Okay, so fantasy football season is getting close again, and that always means one thing for me – gotta lock down that perfect team name. Since I bleed Patriots blue and red, it always has to be something related to the team. It’s like a little ritual I go through every year.
Getting Started – The Blank Slate
First thing I did was just sit down with my laptop, maybe poured myself a drink, you know, get comfortable. I opened up a blank note file. Stared at it for a bit. Honestly, the first few minutes are always tough. You just draw a blank. My brain initially just throws out the super obvious stuff, things I’ve probably used before or seen a million times. Stuff like “Patriot Power” or whatever.
Brainstorming Mode – Thinking Pats
Then I started thinking more specifically about the team. What’s going on this year? Who are the key guys? I started jotting down player names:
- Mac Jones
- Rhamondre Stevenson
- Matthew Judon
- Hunter Henry
I also thought about the history, the legends. You can’t not think about guys like Brady or Gronk, even if they aren’t here anymore. And of course, Bill Belichick. He’s always good for some inspiration, or at least a grumpy face to riff on.
Trying Puns and Wordplay
This is where it gets kinda fun, but also produces a lot of garbage. I started trying to mash player names or Patriots concepts together.
Some early attempts (most were bad):
- Mac Attack (Too simple)
- Stevenson’s Steamrollers (A bit long)
- Judon Wanna Mess With Us? (Getting closer, kinda cheesy)
- Belichick Yourself Before You Wreck Yourself (Okay, maybe?)
- The Patriot Way or the Highway (Classic, but maybe overused)
- Krafty Moves (A nod to the owner)
I just typed out anything that popped into my head. Didn’t judge it yet, just got the ideas down. I find if you filter too early, you stifle the process, you know?
Revisiting History and Vibe
I thought about the dynasty years too. Super Bowl wins, iconic plays. Maybe something like “6 Rings Squad” or “Do Your Job FC”. But sometimes those feel a bit like living in the past, depends on the vibe of the league.
I also considered the whole “Patriot Way” thing. Discipline, focus. Maybe something like “No Days Off Crew” or “The Process”. Trying to capture that Belichickian spirit.
Narrowing It Down
After maybe 20 minutes of just dumping ideas, I had a decent list. Then came the hard part – trimming the fat. I read them out loud. Some just sounded dumb when I said them. Others were too long or complicated. Some were just not very creative.
I started starring the ones I liked, the ones that made me chuckle or felt kinda clever. I looked for ones that were:
- Clearly Patriots-themed
- Reasonably unique
- Easy to say and remember
- Maybe a little bit intimidating, but in a fun fantasy football way
Making the Choice (or Choices)
I usually end up with 2 or 3 solid contenders. This year, I was leaning towards something related to Judon’s red sleeves because they’re so iconic, or maybe a simple, tough-sounding one. I didn’t finalize it right away. Sometimes I sleep on it, see how I feel the next day.
But yeah, that’s pretty much my process. Just sit down, think Pats, throw a bunch of ideas out there, play with words, and then pick the one that feels right. It’s a small thing, but getting the name right feels like the first win of the season.
