So let's address the Washington Bravehearts situation.
TMZSports reported Friday that a man named Aris Mardirossian registered the name, WASHINGTON BRAVEHEARTS earlier this month. According to the trademark application, the name was designed for "Entertainment in the nature of football games."
Now the twist: Mardirossian happens to be the neighbor of Washington Redskins owner Daniel Snyder. Did Snyder have a change of heart -- BRAVEHEART, if you will -- about his team's controversial nickname? Did he enlist a neighbor to front a stealthy name-change scheme designed to operate beneath the purview of John Q. Public?
Well, probably not. Redskins spokesman Tony Wyllie is telling anyone who will listen that Snyder and Mardirossian are not in cahoots. The spokesman says Snyder doesn't even know the neighbor.
"I just want to set the record straight for everyone listening, just to let you know that there is absolutely no connection between the Washington Bravehearts and the person that registered that trademark, and the Washington Redskins," Wyllie told WTEM-AM on Friday (via the DC Sports Bog). "I'm letting you know right now there's no connection at all whatsoever between the organization and the registration of that trademark.
"In fact, the person that's reported in that story, the alleged neighbor of Daniel Snyder, Dan doesn't even know the man," Wyllie added. "So I just want to let you know, Dan (doesn't) know the man, so please, people, stop panicking, there's no connection."
For what it's worth, the Washington Bravehearts sounds like the name of a Miami Sharks opponent in "Any Given Sunday." That's not a compliment.
*We previewed every Week 8 game in the latest "Around The League Podcast." *
