I’ve always been a fan of African style soccer nicknames. The Indomitable Lions. The Elephants. The Super Eagles. The Mambas. The Lions of Teranga. The Black Stars. They’re wonderful, colorful, rich names. And although I think they’re terrible official names (I’m looking at your Raging Rhinos) they’re superb unofficial nicknames.

The USA has never had an absolutely accepted nickname. All we can agree on is an acronym: USMNT. Now I’d be pretty happy with Yanks being our nickname. I’d be even happier if we sang Yankee Doodle in the stands. But I understand the term “Yank” is controversial in the former Confederacy. That’s too bad because I’d much rather have the television commentators call us the Yanks than the insipid and generic Team USA.

But after yesterday’s performance against Italy I’d like to offer up a nickname I’ve had in mind for quite some time.

It was a hell of a match against Italy. You may never see another one like it. It certainly wasn’t beautiful. But it was a gutsy, powerful performance. We got the draw through brute determination. Everything you need to know about that game was written on Brian McBride’s bloodied face. We finally lived up to that “don’t tread on me” motto that’s lately all the rage in US soccer circles.

It was a genuine show of American character. But I’m here to tell you we didn’t play merely like men, we played like buffaloes. The Buffaloes. That should be our nickname.

Yes, technically the animals are called bison, but I prefer the colloquial buffalo. The buffalo is a great, immense, powerful, completely unpredictable beast. It is a traditional symbol of strength and a traditional symbol of America. Despite its lumbering appearance it is capable of incredible speed, finesse and grace. It is also capable of levels of aggression rivaled in North America perhaps only by the grizzly. The buffalo doesn’t take a damn thing from anybody.

The Buffaloes. It seems like a fine and fitting nickname for the team that gutted it out against Italy with only nine men. Whatever happens in this World Cup, I’ll always be thankful for that performance. It was one of the finest moments in US soccer history.

Ghana’s Black Stars versus America’s Buffaloes. It should be a great match.