Mascot removal -was there collusion?

crusader05 · December 17, 2018, 01:18:45 PM

So I just listened to the podcast and he did say it was in bad shape and that it was not worth the cost of money to replace it and that they'd rather put the money elsewhere. Also he stated that Athletics was not moving away from being the crusaders in that it is still on uniforms and that we are the crusaders but that the brand Valpo is what is known and so that is what they are highlighting.

This seems to be a super emotional argument for some people and anyone is free to believe that Mark et al are lying but I don't know that the podcast really led me to feel that this is much more than a refocus on branding which happens all the time. I also think that perhaps splitting the difference between maintaining the mascot name and also refocusing some more of our imagery on our shield of character which is a part of the Crusader logo and costume is not necessarily a bad compromise if the University feels the Crusader name can bring up negative connotations with some people.

vu72 · December 17, 2018, 02:55:15 PM

Quote from: crusader05 on December 17, 2018, 01:18:45 PM
So I just listened to the podcast and he did say it was in bad shape and that it was not worth the cost of money to replace it and that they'd rather put the money elsewhere. Also he stated that Athletics was not moving away from being the crusaders in that it is still on uniforms and that we are the crusaders but that the brand Valpo is what is known and so that is what they are highlighting.

This seems to be a super emotional argument for some people and anyone is free to believe that Mark et al are lying but I don't know that the podcast really led me to feel that this is much more than a refocus on branding which happens all the time. I also think that perhaps splitting the difference between maintaining the mascot name and also refocusing some more of our imagery on our shield of character which is a part of the Crusader logo and costume is not necessarily a bad compromise if the University feels the Crusader name can bring up negative connotations with some people.

B
His point relative to mascot name recognition is a valid one. He pointed to Gonzaga (their mascot?) how about other mids. St Joseph?, St. Bonaventure? George Mason? Davidson? Or maybe UMass, or even Villanova? How about Seton Hall? People across the country will be much more likely to think Valpo rather than Crusaders.

talksalot · December 17, 2018, 02:58:39 PM

Quote from: valpo64 on December 17, 2018, 01:00:58 PMraining of cheese slices from the students and some patrons

at least the cheese slices were WRAPPED!

crusader05 · December 17, 2018, 03:40:01 PM

It's funny that before I listened to the podcast I was thinking about how there are certain school where I feel like their mascot is intrinsic to who they are vs other schools and Gonzaga and Villanova were the first that popped into my head so maybe that's why it rang true to me as well.

Also it may be harder for me, who is immersed in campus life pretty deeply to feel like there is any real threat to the crusader and by extension the Religious component to the campus. I am sitting here having spent recent money at the book store to buy multiple items of clothing that have the crusader on it or say crusaders I have heard brand new students be taught our school song and have often seen internal marketing include references to the crusader. But I do feel like the idea that we are "Valpo" stands outside of the idea that we the Valpo Crusaders. I see it even with alums of my generation who say "go valpo" and not "go crusaders".

Now maybe i'm wrong and the Crusader will soon go the way of the dodo but if so it will happen many many years in the future and at the behest of Alumni, not professors.

valpopal · December 17, 2018, 03:49:50 PM

When I see excuses, explanations, justifications, and acceptances or just plain downplaying by anyone at Valpo about the steady and deliberate removal of the Crusader image, and now at an increasing rate, until it will eventually (and not too far off) be eliminated from all elements of campus, I'm reminded of the Monty Python Black Knight sketch (Google it!) where until it's too late the legless and armless figure left behind and bleeding on a road responds to every amputation of all four of his limbs with a simple comment of denial: "Tis but just a scratch!"

crusadermoe · December 17, 2018, 05:21:19 PM

If the big mascot was wanted they would find the money. Vinyl is not the most expensive of materials. Back to collusion across faculty/admin/AD.

hailcrusaders · December 17, 2018, 07:19:09 PM

The Crusader mascot is in attendance at the Ball State game this evening

rogerwilco · December 18, 2018, 05:13:33 AM

I was going to buy an Lamborghini Diablo, but I didn't want to offend the VU PC Police per Satan.
I almost got a Smart Car, but I thought that might be offensive against non-gifted folks.
So, I thought picking a car model with numbers would be safe, but a Porsche 911 was too Bin Laden-y.
After exhausting my options, I got a bike instead. I'm miserable, but at least nobody's offended.

humbleopinion · December 18, 2018, 09:08:10 AM

Quote from: valpo64 on December 17, 2018, 01:00:58 PMRemember when we played Cleveland St. many years ago when they were very good, beating Indiana in the NCAA. One of their best players, "Mouse" McFadden, when introduced over the PA, was greeted with a raining of cheese slices from the students and some patrons, covering the floor with a big mess that took quite awhile to clean up, delaying the start of the game. Talk about a fun atmosphere!

And I remember the technical foul when the cheese kept flying after the game started.

vu72 · December 18, 2018, 10:15:26 AM

Quote from: hailcrusaders on December 17, 2018, 07:19:09 PM
The Crusader mascot is in attendance at the Ball State game this evening

As I was watching I did notice that the word "Crusaders" is kinda hard to miss as it is in very big letters at both ends of the court. Also, the current ad narrated by Coach Lottich, "We are Crusaders", would indicate that there is no real effort to distance the University from the nickname.

valpopal · December 18, 2018, 10:47:24 AM

Quote from: vu72 on December 18, 2018, 10:15:26 AM
Quote from: hailcrusaders on December 17, 2018, 07:19:09 PM
The Crusader mascot is in attendance at the Ball State game this evening

As I was watching I did notice that the word "Crusaders" is kinda hard to miss as it is in very big letters at both ends of the court. Also, the current ad narrated by Coach Lottich, "We are Crusaders", would indicate that there is no real effort to distance the University from the nickname.

The university will keep the nickname if possible, but significantly diminish its use, and they will fade out the Crusader image when they can afford to re-design the basketball floor. (Ironically, the Crusader's best ally for survival right now is the university's lack of funding to make the change to the court without it seeming so obvious that other needed changes to the ARC aren't also made.) As was done at Holy Cross, the image will become only the VU Shield, and the Crusader eventually will be retired as an image just as the big Crusader was removed. As I noted previously, Valpo is closely following the Holy Cross process of "re-branding." Holy Cross just eliminated all images of its Crusader, even on the center floor of its basketball court, because it was not an inclusive image, but thus far kept the nickname "Crusader" against the wishes of faculty and re-defined it to be politically correct, as news reports note: "The small Catholic college reaffirmed that students, athletes, and alumni will continue to be known as Crusaders who fight for social justice."

https://www.telegram.com/news/20180315/holy-cross-to-dump-knight-mascot-keep-crusaders-name