Grassroots Campaign for the Next UL Mascot

[Turbine]

Purdue and Wichita equal old Mr Cajun. I think most people are OK with a cajun dude.

I for one think if we do use an animal would rather go in the direction of Texas A&M and Tennessee. Aggie = Border Collie and Volunteer = Bluetick Coonhound.

La is the one and only Ragin Cajuns. Could have the one and only catahoula leopard dog as a mascot, the state dog. I have been saying this for years, also saw it mentioned on Twitter and a couple other outlets.

If the Cajuns use a Gator we will never hear the end of how we copied Florida. Just like UL equals Louisville.

The state dog is a wash, because the alligator is the state reptile.

I don't think of Tennessee or Texas when I see a Border Collie or a Bluetick Coonhound. People don't think of Louisiana when they see a Catahoula Leopard dog. They have no idea what they are looking at.

Everyone thinks of Louisiana when they see an Alligator. Conversly when they think of Louisiana, they think of Alligators.

Granted none of this is first thought, but when they go there, this is a thought pass that gets crossed.

[Turbine]

The fact that Cory took time to create "Al," and the fact that we are even discussing ideas for a new mascot is a huge step in the right direction. I don't care if it's a gator, catahoula hound, or a student dressed in overalls and Delcambre reeboks; WE NEED A MASCOT. It's been a decade since we have had one.

Also, I had heard a recent interview with Russell Heim (Cajun Chicken), and he said the Cajun Chicken was born when USL had asked him to participate as a mascot at games. When he shopped at stores for an idea of what to be, he had two options of costumes to choose from: a dog or a chicken. He chose the chicken.

The point is that it's not all about the costume or the mascot itself. It's about who is inside of the costume that makes the mascot great. For all we know, if Cayenne would've done similar skits as the Cajun Chicken, that mascot still might be around. Russell turned the Cajun Chicken into a local legend because of Russell, not because the Cajun Chicken looked a certain way.

You very well could be right and definitely are right about the person in the costume.

But I don't think even Russell Heim could have made Cayenne work.

A key ingredient to personalty for a spirit leader is seeing evidence of movement and Cayenne could turn around 360 degrees and you couldn't tell he had moved.

The Cajun Chicken had a beak and the Gator has a snout. Both work extraordinarily well in expressing movement and personality.

[Turbine]

Just curious why did you chose Albino Gators over the kind of gators we see all the time? Is an albino gator an actual thing? I have never seen one in the wild.

I posted a picture of one on this thread it was captured in Louisiana.

[Turbine]

The best selling point for the Catahoula is not that we would be unique simply for having it as the mascot. It is that the story of the Catahoula IS the story of Louisiana. From abneycatahoulas.com ...

<< .. The Indians in and around Louisiana used the Red Wolf, which then roamed Louisiana during this period, to locate game, much in the same manner as hunters use their dogs today. Hernando DeSoto had traveled from Florida into Louisiana, bringing with him the "War Dogs" that had made the journey to the New World. The breeds that were referred to as War Dogs were the Greyhound and the Mastiff. Research has shown that the Mastiff type of dog that accompanied him was probably those known as the "Alano Mastiff" of Spain, which are now extinct. These Mastiffs had a reputation of being able to pull down very large game with ease. DeSoto utilized their abilities to persuade the Indians to provide information on the whereabouts of Gold and Treasure. Mostly those already owned by the Indians.

After suffering defeat in battle, DeSoto abandoned his War Dogs which were allowed to roam freely. They bred and interbreed with each other along with the Red Wolf. The offspring of the various breedings were then used by the Indians, and became known as the "Wolf Dog." The Wolf Dog, which is mentioned in Louisiana History, as well as most history books covering this era, was the name given to them by Henri Tonti during one of his visits to Louisiana.

By the early 1700's the French had started arriving in Louisiana. Hearing the stories of Tonti of the abundance of game in Louisiana the French brought with them a dog known as the "Bas Rouge," or Red Stockings. This dog has also been called the "Berger de Beauce." Today that very dog is known as the Beauceron. The French bred their dogs with those of the Indians' Wolf Dog, and together these four canines contributed to the inception of the Catahoula that we know today... >>


Our Cajun ancestors and Louisiana forefathers used the Catahoula to take down large game throughout Louisiana. We could do the same in The Swamp.

It would be such a shame to miss this Golden opportunity to further solidify our identities as the University of Louisiana and as Cajuns.

Too much edukaten required.

Everthing I know about Catahoula Leopards I learned about right here on RP through links.

ps Not to be confused with the Lafayette Leopards confusion in the name debate.

[CajunNation]

...Everyone thinks of Louisiana when they see an Alligator. Conversly when they think of Louisiana, they think of Alligators...

Disagree. I believe they think of Florida when they see an alligator, and they think of Food when they hear Louisiana.

Then, there's this....



10 states have indigenous alligators.

There is only 1 home of the Catahoula.

[Turbine]

Disagree. I believe they think of Florida when they see an alligator, and they think of Food when they hear Louisiana.

10 states have indigenous alligators.

There is only 1 home of the Catahoula.

As unique as it is, not one person on the planet has ever first thought "Catahoula" when thinking of Louisiana.

The fact that other places can and do come to mind when thinking alligators, it does not erase how much the rest of the world connects alligators with Louisiana.

People request to see one when they get here.

[CajunNation]

...People request to see one when they get here.

Literally, never had that happen to me. EVERY time I have talked to someone visiting from out of the state, the first thing they ask me is where should they eat.

[KajunKrazy]

I posted a picture of one on this thread it was captured in Louisiana.

Right. It is so rare to find they bring all they can find to zoos and other types of captivity when they are found. Outside of LA and maybe FLA no one knows that albino gators exist. I am sure we will be called the White Gators often. Well ASE does have a Blue Gator for a mascot.

[KajunKrazy]

As unique as it is, not one person on the planet has ever first thought "Catahoula" when thinking of Louisiana.

The fact that other places can and do come to mind when thinking alligators, it does not erase how much the rest of the world connects alligators with Louisiana.

People request to see one when they get here.

I won't argue that. When they request to see that gator ask them what color they think it will be before you show them it? 0.000% will say white.

[lafman1]

To break down the argument “a Catahoula would be unique,” or “we’d be the only Catahoula in the country,” all I have to say is, it’s not that unique.

It would unique in that no other university would have a LOUISIANA Catahoula Cur dog as a mascot. A dog unique to LOUISIANA. What happened to We Are LOUISIANA?

You can’t argue for the uniqueness of Ragin Cajuns and then turn around advocate for another dog mascot.

What you are not recognizing is the dog is a separate breed.

[Turbine]

Literally, never had that happen to me. EVERY time I have talked to someone visiting from out of the state, the first thing they ask me is where should they eat.

I never said it was first utterance, and eating is a daily requirement, so the two are not mutually exclusive.

My mom is from Nebraska and this was a universal inquiry from my many cousins through the years. Even as teenagers from cousins who never made it to Louisiana.

[Turbine]

Right. It is so rare to find they bring all they can find to zoos and other types of captivity when they are found. Outside of LA and maybe FLA no one knows that albino gators exist. I am sure we will be called the White Gators often. Well ASE does have a Blue Gator for a mascot.

They are most often rendered green in drawings but really don't look green to me. Do they call them Green Gators often?