WASHINGTON -- Half the U.S. Senate urged NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell on Thursday to change the Washington Redskins name, saying it is nothing less than a racist slur and the time is ripe to replace it. In a letter, 49 senators cited the NBAs quick action recently to ban Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling for life after he was heard on an audio recording making offensive comments about blacks. They said Goodell should formally push to rename the Redskins. "We urge you and the National Football League to send the same clear message as the NBA did: that racism and bigotry have no place in professional sports," read the letter, which did not use the word "Redskins." All the senators who signed the letter are Democrats. Another, Sen. Bill Nelson, D-Fla., wrote his own letter urging the name change. Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has refused to change his teams name, citing tradition. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., and Sen. Maria Cantwell, D-Wash., led the letter-writing effort. Last month, Reid took to the Senate floor to say Snyder should "do what is morally right" and change the name. President Barack Obama and lawmakers from both parties have previously pressed for the name change. The letter said tribal organizations representing more than 2 million Native Americans across the U.S. have said they want the Redskins name dropped. Despite federal laws protecting their identity, "Every Sunday during football season, the Washington, D.C., football team mocks their culture," the senators wrote. "The NFL can no longer ignore this and perpetuate the use of this name as anything but what it is: a racial slur," the letter said. Bruce Boudreau Jersey .500 were once common achievements for the Dallas Mavericks. Now, both are season highs as Dallas slowly works its way back into playoff contention in the Western Conference. John Tavares Jersey . After deputy commissioner Bill Daly said the league would consider pulling out of Sochi if something "significant" happens before players arrive, those set to participate are trying not to worry about that scenario. http://www.officialmapleleafsfanstore.com/authentic-felix-potvin-maple-leafs-jersey/ . Pikul Khueanpet scored early in the second half and Kanjana Sungngoen made it 2-0 in the 65th minute of the playoff. Tuyet Dong narrowed the margin with goal four minutes from time. The win gave Thailand fifth place at the Asian Cup and the last of the continents qualifying spots for the 2015 Womens World Cup in Canada. Mike Palmateer Jersey . The win gives Canada its fifth title at the World Sledge Hockey Challenge. "Weve got to keep pushing," said Westlake, who led Canada with five goals in the tournament. "The second you let off the pedal, everyone catches up. Tie Domi Jersey . The ongoing funk on penalty kill and an unusually quiet night on home ice for the power play divided the Leafs from the Bruins at the ACC in a rare Sunday night affair.With the trade of Rudy Gay, GM Masai Ujiri made it clear that he intended to take the team in a different direction than his predecessor, Bryan Colangelo. To break down the impact of the deal, head coach Dwane Casey joined TSN 1050, saying it gives the team more certainty cap-wise moving forward and will allow the team to implement a different a more team-friendly on-court style which the coaching staff favours. “The decision gives us certainty for the future, gives you cap flexibility, certainty. You know whats going to happen,” Casey said. “You take that uncertainty away, which you need when youre rebuilding a program.” Moving forwardd without the prospect of Gays $19.dddddddddddd.3 million player option for 2014 hanging over them, Casey also mentioned the move allows his team to move away from more of an isolation game into a pick-and-roll and ball movement focused squad. Addressing the question of tanking, Casey said if he were to partake in that it would lead to “a loss of credibility” among the players. He added that adopting that strategy was also not a good idea because it would create a “losing mentality” around the team and hinder the development of players like Terrence Ross and Demar DeRozan. Dwane Casey: Gay trade gives Raps flexibility ' ' '