history our nation has with the people that were here first.

That’s the short version of my take, but instead of rehashing all that, I am going to spend my remaining space not convincing you that the Braves should change their name and drop the chop, but pitching to you what they should change their name to – and how it will help us keep the chop. Sort of.

So, here’s the thing: the tomahawk chop is, as I’ve said, a beloved tradition in Atlanta. But I’ve also said that it needs to go. So how do we keep the spirit of the thing and unity it brings alive while casting out the problematic aspects of it?

First, we change the team from the Atlanta Braves to the Atlanta Vikings. Bear with me.

The Braves become the Vikings, but almost everything else stays the same: we keep the classic uniform design and color scheme; the script “A” on the ball cap; all the things that make our look our look.

We even keep the tomahawk under the team name, only it’s not a tomahawk anymore – under the word “Vikings” is a freakin’ battle ax.

But what about the chop? We can’t keep the chant as is, but there should still be some kind of vocal cry to go along with the chopping motion that we’ve always done, especially now that we have an awesome battle ax. Don’t worry, I’ve got this covered.

Imagine yourself at the ballpark. The Vikings are threatening to rally with two men on and Freddie Freeman at the plate. Normally, this is when you’d chop – but not anymore. Now there’s something better.

Suddenly, roaring through Truist Park’s sound system, comes the ferocious crunch of Jimmy Page’s guitar as the walls echo with the opening riff of Led Zeppelin’s “Immigrant Song.”

The riff blasts four times (edited down from the studio version’s eight), before, along with Robert Plants legendary vocals, the whole stadium – chopping the same way they always have – erupts into the song’s opening battle cry: “AHHHH AHH AHHHHHHHHH AHH!”

The Valhalla Chop. Seriously. Do it right now, wherever you’re reading this. Chop and do the battle cry. You’re right. It’s freaking awesome. Problem solved.