It had to happen. In a move that was long overdue, the new Houston MLS team has bowed to pressure from Hispanic groups and dropped their incredibly inflammatory and insensitive team name. The team, which has yet to play a regular-season game in Houston after relocating from Sacramento, has agreed to change its name to "Dynamo," dropping the original proposed name, "1836." No, don't go back and reread this paragraph, you didn't miss anything. That's "1836."

Now, not being of Hispanic descent myself, I don't claim to be aware of all the subtleties associated with "1836," other than the obvious fact that it seems like a really stupid name for a professional sports team.

As we all recall from our American History classes in junior high, 1836 was the year in which Texas seceded from Mexico, which would make the choice of that year for a team's name a real kick in the soccer balls if that team was playing in....you know....Mexico. Since it's not, I don't see the problem, other than, as I may have said before, it just seems plain stupid.

If the people running the franchise really wanted to appease the people of Mexico, who must have things pretty good south of the border if they're worried about Houston's professional soccer team, they could have named the team the Alamo, and everyone would be happy. Americans could be proud of how long their overmatched forces held out against the Mexican troops before finally losing the fort, and Mexicans could rally around the team as a representation of how they gave the gringos what-for way back when.

If you think about it, though, had the name "1836" been allowed to have an opportunity to catch on, it could have revolutionized team names throughout the world of professional sports. Take, for example, the Boston Red Sox. Most people, at least most male people not named Johnny Weir, don't even own a pair of red socks, and if they do, they're probably not bragging about it.

A better name might be "1692." Again, as everyone knows from history class, that was the year in which nineteen people were hanged in the hysteria of the Salem Witch trials. Not exactly our finest hour as a region, but given the fervor with which people follow Boston's baseball team, the name does have a certain twisted logic to it. Just ask former manager Grady Little, who got convicted in his own witch trial after failing to remove Pedro Martinez soon enough from Game 7 of the 2003 ALCS against the Yankees (Yanquis, for those of you in Houston).

Plus, picture the intimidation value. Imagine current Manager Terry Fancona in the pregame meeting at home plate with the opposing team's manager. "If we even suspect you guys are stealing our signs, up the flagpole you'll go."

Maybe that's going a bit too far, but if people can be offended by the choice of a year as a team name, where does it end? All I can say is, it's a good thing the New York Giants were named a long time ago, because that name would never fly today. Weight-challenged people, maybe. Full-figured people, maybe. But Giants? No way, Jose.