The WWI connection is pretty irrelevant if the underlying use is still unacceptable, especially because there is absolutely no reference to it in team’s logos or branding. It sure smacks of a post hoc, bad faith, rationalization. Would the Indians name be ok if someone produced evidence that the team was named after a Civil War brigade with that nickname?
In any case, as stated above, there’s a difference between the name “Indians,” which in and of itself is racist, and names that reflect specific tribes or (for lack of a better term) occupations like “Brave” or “Warrior.” Whether there is *enough* of a difference is a question that should be asked, and at a minimum those teams should take steps to eliminate the racist stereotypes that they allowed to enter their team branding. The tomahawk chop is the obvious example, but I think the Blackhawks need to stop using their primary logo, which reduces the tribal reference to a stereotype.