Auburn Tigers, War Eagles, Plainsmen

['82 Tiger 2]

link to an article from the columbus ledger on Mrs. Borges. towards the end they mention cutting back on various images on uniforms for our sports teams.

will she go for the nicknames next ???

http://www.ledger-enquirer.com/mld/ledgere...ty/14790703.htm

[Gorilla 0]

Here's my two cents on why people give you a hard time about the mascot thing. (Please note: this is not a flame of any kind, just an external observation.)

People rib Auburn for "mascot confusion" because both Tigers and War Eagles are very identifiable as a mascot. They are both animals, which, rather obivously, are the most common choice for a mascot. In most (not all, but most) of the other dual mascot situations that have been mentioned, one of them is difficult to personify or put into traditional macot form. Take Alabama - officially they are the Crimson Tide, but how the hell do you dress that up in a suit and have it walk around on the sidelines? You can't, so they adopted the elephant as a substitute. Same thing with Miami - a hurricane is hard to make a fuzzy costume out of of put on a t-shirt, so they use the ibis. You see this all the time b/c people want something tangible they can focus their fanaticism on, and they usually want it to be an animal of some kind, so if they have to, they'll just make one up. You see this same thing in pro sports franchises too - like the Philly Phanatic or the Phoenix Suns gorilla.

So, I'm sure there are some exceptions but, generally speaking, most dual mascot situations happen when the actual, official name is something that just doesn't lend itself to being a physical mascot. Auburn is "confusing" b/c a tiger and an eagle are two, equally-functional mascot alternatives. Then you throw in the actual live eagle, and it gets even more confusing. Then, when you name the eagle "Tiger," you pretty much have to expect to get some flak for it.

For what it's worth, I have to admit that "War Eagle!" and the whole concept of a battle cry, separate and apart from the mascot, is pretty cool. Opposing fans (like me) give you hell about it, but if they were Auburn fans, they'd be on board and proud of it. So just consider all the teasing about multiple personality disorder as the price you pay for having a pretty cool battle cry to scream at each other.

[AUTigerKat 0]

No one calls them the Alabama Elephants

I do, and believe me they hate it.

As far as our mascots go, when someone brings it up to me, I always just tell them that it our way of weeding out the people who are too stupid to be Auburn People.

[WarTiger 3,917]

the way I look at it, if people outside of Auburn doesn't get it or like it all the better. Its an Auburn thing and an outsider isn't supposed to understand it...

Gorilla thats a good, objective look.

[WarTim 3,457]

To me, it's kinda' like gettin' hit by a TRUCK to the rest of the SEC....

"Did anyone get the tag number on that Orange and BLUE whatever that just RAN ALL OVER my team?"

[Captain Liger 0]

When people ask why we have two mascots I respond with "because can afford it. What's your excuse?"

War Eagle.

[ProgRock 0]

Here's my two cents on why people give you a hard time about the mascot thing. (Please note: this is not a flame of any kind, just an external observation.)

People rib Auburn for "mascot confusion" because both Tigers and War Eagles are very identifiable as a mascot. They are both animals, which, rather obivously, are the most common choice for a mascot. In most (not all, but most) of the other dual mascot situations that have been mentioned, one of them is difficult to personify or put into traditional macot form. Take Alabama - officially they are the Crimson Tide, but how the hell do you dress that up in a suit and have it walk around on the sidelines? You can't, so they adopted the elephant as a substitute. Same thing with Miami - a hurricane is hard to make a fuzzy costume out of of put on a t-shirt, so they use the ibis. You see this all the time b/c people want something tangible they can focus their fanaticism on, and they usually want it to be an animal of some kind, so if they have to, they'll just make one up. You see this same thing in pro sports franchises too - like the Philly Phanatic or the Phoenix Suns gorilla.

So, I'm sure there are some exceptions but, generally speaking, most dual mascot situations happen when the actual, official name is something that just doesn't lend itself to being a physical mascot. Auburn is "confusing" b/c a tiger and an eagle are two, equally-functional mascot alternatives. Then you throw in the actual live eagle, and it gets even more confusing. Then, when you name the eagle "Tiger," you pretty much have to expect to get some flak for it.

For what it's worth, I have to admit that "War Eagle!" and the whole concept of a battle cry, separate and apart from the mascot, is pretty cool. Opposing fans (like me) give you hell about it, but if they were Auburn fans, they'd be on board and proud of it. So just consider all the teasing about multiple personality disorder as the price you pay for having a pretty cool battle cry to scream at each other.

240011[/snapback]

Actually I think you could make a uniform of a Crimson wave, or even a hurricane or a Sun.....I mean look at Otto for Syracuse.I just think that it would look stupid like dressing up in a hamburger suit...so it's those team's fault of having stupid represenatives for there mascots or nicknames.I always wondered why bama choose an elephant....I think the hamburgler is a better rep than the elephant for them...it just seems to fit their image better.rubble rubble.

[CircleDrill 178]

It's funny to me when people bring this up. It is usually in the context of: 1) trying to intimidate Auburn fans, or 2) sour grapes after getting beat.

Either way...keep 'em coming. I like it when the enemy is trying to figure out what just hit them.

[aub2 0]

I think the dumbest one HAS to be Stanford. They are a COLOR.

Until 1930, Stanford did not have a "mascot" name for its athletic teams. In that year, the athletic department adopted the name "Indians." In 1972, "Indians" was dropped after a complaint of racial insensitivity was lodged by Native American students at Stanford. The Stanford sports teams are now officially referred to as the Stanford Cardinal (the deep red color, not the bird), in reference to the university's official color since the 19th century (later cardinal and white); the band's mascot, "The Tree", has become associated with the school in general. Part of Leland Stanford Junior University Marching Band (LSJUMB), the tree symbol derives from the El Palo Alto redwood tree on the Stanford and City of Palo Alto seals.

[TigerOne 1,152]

go yous Universities ofz Auburn Tigersss

Hey!

[AFTiger 282]

major, this should answer your question.....

In early newspaper accounts of Alabama football, the team was simply listed as the "varsity" or the "Crimson White" after the school colors.

The first nickname to become popular and used by headline writers was the "Thin Red Line." The nickname was used until 1906.

The name "Crimson Tide" is supposed to have first been used by Hugh Roberts, former sports editor of the Birmingham Age-Herald. He used "Crimson Tide" in describing an Alabama-Auburn game played in Birmingham in 1907, the last football contest between the two schools until 1948 when the series was resumed. The game was played in a sea of mud and Auburn was a heavy favorite to win.

But, evidently, the "Thin Red Line" played a great game in the red mud and held Auburn to a 6-6 tie, thus gaining the name "Crimson Tide." Zipp Newman, former sports editor of the Birmingham News, probably popularized the name more than any other writer.

Yes, thats right AUBURN folks....UAT acquired their nickname after a TIE with Auburn. UATers must be so proud.....You'd think they would have at least had a nickname established from a game they actually won....but not bammer.... Get it...Crimson TIED....

I understand the elephant came from the Rosenburg luggage tag attached to the teams suitcases and which had an elephant stamped on it. So their whole thing came from a tie with Auburn and a luggage tag???? I'm impressed!

[AUloggerhead 2,253]

Most of the time when people ask me about AU's mascots and then demand an answer -- so which is it? I fall back on my standard: "The real reason we have multiple mascots is to confuse the simple-minded. Mainly this was intended to confuse the redneck bammie fans and it works really well. They are definately a very confused bunch. Uh, ... you're not confused about it are you?" No one I've asked that question of has ever answered in the affirmative. Also, I have yet to have anyone who's heard that explanation from me ever ask the question again. WDE & Support our Tigers, you Plainsmen.

[bammanmr 0]

It's funny to me when people bring this up. It is usually in the context of: 1) trying to intimidate Auburn fans, or 2) sour grapes after getting beat.

That's kind of how i see it too. Usually when someone tries to rip me on it I respond with the following...."

"There's one of 2 reasons you asked that question. Either ignorant about the topic or you're just being an ass. If you really want to know, I'll explain it, if not, well....there you go."

You'd be amazed at how many times I have explained the distinction and told my version of the War Eagle story. And almost every time, when I finish I am complimented on our tradition. In 2003, I told that story 4 or 5 times on the way into death valley.