Now, what am I supposed have fun with...

Swing to change name for next season

When the 2008 Midwest League season opens next April, the Swing of the Quad-Cities will be history.

The team isn’t going anywhere — it still will be affiliated with the St. Louis Cardinals and will play its games at John O’Donnell Stadium in Davenport — but the franchise’s prospective owners have decided to give the team’s nickname a makeover.

“Part of having new ownership and a new approach is creating a new feeling when people come to the ballpark and part of that includes having a new name,” said Dave Heller, who along with business partner Bob Herrfeldt is awaiting major-league baseball approval of their purchase of the Swing franchise.

What kind of nickname will it be?

"We’re hoping that people come up with something which reflects the region, something catchy that kids and parents alike will embrace,” Heller said.

Heller encourages creativity and wants entries to follow a few guidelines in the search for a name that is uniquely Quad-Cities.

First and foremost, the new nickname cannot be a nickname used by any other professional baseball team at the major, minor or independent league levels.

Heller also wants to retain a reference to the Quad-Cities in the club’s name and plans to use that moniker on the team’s road jerseys beginning next season.

Name the team, everyone. Name the team.