marquette

[illwauk]

Before anyone gets confused, YES, I know why they got rid of "warriors" and YES, I know why they went back to golden eagles.

I'm just wondering if they ever gave an official explaination for why they chose golden eagles in the first place. I ask, because this had to play SOME part in their decision.

http://www.skweezer.net/ask/skweeze.aspx?i...-badger-08.html

[GottaDeal]

It was another poll. From an old AP story:

The Marquette Warriors became the Marquette Golden Eagles on Monday to the cheers and jeers of several students who said they voted for the new nickname as the lesser of two evils. For many, the evil wasn't that the school's old name was regarded by some as offensive to American Indians, but that their only other choice was the Marquette Lightning. The names were the finalists from among 1,500 nominations.

[Gothamite]

Yes, but that doesn't tell us why Golden Eagles was chosen as a finalist (I remember that list, with its hundreds upon hundreds of student submission). And considering they put it up against Lightning tells me that this wasn't exactly a fair fight. So the question remains.

Great find, 'wauk!

[illwauk]

The Lightning, huh? It does have some Catholic "divine retribution" tie-ins that St. John's might (not) have been thinking of when they became the "Red Storm."

I found the article when I was looking for a nickname for my fantasy college hoops team and was thinking "hmm... what preys on Badgers?" I guess MU beat me to it.

[notkirkcameron]

The conspiracy theory I had heard was that Marquette's president at the time of the change (1994) had a previous post at Boston College, where they're the Eagles, but that was all the credit i gave it.

[KDubK414]

I don't know exactly why the Golden Eagles was chosen, except for maybe what GottaDeal said, what you brought up, and what not'mikeseaver' said.

With what went down back 2 years ago with MU, It seemed like they just couldn't let the "Warriors" back in. So... like Gothamite theorized with the GE's vs. the Lightning, they went back to the tried and true formula of a lesser evil against another lesser lesser evil. This time with the GE's vs. the "GOLD?!???!? Even going so far as to "introduce" a mascot, a dude dressed in gold???

The problem, per say, that I have with this is how much they want to protect, celebrate, and praise the legacy of the school. Yet at the same time they have a tendancy to kinda crap on it by letting PC people get in the way of celebrating that legacy! In my mind they will always be the Warriors!!! I was only in 7th grade when they changed the name, and I was upset!

Also the thing that kinda grates me about this, is that YES the logo and uniforms denoted a NA/Indian Warrior. But, in a broad sense of the name, a warrior is a noble man, a fierce battler, a person that will do anything to win the fight. How come the NBA's "Warriors" didn't have to change THIER name? How come the MOST derogatory, offensive, hateful terminology towards those that were here before us can still be used today in the Nation's Capital of DC.

Sorry to go OT on ya dude! But, we shouldn't even be having this conversation today. Marquette should have be given the option of just changing to the androgynous logo that Golden State got to do. The whole thing last year with the NC Double A bringing the hammer down on ALL NA/Indian names, nomenclature, logos, and mascots kinda drives this home actually.

MU was kind of ahead of the curve, yet I feel like they cowared terribly, especialy with how "Warriors" is such a broad term.

As far as colleges go, FSU was able to keep the Seminoles as their moniker. Other colleges are going to have to fall in line behind MU. Like last year!!! I am not a big fan of Chicago or Illinois, but it upset me again when Chief Illiniwek had to be "retired!" I do have relatives in IllState and do follow the teams and know the customs and area. That state is so proud of their NA/Indian heritage that towns, cities, and streets/roads are named in honor of the tribes that inhabited the area. When I drive down there I take Somonauk Rd., a tribe, also the main road to get to where I am going. I go through Shabbona, which is a town that pays homage to a great Chief from the Somonauk tribe. Illinois loves and respects its NA/Indian heritage, just like Wisconsin with our Chippewa, Menominee, Potawatami, Algonquin. That it makes NO sense at all to penalize us for taking pride in our Native brothers. Maybe TBC...

[Spearhead]

I believe in the 1930s Marquette's athletic teams were called the "Golden Avalanche." why not use that?

[illwauk]

I was in 7th Grade when they became the Golden Eagles too (you didn't go to Grand Ave Middle School by any chance, did you? lol). I remember being mad because I'd just bought a poster that said "Marquette Warriors," but it never really bothered me after that because to me they were "Marquette," not "the Warriors." Although I agree, they should've just changed the logo, not the name. But MU's student body isn't exactly known for being progressive (most of them come from the Chicago 'burbs) and they probably figured that changing the logo to be "more PC" would've been seen as "just as bad."

Although I must say, I'm not a fan of the whole "it's okay to use the tribe's name because we have their permission" rationale. Just because some tribal leaders say it's okay doesn't mean they speak for everyone. I might live in the U.S. but I'm damn sure not gonna let anyone get the idea that George Bush can speak for me.

[Gothamite]

Good point again, wauk.

I believe in the 1930s Marquette's athletic teams were called the "Golden Avalanche." why not use that?

I think the joke writes itself.

(athough I personally love the name for a football team, so if Marquette ever gets another one maybe they can use it as an informal, unofficial nickname)

Weren't they also the Hilltoppers at one point? Isn't that where Marquette University High School gets its nickname?

[powersurge]

I know we've already labored this issue to death....buuuut....I think that grouping the nickname 'Warriors' within the same context as Braves, Indians, Redskins, etc. doesn't make sense to me. I see the association, but its not one that is unique to Native Americans. The word 'warrior' can desribe a bevy of groups of men experienced in fighting battles. I believe that the name change was unneccesary and weak if it was indeed fueled by a group of overly PC do-gooders.

[charger77]

I believe in the 1930s Marquette's athletic teams were called the "Golden Avalanche." why not use that?

Too close to golden shower?

[illwauk]

Weren't they also the Hilltoppers at one point? Isn't that where Marquette University High School gets its nickname?

Yes and yes.

One thing I never understood is why MU doesn't have a hockey team when MUHS has the only high school hockey team in Milwaukee. You'd think there'd be a lot of incentive with not only having a pipeline to such a selective pool of talent, but also in being only the 2nd D1 team in the state. Besides, how cool would it be to have a team (formally or informally) known as the "Golden Avalanche" go up against a UW team that uses the Red Wings template?

[DrBear]

Weren't they also the Hilltoppers at one point? Isn't that where Marquette University High School gets its nickname?

Yes and yes.

One thing I never understood is why MU doesn't have a hockey team when MUHS has the only high school hockey team in Milwaukee. You'd think there'd be a lot of incentive with not only having a pipeline to such a selective pool of talent, but also in being only the 2nd D1 team in the state. Besides, how cool would it be to have a team (formally or informally) known as the "Golden Avalanche" go up against a UW team that uses the Red Wings template?

Probably expenses. UW-Green Bay considered it about 15 years ago - a natural rivalry with Wisconsin, centrally located with a bunch of hockey schools and a 5K arena available (at the time, now they could use the 11K Resch Center). But the cost was too much.

[illwauk]

Weren't they also the Hilltoppers at one point? Isn't that where Marquette University High School gets its nickname?

Yes and yes.

One thing I never understood is why MU doesn't have a hockey team when MUHS has the only high school hockey team in Milwaukee. You'd think there'd be a lot of incentive with not only having a pipeline to such a selective pool of talent, but also in being only the 2nd D1 team in the state. Besides, how cool would it be to have a team (formally or informally) known as the "Golden Avalanche" go up against a UW team that uses the Red Wings template?

Probably expenses. UW-Green Bay considered it about 15 years ago - a natural rivalry with Wisconsin, centrally located with a bunch of hockey schools and a 5K arena available (at the time, now they could use the 11K Resch Center). But the cost was too much.

I can see how that'd be a problem for the ridiculously underfunded UWGB, but somehow I don't see expenses as being an issue for one of the biggest Jesuit colleges in the country (with an even bigger alumni donor base).

Speaking of catholic institutions, whatever happened to St. Norbert's bid to go D1 (presumably by moving all their other sports up to D2)?

[DrBear]

Speaking of catholic institutions, whatever happened to St. Norbert's bid to go D1 (presumably by moving all their other sports up to D2)?

They're concentrating more on fund raising for a new football stadium. (pdf file)

[illwauk]

Hmmm... I didn't see anything about the capacity, but IIRC Whitewater and La Crosse are both upgrading their athletic facilities too. And after losing the North Dakota & South Dakota schools, the North Central Conference is probably gonna be looking to add some teams.

Could SNC, UWL and UWW be looking towards a simultaneous jump to D2?