(above) Boone was devastated to learn that he would not be able to skate on the Magness ice next season due to "safety concerns"From: DU Clarion
by Arianna Ranahosseini
DU Athletics released a statement yesterday retracting a memo that said "spirit representatives nor varsity sports teams are permitted to take pictures and/or support the 'unofficial' mascot at events or beyond."
"I didn't know about that memo," said Peg Bradley-Doppes, vice chancellor of the Division of Athletics and Recreation.
The unofficial mascot, modeled after former DU mascot Denver Boone, made his debut two weeks ago at the men's lacrosse game at INVESCO Field at Mile High.
He was funded by over $5,000 in donations from alumni, students and fans.
Members of the DU Dance Team took a photo with the Pioneer mascot following the game, which prompted the original memo.
The original memo was sent by Angel Field, director of in-event production and promotions.
In her retraction sent to coaches and athletic staff, Bradley-Doppes' stated, "Boone is welcome with open arms to our events as our 'UNOFFICIAL MASCOT,' especially since the mascot is a DU student. Fans, student -athletes, students and spirit team members are allowed to take INFORMAL pictures with Boone. However, formal shots that include coaches, administrators and student-athletes, etc. are not permitted."
Although the Pioneer mascot will not be allowed on the ice at hockey games due to safety concerns he will be allowed throughout the concourse just as any other student or alumni holding a ticket.
"We will embrace them (any mascot) just for demonstrating their spirit and love for the university," Bradley-Doppes said.
"It's a very different thing from the university adopting Boone as one of its official images or trademarks or things of that nature," Chancellor Robert Coombe said. "I think you have to recognize that there are still groups of students, undergraduate, graduate and faculty that are opposed to Boone."
Coombe has yet to see the Pioneer mascot.
This week, the Pioneer mascot might be seen at May Days promotions, all around campus on Tuesday and Thursday and at the men's lacrosse game on Saturday night.
"I didn't know about that memo," said Peg Bradley-Doppes, vice chancellor of the Division of Athletics and Recreation.
The unofficial mascot, modeled after former DU mascot Denver Boone, made his debut two weeks ago at the men's lacrosse game at INVESCO Field at Mile High.
He was funded by over $5,000 in donations from alumni, students and fans.
Members of the DU Dance Team took a photo with the Pioneer mascot following the game, which prompted the original memo.
The original memo was sent by Angel Field, director of in-event production and promotions.
In her retraction sent to coaches and athletic staff, Bradley-Doppes' stated, "Boone is welcome with open arms to our events as our 'UNOFFICIAL MASCOT,' especially since the mascot is a DU student. Fans, student -athletes, students and spirit team members are allowed to take INFORMAL pictures with Boone. However, formal shots that include coaches, administrators and student-athletes, etc. are not permitted."
Although the Pioneer mascot will not be allowed on the ice at hockey games due to safety concerns he will be allowed throughout the concourse just as any other student or alumni holding a ticket.
"We will embrace them (any mascot) just for demonstrating their spirit and love for the university," Bradley-Doppes said.
"It's a very different thing from the university adopting Boone as one of its official images or trademarks or things of that nature," Chancellor Robert Coombe said. "I think you have to recognize that there are still groups of students, undergraduate, graduate and faculty that are opposed to Boone."
Coombe has yet to see the Pioneer mascot.
This week, the Pioneer mascot might be seen at May Days promotions, all around campus on Tuesday and Thursday and at the men's lacrosse game on Saturday night.
14 comments:
This seems like a reasonable policy to me. They are walking a fine line as best they can.
Just having him at the games is an improvement.
I don't mind the mascot not being able to be on the ice. It's a pretty understandable health concern.
But why can't the mascot take pictures with varsity athletes, coaches, or staff in general? What will the University do if they find out an individual from one of these groups takes a picture with the mascot?
Coombes and friends just don't get it.
Our mascot and you, dg, have done more to unify and pep up school spirit than Peg B-D, the chancellor and others who claim to embrace the diversity mantra.
Wait a minute,maybe by having a common enemy....
Just having the mascot in the stadiums, arenas & courts is all we can expect at this point. And its a great start to expose the mascot to the students, alumni, fans & administration.
School spirit is an important component of the American collegiate experience promoting team building skills, a stronger sense of community and makes for better alumni down the road.
I'd like to see DU move towards "school spirit" which is almost the same as diversity, but has a far more beneficial and positive message.
Here are some words/phrases I'd like to see disappear... DIVERSITY,METRIC,SEAMLESS, PC,COOMBES
I think we are getting to a point where those words don't mean squat anymore.
dg, I regularly follow the happenings of Boone on your blog as a Badger fan. I think all of this is pretty cool, and takes quite the will to get this rolling on your part.
I also think the mascot looks pretty sweet, definately much better than ruckus the lame ass hawk.
As an outsider looking in, this is your typical university BS. 99% of the campus could write a letter in support of Boone, but one person would be offended and they will side w/ the one over the majority. As a Pioneers alumus myself (from UW-Platteville), Boone is not remotely offensive.
I hope to see a bunch more lively DU student section the next time I'm at Magness. Boone should help. I was kinda disappointed in October, get the arena staff to cut the music and let the band play!
The Colorado College "White Out" game showed everyone how great a united student section at Magness could look.
We've still got a long way to go to capture the magic of the students in the Kohl Center, but it just takes a few students to lead masses.
Let us not forget that WCHA fans from almost every school wore Boone shirts and sent us photos. The college hockey community really rallied behind the Boone Campaign.
Its a compromise... And its a lot better than where we were 6 weeks ago.
I knew they wouldn't budge. I guess we can only dream about Boone being on ice skates between periods, wielding a CO2 T-shirt Launcher and dancing to the "YMCA" or "The Macarena". And there goes my fantasy of unveiling him on Homecoming weekend, descending down from the rafters on a winch, with spotlights, smoke and pyro and loud music going off. A hearty mascot program can work wonders for merchandise sales revenue as well. SOMEDAY DU will "get it"!
But you're right - at least we got this far.
The endgame isn't to get Boone skating on the ice, the endgame is to get a GIANT 40 square foot Boone embedded in the faceoff circle of Magness.
Then and only then will we know we've done it. :-)
The policy clarification did nothing to clarify the policy in my mind. Just a bunch of academiaspeak.
I'm a DU alumn. I live in Los Angeles. Imagine what Coombes would do if he were president of the U of Southern California where the mascot is a white guy in a helmet, wearing a skirt, brandishing a sword, riding a horse and is named "Tommy Trojan."
What a waste of 5 grand.
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