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What Is the Louisiana Ragin’ Cajuns Mascot?
As of April 2025, the Ragin’ Cajuns lack an official mascot. Their most recent spirit leader, Cayenne, debuted in 2000 as an anthropomorphic cayenne pepper.
https://www.newsbreak.com/college-sp...-cajuns-mascot
They lost me at "iconic."
More like 'much maligned.'
When your nickname is a group of people, you either have to have a representation of that people as a mascot or your mascot needs to be a background figure that further defines who you are as a university and possibly be a spirit leader as well.
If we can't have Cajun Man, I would prefer the Catahoula. State dog. Furthers our identity as Louisiana. It's history IS the history of our state in the flesh. Plus, everybody loves dogs.
If we can't have the Catahoula, I would have no problems bringing back Cayenne or The Fabulous Cajun Chicken.
Also shown to fit your criteria is when any non gulf coast resident visit Louisiana, the first thing they want go see is the State Representative Reptile.Quote:
Originally Posted by CajunNation
Didn't the school vote no on that? I believe they did.Quote:
Originally Posted by Turbine
No they haven't even discussed it.Quote:
Originally Posted by CajunNation
Cayenne was horrible and what does the Cajun chicken have to do with the university? Sure, he had great antics but still no connection.Quote:
Originally Posted by CajunNation
The Gator is the perfect mascot. It is our connection to the university, to the on-campus swamp and stadium swamp and it is commonly associated with Louisiana. JMO.
100% I couldn’t agree more. A dark green gator is the perfect Louisiana mascot. Geaux Cajuns!
There is literally a swamp with alligators on campus. This is screaming branding. You make your mascot a gator.
Our sports nickname is unique... and it propels our image around the world. On the other hand, most schools have unimaginative iterations of copied identities. The most common mascots in the country are tigers, bulldogs, and eagles.Quote:
Originally Posted by locoguano
I am glad we left 'bulldogs' behind us. And I am less than enthusiastic about copying Florida's mascot.
Leaders don't follow.
Better one's own path though imperfect, than another's well-made.
—Bhagavad Gita
UL finally assigning a gator as a mascot is not about copying Florida. It’s about embracing our natural habitat, culture, and the most identifiable animal within our on campus swamp. It’s a no brainer!
I came across a recent article discussing how any alligators were harvested during the 2024 hunting season. In addition, I think it mentioned that Louisiana has 3-4 times the alligators as Florida. A dark green gator would be perfect. Can all of the work on the white gator be changed to a green one?Quote:
Originally Posted by SMD7636
We overthink the mascot too much. Decide on something like a gator or a Catahoula hound and be done with it. But doing nothing is even worse.
Florida had no qualms with copying the name of Louisiana's Stadium and their not doing to poorly.Quote:
Originally Posted by CajunFun
Besides, with three fourths of a century of "Aligator Habitat" on campus, Louisiana would be copying no one.
Cajuns and Ragin Cajuns own the right to any usage of Gators.
Pets, Mascots or hyde.
We are so unique culturally that having a mascot is beneath us. If children ages 3-12 don't understand this concept, they should follow one of the other, lesser schools in the nation who isn't willing to blaze their own trail. We are leading the way in to a new future where kids care more about knowledge and Carnegie research classifications than trivial time wasters like athletics and silly costumes.
"Pride before the fall" mascots are supposed to be fun, hard to see how they are beneath us.
The most recognizable/successful mascot from a mid-major is the Red Blob from WKU. What connection did he have?Quote:
Originally Posted by HoustonCajun
Again, I'm in the Catahoula camp, but there would be nothing wrong with having The Fabulous Cajun Chicken or Cayenne as our mascot or some other silly spirit leader. It's all about what works.
I was at a conference in Baton Rouge hosted by TSAB with a Professor at Western Kentucky University. He asked the 100+ audience their mascot. 15% knew it was the Hilltoppers. 85% got the multiple choice question wrong. We need a relatable mascot others will remember. ��
Voted? That requires an action.Quote:
Originally Posted by CajunNation