Tuesday open thread: Who will win the Pride of Detroit Name Bracket tournament?

When it comes to football in June, not everything needs to be a test of athleticism. And after OTAs have wrapped up, not everything really can be. So I ask you, vigilant reader of this here website: what’s in a name?

An annual competition at Pride of Detroit, the Name Bracket tournament pits a field of 64 Detroit Lions players against one another for the chance to claim the title of best name on the team—whatever that means.

In the past, some winners have claimed name supremacy simply for how cool their names are, like Ezekiel Ansah in 2015, Storm Norton in 2017, and Quandre Diggs in 2018. The one other winner of this contest, Jace Billingsley in 2016, had his hometown band together in an effort to stuff the ballot box with votes for the practice squad darling. No player has ever received as many (legitimate) votes as Billingsley in the Name Bracket tournament, and I have a hard time seeing any contestant topping Winnemucca, NV.

With the Name Bracket tournament just around the corner, today’s Question of the Day is...

Who will win the Pride of Detroit Name Bracket tournament?

It’s important not to overthink when voting because much like deciding a flavor of ice cream, your gut should be in charge. If it sounds good, it is good, so if it looks better, it is better.

With that bit of advice given to you free of charge, there’s just one name that belongs in the middle of that bracket by the end of this competition and that’s rookie Jahlani Tavai.

Pronounced “jah-lan-ee tah-VIE,” it’s pretty much the coolest name there is on the entire team and no one really comes close. Sure, Amani Oruwariye looks pretty slick on paper, and Beau Benzschawel comes equipped with alliteration and a ‘z,’ but what neither of those have is a campaign slogan that rhymes.

Vote for Tavai—he’s the guy.

Your turn.