William and Mary is looking for a mascot

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By Denise Watson Batts
The Virginian-Pilot
© February 28, 2009

WILLIAMSBURG

What’s silver, green and gold all over? The College of William and Mary hopes it will soon be a new mascot.

University officials said Friday that a committee will establish guidelines for selecting a new head cheerleader and will solicit ideas from the public.

“We have the 'Tribe,’ which will continue to unite us,” President Taylor Reveley said in a statement, “but the College has lacked a mascot ever since the feathers bit the dust.”

The school has seen mascots come and go. Native American and pony mascots faded in the 1970s and ’80s when the college became known as the “ Tribe,” spokesman Brian Whitson said.

A green blob in a tri-cornered hat surfaced at the start of the decade, Colonel Ebirt – “Tribe” spelled backward – but the concept didn’t take off.

In 2006, the NCAA ruled that the use of the word “Tribe” was fine but decided that William and Mary’s feathered logo was demeaning to Native Americans and had to go.

The new committee has some proposed rules: The mascot can be an “animal, vegetable or mineral.”

It cannot violate NCAA rules and should not be similar to other mascots in the Colonial Athletic Association.

There’s more information at www.wm.edu/mascot. The committee wants to make a recommendation in the fall.

Denise Watson Batts, (757) 446-2504, denise.batts@pilotonline.com

Got an idea? Suggest it in the comments below.

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That being said, I read the

Submitted by belly11 on Thu, 10/15/2009 at 1:58 am.

That being said, I read the definition of "tribe", NCAA should have. What I see is, sports fans, teams, etc. are by definition "tribes". .but brings to my mind the USA as a whole.Thanks for sharing.
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W&M should make more money for the NCAA

Submitted by am81430 on Sat, 02/28/2009 at 9:49 pm.

then they wouldn't have to worry about it. Florida State doesn't have anything to worry about...

I SUGGEST

Submitted by Emily32 on Sat, 02/28/2009 at 8:40 pm.

a Pierces BBQ sandwich unless that's not PC enough.

W&M Mascot

Submitted by jk1250 on Sat, 02/28/2009 at 7:11 pm.

Instead of one mascot W&M should have multiple mascots. The College should rotate the performers at its annual Sex Show at various W&M athletic events! I can see "Dirty Martini" now, leading the student section in cheers at Tribe football games! Dress the "mascots" minimally in green & gold and the problem is solved!
As a side note "Ebirt" apparently got depressed at performing at W&M basketball games and transferred to George Mason University where he leads the Mason Nation in cheering its winning Pareiots under the name "Gunston" !

Change the name to the "Fighting Whities"

Submitted by moose on Sat, 02/28/2009 at 6:13 pm.

That seems to be the only group of people that don't get offended by anything.

I agree

Submitted by dzit on Sat, 02/28/2009 at 3:18 pm.

JChester has a great idea! I do believe that mascots & such should not be derogatory & be PC. People must have too much time on their hands or are too sensitive. I'm a Native American (NA)decendant & take it seriously. That being said, I read the definition of "tribe", NCAA should have. What I see is, sports fans, teams, etc. are by definition "tribes". On Wm&Mary's site they look like eagle feathers to me, which are NOT NANation(s) specific. Don't believe me ask the Eagle. If it was an owl feather maybe or would it matter? For me an eagle feather does NOT denote NANation(s), but brings to my mind the USA as a whole. People who find this offensive I wonder about. What you should find offensive is the waste of time, energy & loss of purpose on the bigger issues, like hungry children, than a couple of nonspecific feathers.

It's all in the context...

Submitted by JChester on Sat, 02/28/2009 at 2:31 pm.

The way I understand it, what bothers Native Americans most are the generic, derogatory & historically incorrect portrayal of their people.

'Indians', 'Tribe', 'Redskins', 'Chiefs', 'Braves', etc.

The reason Florida State hasn't had any problem seems to be that they chose a specific, local tribe that they actually have a connection to & has tried to portray the Seminole Nation accurately & honorably.

Maybe W&M might try to do the same with the Mattaponi, Monacan or Chickahominy nations. Then everyone could still have & wear their feathers, etc.. They'd just have to wear historically correct feathers, the historically correct way.

Just a thought...

The big picture

Submitted by dzit on Sat, 02/28/2009 at 1:19 pm.

People really need to get a grip. Look at the big picture and you know where this falls in that picture?? As far as I'm concerned make it easy, take all mascots away.

why are you all blaming W&M?!

Submitted by geostrophic on Sat, 02/28/2009 at 1:06 pm.

Why is everyone on here blaming W&M?! They had no real choice in the matter. YOU KNOW that if W&M had kept their Indian mascot from the 80s that it would not be accepted by the NCAA because VA unfortunately has no Federally Recognized Tribes. Why does VA not have any federally recognized tribes? It is because we made amends with them prior to the time in which the Federal Goverment finally felt it necessary. Being that W&M means King William & Queen Mary, how about The Royals?!

PC makes me sick!!!

Submitted by Proud Native on Sat, 02/28/2009 at 12:38 pm.

Sports teams choose their names and mascots based on something they're proud of, and proud to be associated with. Washington, D.C. no more hates Redskins than Dallas hates Cowboys.

Political Correctness makes me sick. The only reason it exists is because of the absence of term limits. I used to be dead-set against term limits, because it prevented me from voting for whomever I wanted to. But now I see that the fear of not being re-elected has hamstrung our politicians, preventing them from standing up for ANYTHING. Instituting term limits is a change to the Constitution that I would fully support.

Lets do it all

Submitted by peejcj8 on Sat, 02/28/2009 at 11:35 am.

Lets rename every state, city, county, river that is derived from indian names. Yes I said indian. And Im half indian myself, so that gives me the right, right? Wake me when the PC is over. NCAA and william and mary should be ashamed. Good on Florida State and the seminole nation, what a great example of how we can learn, examine, and honor the issues of race instead of being devisive.

I heard the University was considering The "Milquetoast"...

Submitted by HM on Sat, 02/28/2009 at 11:20 am.

...as its new mascot. However, university officials nixed that idea because milk comes from cows and most of the professors believe cows contribute to global warming. And toast can be high in carbohydrates, particularly if it's refined wheat flour white bread. University officials clearly thought they had the best interests of all in mind when they rejected The Milquetoast as their new mascot. Those in favor of keeping The Milquetoast argued that it projected a stronger, more assertive image of William and Mary than many thought possible in the so-called politically correct world of higher "education."

How about a caricature of a slot machine?

Submitted by jpjones on Sat, 02/28/2009 at 10:16 am.

No offense meant to W & M specifically, but many Native American tribes have done themselves and their culture a disservice by leveraging their "outrage" into special dispensation to build and operate very lucrative gambling casinos. And now we're told a couple of feathers is considered offensive?

Nonsense

Submitted by unrealgecko on Sat, 02/28/2009 at 10:07 am.

The NCAA has a double standard. They say it's okay for FSU to have their Seminoles because the tribe approves it but for everyone else the Indian logo has to go. NCAA it's either all or nothing. Honestly it's about the money and FSU brings in millions in merchandising. FSU is the casino for the Seminoles Indians.

Geeeesh...

Submitted by C.B. on Sat, 02/28/2009 at 9:51 am.

How about a spiney green okra then. I am sure that okras across the country will be proud to be recognized for something else besides a tasty addition to jambalaya. (ps. this was supposed to sound as stupid as this PC controversy over a WM mascot)

HONOR NATIVE AMERICANS

Submitted by billj10746 on Sat, 02/28/2009 at 9:28 am.

I think that continuing to honor our Native Americans is the way to go. We have almost forgotten about the folks that were already here when Europeans "discovered" the Americas. More needs to be done to honor these people not less and William and Mary should step up to the plate on this one.