(08-04-2017 09:18 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(08-03-2017 04:40 PM)OsageJ Wrote:  Like others here I was at the last meeting when it was decided to go with Redwolves. Chairman of the committee wanted to have another meeting but some old warriors had had enough. I think one them wondered how we could send our coaches out to recruit to a train. When it was decided we all got really loud. A very popular decision.

It was my impression that the top-level committee wasn't really big on Red Wolves but sort of got backed into it by the fans. Remember one of them arguing that Red Wolves would seem strange if we were still using Black as our primary jersey. I was sitting behind Jerry Anderson and he mutters fairly loudly, "Guess he's never seen the Texas Tech Red Raiders".

Think it was the lady from the Chamber who seemed to want to do anything other than Red Wolves.

Committee finally sent Red Wolves and Wolves to the Chancellor and board.

The board had a special teleconference meeting to pick and when they called roll one of board members howled rather than saying present. Knew we were on the right track then.

Was that the lady whose Dad or Grandfather worked for the railroad. She really pushed for Locomotives. Guess we would have been called Locos for short. If that name had been chosen it would have fit. I kind of liked Ridge Runners too.

(08-04-2017 09:42 PM)OsageJ Wrote:  

(08-04-2017 09:18 AM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(08-03-2017 04:40 PM)OsageJ Wrote:  Like others here I was at the last meeting when it was decided to go with Redwolves. Chairman of the committee wanted to have another meeting but some old warriors had had enough. I think one them wondered how we could send our coaches out to recruit to a train. When it was decided we all got really loud. A very popular decision.

It was my impression that the top-level committee wasn't really big on Red Wolves but sort of got backed into it by the fans. Remember one of them arguing that Red Wolves would seem strange if we were still using Black as our primary jersey. I was sitting behind Jerry Anderson and he mutters fairly loudly, "Guess he's never seen the Texas Tech Red Raiders".

Think it was the lady from the Chamber who seemed to want to do anything other than Red Wolves.

Committee finally sent Red Wolves and Wolves to the Chancellor and board.

The board had a special teleconference meeting to pick and when they called roll one of board members howled rather than saying present. Knew we were on the right track then.

Was that the lady whose Dad or Grandfather worked for the railroad. She really pushed for Locomotives. Guess we would have been called Locos for short. If that name had been chosen it would have fit. I kind of liked Ridge Runners too.

you guys are lucky. when the mascot controversy happened at uta, there were plenty of goofy names offered up. even tho only about 10% of the student body wanted to change from rebels to something else, we came close to becoming the aardvarks. nearly all the athletes were ok with keeping the rebel theme but mavericks was one of the more tolerable choices. then we went thru all kinds of iterations of what a maverick was going to look like. I personally prefer the yosemite sam type of character that we had for a while to the boise state graphics we have now but I dont get to pick so it is what it is. as for colors uta used to be red blue and gray but after becoming part of the ut system they force you to have orange as one of your colors..hence the blue and orange we have now.

The main ones I remember being floated were Red Wolves, Ridge Runners, Gorillas, and Engines. I remember Engines being quite popular with those who were bucking the PC change because it had that homonym take on "Injun" going for it. I thought it was pretty brilliant for y'all because a little southern slang basically kept the name the same. All that being said, you made the right choice.

Our finalist names could have been worse. Take the minor league team the Gwinnett Braves. Two finalists are the Buttons or Sweet teas. Can't remember the third one. What in the world are y'all drinking down Atlanta way? I am glad they are changing...I hate when a team just uses the parent teams name....but really!

(08-05-2017 08:14 AM)ChooChoo Wrote:  The main ones I remember being floated were Red Wolves, Ridge Runners, Gorillas, and Engines. I remember Engines being quite popular with those who were bucking the PC change because it had that homonym take on "Injun" going for it. I thought it was pretty brilliant for y'all because a little southern slang basically kept the name the same. All that being said, you made the right choice.

Gorilla's appeared a few times during the search if I remember correctly. We were actually nicknamed the Gorilla's for a few years back in the 1920's. and a few wanted to go for history.
In the end, we needed something new and different. As one of the few Red Wolves mascots around, we've got something unique and recognizable now.

(08-04-2017 08:01 PM)Pounce FTW Wrote:  1. This is a cool thread.

2. In fairness to our conference mates, I'll note that Warhawks is also a good nickname. The plane connection gives it a nice regional flavor.

I remember some of the ULM fans were arguing hard for Warhawks and were less than happy when the bird logo appeared.

I think ULM might have won the renaming battle had an airplane logo emerged, just too easy to think of special helmet designs based on the Flying Tigers nose art and WWII pilot helmets.

(08-04-2017 02:06 PM)chiefsfan Wrote:  

(08-04-2017 01:49 PM)ark30inf Wrote:  

(08-04-2017 06:37 AM)RamblinRedWolf Wrote:  If only we kept the entire list of the suggestions (especially the ridiculous ones) that made it past the online suggestion phase

That list was cathartic. They let everybody put nearly anything they wanted.

Flying Elvi, Engines, Mudpuppies, Amorphous Blobs, whatever.

It was good for everyone's mental health while we waited for the deciders to really decide.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G870A using Tapatalk

We couldn't be the Arkansas State Amorphus Blobs, that's already taken by this dude.

That's fantastic! That sums up how I feel right now!

(08-05-2017 11:14 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(08-04-2017 08:01 PM)Pounce FTW Wrote:  1. This is a cool thread.

2. In fairness to our conference mates, I'll note that Warhawks is also a good nickname. The plane connection gives it a nice regional flavor.

I remember some of the ULM fans were arguing hard for Warhawks and were less than happy when the bird logo appeared.

I think ULM might have won the renaming battle had an airplane logo emerged, just too easy to think of special helmet designs based on the Flying Tigers nose art and WWII pilot helmets.

That would have been neat. Does Monroe or North LA have a strong aviation history? I honestly don't know. Why did UTA have to change from the Rebels back in the day? Lots of Rebel nicknames still in use including the Running Rebels of UNLV.

You'll also find quite of bit of schools are also dropping the rebels name

(08-06-2017 11:53 AM)Shox Wrote:  

(08-05-2017 11:14 PM)arkstfan Wrote:  

(08-04-2017 08:01 PM)Pounce FTW Wrote:  1. This is a cool thread.

2. In fairness to our conference mates, I'll note that Warhawks is also a good nickname. The plane connection gives it a nice regional flavor.

I remember some of the ULM fans were arguing hard for Warhawks and were less than happy when the bird logo appeared.

I think ULM might have won the renaming battle had an airplane logo emerged, just too easy to think of special helmet designs based on the Flying Tigers nose art and WWII pilot helmets.

That would have been neat. Does Monroe or North LA have a strong aviation history? I honestly don't know. Why did UTA have to change from the Rebels back in the day? Lots of Rebel nicknames still in use including the Running Rebels of UNLV.

With UTA, it became a clear racial thing. There was a strong Confederate theme. Mascot was Johnny Reb, a confederate soldier. Flag was the Stars and Bars. Fight song was Dixie. UTA was one of the first integrated campuses in Texas. Some tensions started to fly when some African American groups started protesting outside every sporting event. UTA's admin made a decision to try to get ahead of the curve and try to change the name from within. That failed. Mavericks were actually among the mix and was a high runner-up, but students supported Rebels. Then it became mandated. I don't remember whether it was from the UT System or the legislature off the top of my head, but it came from somewhere higher up. On a vote by the students, Mavericks won and it became the name.

It is actually funny to look at publications from the 1970's. There's a section devoted to "What is a Maverick?" We had a Cowboy, Horned horse and something else within the first decade of the mascot change.

As an aside, the name change is one of myriad reasons UTA took one of the strongest, most attended SLC football programs and made it one of the worst. Attendance was halfed from one season to another, literally. UTA is the about the worst example of any case study I have seen on how to move your program up to the next level. Ultimately, they failed so bad it cost the program itself.

Quote:That would have been neat. Does Monroe or North LA have a strong aviation history? I honestly don't know. Why did UTA have to change from the Rebels back in the day? Lots of Rebel nicknames still in use including the Running Rebels of UNLV.

"During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces Flying Training Command used the airport as a cadet training center beginning in August 1942.

The airfield was named Selman Army Airfield, named after a Navy Pilot, Lieutenant Augustus J. Selman, USN, a native of Monroe, Louisiana, who died in the line of duty at Norfolk, Virginia, on November 28, 1921, of injuries received in an airplane crash."

From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monroe_Reg...29#History

General Claire Lee Chennault was a Monroe resident after his retirement.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claire_Lee...ult#Family

The Curtiss P40 Warhawk was the airplane used by Chennault in the Flying Tigers in the China wars mid-century.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-...r_Group.29
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c...al_P40.jpg

(08-06-2017 09:08 PM)ChiefAgentQ Wrote:  

Quote:That would have been neat. Does Monroe or North LA have a strong aviation history? I honestly don't know. Why did UTA have to change from the Rebels back in the day? Lots of Rebel nicknames still in use including the Running Rebels of UNLV.

"During World War II, the United States Army Air Forces Flying Training Command used the airport as a cadet training center beginning in August 1942.

The airfield was named Selman Army Airfield, named after a Navy Pilot, Lieutenant Augustus J. Selman, USN, a native of Monroe, Louisiana, who died in the line of duty at Norfolk, Virginia, on November 28, 1921, of injuries received in an airplane crash."

From: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Monroe_Reg...29#History

General Claire Lee Chennault was a Monroe resident after his retirement.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Claire_Lee...ult#Family

The Curtiss P40 Warhawk was the airplane used by Chennault in the Flying Tigers in the China wars mid-century.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curtiss_P-...r_Group.29
https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/c...al_P40.jpg

uta was forced to change the mascot because a small but vocal group at the school started a movement to get rid of it. as I recall the first few statements about it were to the effect that since many of the athletes were black it was not right to ask them to play for such a symbol and that the rebel and confederate stuff was all passe anyways. at that time there was no deafening outcry from alumni and supporters against such a move like there would be at ole miss for example. almost every athlete was for keeping it, even all but a couple of the black ones but the movement had the support of the administration of the time. not a very large number of students back then hung out on campus after class as the average student was a little older and more focused on getting that degree so the change group had the momentum. I was a student there at the time and remember only a small group of folks campaining around campus for the change, but they got their way. BTW the dallas mavericks came along many years later and I guess they had not even heard of uta using the name. that's how insignificant the school was to metroplex sports back then.

I was living 500 miles away at the time and was pissed off we were changing names. I wanted to fight it, but knew it was a losing battle. My favorites were Ridge Runners or Thunderbirds and was luke warm on Red Wolves. Red Wolves was absolutely the right decision. My favorite oddball choice was Hellbenders after the Ozark Hellbender Salamander.

Our salamanders will kick your salamander's ass:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/San_Marcos_salamander
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Texas_blind_salamander

Salamander trash talk. We need football to start NOW!

I love our hellbenders around Boone.

(08-07-2017 07:38 AM)GoBigRed26 Wrote:  I was living 500 miles away at the time and was pissed off we were changing names. I wanted to fight it, but knew it was a losing battle. My favorites were Ridge Runners or Thunderbirds and was luke warm on Red Wolves. Red Wolves was absolutely the right decision. My favorite oddball choice was Hellbenders after the Ozark Hellbender Salamander.

Man I forgot all about the "Hellbenders idea"

Least we also forget the small yet loud contingent that insisted we go with the "Ivory Bill Woodpeckers (AKA Peckers)" because at that time there was the "supposed video sighting" of one in like south Arkansas.

(08-07-2017 11:17 AM)RamblinRedWolf Wrote:  

(08-07-2017 07:38 AM)GoBigRed26 Wrote:  I was living 500 miles away at the time and was pissed off we were changing names. I wanted to fight it, but knew it was a losing battle. My favorites were Ridge Runners or Thunderbirds and was luke warm on Red Wolves. Red Wolves was absolutely the right decision. My favorite oddball choice was Hellbenders after the Ozark Hellbender Salamander.

Man I forgot all about the "Hellbenders idea"

Least we also forget the small yet loud contingent that insisted we go with the "Ivory Bill Woodpeckers (AKA Peckers)" because at that time there was the "supposed video sighting" of one in like south Arkansas.

Yeah, Peckers and Express had a pretty vocal contingent.

It's funny how ULM, ND, and SEMO all went with some form of Hawks.

(08-07-2017 01:29 PM)GoBigRed26 Wrote:  It's funny how ULM, ND, and SEMO all went with some form of Hawks.

PC culture at its finest, Hawks is the safest pick of any name change.