It is well known that in the vegetable kingdom, none is more respected than the fearsome asparagus. That’s why some William & Mary students were wise to nominate it recently as the school’s new athletic mascot.
William & Mary for decades was known as the Indians, but the school changed its nickname to Tribe in the 1980s, and now wants to revamp its mascot. Administration officials said Monday that more than 400 nominations have been submitted, and more than one person has voted for the asparagus. Asparagi?
From YAHOO SPORTS:
The NCAA ruled in 2006 that the college could keep the Tribe nickname but its feathered logo was demeaning to Native Americans and had to go. The school’s athletic teams will still be called the Tribe, but the college wants a mascot that may — or may not — match the nickname.
The asparagus stalk supporter notes that if served with cheese, the vegetable represents the school colors.
Why shouldn’t the institution that gave us Thomas Jefferson, James Monroe and Pittsburgh Steelers head coach Mike Tomlin have an asparagus as its mascot? It certainly can’t be any worse than the previous attempt.
I’m sure that a certain DAILY SHOW host heartily approves:
3:14 pm on June 22nd, 2009
Check out the Scottsdale (Ariz.) Community College Fighting Artichokes, there's precedent
http://plone.scottsdalecc.edu/athletics
10:32 pm on June 22nd, 2009
Great article - NOT.
You could have discussed how W&M and other universities lost their mascots while the NCAA green-lighted big schools, like Florida State.
The NCAA's process for evaluating mascots and nicknames has been arbitrary and slow.
W&M's effort to keep the Tribe name and the athletics logo had plenty of support from local Indian tribes and councils.
Yet the NCAA rejected the athletic logo - which was 2 letters and some feathers - while telling the College they could keep the Tribe nickname.
So W&M decided to dump the Tribe name, too.
Yes, this is political correctness gone awry.
BTW, I went to W&M while Jon Stewart Liebowitz was there. He was and is funnier than you are.
6:33 pm on July 8th, 2009
Correction to billso - William & Mary KEPT the “Tribe” nickname. That has never changed, nor been threatened by the NCAA.