football dynasty for nine years that included two national champions

WASHINGTON -- Simon Tam has openly criticized the Washington Redskins team name as a racist slur that demeans Native Americans.But Tam and his Asian-American rock band, The Slants, find themselves on the same side as the NFL franchise in a First Amendment legal battle over trademark protection for names that some consider offensive.The Supreme Court could decide as early as this month whether to hear the dispute involving the Portland, Oregon-area band. And if the football team has its way, the justices could hear both cases in its new term.At issue is a constitutional challenge to a law barring the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office from registering trademarks that disparage minority groups. The office denied a trademark to the Slants in 2011 after finding the name disparaged people of Asian descent.The Slants say their goal was not to offend anyone, but to transform a derisive term about the shape of Asian eyes into a statement of ethnic and cultural pride. The band won a major victory last year when a divided federal appeals court in the District of Columbia ruled the law prohibiting offensive trademarks violates free-speech rights. The Obama administration has asked the Supreme Court to overturn that ruling.The Redskins, too, say their team name is meant to honor American Indians. But the team has faced years of legal challenges, and a testy public relations fight, from members of the very group they claim to salute. The Redskins case involves the trademark offices move last year to cancel the team trademark that was first registered in 1967. A federal judge has agreed with that decision.A federal appeals court in Richmond, Virginia, has not yet considered the teams appeal, but the Redskins are urging the Supreme Court not to wait. If the high court agrees to hear the Slants case, the team wants the justices to hear both disputes at the same time. Such requests to leapfrog lower courts are rarely granted.Tam, in a legal brief, says if the court decides to hear the cases together, the justices should do so now rather than waiting for the appeals court to rule in the Redskins case. Otherwise, he says, a future ruling against the Redskins could end up affecting the bands status.Anyone who has visited The Slants website will find the band members are certainly no fans of the team. One section has a lengthy list of reasons why the cases are different. No. 1 is unlike REDSKINS, THE SLANTS is not an inherent racial slur.The website says the word Redskin has a long history of oppression and the football team treats the people as mascots. By contrast, The Slants breaks stereotypes about Asian-Americans, especially in the entertainment industry.Tam does not mention those distinctions in his brief to the court, and he declined to be interviewed.In The Slants case, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Federal Circuit ruled in December that the First Amendment protects even hurtful speech that harms members of oft-stigmatized communities.The First Amendment forbids government regulators to deny registration because they find the speech likely to offend others, Judge Kimberly Moore said for the majority.The administration argues that the law does not restrict speech because the band is still free to use the name even without trademark protection. The law simply reflects Congress judgment that the federal government should not affirmatively promote the use of racial slurs and other disparaging terms by granting the benefits of registration, the government said.Jeremy Sheff, a professor at St. Johns University School of Law who specializes in intellectual property, said the Supreme Court could be interested in the cases because it has been pretty aggressive in protecting First Amendment speech -- even remarks considered highly offensive.The knock on the law is that nobody knows what disparagement means, he said. That is a concern.The Redskins claim their case is a better vehicle than Tams for the Supreme Court to consider the constitutionality of the trademark law. The team says the effect of canceling a trademark is more harmful because it has been relying on the laws financial protections for nearly 50 years. Without trademark protection, the team could lose millions if it cant block the sale of counterfeit merchandise.The team also points out that the government over the years has registered dozens of companies with names that could be considered offensive. Among those: Baked By A Negro bakery products, Midget Man condoms, Dago Swagg clothing and the rock band White Trash Cowboys.The American Civil Liberties Union has sided with the Redskins free-speech claims, even as the group has publicly called on the team to change the name because it is offensive.The government doesnt get to withhold a benefit because it disagrees with the content of someones speech, said ACLU national legal director Steve Shapiro.The Redskins have come under increasing pressure in recent years to change the team name. Even President Barack Obama has said he would think about changing it if he owned the team. Owner Dan Snyder has said hed never change the name and that it represents honor, respect and pride.--This story corrects a description of the bands legal argument. The Slants say if the Supreme Court wants to hear the cases together, it should do so now rather than waiting for lower court to rule in Redskins case. Womens Ultra Boost Clearance . The lawyers filed a 33-page amended complaint Tuesday in federal court in Manhattan, expanding on the suit originally filed Oct. 3 in New York Supreme Court. Arbitrator Fredric Horowitz last week refused to compel Selig to testify in the grievance, and Rodriguez then walked out of the hearing without testifying. Ultra Boost Clearance . Numbers Game looks into the Canadiens securing the services of Thomas Vanek in a trade with the New York Islanders. The Canadiens Get: LW Thomas Vanek and a conditional fifth-round pick. http://www.ultraboostclearance.com/pure-boost-shoes-sale.html . The 26-year-old Ireland striker, who has four goals this season, has signed a three-and-a-half year contract with his new club. Yeezy Boost 350 V2 Wholesale .com) - Yankee Stadium is the home of the Bronx Bombers, but on Sunday afternoon it will open its gates to host the latest addition of the Hudson River Rivalry. Ultra Boost Womens Sale .ca looks back at the stories and moments that made the year memorable. LOS ANGELES -- The Rams were a certifiable hit in their return to Los Angeles for the first time in nearly 22 years. Now if they could just score a touchdown.They have yet to find the end zone since leaving St. Louis, yet still managed to win their regular-season home debut on Sunday, beating the Seattle Seahawks 9-3 on Greg Zuerleins three field goals -- the longest a 47-yarder in the fourth quarter.The Rams (1-1) were shut out in a 28-0 loss at San Francisco in their season opener.Last week, to put it simple, we got embarrassed, wide receiver Kenny Britt said. And so to come back like this is good for morale and good for our confidence.Plenty of penalties slowed down the game for the announced crowd of 91,046 on a searing day at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum, where the Rams marked the long-awaited occasion by wearing blue-and-gold throwback uniforms for their regular-season home debut.You most definitely want to set the tone, especially at home, safety Mark Barron said. This is what we do at home. When we come home, we win.With field goals accounting for all the offense, it was hardly the high-scoring show Los Angeles sports fans are known to crave.At times, the dull roar of chatter was the loudest sound from the crowd until the fourth quarter when they were on their feet cheering the Rams defense.Alec Ogletree recovered a fumble by Seattles Christine Michael at the Los Angeles 29 with 57 seconds left in the game, ending the Seahawks last scoring bid.It kind of happened all so fast, Ogletree said. I was kind of just roaming the field. I dropped like 30 yards deep, which I dont even think I was supposed to do. I just saw him (Russell Wilson) check it down, I just ran it down.The drive included an incomplete pass from Wilson and a false start penalty on the Seahawks.It was just a great play by those guys, Michael said. They played a tremendous game. I just got to do better, hold on to the ball in those situations.Barron had 11 tackles and Ogletree added eight to lead the Rams defense.Seattle racked up 10 penalties for 114 yards; the Rams had nine penalties for 78 yards.The teams put on a defensive slugfest, with passes getting broken up in the end zone, offensive drives ending in punts and neither quarterback airing it out much.Wilson was 22 of 35 for 254 yards, getting sacked twice. He sprained his right ankle in last weeks win over Miami.Rams starter Case Keenum was 18 of 30 for 239 yards. He was sacked three times.I made sure as Im running out just to savor that moment, Keenum said about emerging from the tunnel to flames and fireworks. Im going to remember it forever. It might not have been the prettiest game, but it was a lot of fun.The victory extended the Ramss recent dominance against their NFC West rival.dddddddddddd Theyve won four of their past five against the Seahawks, including both games last season. The Rams defensive line has sacked Wilson 18 times in the past five meetings.We got to see them twice a year, Barron said, so we want to establish that and let them know we are coming.Zuerlein got the Rams on the board in the first quarter with a 39-yard field goal. The Seahawks (1-1) tied it on a 23-yard field goal by Steven Hauschka in the second.Zuerlein put the Rams in front 6-3 on a 20-yarder with 1:04 left before halftime. Early in the fourth, he made it 9-3 on his longest kick of the game.RED HOTThe temperature hit 88 degrees under cloudless skies and lead singer Anthony Kiedis stripped off his No. 16 Jared Goff jersey during the Red Hot Chili Peppers pregame concert in the west end zone. A group of Rams Hall of Famers, including Jackie Slater, Marshall Faulk, Eric Dickerson and Jack Youngblood helped light the Coliseums torch, which also burned when the stadium hosted the 1932 and 1984 Olympics.STILL WAITINGGoff, the No. 1 overall pick in this years draft, was promoted to backup for the game after being the inactive third-stringer in the Rams opening-week loss. Goff practiced with the first-team offense more often during the week, but has yet to make his regular-season debut.HE SAID ITI like touchdowns, but I love winning, Keenum said.BACK HOMESeattle coach Pete Carroll returned to the Coliseum, where he oversaw Southern Californias football dynasty for nine years that included two national championships before jumping to the NFL. Rams coach Jeff Fisher was back in the same stadium where he played for the Trojans in college. Seahawks cornerback Richard Sherman played for the first time near his hometown of Compton.LBJ IN THE HOUSELeBron James of the NBA champion Cleveland Cavaliers attended the game as did members of the NHLs Los Angeles Kings.WORTH NOTINGThe Rams sacked Wilson for an 8-yard loss and they recovered the ensuing fumble to end the first half. ... The last time the Rams wore their throwback uniforms was throughout the 1999 season, when they went 13-3 and won the Super Bowl. ... The Seahawks have scored a combined 15 points in their first two games, having beaten Miami 12-10 last week. ... The Rams shared the Hollywood spotlight Sunday with the Emmy Awards, which were being held up the street from the Coliseum.UP NEXTSeahawks: They host San Francisco next Sunday.Rams: They travel east next Sunday to play Tampa Bay.---AP NFL website: www.pro32.ap.org and www.twitter.com/AP-NFL ' ' '