THEY BOUGHT IT. They can name it.

As news of the name change was posted Thursday at suntimes.com, a number of readers wrote in to grouse: "It's all about money!"

Which it is. As it should be.

Naming the 36-year-old skyscraper Sears Tower to begin with, essentially creating the world's tallest store sign, was all about money, too.

It's not like anybody's talking about renaming the Chicago River the Citibank River.

Which for the record, Mayor Daley, we would oppose.

We've come down in the world, if a notorious recipient of bailout money is the high briber for naming rights to the Chicago River.

Which we would still call the Chicago River.

Just take a look at the dozens of suburban places popularly known by names that don't technically exist anymore - the Rosemont Horizon, Palwaukee Airport or the East-West tollway. And there's still an active, angry group protesting the name change from Marshall Field's to Macy's.

And we have more to look forward to.

Companies spend millions of dollars on naming rights for certain buildings in hopes that repeated name use will help its marketing efforts. But the plan can backfire, especially when landmarks are involved, [senior advertising executive Bob] Killian said.

"This will be a blip compared to when Wrigley Field gets renamed," he added.

There isn't enough lipstick at Avon to cover that pig.