Mascot Maddness

so the university of Illinios is saying "good bye" to thier mascot: Chief Illiniwek. The university was put on a list put out by the NCAA over having mascots that are "offencive". Chief Illiniwek is scheduled to dance his last dance this wednesday at the mens basketball game against Michigan.

This made me think about mascots and tradition. At Tech, we have three mascots. We have two official and one unofficial. Our two officiall is the Masked Rider and Raider Red. The unofficial one is the Pirate, thus dubbing us now "the Pirates of the Plains". Many schools who have a person and animal as the mascot have a huge tradition when it comes to Universities. Schools like USC trojans, Texas Tech madators, Oklahoma State cowboy...and Illinios, all have humans as thier mascots, and in this case, a human riding a horse. To be one of these mascots are incredibly important to the student body and a huge honor. I've thought about trying out for the masked rider, since i know how to ride fairly well. But if i made it, i wouldn't be able to be in the Goin' Band. But either way, i don't believe that the NCAA has the right to "pressure" universities to retire thier mascots. The NCAA made rules that the band could not be within the 20-20 yard markers, in the stands. The director of the Goin' band and other high ranking members of Texas Tech decided to see what the NCAA will do about moving 450+ members out of thier seats. We moved over about 3 yards, if that's any consolation. Eitherway, i ramble. The NCAA does not have a right to impose themselves on the traditions and loyalties that have developed at a university. The love that the students have for thier mascots and school is some of the most die-hard loyalties that i have ever been a part of. I am feel pride when i done-on my marching uniform, catch a picture of Raider Red, and i see the sea of red in the Jones. If the NCAA tries to take that way from me, there will be hell to raise!

Some info on the Masked Rider and other mascots of Tech:

The Masked Rider:
George Tate '37 shocked football fans when he and a trusty palomino named Tony or Silver, depending on where you look, led the football team onto the football field then just as quickly fled the scene. Tate, whose identity was kept a secret, borrowed a pair of cowboy boots from his roommate and sported a scarlet satin cape made by the Home Economics Department. He had been coaxed by pals to sneak a horse from the Tech barn and to make the first appearance as the mysterious Red Raider. Tate was quoted in the Nov. 4, 1984, issue of The Dallas Morning News as saying that Arch Lamb, who was then the head yell leader of the Saddle Tramps, "dreamed up this Red Raider thing." The prank was pulled a few more times that season but didn't surface again until the 1950s, when another Tech student was approached about creating a mascot. Read here for more information.

Raider Red:
Raider Red is Texas Tech’s costumed mascot. Before the 1971 football season, the Southwest Conference passed a rule which restricted the bringing of live animal mascots to out of town games. Thus, the Masked Rider, Tech’s official mascot, would not be able to travel representing the university. Jim Gaspard, a member of the male spirit organization, Saddle Tramps, created the Raider Red character from drawings from Dirk West to represent Tech at away football games.
Read here for more information.

The Pirate:
Here is where it all got started, and became a staple for the Texas Tech football team.

-Reijn