*By Conor White*
As the Short-Season Single-A affiliate of the New York Yankees, it isn't often the Staten Island Yankees make headlines.
That may be why the namesake team announced it would temporarily change its public image, trading in the rich tradition of baseball's most successful team for the street cache of a newly famous New Yorker: Pizza Rat ー [the hungry rodent that just wanted a slice to itself.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UPXUG8q4jKU)
"It's an aggressive name, I think it's probably a little edgy, a little different," said Staten Island Yankees president Will Smith. "But I think everybody needs to remember that it's a promotion."
Still, the Staten Island Borough president James Oddo called the idea "dopey" in a statement.
The promotion will run for each of the Staten Island Yankees' five Saturday night home games this season, and fans in attendance will see a fully rebranded team, complete with uniforms. In an interview Thursday on Cheddar, Smith said the gear has been flying off the shelves.
"We've pretty much blown through all of our merchandise that we have," said Smith. "We're trying to place re-orders, I was actually trying to do that this morning, trying to order another thousand T-shirts, because we just didn't order enough, and you just don't know, but we're actually tracking way, way, way ahead of our entire online sales last year, and so far, so good."
The Pizza Rats name was first floated back in 2016, when it was the overwhelming favorite in an online poll to rename the team. Now, thanks to the promotion's immediate success, fans are wondering: Could the name change become permanent?
"Anything's possible," teased Smith. "I've always said until there's a new name, there's no new name."
For the full interview, [click here](https://cheddar.com/videos/every-pizza-rat-has-its-day).
The American women are having a rough Olympics in the figure skating rink. All three American competitors fell in the women's individual short program. It's a sharp turn from the years when American women landed on the podium year after year. Olympic gold medalist Dorothy Hamill explains why things have been more difficult for the Americans this time around.
On Between Bells: Talking to kids about gun violence, Dallas Mavericks under fire, restaurant servers fight tip-pooling laws, and more. With Eater, Parents Magazine, and Popular Science.
If someone told you that asthma would help you win gold at the Olympics, would you believe them? Well according to a new study, athletes with asthma are more likely to win at the Winter Games than those without these breathing problems. Popular Science's Claire Maldarelli explains why.
A new report from S.I. details allegations of sexual harassment against the team's former President and CEO, Terdema Ussery.
Amazon launches health products line, Chipotle adds quinoa to the menu, and Tinder reveals the most-swiped athletes in the Olympic Village.
The athlete, who took home the Olympics' top prize at the 1976 Games, says entering the sport is much more expensive these days, and the physical moves are more demanding.
Austin Dillon, who won the Daytona 500 race over the weekend, says this win will add to his grandfather's legacy.
This Sunday the Daytona 500 Race went into an exciting overtime when 27-year-old Austin Dillon finally pulled into first place during the final lap. The Daytona 500 winner joins Cheddar to explain the emotions that came with the big win.
We're a week into the Olympics and by now most viewers have noticed that Ralph Lauren, Nike and Under Armour are the official sponsors of Team USA gear. Joining The Long and The Short to discuss the benefits of outfitting Team USA is Nick Martell and Jack Kramer, Co-Founders & Co-CEOs of MarketSnacks.
Dwyane Wade made headlines for his recent trade from the Cleveland Cavaliers back to the Miami Heat, but the NBA star is also busy with a film that hits close to home. Alyssa Julya Smith caught up with the basketball player at a screening of his new film "Shot in the Dark," which he acted as executive producer alongside fellow Chicago-born star Chance the Rapper.
