University of Tennessee-Chattanooga

[B-Rich]

Growing up, I knew that the school's teams WERE called the Moccasins, and always figured they were named for (and used as a mascot) that scary snake we were always afraid of, the water moccasin. Later, in the 1980s, I met a girl who graduated from UT- Chattanooga, and after impressing her with my knowledge of her school's team nickname, she informed me the name arose from the Moccasin Bend in the Tennessee River at Chattanooga.

"Mocs" I always took as a shortened form of 'moccassins', and I did remember the Native American motif years, the choo-choo, and the bird being involved, but never thought about it much.

After doing a short look-up on Wikipedia, I found this (bold is mine)

The school's athletic teams are called the Mocs. The teams were nicknamed Moccasins until 1996. (The origin of the name is uncertain; however, Moccasin Bend is a large horseshoe-shaped bend in the Tennessee River directly below Lookout Mountain.)

The mascot has taken on three distinct forms, with a water moccasin being the mascot in the 1920s, and then a moccasin shoe (known as "The Shoe") was actually used as the school's mascot at times in the 1960s and 1970s. From the 1970s until 1996, the mascot was Chief Moccanooga, an exaggerated Cherokee tribesman.

In 1996, due in to concerns over ethnic sensitivity, the Moccasins name and image were dropped in favor of the shortened "Mocs" and an anthropomorphized mockingbird named "Scrappy" dressed as a railroad engineer. The school's main athletic logo features Scrappy riding a train (a reference to Chattanooga's history as a major railroad hub and to the song "Chattanooga Choo Choo"). The mascot takes its name from former football coach A.C. "Scrappy" Moore

.

Boy is this one-messed up mascot history or what? Named for a river bend (which was probably named for a snake due to its bend-y nature or maybe a prevalence of them in that area), use that snake as a mascot, then switch to native american type of shoe ( that shares the sme name) then adapt that into a native american mascot, then shorten the actual name and use as a mascot a totally different "amplification" of that name "moc--> mockingbird", along with a local icon (choo-choo), then drop the choo-choo for the bird alone.

My proposal: go back to 'moccasins' and use the snake, or officially change your name to "mockingbirds" and use the bird.

No one calls a mockingbird a "moc", anyway....

[thmst30]

Growing up, I knew that the school's teams WERE called the Moccasins, and always figured they were named for (and used as a mascot) that scary snake we were always afraid of, the water moccasin. Later, in the 1980s, I met a girl who graduated from UT- Chattanooga, and after impressing her with my knowledge of her school's team nickname, she informed me the name arose from the Moccasin Bend in the Tennessee River at Chattanooga.

"Mocs" I always took as a shortened form of 'moccassins', and I did remember the Native American motif years, the choo-choo, and the bird being involved, but never thought about it much.

After doing a short look-up on Wikipedia, I found this (bold is mine)

The school's athletic teams are called the Mocs. The teams were nicknamed Moccasins until 1996. (The origin of the name is uncertain; however, Moccasin Bend is a large horseshoe-shaped bend in the Tennessee River directly below Lookout Mountain.)

The mascot has taken on three distinct forms, with a water moccasin being the mascot in the 1920s, and then a moccasin shoe (known as "The Shoe") was actually used as the school's mascot at times in the 1960s and 1970s. From the 1970s until 1996, the mascot was Chief Moccanooga, an exaggerated Cherokee tribesman.

In 1996, due in to concerns over ethnic sensitivity, the Moccasins name and image were dropped in favor of the shortened "Mocs" and an anthropomorphized mockingbird named "Scrappy" dressed as a railroad engineer. The school's main athletic logo features Scrappy riding a train (a reference to Chattanooga's history as a major railroad hub and to the song "Chattanooga Choo Choo"). The mascot takes its name from former football coach A.C. "Scrappy" Moore

.

Boy is this one-messed up mascot history or what? Named for a river bend (which was probably named for a snake due to its bend-y nature or maybe a prevalence of them in that area), use that snake as a mascot, then switch to native american type of shoe ( that shares the sme name) then adapt that into a native american mascot, then shorten the actual name and use as a mascot a totally different "amplification" of that name "moc--> mockingbird", along with a local icon (choo-choo), then drop the choo-choo for the bird alone.

My proposal: go back to 'moccasins' and use the snake, or officially change your name to "mockingbirds" and use the bird.

No one calls a mockingbird a "moc", anyway....

They certainly are confused at UTC, but who didn't already know that.

[MJD802]

I wish they would go back to the TO era white helmets. Before last season, they had horrid looking gold helmets and now they have horrid looking old gold jerseys. The only problem with an all white look or white pants/navy jersey/white helmet is the similarity to Furman who's in their conference. I think they could do just about anything and it would look better than what they have now.

[Conrad.]

Boy is this one-messed up mascot history or what? Named for a river bend (which was probably named for a snake due to its bend-y nature or maybe a prevalence of them in that area), use that snake as a mascot, then switch to native american type of shoe ( that shares the sme name) then adapt that into a native american mascot, then shorten the actual name and use as a mascot a totally different "amplification" of that name "moc--> mockingbird", along with a local icon (choo-choo), then drop the choo-choo for the bird alone.

My proposal: go back to 'moccasins' and use the snake, or officially change your name to "mockingbirds" and use the bird.

No one calls a mockingbird a "moc", anyway....

couldn't agree more.

and yea, they need to do somethin about those god-awful fball jerseys.

[Cooleyvol]

It's because the Mockingbird is the state bird of Tennessee.

Dude, I'm a lifelong Tennessee resident, but thanks for the lesson on the official bird of the Volunteer state.

[mfoster]

I can't believe no one went with this alternative...

[powersurge]

Growing up, I knew that the school's teams WERE called the Moccasins, and always figured they were named for (and used as a mascot) that scary snake we were always afraid of, the water moccasin. Later, in the 1980s, I met a girl who graduated from UT- Chattanooga, and after impressing her with my knowledge of her school's team nickname, she informed me the name arose from the Moccasin Bend in the Tennessee River at Chattanooga.

"Mocs" I always took as a shortened form of 'moccassins', and I did remember the Native American motif years, the choo-choo, and the bird being involved, but never thought about it much.

After doing a short look-up on Wikipedia, I found this (bold is mine)

The school's athletic teams are called the Mocs. The teams were nicknamed Moccasins until 1996. (The origin of the name is uncertain; however, Moccasin Bend is a large horseshoe-shaped bend in the Tennessee River directly below Lookout Mountain.)

The mascot has taken on three distinct forms, with a water moccasin being the mascot in the 1920s, and then a moccasin shoe (known as "The Shoe") was actually used as the school's mascot at times in the 1960s and 1970s. From the 1970s until 1996, the mascot was Chief Moccanooga, an exaggerated Cherokee tribesman.

In 1996, due in to concerns over ethnic sensitivity, the Moccasins name and image were dropped in favor of the shortened "Mocs" and an anthropomorphized mockingbird named "Scrappy" dressed as a railroad engineer. The school's main athletic logo features Scrappy riding a train (a reference to Chattanooga's history as a major railroad hub and to the song "Chattanooga Choo Choo"). The mascot takes its name from former football coach A.C. "Scrappy" Moore

.

Boy is this one-messed up mascot history or what? Named for a river bend (which was probably named for a snake due to its bend-y nature or maybe a prevalence of them in that area), use that snake as a mascot, then switch to native american type of shoe ( that shares the sme name) then adapt that into a native american mascot, then shorten the actual name and use as a mascot a totally different "amplification" of that name "moc--> mockingbird", along with a local icon (choo-choo), then drop the choo-choo for the bird alone.

My proposal: go back to 'moccasins' and use the snake, or officially change your name to "mockingbirds" and use the bird.

No one calls a mockingbird a "moc", anyway....

Exaaactly.

Extremely poor choice on their part. And whats with the whole "concerns over ethnic sensitivity" excuse? It doesn't explain the reason why they've swung and completely missed at attempts to successfully brand the school one bit. I just think they've failed to commit to one interpretation of what a "moc" is. Thats all.

[mfoster]

And whats with the whole "concerns over ethnic sensitivity" excuse?

They're fearing the NCAA will unleash a HUAC horde... "Are you now or have you ever used Native American imagery at your institution?"

It sounds like UTC's use of NA imagery was on about the same level (or less) as Oklahoma's, which hasn't used Little Red (which was more-or-less a Kiowa version of Chief Illiniwek, only he was an actual Kiowa) since 1970. Still you'll know this ethnic cleansing will have gotten out of hand when the NCAA decides Oklahoma can't display any images of Sam Bradford. [/soapbox]

[DYork]

I graduated from UTC in 1988. There used to be a guy who would walk around the stadium or arena wearing a blue shoe (moccasin, get it?). So yes, the logo could be a lot worse.