Columbus – meet Stinger, the mascot for the Columbus Blue Jackets.The mascot, along with the logo was revealed by team owners John H. McConnell, Ron Pizzuti, and John Wolfe in a press conference Tuesday in Nationwide Plaza. “Actually I liked Mad Cows,” McConnell joked before the unveiling, “but it’s going to be a great name.”Retailers are already stocking merchandise embossed with the red-eyed insect holding a hockey stick. The fluorescent green-faced Stinger has been called “an insect with an attitude” by its creators who have the bug wearing a Civil War-style blue jacket and cap.Pizzuti said he expects Stinger to be very popular in Columbus.”I think it’s going to be great fun,” Pizzuti said. Stinger was the best logo to capture “the spirit of Columbus,” said John Christie, president of JMAC, a venture firm owned by McConnell that helped in the naming of the team.The name Blue Jackets was picked from 14,000 entries in a contest sponsored by Wendy’s, Christie said. The winner of the contest, who has yet to be annouced, will receive season tickets for the inaugural season, he said.Many names were eliminated because they were already trademarked, Christie said. The chosen name was influenced by the Civil War jacket, the Navy pea coat and Ohio’s rich Indian history, he said. Despite the reference to Indian history, Christie dismissed the idea that the team was named after Blue Jacket, a famous figure in Ohio’s history. Blue Jacket was a white explorer in the 18th century who was captured by the Shawnee and adopted into their tribe.”We knew it might come up,” Christie said, “but we’re not naming an individual.”David Haney, a NHL representative, said there is a good buzz about the team name from other owners and retailers.”The logo has generated more excitement than anything done in a long time,” Haney said.Christie said Columbus is the first of the NHL expansion teams named in June to pick a team name and logo. Whether or not Columbus’ sports fans will accept the Blue Jackets is still unclear. Mixed reactions have been expressed about the name since it was reported last Thursday. “It has nothing to do with Columbus,” said Pete Bolbach, an Ohio State sophomore majoring in business. “I won’t be buying anything of their’s.”Katie Wilder, a senior majoring in animal science, said it looks better than she thought it would. “I love it,” said Elena Rodriguez, a senior majoring in zoology. “It looks nothing like Michigan (colors)” She said she believes all the hype surrounding the name will fade once the team starts playing.According to a time frame provided by JMAC Hockey, construction is set to begin in spring 1998 on Nationwide Arena, where the team will play. A head coach will be named and an expansion draft will take place in July 2000. The Blue Jackets will hit the ice in October 2000.