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  • #1

    Denver Univeristy's Mascot Controversy...

    I had no idea that Denver University had a controversy with its mascot, but apparently it has been an issue since they jumped to D1 15 years ago. Did you know that a Pioneer is racist? Read the story for more details.



    "Denver Boone" was created in 1968 with help from Disney. A student competition to name the mascot resulted in the name "Denver Boone" as a play off of Daniel Boone. Growing up as a kid in the 60's and 70's, I remember watching Disney's TV show staring Fess Parker, and I have no memories of anything racist about the character or the show. My parents always hoped that I'd grow up with values like Fess Parker's character.



    However, former AD Dianne Murphy replaced the Pioneer mascot in place of a red bird named "Ruckus". The bird never caught on and athletes and alumni alike unofficially brought back the Pioneer mascot and image. Officially, the university has not had a mascot since the spring of 2007. However, some alumni ressurected "Denver" and purchased a mascot costume for $4,800 in 2009.

    In March of this year, Chancellor Robert Coombe announced that a new mascot will be selected and the finalist are: elk, jackalope, and mountaineer. The jackalope is mildly creative and could cause some confusion when they start abbreviating their name to Jacks. What I find interesting is that they are considering - Mountaineer. Isn't a mountaineer virtually the same as a pioneer in the aspect of "Denver Boone"? West Virginia is one of nine schools that use the Mountaineer name and their mascot looks like Daniel Boone. They've had a Mountain Honorary Society select a Mountaineer from the student body since 1936. Finalists are decided based on outstanding character and enthusiasm. I'm sure that outstanding character has nothing to do with being racist. The winner actually recieves free tuition for their commitment.



    So why all the fuss? Oh yeah, the student government passed a resolution to remove funding for anything related to the "Denver Boone" image.

    For what its worth, DU still uses the Pioneer name in relationship to their web page and other marketing. http://www.denverpioneers.com/

    I'm trying to figure out why people in Grand Forks and Denver are so intrigued with creating controversies with mascots. (In addition, I don't find anything offensive with the 605 name for a university). Makes me love my Jackrabbit even more!
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  • #2
    Re: Denver Univeristy's Mascot Controversy...

    wow, that is bizare. How is Denver Boone rasict? or is this people going overboard being way to politcally correct.
    "The most rewarding things you do in life, are often the ones that look like they cannot be done.” Arnold Palmer

    Don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things.

    Comment

    • #3
      Re: Denver Univeristy's Mascot Controversy...

      Originally posted by goon View Post
      wow, that is bizare. How is Denver Boone rasict? or is this people going overboard being way to politcally correct.
      It seems that the small group that has read something into a situation that has never existed. Now that there was a small squeak, we cannot ignore that point of view at the expense of the larger numbers in the population or we are somehow being rude. We cannot tell those small numbers that we disagree with their interpretaion and that they should accept our view and try to live normal lives in the light of the majority's decision. Politically correct has become the normal crouching response to anything from those finding fault rascist or otherwise "infringing" interpretations. Although, when we were at the women's regional in Colorado; one can see and hear many liberating viewpoints that would not make the ballot in South Dakota.
      Best to remember these are kids and they are doing everything they can to entertain us, be scholars, and all in all be great humans. Jackedforlife

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      • #4
        Re: Denver Univeristy's Mascot Controversy...

        Originally posted by OldHare View Post
        It seems that the small group that has read something into a situation that has never existed. Now that there was a small squeak, we cannot ignore that point of view at the expense of the larger numbers in the population or we are somehow being rude. We cannot tell those small numbers that we disagree with their interpretaion and that they should accept our view and try to live normal lives in the light of the majority's decision. Politically correct has become the normal crouching response to anything from those finding fault rascist or otherwise "infringing" interpretations. Although, when we were at the women's regional in Colorado; one can see and hear many liberating viewpoints that would not make the ballot in South Dakota.
        All well and good but back to my first question? How is Denver Boone Rascist? Just because a few people claim it to be? from the article it doesnt pass the sniff test IMHO. Also there are some other odd ballot measures that with good reason I would like to think would not be considered here in SD.
        "The most rewarding things you do in life, are often the ones that look like they cannot be done.” Arnold Palmer

        Don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things.

        Comment

        • #5
          Re: Denver Univeristy's Mascot Controversy...

          Its not racist it never was. When Denver went D-I they wanted a new face, and people believed it shunned women and was also looked at as western expansion that killed Native Americans so they retired Boone and they went to the red-tailed hawk instead. In 2006 a movement on campus began and in 2008 it was brought back unofficially.

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          • #6
            Re: Denver Univeristy's Mascot Controversy...

            mascots aren't the same as nicknames.

            With SDSU, the mascot is a Jackrabbit and the nickname is Jackrabbits. Simple, right?

            But often, where the nickname refers to people, the mascot is a fictional person with some sort of backstory. Think of "Hobo Day" and "Weary Wil" as a somewhat analogous circumstance.

            I expect that regardless of mascot, the Pioneers will remain the Pioneers.

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            • #7
              Re: Denver Univeristy's Mascot Controversy...

              I nominate as a replacement a skinny guy in a white bucket hat, red long-sleeve polo shirt, bell-bottom jeans, and white sneakers.

              They can call him Robert. Robert "Bob" Denver.

              SKIPPER!!!!!
              "I think we'll be OK"

              Comment

              • #8
                Re: Denver Univeristy's Mascot Controversy...

                Originally posted by filbert View Post
                I nominate as a replacement a skinny guy in a white bucket hat, red long-sleeve polo shirt, bell-bottom jeans, and white sneakers.

                They can call him Robert. Robert "Bob" Denver.

                SKIPPER!!!!!
                I was expecting a john denver joke about being the new mascot.
                "The most rewarding things you do in life, are often the ones that look like they cannot be done.” Arnold Palmer

                Don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things.

                Comment

                • #9
                  Re: Denver Univeristy's Mascot Controversy...

                  Originally posted by goon View Post
                  I was expecting a john denver joke about being the new mascot.
                  Too obvious.
                  "I think we'll be OK"

                  Comment

                  • #10
                    Re: Denver Univeristy's Mascot Controversy...

                    Western expansion and the affects on Native Americans is the blood on everyone's hands who is not Native American. Even the Norweigans who lost their lives in the 1862 uprising in Minnesota, they paid dearly for taking the free land granted to them through the Homestead Act. Its more about political and historical awareness then political correction.

                    Denver Boone in retrospect might not be a good choice for a mascot, but they could have done worse such as the Huron College Scalpers. Thank goodness the school is out of business and the mascot was retired before closing. Just saying.. no big deal one way or the other.

                    I am amused by the Bob Denver comments. I miss seeing the Dobie Gillis show

                    Comment

                    • #11
                      Re: Denver Univeristy's Mascot Controversy...

                      Originally posted by filbert View Post
                      Too obvious.
                      He would make a good characiture for a logo though.
                      "The most rewarding things you do in life, are often the ones that look like they cannot be done.” Arnold Palmer

                      Don't sweat the petty things, and don't pet the sweaty things.

                      Comment

                      • #12
                        Re: Denver Univeristy's Mascot Controversy...

                        Originally posted by Nidaros View Post
                        Western expansion and the affects on Native Americans is the blood on everyone's hands who is not Native American. Even the Norweigans who lost their lives in the 1862 uprising in Minnesota, they paid dearly for taking the free land granted to them through the Homestead Act. Its more about political and historical awareness then political correction.

                        Denver Boone in retrospect might not be a good choice for a mascot, but they could have done worse such as the Huron College Scalpers. Thank goodness the school is out of business and the mascot was retired before closing. Just saying.. no big deal one way or the other.

                        I am amused by the Bob Denver comments. I miss seeing the Dobie Gillis show
                        I'm always stunned by the medieval, anti-liberal, and nakedly manipulative expression of the concept that there is some kind of guilt that somehow mystically runs in the blood because of the actions undertaken by ancestors of generations past.
                        "I think we'll be OK"

                        Comment

                        • #13
                          Re: Denver Univeristy's Mascot Controversy...

                          Originally posted by filbert View Post
                          I'm always stunned by the medieval, anti-liberal, and nakedly manipulative expression of the concept that there is some kind of guilt that somehow mystically runs in the blood because of the actions undertaken by ancestors of generations past.
                          Harrumph!!!!
                          LET'S TAKE A TRIP TO BIRDLAND! http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=68-6O2mJhMw

                          Comment

                          • #14
                            Re: Denver Univeristy's Mascot Controversy...

                            Originally posted by Nidaros View Post
                            Western expansion and the affects on Native Americans is the blood on everyone's hands who is not Native American. Even the Norweigans who lost their lives in the 1862 uprising in Minnesota, they paid dearly for taking the free land granted to them through the Homestead Act. Its more about political and historical awareness then political correction.

                            Denver Boone in retrospect might not be a good choice for a mascot, but they could have done worse such as the Huron College Scalpers. Thank goodness the school is out of business and the mascot was retired before closing. Just saying.. no big deal one way or the other.

                            I am amused by the Bob Denver comments. I miss seeing the Dobie Gillis show
                            There's blood on the hands of people of every Nationality if you want to dig deep enough for it,ever since Cain slew Abel....just say'n......Not say'n we shouldn't learn from it

                            Comment

                            • #15
                              Re: Denver Univeristy's Mascot Controversy...

                              Originally posted by jackdaniel View Post
                              There's blood on the hands of people of every Nationality if you want to dig deep enough for it,ever since Cain slew Abel....just say'n......Not say'n we shouldn't learn from it
                              The history of European colonization of the Americas, and displacement/subjgation/extermination of the natives is pretty consistently awful.

                              Of course, in this particular instance (unlike countless others in human history), there IS a relatively complete history for us to be horrified about. And the natives weren't saints, either--to their neighbors, or to the invading Europeans. They were, in fact, people, with the same strengths and flaws common to humanity.

                              And so, pondering the innate fallibility of all of humankind, we return to the idea of Gilligan as a replacement mascot for DU.
                              "I think we'll be OK"

                              Comment

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