Essay On Tennessee Titans A Modern Day Battle For Kleos

The Tennessee Titans: A Modern Day Battle for Kleos The origin story of the Tennessee Titans is, like Ovid’s, a story of metamorphosis. The original Houston Oilers franchise, which predated the Titans franchise, was a fairly successful organization, but lackluster branding and a weak image lacking team spirit held them back from mainstream popularity. The franchise was purchased in 1996, and was relocated to its current home turf in Nashville. The team’s front office knew that if it was to move to Tennessee and gain a wider fan base, it needed a strong new symbol. Bud Adams, the team’s new owner, said the new name “should reflect power, strength, leadership, and other heroic qualities” (Jozsa). Along a similar vein of “heroic qualities,” Nashville,

Just as Ouranos was succeeded by Kronos, and then Kronos by Zeus, so too do football players replace each other through generations of draft classes. Older players must retire and move on, just as older generations of immortals are overthrown by their younger and stronger replacements. Of course, however, the succession of football players has not ended, as the myth of succession ended with Zeus. No matter how good a single player is, it is simply not feasible to have an immortal championship dynasty. Further, it is interesting to consider how players can be referenced by their “ancestry.” For example, current Green Bay Packers quarterback Aaron Rodgers “succeeded” hall of fame quarterback Brett Favre, and Rodgers is constantly reminded that this lineage has contributed to his success. Commentators never miss an opportunity to compare the two and note the influence of one on the other. A parallel occurs throughout Theogony as Zeus is consistently referred to as “son of Kronos.” Just as blood lineage can be important in mythology, so too can team lineage be an important factor in sports. These presumably unintentional similarities are hard to see on the surface, and don’t add to the team’s popular appeal; however, they are still interesting and worth

The Titans kept the images of large, strong, men entering into battle and plastered it across their uniforms, inserted it into their fight songs, and gave the mythological weapons to their mascot. This process has removed a lot of detail from the myth, leaving out the hundred handers, Cyclopes, and most importantly the fact that the Titans ultimately ‘lost’ in the end to the Olympians. but at the end of the day, this repurposing serves the team’s commercial interests very well. The images of strength are pervasive, and extend into the team’s fan base. The fans join in and unite behind this image, cheering for their team and assisting in physically causing the ground to shake. Further, there is an increased sense of rooting for the city of Nashville, TN; a city which is deeply tied with the Greek origins of the myth. Also, while it is clear that the owner chose this name in order to convey strength and intimidation, it is quite interesting how the ideas of the succession myth and the importance of ‘lineage’ persist. Ultimately, these mythological images work together, in order to form a strong team and image for fans to rally around and root for – and also, for opposing teams to