Why did Syracuse choose the Orangemen as their mascot? The reason I ask is since half of the Big East is Catholic Universities and so huge portion of the state of New York is of the Catholic faith? A Orangeman is a member of the Orange Order. A men's society centred around protestantism and the union of Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. The Orange Order, also, remembers the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, where William of Orange (hence the name) defeated James II. Hence, the Orange order and its Orangemen, have been critcized with having anti-Catholic beliefs. It does seem to make strange bed-fellows, doesn't it?

I thought it was because the people in syracuse eat more oranges than any other city per capita in the United States.

(12-13-2010 08:28 PM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  Why did Syracuse choose the Orangemen as their mascot? The reason I ask is since half of the Big East is Catholic Universities and so huge portion of the state of New York is of the Catholic faith? A Orangeman is a member of the Orange Order. A men's society centred around protestantism and the union of Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. The Orange Order, also, remembers the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, where William of Orange (hence the name) defeated James II. Hence, the Orange order and its Orangemen, have been critcized with having anti-Catholic beliefs. It does seem to make strange bed-fellows, doesn't it?

I think Orangemen came from the school color of orange, at least that is what a book that I have called "What's In A Nickname" says. They used to use a "Saltine Warrior" mascot so maybe it had to do with an American Indian tribe in New York?

I know their color is orange and they wanted a politicial correct mascot. However, they appear to have missed politicially correct part of it. So much for Syracuse's College of Political Science College of World Histrory. Maybe they thought it would create a rivarly with Notre Dame, you know the Fighting Irish Catholics against the Bloody Protestant Orangemen!

(12-13-2010 08:50 PM)Yosemite Panther Wrote:  

(12-13-2010 08:28 PM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  Why did Syracuse choose the Orangemen as their mascot? The reason I ask is since half of the Big East is Catholic Universities and so huge portion of the state of New York is of the Catholic faith? A Orangeman is a member of the Orange Order. A men's society centred around protestantism and the union of Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. The Orange Order, also, remembers the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, where William of Orange (hence the name) defeated James II. Hence, the Orange order and its Orangemen, have been critcized with having anti-Catholic beliefs. It does seem to make strange bed-fellows, doesn't it?

I think Orangemen came from the school color of orange, at least that is what a book that I have called "What's In A Nickname" says. They used to use a "Saltine Warrior" mascot so maybe it had to do with an American Indian tribe in New York?

You saying Native Americans are orange? Might as well call them chief then!

(12-13-2010 08:53 PM)Wilkie01 Wrote:   You saying Native Americans are orange? Might as well call them chief then!

Oops, I meant nothing against Native Americans and the color of their skin--please forgive me that. My reference didn't mean anything along those lines

I just seem to remember years ago that Syracuse had a warrior as a logo or mascot, etc. Help us out SU guys, please.

In the meantime, read this:
http://archives.syr.edu/history/mascots.html

(12-13-2010 09:01 PM)Yosemite Panther Wrote:  

(12-13-2010 08:53 PM)Wilkie01 Wrote:   You saying Native Americans are orange? Might as well call them chief then!

Oops, I meant nothing against Native Americans and the color of their skin--please forgive me that. My reference didn't mean anything along those lines

I just seem to remember years ago that Syracuse had a warrior as a logo or mascot, etc. Help us out SU guys, please.

In the meantime, read this:
http://archives.syr.edu/history/mascots.html

Your correct, I'm just messing with you.

Syracuse started as a Methodist college...their color has been Orange since around 1889. I've heard both stories. Not sure if anyone can 100% say which one is correct.

Has nothing to do with Protestantism.

(12-13-2010 08:28 PM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  Why did Syracuse choose the Orangemen as their mascot? The reason I ask is since half of the Big East is Catholic Universities and so huge portion of the state of New York is of the Catholic faith? A Orangeman is a member of the Orange Order. A men's society centred around protestantism and the union of Northern Ireland and the rest of the United Kingdom. The Orange Order, also, remembers the Battle of the Boyne in 1690, where William of Orange (hence the name) defeated James II. Hence, the Orange order and its Orangemen, have been critcized with having anti-Catholic beliefs. It does seem to make strange bed-fellows, doesn't it?

When SU started up in 1870, the athletic teams wore pink and green, and it didn't look too good.

In 1889 SU changed it's color to Orange, since no other team had Orange as a color (there was Orange & Black, Orange & White, etc.. but no Orange).

From that, we became known as the OrangeMEN. Just like Bama is the Crimson Tide, and Stanford is the Cardinal.

In the early 20th Century, SU was digging a foundation for what would become the new gym, and they found some old bones. The student newspaper made up the story that SU was built on an ancient indian burial ground, and eventually the students adopted "The Saltine Warrior" as their unofficial mascot.

The mascot was dropped in 1980 as being offensive, and Otto the Orange was born.

The choice of Orangemen has NOTHING to do with the Irish or William of Orange or has any religious significance whatsoever.

It's a color.

Otto the Orange is, imo, the coolest mascot in all of sports. Always cracks me up.

A few years ago they changed their name to the "ORANGE." I believe that was because they didn't want to call their female teams the "Orangemen." I believe I read a while back that Syracuse's original colors were pink & black.

(12-13-2010 09:01 PM)Yosemite Panther Wrote:  In the meantime, read this:
http://archives.syr.edu/history/mascots.html

from your link:

Quote:...Briefly in 1978, a Roman-style gladiator reigned over the sites of sports battles, but he was soon both laughed and booed off the field...

... An Orange "with appeal" was introduced in 1980 (Daily Orange, April 4, 1980). Eric Heath, an SU cheerleader, is credited with designing and crafting the first costume for the rotund and fuzzy Orange...

I was at the first ever Big East tourney in March 1980 as a 12-yr-old, held in Prov, and I remember the Roman dude... Syracuse is a city in Sicily, so I guess the Roman guy was because of that?... and apparently a couple of weeks later the fuzzy orange guy first appeared...

pink and green???? good lord

(12-14-2010 01:13 AM)billyjack Wrote:  I was at the first ever Big East tourney in March 1980 as a 12-yr-old, held in Prov, and I remember the Roman dude... Syracuse is a city in Sicily, so I guess the Roman guy was because of that?... and apparently a couple of weeks later the fuzzy orange guy first appeared...

Yeah, he didn't last very long either. SU was trying for a generic gladiator, but it didn't work.

(12-14-2010 12:12 AM)RUfan03 Wrote:  A few years ago they changed their name to the "ORANGE." I believe that was because they didn't want to call their female teams the "Orangemen." I believe I read a while back that Syracuse's original colors were pink & black.

No. We changed because NIKE told us to change.

Besides, our female teams were called Orangewomen.

Like a Rutgers fan would know. Lady Knights?

Fortunately, a Mountaineer is a Mountaineer - male or female. So no problemo there...

Here's the real orangemen, The Orange EBEN .

http://youtu.be/Wioz4rpkSJU

Completely stupid mascot name. What are the thinking? Of course,now all Indian centric names are banned. Next, it will be names that insult animals.

I can see the day when Politically Correct @ssholes almost ruin everything, before they get pummeled over and over for months...