What is the worst nickname?

[Dear Leader]

Durantula. GTFO.

[Buju]

However the best nickname belongs to: Joel Anthony... Aka The Warden Aka The Old King Aka The collector of souls!

[kdapiton]

LBJ and D12 sound lame, I agree. For some reason CP3 clicks for me. Vino made me cringe.

[whitehops]

i was never really into the big ticket

[Mr. E]

But the worst was stuff like T-Mac, J-Rich, etc. Those weren't even nicknames, they're just abbreviations. It's like saying "CA" is the nickname of California.

I'm going to co-sign this one.

[AshyLarrysDiaper]

I hate STAT.

[Orange Mamba]

All of the Mambas besides Black Mamba

[JBautista]

"Mini LeBron" - Eric Bledsoe. No idea where he got that from, but I've heard it around

[BubbaTee]

Any nickname a guy gives himself.

Any self-nickname is terrible.

But the worst was stuff like T-Mac, J-Rich, etc. Those weren't even nicknames, they're just abbreviations. It's like saying "CA" is the nickname of California.

No, it's like saying Cali is the nickname of California. T-Mac is a very natural way to say Tracy McGrady. You cut 3 syllables off and it's not reaching. Same with J-Rich. Those are good nicknames/abbreviations.

No, they're terrible.

A good nickname evokes some kind of imagery about a player's game or personality, or references some other aspect about a player. For example, "The Admiral" references that David Robinson was in the US Navy. "Air" evokes images of Michael Jordan's athleticism and high-flying game.

What does "T-Mac" tell you about Tracy McGrady's game? Or about him as a person or player? Absolutely nothing. All it does is vaguely hint at is what his full name might be. He could be Travis McKenzie, a truck driver from Spokane, and "T-Mac" would still fit just as well.

For that same reason, "Cali" is also a terrible nickname for California. It literally tells you nothing about California other than 4 letters of its name. It might as well be the nickname for Calistoga, or in reference to Cali, Colombia. Whereas California's real nickname, "The Golden State", refers to the role of the Gold Rush in its becoming a state.

See, a good nickname tells you something about the thing it applies to. "T-Mac" and "Cali" tell you nothing, that's why they suck as nicknames (though they're fine as abbreviations).

[Slava]

Not NBA but Purple Jesus always makes me laugh and cringe at the same time.

[BattleTested]

Any self-nickname is terrible.

But the worst was stuff like T-Mac, J-Rich, etc. Those weren't even nicknames, they're just abbreviations. It's like saying "CA" is the nickname of California.

No, it's like saying Cali is the nickname of California. T-Mac is a very natural way to say Tracy McGrady. You cut 3 syllables off and it's not reaching. Same with J-Rich. Those are good nicknames/abbreviations.

No, they're terrible.

A good nickname evokes some kind of imagery about a player's game or personality, or references some other aspect about a player. For example, "The Admiral" references that David Robinson was in the US Navy. "Air" evokes images of Michael Jordan's athleticism and high-flying game.

What does "T-Mac" tell you about Tracy McGrady's game? Or about him as a person or player? Absolutely nothing. All it hints at is what his full name might be.

For that same reason, "Cali" is also a terrible nickname for California. It literally tells you nothing about California other than 4 letters of its name. It might as well be the nickname for Calistoga, or in reference to Cali, Colombia. Whereas California's real nickname, "The Golden State", refers to the role of the Gold Rush in its becoming a state.

See, a good nickname tells you something about the thing it applies to. "T-Mac" and "Cali" tell you nothing, that's why they suck as nicknames (though they're fine as abbreviations).

Abbreviations, nicknames, whatever man. I think you're taking it too seriously. When I tell people where I'm from I'd never say, "Yeah I'm from the Golden State." I'd say Cali if I'm not saying California.

A nickname doesn't have to tell you ****. It's just a substitute for a proper name. You're over thinking it. Muggsey Bogues nick name being Muggsey doesn't tell me anything about the nature of Tyrone Bogues, and it's not an abbreviation. It's just a nickname. I'd rather say Muggsey than Tyrone, and I'd rather say T-Mac than Tracy McGrady.

[Nutella]

You can't nominate Mar$wag.... It's so beyond horrible that it's good

[niQ]

This thread always pops up at least once or twice a year and Bad Porn always wins.

[BackseatBoss]

The only initials+jersey number I'll ever accept as a nickname is AK47.

[JohnnyKILLroy]

White Mamba = winner winner chicken dinner

The Custodian = Awesomeness

[Ahmadab]

The only initials+jersey number I'll ever accept as a nickname is AK47.

I could see it working out with Paul George, if he changes his number to 13

[Reservoirdawgs]

Any nickname a guy gives himself.

^^^^^

I laughed when I heard how Kobe gave himself "Black Mamba", or when Wade proclaimed his silly "W.O.W" nickname. Giving yourself a nickname = lame. I think nicknames that embody the player, like "Air" Jordan or "Flash", are the best. The laziest are the shortening of names, like A-Rod, SJax, etc.

[LikeABosh]

I hate WoW...flash was better

I do like Black Mamba though...it's fitting

[GoSixersBro]

WoW (Way of Wade). Even LeBron laughed at it IIRC. Wasn't it to promote his Li-ning shoe? Awful.

[illiance]

STAT

*cringes*