Yeah, that's why the NHL team, New Jersey Devils have been so unsuccessful (hell, they've got both "Devil" and "New Jersey" -I was born in Jersey).

Couldn't have anything to do with putting a lousy team on the field.

Whipped cream and a cherry on top of crap is still....crap. But, to be more positive, and to ease the transition by not making the new name too much different, might I suggest either the Tampa Bay Double-A's? or perhaps the Tampa Bay Devilled Eggs? Oh wait, that last one still has "Devil" in it...

One more example of why marketing people are such tremendous, tremendous goofs. My guess is, people will start calling 'em the "Bay Rays," if they pay attention at all to the name change.

Cross your fingers, eveyone -- this year is our last shot at a Devil Rays-Angels AL Championship Series.

I approve. I always thought the name was a result of marketing people trying too hard.

I'd have a hard time rooting for the "Duke Blue."

Tampa Bay Double-A's... love it

ah, its pc nonsense. they are named after a freaking 'devil ray,' after all. But to each their own.

As long as they don't change it to the Tampons, I mean the Tarpons, I'm ok with it.

As long as they keep the really pretty green and purple color combo that we all love so much, i'm cool with whatever they do.

A horse by any other name is still a horse (or something like that)....

Point is, unless the new nickname can pitch, it won't help any.

It seems ironic that the ballclub is going to change its name just as they have the potential to field a very good club... the DEVIL Rays have some of the best young talent in the AL -- Crawford, Young, Upton, Kazmir, et al... if the little devils in the front office would go out and get the team a couple of free agent pitchers to put at the front of the rotation then the D-Rays would have a shot to finish third some one of these years... watch! just as they turn it around they'll change their name to the ANGELfish

is jeff weaver still out there for" los rayos del diablo" for about 12 million a year and get a 12-12 record 500k per decision

I know that there have been doubts over the years about the collective intelligence of the Tamba Bay front office ...

But why did they need focus groups and consultants to tell them that people have "negative associations" with the word "devil"?

sox1fan has it right.

It should be a hard-and-fast rules: no more than three words in any sports franchise's name.

Inspired by The Anaheim Angels of Los Angeles, I think they should be The Tampa Bay Rays of St. Petersburg...or TBRSP for short

they should be the tampa tampons

The Tampa Bay Balkaneers!

SF, that's the best one I've seen so far!

Hahahaha!! The Balkaneers!!!

Hey, I saw the new, non-Disney owners of the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim are going to change their name next season to just the plain ol' Anaheim Ducks. Maybe a wave of sanity is taking over the sports world and people (outside of Arte Moreno) will be happy with normal names for their teams.

Anyway, my all-time worst sports team name was a WUSA team called the Bay Area CyberRays. There was so much wrong with that name.

I did not think name so great. Hey, run into Bill Buckner lately? Did I tell ya the name of my cat Mookie.

Lets face it..regular season baseball in FLA is just not working....Floridians didn't support 2 series winners..what make us think they will start anytime soon.?...that Tropicana Field is just a joke....why not just merge the two teams together and try to form perhaps one competitive team for Fla.?... I like the Marlins enough for them to stick around. But, those Rays...From the very start they were a disaster..that stadium, those colors, that name. I still have alot of trouble really taking that team seriously..........Tampa AA's...that was very funny !

oh, by the way....RBI.....the NJ Devils was named by a vote open to the residents of New Jersey...they play in a miserably desolate place to drive to (and thats the only way u get there)...and the fact that they are the 3rd team in town...c'mon there are only so many hockey fans in a given geographical radius (and they mostly get thier hockey fix at Madison Square Garden).....Can't wait till the Islanders move to Brooklyn to shack up with the Nets in that new arena.....yea yea...I know this is about baseball...sorry.

The Tampa Bay Bees. (They'll dress in black and gold, but the rallying cry will be "Da-da-da-da-da-da -- waaaaaaaaaah!)

call them the yankees farm system