30 Ridiculous College Mascots and Nicknames

[PantherRob82]

30. Southern Illinois - http://www.rantsports.com/clubhouse/2012/12/14/30-ridiculous-college-mascots-and-nicknames/#slide_2

25. Delaware - http://www.rantsports.com/clubhouse/2012/12/14/30-ridiculous-college-mascots-and-nicknames/#slide_7

17. Campbell - http://www.rantsports.com/clubhouse/2012/12/14/30-ridiculous-college-mascots-and-nicknames/#slide_15

[KPSUL]

Ivy League's Harvard and Dartmouth named simply for a color. I know that Dartmouth dropped the Indian for PC considerations, I'm not sure if Harvard has ever been anything but a shade of Red.

[underdawg]

Ridiculous to whom? We like to think of it as the top UNIQUE mascot---only one named Saluki

[Pinnum]

I don't think any of the names, in and of themselves, are ridiculous. Any designation, especially without any history behind it, can seem arbitrary. I mean, why is a Tiger a real mascot but a banana slug is not? However, some depictions are just crazy to me... I mean, the picture of the University of North Carolina School of the Arts is fine. They are the fighting pickles and the mascot pictured is someone in a pickle suit. Makes perfect sense. However, this depiction is just... well...

http://www.uncsa.edu/pressreleases/Releases2011/Apr11/campus%20life%20fighting%20pickles.jpg

[Pinnum]

My understanding is that, contrary to what the school says publicly, the Camel was chosen for Campbell due to it being dry. It was said that only a Camel could go so long without a drink and thus those that went to the school were Camels.

[BEAR]

Is this a bear or a black jaguar? I mean the teeth are a dead giveaway its's either a black jaguar or vampire bear.

http://www.myfountainonline.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/11/230835_281457915305837_1647452520_n.jpg

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/7/70/Black_jaguar_edin_zoo.jpg/800px-Black_jaguar_edin_zoo.jpg

Even this cartoon looking mascot costume on Ebay looks more like a bear.

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/ODAwWDYwMA==/z/FO4AAOSwNSxU2gWH/$_57.JPG

[McNeese75]

Pretty damn spooky looking Bear

[PAllen]

Mountain Hawks. Uggh.

[BEAR]

Pretty damn spooky looking Bear

And that thing greets kids at games. Well, not many. They all cry. Seriously.

[JMU2K_DukeDawg]

We need links to videos of the screaming children
http://www.anygivensaturday.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=21395&stc=1

[UNDBIZ]

All of those mascots sound good enough to me.....xbawlingxxbangx

[bkrownd]

Ivy League's Harvard and Dartmouth named simply for a color.

Kick'n it Old School! I hate generic animal mascots.

[BearDownMU]

Anybody mention the Oglethorpe University Stormy Petrels yet? lol

http://www.anygivensaturday.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=21396&stc=1

[BEAR]

We need links to videos of the screaming children


Put my camera into the bear's face and snapped a shot of the guy under the mascot costume. I'm working on photos of the kids in terror.

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-EzYs2DT4EqA/To-1RdPQWrI/AAAAAAAAE88/rnEEgeV6Txk/s1600/gakidama10.JPG

[BEAR]

All of those mascots sound good enough to me.....xbawlingxxbangx

You could try DA-Coat-uz

http://cache3.asset-cache.net/gc/79031794-group-of-young-woman-wearing-green-coats-with-gettyimages.jpg?v=1&c=IWSAsset&k=2&d=fOqRSGnZREbdOD5U9z9TH8bsVABwV24UBidu5ZwtDqM3r58q MmpYSz8EtYFmBn9ty7IhUi52KThSQBZej8daHg%3d%3d

[melloware13]

I feel that in terms of animal mascots, my preference is something with a meaning (like Blue Hens), then a unique animal (like Spiders), and last a common one (like Wildcats). One former FCS name that really annoyed me was Pride (Hofstra), especially since we had the Dutch-flag style logo for them in our arena. Now I guess they could use a rainbow flag as an alternate logo.

[citdog]

http://hookingfoul.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/fc550x550white.jpg

[UAalum72]

Ivy League's Harvard and Dartmouth named simply for a color. I know that Dartmouth dropped the Indian for PC considerations, I'm not sure if Harvard has ever been anything but a shade of Red.
Of course Cornell is also named simply for a color. Don't know if anyone other than more-pompous-than-average writers called John Harvard's men "Cantabridgians" (Latin for Cambridge)

[BestDaneSinceHamlet]

I've been screaming and shouting that Albany should be marketing the Great Dane so much more than we do. It got us some press in Deadspin as the best mascot in the NCAA tourney the last few years. I would even be totally ok with our alternate nickname being the Scoobies, since some press outlets call us that anyway. And i'd love to replace our commonplace UA on the helmet with a picture of Damien, our handsome mascot.
http://www.cameraoncampus.org/campuses/sunygreatdanes.jpg

[bonarae]

I feel that in terms of animal mascots, my preference is something with a meaning (like Blue Hens), then a unique animal (like Spiders), and last a common one (like Wildcats). One former FCS name that really annoyed me was Pride (Hofstra), especially since we had the Dutch-flag style logo for them in our arena. Now I guess they could use a rainbow flag as an alternate logo.
Hofstra, before the Pride, were the Flying Dutchmen. Syracuse used to be the Orangemen before shortening it to just Orange.

Speaking of mascots, Loyola Chicago's got the Ramblers, some NESCAC schools have unique mascots (Tufts Jumbos, Trinity CT Bantams) and still other schools have odd combos (MIT's mascot is the Engineers but they have the Beaver as their symbol.)

Sent from my SM-N900K using Tapatalk

[jacksfan29]

Hofstra, before the Pride, were the Flying Dutchmen. Syracuse used to be the Orangemen before shortening it to just Orange.

Speaking of mascots, Loyola Chicago's got the Ramblers, some NESCAC schools have unique mascots (Tufts Jumbos, Trinity CT Bantams) and still other schools have odd combos (MIT's mascot is the Engineers but they have the Beaver as their symbol.)

Sent from my SM-N900K using Tapatalk

How out of touch am I, when the heck did Syracuse change from the Orangemen? And a better question, why?

[Pinnum]

Hofstra, before the Pride, were the Flying Dutchmen. Syracuse used to be the Orangemen before shortening it to just Orange.

Speaking of mascots, Loyola Chicago's got the Ramblers, some NESCAC schools have unique mascots (Tufts Jumbos, Trinity CT Bantams) and still other schools have odd combos (MIT's mascot is the Engineers but they have the Beaver as their symbol.)

Sent from my SM-N900K using Tapatalk

The Beaver is nature's engineer; that's why Cal Tech also uses it.

[DFW HOYA]

How out of touch am I, when the heck did Syracuse change from the Orangemen? And a better question, why?

Either
1. Political correctness, or
2. Nike told them "Orange" sold better than "Orangemen".

[Pinnum]

How out of touch am I, when the heck did Syracuse change from the Orangemen? And a better question, why?

Because it doesn't include women...

[ElCid]

Because it doesn't include women...

How about the Orangepeople.

[Laker]

I feel that in terms of animal mascots, my preference is something with a meaning (like Blue Hens), then a unique animal (like Spiders), and last a common one (like Wildcats). One former FCS name that really annoyed me was Pride (Hofstra), especially since we had the Dutch-flag style logo for them in our arena. Now I guess they could use a rainbow flag as an alternate logo.

What was wrong with the Flying Dutchmen?

http://articles.latimes.com/2001/mar/13/sports/sp-37041

[ZableNoise]

How out of touch am I, when the heck did Syracuse change from the Orangemen? And a better question, why?

If I remember correctly it had something to do with Irish sectarianism.

[PAllen]

How out of touch am I, when the heck did Syracuse change from the Orangemen? And a better question, why?

Orangemen is an old slang term for indians (native americans). Some of the tribes in the north east most notably the Mohegans would spread a mixture of various plant saps and berries on their skin to protect against poison ivy, scratches and insect bites while moving through the eastern woodlands. This lotion/salve left their skin with an orange/red tint. Thus redman or orangeman. Also why such a name can no longer be used in politically correct New York state.

[Bisonoline]

http://www.goslugs.com/landing/index

[Go Green]

Ridiculous to whom? We like to think of it as the top UNIQUE mascot---only one named Saluki

Bring back the Hawaii Rainbows!

[WWII]

Hofstra, before the Pride, were the Flying Dutchmen. Syracuse used to be the Orangemen before shortening it to just Orange.

Speaking of mascots, Loyola Chicago's got the Ramblers, some NESCAC schools have unique mascots (Tufts Jumbos, Trinity CT Bantams) and still other schools have odd combos (MIT's mascot is the Engineers but they have the Beaver as their symbol.)

Sent from my SM-N900K using Tapatalk

Beavers are "Dam" good engineers.

[ngineer]

I feel that in terms of animal mascots, my preference is something with a meaning (like Blue Hens), then a unique animal (like Spiders), and last a common one (like Wildcats). One former FCS name that really annoyed me was Pride (Hofstra), especially since we had the Dutch-flag style logo for them in our arena. Now I guess they could use a rainbow flag as an alternate logo.

Their nickname refers to Lions and Lionesses (for the women). Their logo is quite cool with the outlines of both heads combined.

[ngineer]

Orangemen is an old slang term for indians (native americans). Some of the tribes in the north east most notably the Mohegans would spread a mixture of various plant saps and berries on their skin to protect against poison ivy, scratches and insect bites while moving through the eastern woodlands. This lotion/salve left their skin with an orange/red tint. Thus redman or orangeman. Also why such a name can no longer be used in politically correct New York state.

They could be called the "Boehners"...(;-)

[Hammerhead]

While Cal State Long Beach's official mascot is the '49ers, the baseball team goes by dirtbags. http://espn.go.com/blog/playbook/fandom/post/_/id/19140/how-long-beach-state-became-dirtbags

Then there is Concordia College in Moorhead, MN who are the cobbers. Legend has it that their rivals at nearby MSUM called the students "corn cobs" (country bumpkins) an it kind of stuck.

[ngineer]

I think alot of the mascots and nicknames are cool and unique. Many times related to some cultural or historical basis where the school is located, or just to be 'different'. While there is not such species as a Mountain Hawk, it was created to combine Lehigh's home on South Mountain (which is the first ridge leading to the Pocono Mts) and the hawk, which are quite plentiful. Hawk Mountain Sanctuary, one of the best places to watch the raptor migration every year, is located about 45 minutes to the west. I still prefer the Engineers from when I was there, but I understand today's world of needing something more "marketable" upon which to create a mascot. Lehigh's mascot is named "Clutch" which is a clever as it covers not a group of young hawks, but also is a good sports metaphor.

[BisonFan02]

Rhode Island School of Design......end thread.

http://cdn.na16.netdna-cdn.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/01/nads-hockey.jpg

[ngineer]

Rhode Island School of Design......end thread.

Good one! I'm 'frayed'...

[Laker]

Then there is Concordia College in Moorhead, MN who are the cobbers. Legend has it that their rivals at nearby MSUM called the students "corn cobs" (country bumpkins) an it kind of stuck.

This is from the Concordia site:

http://concordiamn.prestosports.com/athleticTradition/cobbertradition