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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. Jim McMahon Womens Jersey ., and Rudi Swiegers of Kipling, Sask., took sixth spot on Saturday in pairs at the NHK Trophy ISU Grand Prix figure skating competition. Dick Butkus Bears Jersey . -- Los Angeles Lakers guard Jordan Farmar will be out for roughly four weeks after tearing his left hamstring. http://www.bearsrookiestore.com/Bears-Devin-Hester-Jersey/ . Self was acquired from the Buffalo Bandits in a trade for Alex Hill midway through last season, and made his debut in Rochester on March 16, 2013. Mitchell Trubisky Bears Jersey . After Mondays hard-fought loss, the wait seemed longer than usual. Getting set to go their separate ways for a short Christmas break, the Raptors coach credited his team for their effort on a seemingly impossible three-game road trip, urging them to build on that success when they get back to work at the end of the week. Anthony Miller Youth Jersey . Just as Montreal was settling into the first full working week of a new year, the Impact announced the appointment of their new head coach. DAYTON, Ohio -- Calvin Hermanson opened the game with a layup. Jock Landale was fouled and made both free throws, and then had a dunk. St. Marys was off and running toward an impressive road win.Hermanson scored 16 points -- most of them from the perimeter -- and Landale scored most of his 15 off moves to the basket on Saturday. The outside-inside attack swept No. 17 St. Marys to a 61-57 victory over Dayton in the Gaels first road game.The Gaels (3-0) led the whole way, pulling ahead by 20 points midway through the second half and holding off a late Dayton rally. Until the closing minutes, they felt very relaxed.Coming out to the big start not only got the crowd out of it, but gave us confidence for the rest of the game, said Hermanson, who fouled out with 2:52 left. We started running our stuff and getting great shots and realizing we could almost get what we wanted. We were able to settle in once we had some success.Those last 3 minutes left them sweating one out.The Flyers (2-1) took advantage of the Gaels sloppiness -- 100 turnovers in the second half -- and went on a 14-1 run. Charles Cookes jumper cut it to 59-57 with 25 seconds left. Emmett Naar hit two free throws with 7.2 seconds left to clinch it.We knew the storm was coming, coach Randy Bennett said. We weathered most of it.Cooke scored 19 for the Flyers , who are 1-2 against Top 25 teams over the last two seasons.I told them Im not most disappointed with the loss, but with how we lost, coach Archie Miller said. The last 8 minutes is how we should have played the whole 40 minutes.Landale -- a 6-foot-11 center -- had his way inside early, working the pick-and-roll for layups. Landale and Hermanson scored all of St. Marys points as the Gaels pulled ahead 19-11. The Gaels led by as many as 14 in the half.ddddddddddddI dont know that anybody has answers against them, Miller said. Theyre able to do what they do against anybody. We wont be the only team that struggles against them.ENCOREThe Gaels were coming off a 110-72 win over Prairie View A&M, their first 100-point game since 2012.TD UPLandale got a technical foul for grabbing the rim while trying for a put-back dunk in the second half.ON THE BOARDSLandale had 14 rebounds, helping St. Marys get a 38-31 edge in rebounds.POLL IMPLICATIONSSt. Marys: The Gaels were ranked in the preseason poll for the first time in their history and put themselves in position to move up with an impressive road win. The Flyers have won 36 of their last 40 home games.Heck of a win, Bennett said. We know what Dayton is. We had to play well, and we did until the last 3 minutes. Playing a Top 25 (caliber) team on their court, out of your region -- those are tough games to get.Dayton: The Flyers have been on the verge of entering the poll, but the home-court loss will put that on hold for now.BIG PICTURESt. Marys: The Gaels came into the game third in Division I in field-goal percentage at 58.5 percent and showed their patience on the road. They had 16 assists on 20 field goals.Dayton: Sophomore forward Josh Cunningham tore a ligament in his left ankle during a 77-72 win at Alabama on Tuesday and had surgery. The Flyers said Saturday hell be sidelined for at least three months.UP NEXTSt. Marys: Hosts San Jose State on Tuesday.Dayton: Plays Nebraska on Thursday in the Wooden Legacy tournament.---More AP college basketball: http://collegebasketball.ap.org Cheap Jerseys China NFL Jerseyournament.---More AP college basketbaeys ' ' '