Cleveland Guardians fans have mixed reactions to President Trump鈥檚 suggestion that the team go back to its old name.
Trump posted on
鈥淭he Washington 鈥淲hatever鈥檚鈥� should IMMEDIATELY change their name back to the Washington Redskins Football Team,鈥� Trump wrote. 鈥淭here is a big clamoring for this. Likewise, the Cleveland Indians, one of the six original baseball teams, with a storied past. Our great Indian people, in massive numbers, want this to happen.鈥�
Cleveland resident Brian Tidwell, who was shopping at the Guardians store at Progressive Field Monday, said Trump should redirect his attention to the city鈥檚 needs.
鈥淚 think [he鈥檚] worrying about the wrong stuff in Cleveland right now,鈥� Tidwell said. 鈥淟ike, fix the potholes. Do some stuff that really [affects] the Clevelanders鈥攏ot the name. I don鈥檛 think he should change it back, we all adopted the Guardians now so, I think [he鈥檚] just worrying about everything but what he should be worrying about.鈥�
John Dimitroff from Anderson, Indiana, who was also at the Guardians store, likes the idea of the name change, he said.
鈥淸We've] got a lot of fans that still love the Indians 鈥� I do, still do,鈥� Dimitroff said.
Trump鈥檚 statement comes four years after the in response to and imagery.
Tidwell believes the timing of Trump鈥檚 post generated controversy to distract from the city鈥檚 real issues, he said.
鈥淗e鈥檚 almost like the first social media president,鈥� he said. 鈥淚t鈥檚 almost like to cause controversy鈥攃lick baits and things like that. [There鈥檚] so much other stuff, especially in Cleveland, that we need to fix and change.鈥�
Similarly, Dimitroff said although he鈥檚 positive towards the name change, he believes Trump鈥檚 statement shouldn鈥檛 be taken seriously.
鈥淚 think Trump comes off the wall with whatever he thinks the moment he鈥檚 thinking of something,鈥� he said. 鈥淚 don鈥檛 think it鈥檚 a big deal鈥擨 mean he wants to change the Washington Redskins back to their original name... I think it鈥檚 just to stir the pot.鈥�
In a meeting with reporters Sunday, Guardians president of baseball operations Chris Antonetti indicated he doesn鈥檛 plan to change the name.
"We've gotten the opportunity to build the brand as the Guardians over the last four years and are excited about the future," said Antonetti.
