Long Term Athletics Money Maker

[CajunCanaille]

I know the Mascot issue has been overly discussed but this thread isn't just about that. With the ongoing question of how can this university's athletic program generate more money sparked an idea in my head a while back. This may be a stupid idea but the few people that I've introduced it to seem to agree that it would be both cool and profitable....

We would have to scrap the whole pepper idea (I’m sure people wouldn't have a problem with that) and start utilizing one of the biggest money makers in the Acadiana area, the oil field. Why not make our mascot a "roughneck?" This wouldn't involve changing the name but the mascot. Just a muscular costume wearing coveralls, steel toes, and a hard hat. This could potentially bring in major money from oil field companies who want to sponsor various events and take advantage of advertising at the swamp. From what I understand some local oilfield companies already spend money through the purchase of tickets but only a few give donations. Also, in the crowd you could see the students wearing Ragin' Cajun hard hats. I think it would be a plus for the current and potential fans.

Just throwing that idea out there. Like I said, I know the mascot topic has been overly discussed but this isn't only about the mascot. It seems like a great idea from a financial standpoint. What do you think?

[cajunfan96]

From what I understand some local oilfield companies already spend money through the purchase of tickets but only a few give donations.

That is a good idea, but it is simplier than that! If you want their donations, all you have to do is ask them!

[CajunCanaille]

I understand that but it would just seem like an exciting direction to go. I think that the money received from the oilfield would increase as well as the interest of people who work in that field. It just makes a lot of sense to me.

[rhineaux]

_ I understand that but it would just seem like an exciting direction to go. I think that the money received from the oilfield would increase as well as the interest of people who work in that field. It just makes a lot of sense to me. _

Wouldn't this be one of the biggest oxymorons ever? Many of the "roughnecks" or other blue collared oilfield workers are uneducated and only work there because its better money than most uneducated people can find. In your scenario, an institution of higher learning, one characterized as a research intensive university, placed alongside the likes of Baylor and Clemson, would use an uneducated oilfield worker as our mascot. I almost like it, but don't know that it would be something we would want to ID ourselves by. I DO like your idea of removing all the pepper BS from everything we do...but I've also said many times that there's nothing that forces us to have a furry looking creature walking around the stadium. We can just be us for now, and figure out who us is, and if anything arises as far as a physical mascot that can entertain some fans, then so be it.

[Cajun Express]

_ Wouldn't this be one of the biggest oxymorons ever? Many of the "roughnecks" or other blue collared oilfield workers are uneducated and only work there because its better money than most uneducated people can find. In your scenario, an institution of higher learning, one characterized as a research intensive university, placed alongside the likes of Baylor and Clemson, would use an uneducated oilfield worker as our mascot. I almost like it, but don't know that it would be something we would want to ID ourselves by. I DO like your idea of removing all the pepper BS from everything we do...but I've also said many times that there's nothing that forces us to have a furry looking creature walking around the stadium. We can just be us for now, and figure out who us is, and if anything arises as far as a physical mascot that can entertain some fans, then so be it. _

Navy a goat, Army a mule, Stanford a tree. Mascots or spirit leaders are not important. Nothing wrong with a flying pepper on a hat, but the state dog is a Catahoula Hound, and if we want to tie the name of the university to a living mascot representing the state this is it. Sorry Turb, I do not want to be associated with a reptile even if he has lived on this planet longer than the dinosaurs, and mammals put together.

[Cajun Power]

The mascot ought to be a crawfish.

[DrumRoll]

How about Gumbo the Gator, a real one in a cool habitat. If Zatarain's, Tabasco, or Tony Chachere's wanted to pop for the big sponsorship, put a chef's hat on the mascot version for the photo op. There is nothing more Cajun than a big ole gator...especially one that cooks Cajun food, so why not a Ragin Cajun Gator...

[Turbine]

Navy a goat, Army a mule, Stanford a tree. Mascots or spirit leaders are not important. Nothing wrong with a flying pepper on a hat, but the state dog is a Catahoula Hound, and if we want to tie the name of the university to a living mascot representing the state this is it. Sorry Turb, I do not want to be associated with a reptile even if he has lived on this planet longer than the dinosaurs, and mammals put together.

Express better be prepared to bulldoze the campus swamp/lake rename the football field and move out of Louisiana because BullGator IS the natural association!

jmo

How about Gumbo the Gator, a real one in a cool habitat. If Zatarain's, Tabasco, or Tony Chachere's wanted to pop for the big sponsorship, put a chef's hat on the mascot version for the photo op. There is nothing more Cajun than a big ole gator...especially one that cooks Cajun food, so why not a Ragin Cajun Gator...

I agree drumroll. Meet Fideaux (or the name of your choice)

[CajunCanaille]

_ How about Gumbo the Gator, a real one in a cool habitat. If Zatarain's, Tabasco, or Tony Chachere's wanted to pop for the big sponsorship, put a chef's hat on the mascot version for the photo op. There is nothing more Cajun than a big ole gator...especially one that cooks Cajun food, so why not a Ragin Cajun Gator... _

The name is okay but we already have a real gator in a real habitat. In fact I think there are a few gators on campus in the swamp. This school has got to find an identity. We gone from a bulldog and "Mr. Ragin' Cajun" (which was really cool), to a chicken, to a pepper that looked like a dinosaur, to a pepper that most people have to ask....what is he supposed to be. Next thing you know we are going to be the "University of Southwestern Louisiana Institute at Lafayette off of University Dr. Ragin Cajun Red Hot Peppered Bull Gators" That way we kinda cover all the names we've gone through. I am tired of changing our name and identity. No one will ever know who we are. At the same time I'm gonna contradict myself and say that we need to change just the damn pepper. I know we shouldn't change again but we shouldn't have chosen such a stupid mascot/logo a few years ago. One more change that either introduces something new or goes back to something origional......MR. RAGIN' CAJUN? BullGator?

[CajunCanaille]

_ Wouldn't this be one of the biggest oxymorons ever? Many of the "roughnecks" or other blue collared oilfield workers are uneducated and only work there because its better money than most uneducated people can find. In your scenario, an institution of higher learning, one characterized as a research intensive university, placed alongside the likes of Baylor and Clemson, would use an uneducated oilfield worker as our mascot. I almost like it, but don't know that it would be something we would want to ID ourselves by. I DO like your idea of removing all the pepper BS from everything we do...but I've also said many times that there's nothing that forces us to have a furry looking creature walking around the stadium. We can just be us for now, and figure out who us is, and if anything arises as far as a physical mascot that can entertain some fans, then so be it. _

I'm gonna have to disagree with you on this one. What does it matter that the mascot is uneducated? Not that I agree that ALL oilfield roughnecks are uneducated. Last time I check all a dog does is fetch and sit. Since when does a mascot have to be educated? Most university mascots are not educated mascots. I've never heard of the University of ?????? Alexander Graham Bells. Dogs, Tigers, Bears, Buffalo's, PEPPERS....none of these can claim they are "smarter than a 5th grader." haha. If the idea of a Roughneck would happen, which it won't, we will not require him to take final exams. He's a mascot. Take some of your more academically gifted universities. A Long Horn, Blue Devil, and Fighting Irish really wouldn't do that well on the LEAP Test. But I'm just throwing that out there.

[rhineaux]

_ I'm gonna have to disagree with you on this one. What does it matter that the mascot is uneducated? Not that I agree that ALL oilfield roughnecks are uneducated. Last time I check all a dog does is fetch and sit. Since when does a mascot have to be educated? Most university mascots are not educated mascots. I've never heard of the University of ?????? Alexander Graham Bells. Dogs, Tigers, Bears, Buffalo's, PEPPERS....none of these can claim they are "smarter than a 5th grader." haha. If the idea of a Roughneck would happen, which it won't, we will not require him to take final exams. He's a mascot. Take some of your more academically gifted universities. A Long Horn, Blue Devil, and Fighting Irish really wouldn't do that well on the LEAP Test. But I'm just throwing that out there. _

I know what you're saying, and wasn't intending to sound so overly critical of your idea.

In fact, I do think that if you could work it out, then we could easily get some sort of corporate sponsorship for this thing. Perhaps we could get a Schlumberger mascot, or a Halliburton mascot. Halliburton would probably be best because their colors are red. but, they could give us some cash, and we could have a guy in red coveralls, with some Halliburton crap on it alongside the Cajun logos. I just don't know if its the image we want to portray as a whole. but, to have one walk around as a publicity thing for them would be ok. although, I said "IF you could work it out". It would probably require some sort of larger agreement or sponsorship deal that would go way beyond the mascot.

[CajunCanaille]

_ I know what you're saying, and wasn't intending to sound so overly critical of your idea.

In fact, I do think that if you could work it out, then we could easily get some sort of corporate sponsorship for this thing. Perhaps we could get a Schlumberger mascot, or a Halliburton mascot. Halliburton would probably be best because their colors are red. but, they could give us some cash, and we could have a guy in red coveralls, with some Halliburton crap on it alongside the Cajun logos. I just don't know if its the image we want to portray as a whole. but, to have one walk around as a publicity thing for them would be ok. although, I said "IF you could work it out". It would probably require some sort of larger agreement or sponsorship deal that would go way beyond the mascot. _

I don't it would ever happen or if it's even a good idea. It's kind of like the UTEP Miners. It is something that the area has a history of. I actually like the BullGator the best. We have gators on campus and we play in the swamp. But I'm sure the pepper is here to stay for a while and in another 3 years we'll change and then another 6 after that we'll change. This university needs to find an RESPECTABLE identity. It's kind of like the Wisconsin Badger being called the Wisconsin Cheese's, or the University of Idaho Potatoes. But hey it works for Ohio State. They are named after a bean.