Bearkats ready to take the field!

[blackfordpu]

Bearkats excited about the season opener
Saturday with Arkansas-Monticello

From The Huntsville Item
By Cody Stark, Assistant Sports Editor

After an open date on the first weekend of NCAA college football action, Head Coach Todd Whitten, his staff, and his players are excited about the prospects for the 2006 season as they prepare for the season opener Saturday, Sept. 9, against Arkansas-Monticello at Bowers Stadium

Coming off a national semifinal appearance in 2004, the Kats limped to a 3-7 record last season and finished fifth in the Southland Conference at 2-4. Not exactly the start Whitten and his staff was hoping for when they left Tarleton State for Huntsville.

But the Bearkats began to get things together with a solid spring, building a camaraderie among the players and coaches. There is a new attitude and a feeling of optimism on the hill this fall.

And the Kats have nowhere to go but up in 2006.

http://www.gobearkats.com/football/monticello.html

[Sam Adams]

why do they spell bearkats with a "k"? What does the english department think of spelling bearcats with a K?

[blackfordpu]

why do they spell bearkats with a "k"? What does the english department think of spelling bearcats with a K?

Nice original question. :rolleyes: :)

[TexasTerror]

why do they spell bearkats with a "k"? What does the english department think of spelling bearcats with a K?

Here's your chance to learn a thing or two...


Sam Houston State University's athletic teams have been nicknamed "The Bearkats" since 1923 when the University's name was changed by the Texas State Legislature from Sam Houston Normal Institute to Sam Houston State Teachers College. (Prior to 1923, the varsity sports teams were nicknamed "The Normals").

It is doubtful those who coined the "Bearkat" nickname had a particular animal in mind. More likely, the name came from a popular local saying of the time, "tough as a Bearkat!" The late Reed Lindsey, who was a student/athlete in the 1920s and later retired as University registrar, once said that "it was a good fighting name of the time." Since the animal in the saying was thought more mythical than real, the spelling settled upon was "Bearkat."

In the late 1940s, then SHSU president Harmon Lowman attempted to change the SHSU mascot from Bearkats to "Ravens" (after General Sam Houston's Cherokee nickname). Mrs. Vernon Schuder reported that the alumni were polled, she voted for the raven but that "all those old Bearkats beat us out!"

A Sammy Bearkat mascot character, with the later addition of a Samantha, began appearing at SHSU sports events in 1959.

For more Bearkat facts, click over to http://www.shsu.edu/~pin_www/T@S/2004/BearkatFacts1004.html from our public relations department...

[Sam Adams]

So its been misspelled for the past 83 yrs. Thanks for the info.

[TexasTerror]

So its been misspelled for the past 83 yrs. Thanks for the info.

Guess they don't promote reading in Mass...which doesn't make sense since my mom is from that state and is in library administration...

Anyhow, if you read the little tidbit I posted, "Since the animal in the saying was thought more mythical than real, the spelling settled upon was "Bearkat.""

Okay, the animal...the 'Bearkat' does not even exist, so who is it to say the name has been spelled wrong? It's not a bearcat...it's a mythical creature, a Bearkat...

[Sam Adams]

The problem with the SHSU official version is that a Bearcat is not a mythical animal nor was the name invented by locals.

Since about 1889 Bearcat has been a synonym for the Giant Panda - a literal translation of Panda xiong-mao is "Bearcat". Also since 1895 there has been a malaysian species of large cat identified by naturalists as binturong or colloquially "bearcat". So the notion that it was just made up is false. It already existed, only spelled correctly. (e.g. Cincinnati Bearcats who've had the mascot since about 1919).

Good Luck this season Kats!

[blackfordpu]

The problem with the SHSU official version is that a Bearcat is not a mythical animal nor was the name invented by locals.

Since about 1889 Bearcat has been a synonym for the Giant Panda - a literal translation of Panda xiong-mao is "Bearcat". Also since 1895 there has been a malaysian species of large cat identified by naturalists as binturong or colloquially "bearcat". So the notion that it was just made up is false. It already existed, only spelled correctly. (e.g. Cincinnati Bearcats who've had the mascot since about 1919).

Good Luck this season Kats!

We never claimed to be the Bearcats. We are the BearKats!:)

[McNeese72]

Here's your chance to learn a thing or two...



For more Bearkat facts, click over to http://www.shsu.edu/~pin_www/T@S/2004/BearkatFacts1004.html from our public relations department...

What was with the goat on the sideline the last time we played there??

Or is that a bearkat?? :) :)

http://www.geauxcowboys-eastside.com/images/sam04gbearkat.jpg

Doc

[TexasTerror]

What was with the goat on the sideline the last time we played there??

Or is that a bearkat?? :) :)

http://www.geauxcowboys-eastside.com/images/sam04gbearkat.jpg


It's an unofficial mascot...Kooter the Goat named after long-time PA announcer and/or radio announcer (which he currently does) Kooter Roberson.

The Ag Council is one of the more spirited groups at Sam and they help out the athletic department with several duties (or atleast did when I was there) and in exchange, they were granted X amount of Couch Potatoes tickets to hang out in the end zone. To add to this, they had a goat naming contest (circa 2002) and it was wildly successful. And they've brought a goat ever since...

The goat typically goes to soccer games as well...

[igo4uni]

Gotta like a goat!! :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod:

[TexasTerror]

Gotta like a goat!! :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod: :nod:

Goats are a popular mascot, just ask Chivas!

http://edy.i-net.com.mx/uploaded_images/chivas-729423.jpg