Mascot Talk Heating Up!

[CajunFun]

I wouldn't say we imitated the Saints. The FDL is just part of Louisiana culture, hell it's part of our University Seal (created in 1926). Even the Acadiana Flag (created in 1965) predates the Saints organization.

So what is your suggestion in regard to a mascot? There are a ton of bulldogs and tigers in the nation, yet each fanbase holds on dearly to theirs. We just want something, anything (besides a pepper) to hold onto and see on the sidelines. We're not trying to replace our moniker.

I lobbied hard for the Brown Pelican, and ironically T-Joe (he was VP-UA at that time) supported it. But the AD shut it down. That was years before the hoops team in N.O.

Technically it's still available to us, because they use the white pelican. The brown pelican is the state bird, and as a different species, the white and brown are as different as the lion, tiger, cougar, or leopard.

I dunno. But it would have supported our bid to be the leader in the state:
>University of Louisiana
>Ragin' Cajuns
>Brown Pelican.

And the fleurs de lis would have helped reinforce that, as well. BTW, it's quite possible that the 'FDL' that the Saints use, came from UL. I had a friend who grew up in N.O., born in the '30's... she said she never saw the fleur in New Orleans before the Saints arrived.

Well, the Saints played their first game in 1967.

The flag of Acadiana, based on the UL seal, appeared in 1965, and it made news across the state.

Probably no way to ever know, but we certainly were definitely the first in the state to use the concept in athletics. (The N.O. flag was created in 1918... but it, too, has a triple fleurs.)

But then we small-timed it, and rather than reinforce our own traditions, we told the company who designed the logo that we wanted "something like the Saints." I spoke to someone with the marketing company. They came up with several interesting designs that were all rejected... until they finally realized that the official in charge of the project wanted something almost identical to the Saints' logo.

So that's what we got.

[CajunFun]

As you know the Campus Swamp was first a Buffalo Wallow, that attracted birds and Bull Gators, so there is no copying involved in that scenario..

It's not that there's no connection.

It's that it's derivative. And a real University is a place of originality and innovation.

[RedTails]

Why, yea we whiffed on that then. Brown pelican would have been a great choice pre-NBA Pels.

[CajunVic]

Looks like we will do as we have always done when it comes to mascots . . . Let minutia rule and nothing gets done.

Let’s go back to the first post yesterday and just do it.

[HoustonCajun]

It's not that there's no connection.

It's that it's derivative. And a real University is a place of originality and innovation.

Then use The Swamp and Gator as an extension to the main campus. Tulane now uses the Pelican. The Catahoula has no tie to the university. How is the Gator not universally accepted?

[Turbine]

Then use The Swamp and Gator as an extension to the main campus. Tulane now uses the Pelican. The Catahoula has no tie to the university. How is the Gator not universally accepted?

It is universally accepted albiet only organically, not be force.

Ever since the 1950's it has organically worked its way into UL publications over and over.

Yearbooks have had Gator texture for covers.

Gators in media guides galore. Alumni letters and magazines.

[CajunEXPRESS]

So far Florida has stolen our swamp, bought our head coach, our football staff, football support staff, NIL players.

Time to start taking back what we had, swamps and gators go together like red beans and rice.

NFL network acknowledged it the Swamp. Let’s Geaux (SWAMP I).

[CajunVic]

Why can’t it be “The Cajun Swamp”

[old alum]

Why do we have to have a mascot? The team name is a statement. Enough is enough.

[CajunVic]

Why do we have to have a mascot? The team name is a statement. Enough is enough.

Because