When ETSU dropped football, Jeff Birchfield suggested they try to improve their image by changing the nickname of the teams.

The theory is "Buccaneers" really has no connection to the area or the school. It isn't even the original name- at the onset of the school's existence the Bucs were known as the "Teachers," but changed the nickname sometime in the 30s (I think. I could be wrong about the actual date).

Also, with the exception of some basketball success the school's athletic acheivements have been modest.

Such a change would spark interest in the program. Fans could submit names and they could rally around them.

I was less than enthused about Birchfield's suggestion- Thunder. It isn't plural; sounding instead like a fly-by-night pro soccer franchise, but his idea was based on a way to capitalize on the area's NASCAR connections.

Still, I wonder. If you wanted to go NASCAR, you could look at Racers or some such thing.

You could look at the history of the region- Daniel Boone, Davey Crockett- and call the team the Pioneers.

Make ETSU grad Bill Bledsoe happy and rename the teams "Copperheads."

Ridge Runners, Engineers (after the rail system), Colonels (after LeRoy Reeves, who created the state flag at ETSU- then named East Tennessee Normal), or perhaps something to do with country music would also all be appropriate.

What do you think? If you were going to rename ETSU's athletic teams, what would you call them?

Is that ole rumor about our name being the "buckskins" before it was changed to the Bucs true ?

Does anybody know ?

I can't say for sure, but the rumor is that the media coined the term Bucs from the term buckskin.

The college (as it was at that time) was changing the mascot from the "teachers" to a new mascot. Rumor is that Buckskin was in the works and the media ran with the term bucs faster than anyone anticipated and the nickname stuck.

Is that what you have heard?

Something like that. I heard bucs or possibly bucks was short for buckskins.
Then it became buccaneers ?

Perhaps my elderly grandmother can remember( on a good day).

Have to admit it doesn't make alot of sense for our area to be the buccaneers. River pirates at best.

Buckskins or Pioneers would fit with the Boone, Crockett theme.

I grew up with us being the Bucs, so that name is ok. I guess like UTC you could change it some. Mocs are now mockingbirds or whatever. Not moccasins. We could be the Buckskins and Bucs for short.

Bring back football and call us whatever you want. The million bucks.

Quote:Ridge Runners, Engineers (after the rail system), Colonels (after LeRoy Reeves, who created the state flag at ETSU- then named East Tennessee Normal), or perhaps something to do with country music would also all be appropriate.

Those are all horrible nicknames Pitt. Yeah Buccaneers has no connection to the area but atleast its a good nickname. Ridge Runners is garbage.