1943 Louisiana Mascot

[CajunEXPRESS]

No, it won't. Neither will have any national relevance period. But to have a gator, and our original Swamp will absolutely look like we're copying Florida. Many doubt we had the original swamp.

[Turbine]

No, it won't. Neither will have any national relevance period. But to have a gator, and our original Swamp will absolutely look like we're copying Florida. Many doubt we had the original swamp.

I have brought family and friends from Hawaii, Houston, and Ohio to the campus swamp. Alligators captured their imagination more than any other aspect.

Same thing through the decades with trips to Avery Island. Louisiana's State reptile captures the Nations imagination.

Going back to the 1960's and my summers spent in Nebraska. Nothing lit up the eyes of my cousins, like talking about Louisiana's State reptile.

Ironically at the onset of their interest (as a kid) I don't think I had ever seen a live alligator myself.

Whether erroneous copying accusations fly or not, at some point its simply more prudent to take advantage of your natural core assets, than it is to run from them.

[Lexhead]

... at some point its simply more prudent to take advantage of your natural core assets, than it is to run from them.

This is the one point you make on this subject I support wholeheartedly. We should absolutely emphasize our core assets. The Catahoula hound is among those, and the gator is too. I just maintain that the gator does not advance our cause as much as some of the other offerings do. When it has been adopted and promoted by others less worthy, its use to us is diffused and diminished. There are 40 groups using gators out there. I see less usefulness for us because of that.

Let us focus on what makes us unique or risk becoming another vague, unidentifiable ULM.

[HoustonCajun]

No, it won't. Neither will have any national relevance period. But to have a gator, and our original Swamp will absolutely look like we're copying Florida. Many doubt we had the original swamp.

LSU and Clemson are both Tigers and their stadiums are both Death Valley. No one argues over who had the name first.

When people visit our campus, the uniqueness of it is the Swamp with gators. It has always been there. It is who we are. The gator has been a part of UL's heritage and tradition. Who cares what Florida has? The fact is, we have a Swamp, a Gator, a stadium named The Swamp, and it is who we are. Let's embrace what is ours rather than contrive something just to be different.

[Lexhead]

LSU and Clemson are both Tigers and their stadiums are both Death Valley. No one argues over who had the name first.

When people visit our campus, the uniqueness of it is the Swamp with gators. It has always been there. It is who we are. The gator has been a part of UL's heritage and tradition. Who cares what Florida has? The fact is, we have a Swamp, a Gator, a stadium named The Swamp, and it is who we are. Let's embrace what is ours rather than contrive something just to be different.

That is sorta the point. We don't need to contrive anything to be different. We already are unique. No one is saying that the swamp has to go. Or that the gators have to go. We all love that stuff, and you are absolutely right that it all makes us who we are. However, we have complete control over what we emphasize. Emphasizing the gator as our icon puts us in the middle of a parking lot full of others doing the same thing. Why would we ever want to do that?

[MelRock]

It is kinda hard to say on one hand that are "The One and Only Ragin' Cajuns" and then have a mascot that another team has for its mascot. Just my 1.5 cents.

[HoustonCajun]

That is sorta the point. We don't need to contrive anything to be different. We already are unique. No one is saying that the swamp has to go. Or that the gators have to go. We all love that stuff, and you are absolutely right that it all makes us who we are. However, we have complete control over what we emphasize. Emphasizing the gator as our icon puts us in the middle of a parking lot full of others doing the same thing. Why would we ever want to do that?

"A parking lot full of others"?

There are only 4 colleges with a Gator mascot and only one playing major college athletics. I say using Gators puts us in pretty unique company with Florida. And it is not like we are copying them. We have our own tradition. Besides, they are the Florida Gators. We are the Louisiana Ragin Cajuns. Gators is a mascot for us and Ragin Cajuns remains our unique moniker/nickname, unlike Florida where Gators is both.

Florida
Pine Manor College
College of Notre Dame of Maryland
Russell Sage College

[CajunNation]

It is kinda hard to say on one hand that are "The One and Only Ragin' Cajuns" and then have a mascot that another team has for its mascot. Just my 1.5 cents.

1000% correct. Only, it's not just a mascot of another school, it is their nickname.

It's funny.

Here we are with what many say is the greatest nickname in college sports, and some of us seem to desperately need to be associated with something else.

I don't understand how they can't see that having the Cypress Swamp resident as our mascot will cause even more confusion with branding.

If you want to change our nickname to the Louisiana Gators, then propose that.

How many times must I repeat this? If your nickname is a group of people (Irish, Mountaineers, Aggies, Volunteers, Cajuns), your mascot must be a physical representation of said people or it needs to be a background figure.

For the Cajuns, a Gator mascot would be the beginning of the end of the Cajun nickname.

[Turbine]

For the Cajuns, a Gator mascot would be the beginning of the end of the Cajun nickname.

If your fear hasn't happened yet ... It ain't happening

UL has had a Bull Gator Mascot forever! (relatively speaking)

The Bull Gator has appeared in more UL publications than any other animal, and one year the cover of the yearbook was pseudo Alligator Hyde.

Do not fear peripheral branding.

Bull Gator is not the end of Cajuns, its the habitat Cajuns chose to survive and thrive in.

[CajunNation]

Do not fear peripheral branding.

I fear ANY branding that takes does not center on LOUISIANA. The day we focus on that like killing an ant with an anvil is the day we win the war on our name.

Bull Gator is not the end of Cajuns, its the habitat Cajuns chose to survive and thrive in.

Actually, if we didn't have to live in the swamp, we didn't, and most of us got out as soon as we could.

[HoustonCajun]

1000% correct. Only, it's not just a mascot of another school, it is their nickname.

It's funny.

Here we are with what many say is the greatest nickname in college sports, and some of us seem to desperately need to be associated with something else.

I don't understand how they can't see that having the Cypress Swamp resident as our mascot will cause even more confusion with branding.

If you want to change our nickname to the Louisiana Gators, then propose that.

How many times must I repeat this? If your nickname is a group of people (Irish, Mountaineers, Aggies, Volunteers, Cajuns), your mascot must be a physical representation of said people or it needs to be a background figure.

For the Cajuns, a Gator mascot would be the beginning of the end of the Cajun nickname.

I can think of other schools that have a mascot different than their moniker/nickname. No identity confusion for them. The Gator is also something in costume that will be great at games for fans and kids. The Gator over the Catahoula because of the Swamp and Gators on campus. Our football stadium is The Swamp. Wouldn't you expect to see a Gator in a swamp rather than a dog? People relate swamps to both Florida and Louisiana. Having the LOUISIANA name justifies that tie-in.

Alabama - Crimson Tide / Elephant
Auburn - Tigers / War Eagle
Tulane - Green Wave / Pelican
Tennessee - Volunteers / Hound Dog
Texas A&M - Aggies / Collie Dog

[Turbine]

I fear ANY branding that takes does not center on LOUISIANA. The day we focus on that like killing an ant with an anvil is the day we win the war on our name.


Actually, if we didn't have to live in the swamp, we didn't, and most of us got out as soon as we could.

In the almost 14 years of RaginPagin.com I can't recall more than a couple of freak instances of being called the Pepper's. Ragin' Cajuns is safe, Alligators' are intriguing and fun to outsiders.

Point 2, I wasn't thinking of Cajuns being Swamp dwellers when I said the settled in Alligator habitat. The Alligators pretty much got pushed back in the swamp, by Cajuns.