NFL Nicknames

A while back, MJD over at Shutdown Corner started a series on NFL nicknames. Lamenting the fact that nicknames in pro sports seem to have for the most part died out, he was going to assign one nickname per team in hopes that some of them might catch on. Most of the ones he came up with were pretty lame, and he got a lot of negative comments on them. He completed the AFC, but never did any more. Since his last post was in April, I'm guessing he has decided not to continue the series.

This kind of threw a monkey wrench in my plans, since I was going to comment on his posts and at the end of his series I would reveal what I thought was the best nickname going in the NFL today.

Nevertheless, we must persevere, and now I will reveal what that best nickname is.

Marion "The Barbarian" Barber

Why is this nickname so good? Three basic reasons:

• It rhymes with his first name. Marion The Barbarian--it just kind of flows from the tongue.
• It is a play on his last name. Barber--Barbarian.
• It was not coined by the press, but by one of his team-mates. In fact, it was Terrell Owens who first referred to his playing style as barbaric. Calling him The Barbarian seemed the natural thing to do after that. What this means is that he earned not just the nickname, but the respect of his team mates.

But why would they say he was barbaric?

This is why. (For you non Cowboy fans, he is #24.)

Not bad, for a running back.

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