The Jackrabbit Logo

[thebluehatman]

Re: The Jackrabbit Logo

Unfortunately it appears the potential logos will not revealed to the public and will be kept under wraps until one is chose.

[jackjourno]

Re: The Jackrabbit Logo

Just a heads up on part of what we're running tomorrow - the unveiling of the exploratory designs has been postponed from Oct. 18 to the 25th. Seems that a rep from the design company had back problems or something.

We at The Collegian will try to get the initial looks out for everyone to see - I don't see why they should be such a big secret.

[JackJD]

Re: The Jackrabbit Logo

....It is being used in an inconsistent fashion at times, particularly when the track teams still have the "ancient" Jackrabbit on their uniforms.

I like the current running 'rabbit but I'm interested in seeing what the experts propose.  It was noted in the story I read (I believe in the Collegian) that NDSU changes its logo frequently.  Perhaps that is one direction State may go or maybe we'll settle on one particular rabbit.

Some history on the "ancient" Jackrabbit on Cross Country and Track stuff   [Go to http://gojacks.org/ to see the "ancient" rabbit.] :  

In the early 70s, the yellow T-shirt with the "ancient" rabbit printed below "SDSU" and above "Cross Country" was THE recognized athletic T shirt in these parts.  At that time, SDSU's current running Rabbit was relatively new.  I recall that the SDSU rabbit and the rabbit on Jackrabbit buslines in 1972 was essentially the same and both looked like the first cousin to Bugs Bunny.  I think -- could be wrong on this -- that the artists at what was then called the News Bureau helped develop what we all recognize as the running, smiling Bugs Bunny-style rabbit.  

Back to the ancient rabbit:  When you look at the pictures on the HPER wall just outside Frost Arena, you'll see an example of the shirt on Garry Bentley, one of SDSU's greatest athletes of all time.  That same design was printed and worn for years by some of the greatest all-timers at SDSU including, for example, current coach Rod DeHaven.  It was cool because it was unique and nostalgic.  

The shirt design seemed to disappear in the very late 1980s.

In 2001, an incoming freshman Cross Country/Track recruit took a digital pic of Bentley's picture and the shirt was reincarnated.  It was an instant hit because of the "retro" look.   Now, Coach DeHaven always has a fresh supply and the high school kids at cross country meets snap them up.  It's instantly recognizable and you do not see high school kids wearing any other university's shirt around here...that's constant advertising.  (My wife has one; I have two.)

Keep in mind that shirt has been worn by the athletes who won 29 NCC titles in Cross Country --- there had been a total of 51 or 52 NCC Cross Country meets by the time SDSU moved up to D-1.  (For the USD guys who may be reading this:  Yes, State won more titles than all the other schools combined...the next most successful school, I believe Mankato, had won 9.)

NCC championships for women started much later but the SDSU women had won nearly half of them and if you combine the NCC title with the NCC runnersup, the SDSU women were there more than half of the time.

That shirt is recognized everywhere in the cross country running world.

[jackrabbit1979]

Re: The Jackrabbit Logo

[quote author=NightHawk78 link=1160660665/0#0 date=1160660664]....It is being used in an inconsistent fashion at times, particularly when the track teams still have the "ancient" Jackrabbit on their uniforms.

I like the current running 'rabbit but I'm interested in seeing what the experts propose.  It was noted in the story I read (I believe in the Collegian) that NDSU changes its logo frequently.  Perhaps that is one direction State may go or maybe we'll settle on one particular rabbit.

Some history on the "ancient" Jackrabbit on Cross Country and Track stuff   [Go to http://gojacks.org/ to see the "ancient" rabbit.] :  

In the early 70s, the yellow T-shirt with the "ancient" rabbit printed below "SDSU" and above "Cross Country" was THE recognized athletic T shirt in these parts.  At that time, SDSU's current running Rabbit was relatively new.  I recall that the SDSU rabbit and the rabbit on Jackrabbit buslines in 1972 was essentially the same and both looked like the first cousin to Bugs Bunny.  I think -- could be wrong on this -- that the artists at what was then called the News Bureau helped develop what we all recognize as the running, smiling Bugs Bunny-style rabbit.  

Back to the ancient rabbit:  When you look at the pictures on the HPER wall just outside Frost Arena, you'll see an example of the shirt on Garry Bentley, one of SDSU's greatest athletes of all time.  That same design was printed and worn for years by some of the greatest all-timers at SDSU including, for example, current coach Rod DeHaven.  It was cool because it was unique and nostalgic.  

The shirt design seemed to disappear in the very late 1980s.

In 2001, an incoming freshman Cross Country/Track recruit took a digital pic of Bentley's picture and the shirt was reincarnated.  It was an instant hit because of the "retro" look.   Now, Coach DeHaven always has a fresh supply and the high school kids at cross country meets snap them up.  It's instantly recognizable and you do not see high school kids wearing any other university's shirt around here...that's constant advertising.  (My wife has one; I have two.)

Keep in mind that shirt has been worn by the athletes who won 29 NCC titles in Cross Country --- there had been a total of 51 or 52 NCC Cross Country meets by the time SDSU moved up to D-1.  (For the USD guys who may be reading this:  Yes, State won more titles than all the other schools combined...the next most successful school, I believe Mankato, had won 9.)

NCC championships for women started much later but the SDSU women had won nearly half of them and if you combine the NCC title with the NCC runnersup, the SDSU women were there more than half of the time.

That shirt is recognized everywhere in the cross country running world.
[/quote]

Agree Jack JD, I made one of my students who is also on the XC team, track me down a shirt - I love it and wear it quite often. I think the team is selling them for only $5 so it really is a must for any rabbit fan.

[filbert]

Re: The Jackrabbit Logo

Another article in the Collegian:
Old Bunny Tough to Sell

The Jackrabbit is the face of SDSU and has been around for over 30 years. Yet people don't want to wear it.

"It looks kind of childish," said Kassandra Hernandez, a senior education major.

A logo committee comprised of student, alumni, administration and University Relations, Athletic Department representatives is working to create a new, updated version of the SDSU Jackrabbit. The university's general fund is footing the $6,000 cost of the logo.
. . .

[89rabbit]

Re: The Jackrabbit Logo

http://www.sdsucollegian.com/media/s...ucollegian.com

Logo firm goes on a field trip
New York City-based design firm visits campus Oct. 25. Body parts, real jackrabbits reviewed.

Heather Mangan

SDSU is one step closer to finding a new face to the Jackrabbit. And it took a trip to a field north of campus for representatives of New York City-based design firm to get an accurate view of a jackrabbit.

"I think their version of a jackrabbit is what they could get online," said Alex Halbach, Students' Association president and member of the logo committee. "What SDSU sees as a jackrabbit is different than what other people outside of the state see as a jackrabbit."

On Oct. 25, representatives from the Phoenix Design Works visited campus to present exploratory designs for the new jackrabbit. Overall, the members of the logo redesign committee were pleased.

"I thought they came with a good round of designs," said Jenny Crickard, director of University Relations and member of the committee. "I think the designs were on the right track. The style is more inline with other Division-I schools."

The firm presented 30 different Jackrabbit designs to members of the committee, students, faculty, alumni and the athletic department. . . . (read more)


Go State!

[trueblue]

Re: The Jackrabbit Logo

It was only a few years ago that the U of M changed the gopher mascot/logo to look more "ferocious." It was not received well at all, and they changed back. We should learn from their mistake. Minor (or no) changes to the running rabbit would be my preference. (Do the Miami Dolphins worry about their logo looking ferocious?) I think the rabbit just needs to look strong and athletic. I kind of like the "stretch" or "saggy" SD, but never really thought about people confusing it for San Diego or just South Dakota- maybe I was just a little to naive having spent my entire life living in SD. Everyone hear knows what the yellow and blue SD represent, but that would not be true across the country. Some of the same people who think that the yellow and blue SD means San Diego also think we still are riding in covered wagons. :

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: The Jackrabbit Logo

I think the biggest concern for me is that making a rabbit seem tough would only end up being silly at best.  It's a rabbit.  Monty Python had a classic bit in the Holy Grail regarding the idea of a ferocious rabbit.  The humor in the bit was the fact that this "little, little bunny" was causing havoc.  If we came up with a mean looking rabbit to for whatever reason, we're part of the joke.  That's why I favor merely tweaking the running rabbit if anything.  

I agree. And for "Jacks" not always meaning the Jackrabbits, I may be slow, but the only other thing I can think of is the kids game. Any other college/university in the country call themselves "Jacks" as short for anything? If the change is being done for trademark and marketing purposes because the running rabbit looks to much like Bugs Bunny, then I think the change should be made. Don't like, don't want it, but it is not hard to see how someone could think we had an agreement with Warner Brothers to use Bugs as our logo. WB won't allow that, so I can see the need for a change. Too bad though, we could sell a ton of merchandise if we could use all the Looney Tunes characters for our various rivals.

[NorCalJack]

Re: The Jackrabbit Logo

Any other college/university in the country call themselves "Jacks" as short for anything?

Northern Arizona is the Lumberjacks and they call themselves the "Jacks" also.

Go State!!! 8-) 8-) 8-)

[1stRowFANatic]

Re: The Jackrabbit Logo

Northern Arizona is the Lumberjacks and they call themselves the "Jacks" also.

Thanks for the info. I still think that is not a good reason, as I am sure there are more than two Bulldogs, Tigers, etc. throughout the country.

[EQguy]

Re: The Jackrabbit Logo

Humbolt Stat is also the Lumberjacks that shortens to Jacks.

I could care less how many people are Jacks. I just like Jackrabbits so much better. Who ever said a logo had to look tough? I am pretty confident that the logo never won a game (unless you play the mascot game on NCAA 05). I think the logo just has to look good so people buy the clothes.

[Jacks99]

Re: The Jackrabbit Logo

I agree, SDSU have been more commonly the Jacks before the Rabbits. There are many other duplicate mascot names, but that doesn't seem to hurt the others.

[twism]

Re: The Jackrabbit Logo

I was reading a article on a high school player in California and noticed that his high schools mascot was the Jackrabbits also. The Victor Valley Jackrabbits kind of surprised me.

[jackmd]

Re: The Jackrabbit Logo

I was reading a article on a high school player in California and noticed that his high schools mascot was the Jackrabbits also. The Victor Valley Jackrabbits kind of surprised me.

There are several (if not more) high schools with the Jackrabbit as their athletic team name. If you google it you will find a few.

[JackJD]

Re: The Jackrabbit Logo

I think there's a high school in West-central Minnesota that uses the Jacks name and a very similar 'Bugs Bunny's cousin' mascot. I've seen their T-shirts on kids but do not recall which school (and something sticks in mind that they may be the "Blackjacks" but use the 'rabbit character).