Will the real “Iceman” please stand up.
Caleb Williams received blowback from Skip Bayless for filing a trademark for the nickname “Iceman” earlier this month, as the sports personality said the Bears quarterback is stealing the name originally coined by Basketball Hall of Famer George Gervin.
“I’m a Caleb Williams fan. But I was a much bigger Iceman Gervin fan, and I’m offended Caleb and Co. are trying to steal George’s all-time great nickname,” Bayless posted to X on Friday. “I unleash on today’s Arena Gridiron 2:30 E.”
Williams quickly fired back at Bayless, sarcastically accusing him of not knowing what stealing means.
“Idc about where your fandom stands,” Williams wrote on X. “I was trying give you and everyone else the benefit of the doubt. About knowing business and being smart about it. But I guess not. Foolish of me!”
Williams then attached an image of the definition of the word steal, and told Bayless to “enjoy that podcast.”
Bayless’ spat with the Bears QB comes as Caleb Williams Holding Inc. filed four trademark applications with the United States Patent and Trademark Officer related to the “Iceman” moniker on March 16.
Gervin, who spent 14 seasons across the NBA and ABA from 1972 to 1986, was upset that Williams filed the applications, telling ESPN that he was “caught off guard.”
“I’ve been the Iceman for 40-something years,” Gervin said. “I never thought anybody would try to trademark it. He kind of knocked me out the box.”
Four days after Williams filed for the nickname, Gervin Interests LLC filed two trademark applications of their own for “Iceman” and “Iceman 44,” which references the 73-year-old’s jersey number, likely sparking a trademark battle between the two.
Since Williams filed his application first, the USPTO could favor his application over Gervin’s.
However, Gervin could claim that, despite not filing for the trademark, he was using the nickname before Williams, ESPN reported.
Additionally, UFC legend Chuck Liddell filed a trademark for “Chuck ‘The Iceman’ Liddell” in 2023, which the USPTO could deem too similar to both Williams and Gervin.
A decision is likely several months away, per ESPN.
