Long Beach State’s new nickname is straight from the Dept. of Redundancy Dept.

If you were planning to say to your friends, “Hey, let’s go to the Long Beach State 49ers game this week!� then here are some words of warning for you:

1. Be prepared for your friends to roll their eyes.

2. You can’t go to a Long Beach State 49ers game this week, or any other week for that matter.

You see, Long Beach State, in one of the most head-scratching decisions of all time, has stopped calling themselves the 49ers and have adopted a new nickname: the Beach.

Yes, they are now Long Beach State Beach. Which sounds like an Abbott and Costello routine.

“Hey you going to the Long Beach State game?�

“Yep.�

“What’s their nickname, I always forget�

“Beach�

“Yes, Long Beach State. What’s their nickname?�

“The Beach�

“Yes, the Beach! What is their nickname?�

By the way, the baseball team will still be called the Dirtbags.

But the Long Beach State Beach? What’s next, some team calling themselves the Los Angeles Angels?

Nine lives

So there I was, relaxing while watching “Monday Night Football� when a cat decided to interrupt the game by running onto the field. The cat ran around, delaying things for a couple of minutes, evading capture before escaping. Meanwhile the crowd laughed and cheered.

But the worst part: ESPN showed all of this. Don’t they know that all they are doing is encouraging other cats to do the same thing to get attention? Poor choice, ESPN. If a cat runs onto the field during a game next week, we know who to blame. Don’t give these poor cats the attention they are obviously seeking.

Bad hops

How badly do some people want Dan Snyder to sell the Washington Redskins? Well, Harpers Ferry Brewing in Purcellville, Va., announced Tuesday that it will release a beer called Sell the Team IPA. The beer is described as “bitter and slightly disappointing like a day at FedEx Field,� and it has a 9.5% alcohol content to get Redskins fans through “another dreadful Sunday.�

Dress code

San Antonio Spurs coach Gregg Popovich is tired of wearing a suit and tie. In a recent news conference he said, “I just wish we were in sweat suits. I’m a big proponent of gym shoes and nice-looking sweat suits so you don’t have to worry about ties and coats and all that stuff.�

Your favorite sports moment

What is your all-time favorite local sports moment? Email me at [email protected] and tell me what it is and why, and it could appear in a future daily sports newsletter or Morning Briefing.

This moment comes from Sherry Stern:

It’s been over three months, but the pain is fresh for Angels fans like me still mourning pitcher Tyler Skaggs. Of all the many indelible sports moments I’ve seen in person, including USC championships and the Angels World Series run, what stands out is the Angels’ first home game after Skaggs died, a game played on July 12.

To see my first (combined) no-hitter was special enough. It was a joy watching the team honor their friend, each person wearing a jersey with Skaggs’ name and his 45 on the back.

After the game, the players’ impromptu placing of those jerseys on the mound where Skaggs once stood was truly unforgettable. To be in the stands and share that night with other Angels fans was incredibly moving and will always stay in my heart.