The University of Denver's Alumni Relations Office sent out an email to all DU alumni on Tuesday evening containing an update on "the search for a new mascot that the entire DU community can get behind and embrace."
We applaud the university's desire to bring alumni into the process, despite the fact that the email contains glaring omissions and mistakes.
That being said, this is an opportunity to go on the record. If you are a DU alum and wish to weigh in on this issue, contact Kristine Cecil at alumni@du.edu
Be sure to include your name, class year and contact information.
22 comments:
This is it. Our grassroots battle has come to a head.
Five years of building the Denver Boone "brand." Lots of hard work by so many alums, fans and students.
Can we rally enough support and enough alums that DU will notice and listen to our voices?
I hope so.
I echo what DG just posted. It is time for DU alums to step forward and voice their support for Boone. No more standing on the sidelines ladies and gentlemen. They have opened the door for comments.
This is our time!! Time to let them know that enough is enough.
Pioneer is in our D.N.A. Our mascot MUST have a strong connection to the pioneers who built D.U. Any other mascot would be a joke.
Let's all climb on board to op[pose any mascot that does not have a direct pioneer connection. I for one ,as of now, am terminating any further financial support to D.U. until they get their head out of their ass on this issue.
I stopped financial support of DU years ago when they first designated a jelly donut as mascot. That is the ONLY real influence alumni can have on the current administration. I find it insulting that they solicit token input only AFTER they have unilaterally made up their minds on the matter.
Boone or Bust!!!!
Important to copy Damien/this blog on any e-mails you send to DU. We want these to be public and visible so they University can't say they didn't hear much opposition.
They already twist the facts about the level of polarization, so lets be visible on this. Talk to every alum you know and get them to write in as well.
I like boone, even wear boone clothing at games that I bought from the link on this site. I also can't stand the anti-white guy PC crap, however..
I do fail to see this as the catastrophic event DG and friends make it out to be, it seems there is a SMALL number of people on BOTH sides of the issue that are making lots of noise, most people affiliated with DU (alumni, students, faculty/staff) probably don't care that much. Maybe the current undergrads that are anti-boone are not a majority, but they were elected by the current students.
It does crack me up that people on this blog start ranting about how they will no longer give.
Nearly all DU's donations come from a very small number of very large gifts - DU historically has a lame alumni base when it comes to donations (not to mention attendance at sporting events). I think they have rightfully given up on DG's generation and are looking to the future
OK, continue to rant, since no one around here discusses hockey anymore
It's not catastrophic, but it is important. Alumni are being screwed, blued and tattooed here.
Identity matters. No other issue at DU comes close in generating as many online opinions as this one does.
Chancellors and student groups should not have carte blanche to change a University mascot whenever they want to change it.
The University community should also factor DU alumni and sports fans opinions in a transparent manner and consider ALL options.
They are WAY too afraid that a running a more democratic process on this would kill their chances to kill off Boone, so they will attempt to rig the election by putting out only the candidates they approve. Kinda like the old Soviet elections where only one side runs for office.
8:56 makes several valid points.
This is not that big a deal. Its a just a mascot.
Also agree that most of DU's largest donors in recent years never attended DU.
Totally agree that the reason we are in this mess, is because of a lack of involvement/interest from our alumni.
But we went through all this with the Red-Tailed Hawk. The logo, mascot and the "Pioneer" name didn't match up.
There's also a big problem allowing a Chancellor & his staff to change the mascot on a whim. What happens when someone rolls up to the Chancellor and says "The 'Pioneer' name offends them?"
There is also a problem with Coombe's staffers having very little background in Athletics deciding that an elk/ox/miner/astronaut is "better" than the current situation.
What happens if the new mascot sucks and then everyone finally realizes that this process was rigged? Better to go on the record and protest now.
And by protesting now, we force "Coombe's Team" to work harder to find a compromise or present better alternatives. I think no matter what side of this issue you are on, that is a good outcome.
Finally, DU is making tremendous strides in Athletics, but there are tons of empty seats, even at "prime" hockey games against Wisconsin. What happens if fan interest drops off, because of this issue, budget cuts in athletics, conference affiliation, or we start losing or our great coaches leave?
Will those fans ever return?
(this is form anon 8:56)
You both make good points in response to my post.
I have no direct knowledge of the process but it does appear to be rigged, and even if not, just that appearance is bad for any outcome.
I am not an alumnus, so can't respond to the alumni email. I just am a huge hockey fan that lives in the neighborhood and have had tickets for 15 years. My comments were not meant to be disrespectful to DG and friends (I think it comes off that way). Mine are just comments from a somewhat independent observer (but DU/Boone fan).
In thinking about your response, I guess I agree its best to make a fuss now. If there are many people like me (boone supporter, but don't think is that big a deal), particularly alumni, but even community members , maybe you will get us to chime in. I do think you need a large volume of professional emails (not just angry rants) to either the alumni center or University Advancement (the money raisers)
good luck with the cause (sincerely)
The emails sent to the Alumni office that I've been cc'd on have been very respectful.
Longtime DU hockey fans also deserve a say in this process. Season ticket revenue is very important to DU and helps fund every facet of the hockey program.
So now, let's play a little bit of the comparison game.
Just imagine if Coombe were the President of the University of Southern California, home to "Tommy Trojan..."
First comparison that comes to mind is - a mascot named after a condom? Insulting to all members of the university family who, well, you know...
Tommy Trojan - A guy wearing a skirt, something very offensive to Turkish people, where ancient Troy is located. And he wears sandals, which offer no protection or support and could cause medical issues.
In this time of unnecessary war, he proudly wears a breast plate and helmet designed to evoke the warrior class of ancient Greece, even though Troy wasn't in Greece.
He rides a horse in a manner that may offend several PETA members, but less than a handful.
He brandishes a sword - a deadly weapon - in this era of heightened sensitivity concerning deadly force. He stabs said sword into the home team's logo on the football field at away games. Such institutional arrogance!
He gallops up and down the sidelines after each USC score, waving the sword. More unsightly arrogance.
And finally, imagine what Coombe would say about the immodest, sexist presentation of the world famous "USC Song Girls" as the band plays "Triumph" and Tommy Trojan rides Traveler around the stadium thrusting the sword in time to the music.
Oh, that's right - Coombe hasn't mentioned DU's scantily clad cheerleaders. Never mind...
Timothy Wurtz
DU '73
Los Angeles, CA
Tim,
Coombe is in too deep to back down now. He must deliver a viable mascot or else he's going to look like an idiot.
But look what a corner he's in. The more groups he brings into the fold, the harder the project becomes.
Multicultralists have been promised nothing "Western." And they are going to be in no mood to compromise.
Students want "Cool."
Alumni are going to want "Traditional"
DU fans want "Flashy"
DU coaches want something that screams "Winner."
"Winner" - that's easy.
CHARLIE SHEEN
is DU's new mascot. Controversy over.
Timothy Wurtz
- tons of empty seats, even at "prime" hockey games -
DG only came one weekend this season. The cheerleaders and the band made it a couple of times. The kid in the Boone outfit to a few more than that. Most of the people posting here and on USCHO don’t live in Colorado. So if “we” don’t care, why should Chancellor Coombe?
The band can only come to 11 hockey games per year, as the school also uses them for all home mens and women's hoops games.
There are only 25 or 30 band members so you can't spread them too thin.
I attended both CC series plus the Yale/UNH weekend.
Who would favor 2nd rate basketball over a 1st class hockey team at DU? Sort of like going to the WAC tournament rather than the WCHA playoff games against CC. Boone and company really need to get their priorities straight. I’m seeing why fans as well as the students and administration think Boone is out of touch.
Hoops and Hockey at DU doesn't need to be an either/or proposition. I want every DU team to do well...
Howeverm the first round of the WCHA playoffs always sucks, win or lose. There is a reason why thousands of DU fans (and many other team's fans) don't even bother to show up. It's nothing more than a league fundraiser where our players often get hurt.
The only tourney that counts is in the NCAAs.
The WAC tournament was in Las Vegas, with the MWC and PAC-12 tourneys going on at the same time. Way more fun atmosphere than a WCHA first round. Can't blame the Boone squad for going.
Has anyone gotten a response from the Alumni Association????
I am sure at some point there will be some sort of response. I suspect this was merely a PR gesture and that they weren't really looking for feedback from the alumni.They can say that they did reach out to alumni regarding the mascot situation
I just sent an e-mail along the lines that if the University doesn't support Boone that's fine, just don't have a mascot. It's just a person in a foam costume...which we already have in Boone. I could understand if they were changing the name from something seriously offensive to something PC but seriously, it's a guy in a foam costume. The University should be worrying about other things than how one dedicated fan chooses to dress at various events.
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