Albineaux Phase Three is HERE

[CouillonCinema]

Link to the full presentation: https://drive.google.com/file/d/1hBK...w?usp=drivesdk

You can read about everything Albineaux on his gofundme page:
https://gofund.me/68401997

[Ragin9221]

Nice!!! Get it done!!!

[UL_Cajuns]

Thanks for what you do! let’s all get behind this!

[Ragin9221]

600 dollars already 1/18 there

[Swamp]

Holy ____

[CouillonCinema]

https://www.klfy.com/sports/cajun-na...ts-own-mascot/

[NewsCopy]

https://www.klfy.com/sports/cajun-na...ts-own-mascot/

"UL could be one step closer to getting its own mascot"

[EdwinStephens]

I promise this isn't about your personal character at all, but I simply have a few questions that I never see properly addressed:

- There's always comments from parents, individuals, etc. related to the albino nature of the character. Why are you so adamant about this being an albino alligator? In the Phase 3 proposal, you retconned a narrative about being disability-friendly and tying it into albinism awareness, but this was almost two years after the original concept was announced. It rings a little disingenuous, and I don't know why albinism specifically needs to be a central part of the narrative behind this campaign. It's frankly a little weird (the fixation, not the actual condition).

- What's going to happen to the funds if the campaign doesn't approach $10k or enough to do anything suit-related? Do the people get refunds? I've seen folks ask this and not have it answered.

- What's the motivation here? I'm not doubting that you're a passionate alum whose heart is in the right place, but I just don't understand the ongoing motivation here. I mean, you graduated almost 8 years ago and enrolled in an Ivy League grad school, and it's been almost two years of Albineaux with next to no progress to show for it. The social media reception is typically mixed at best outside of your personal social channels. Admin, Athletics, Maggard, coaches, etc. don't seem to want to move on it despite folks emailing and tagging them since April 2023. For lack of better phrasing, aren't there better things to do?

I just really struggle to understand the persistence behind this campaign.

[Turbine]

Albino may be the first spirit leader with an off-season roll.

In-season he's just a sports boosting character.

Cajun Chicken / Russell Heim
Superman / Clark Kent
Cartoon Fun / Awareness Advocate

[CouillonCinema]

I promise this isn't about your personal character at all, but I simply have a few questions that I never see properly addressed:

- There's always comments from parents, individuals, etc. related to the albino nature of the character. Why are you so adamant about this being an albino alligator? In the Phase 3 proposal, you retconned a narrative about being disability-friendly and tying it into albinism awareness, but this was almost two years after the original concept was announced. It rings a little disingenuous, and I don't know why albinism specifically needs to be a central part of the narrative behind this campaign. It's frankly a little weird (the fixation, not the actual condition).

- What's going to happen to the funds if the campaign doesn't approach $10k or enough to do anything suit-related? Do the people get refunds? I've seen folks ask this and not have it answered.

- What's the motivation here? I'm not doubting that you're a passionate alum whose heart is in the right place, but I just don't understand the ongoing motivation here. I mean, you graduated almost 8 years ago and enrolled in an Ivy League grad school, and it's been almost two years of Albineaux with next to no progress to show for it. The social media reception is typically mixed at best outside of your personal social channels. Admin, Athletics, Maggard, coaches, etc. don't seem to want to move on it despite folks emailing and tagging them since April 2023. For lack of better phrasing, aren't there better things to do?

I just really struggle to understand the persistence behind this campaign.

For the albino question: I have talked about why he needs to be albino in several forums on this website and on Twitter; it didn’t just pop up for phase three. He needs to be albino because 1.) Albino alligators actually exist and almost all of them have been found in Louisiana. 2.) If he was just a white gator then people would think the character represents white people only (I don’t that’s a sound criticism but I’ve read it several times). Him having an absence of pigment defeats any narrative that he represents one ethnicity more than others. 3.) If he was just a white gator, “why not only colors?” I’ve researched other colors, a white gator was the best option. Florida at one point had an orange gator, it looked terrible. So red wouldn’t work for us. Our fans hate the color black in our designs already, plus a black suit would be hyper absorbant to the sun here, creating a safety concern. A green gator would be closer Florida and it’s hard enough trying to pass a character that is the same species as theirs. 4.) I think having an advocate as spirit leader is very unique and has the possibility for a lot of heartwarming stories and moments. 5.) I’ve talked about how his name can change later but if I didn’t move forward with albinism being a part of his concept, then people would just see him as a white gator and then all the other stuff I stated would be back on the table.

-In regards to the money, I will try everything in my fundraising power to hit the target goal. I’ve crowdfunded $10k for one of my short films before. This project has a larger target audience that I can reach out to. But if I see us coming up short of the The Mascot Company’s proposal, I’ll have to see if there’s a company that could make the suit for whatever amount that we raise. As a filmmaker, I’m used to working with barely any money to make projects come to life, but I still have to deliver something. The people who donate believe in the project, so it’s my job to make sure I exhaust every avenue to see it come to fruition.

- Motivation: If I see a problem, I have to at least try to fix it. Idk if you have a faith, but I try to be guided by mine. You’re right about all this. It is perplexing. I do have better things to do. That’s why when Saturday came and all this people are coming after me, I couldn’t post. I had to not look at the internet because the weight was getting to me. I walked around Lafayette and feared someone was staring at me because they were mad at me for my campaign. I really had to ask God if I should do this? Is it worth it? It wasn’t until after I went to mass Sunday, and I heard the homily I needed to hear that I got my strength again to speak to you today. In prayer I heard, “If not you then who,” which is always right before a big trial lol. I’m a beggar here. All of us can see who holds all the cards. Some of the RCAF members have enough money to fund the suit in one single donation if they wanted. Maggard, Savoie, and Martin Hall could do anything at any point. All of them see a problem and choose bot to fix it, or worse, can’t. I have so little power here. Yet, I’m the one that has done the most work on this matter. There has to be a reason for that.

[RaisingCajun08]

- What's going to happen to the funds if the campaign doesn't approach $10k or enough to do anything suit-related? Do the people get refunds? I've seen folks ask this and not have it answered.

Personally, I think this GoFundMe is way premature. Until the University gives its blessing, this whole mascot talk is just that, talk. No way do I think they will bless an albino alligator.

Stubbornness to change the name will be the death of an unborn mascot.

[CouillonCinema]

Otto the Orange of Syracuse was unofficial for 17 years. The for almost two decades, students just had their own thing. It wasn’t until the admin’s attempts for a new character couldn’t beat Otto the Orange that the admin fully adopted him. You don’t need the university’s blessing right now because history has shown it can come later.

If someone said they would fund the suit completely if the name changed, I would do it. I’m not stubborn on his name. But I can’t do something from the opinion of someone who doesn’t like the project in the first place. Because a lot people do like the name.