The NCAA has been cracking down on mascot names a lot lately. Nobody thought it would ever come to this.
The president of the NCAA has now deemed many mascots as ineligible for use in the NCAA. Bemidji State is a school on that list. The mascot ‘The Beavers’ has been deemed inappropriate, and will force many schools into the same predicament.
“The recent innuendo towards the animal ‘Beaver’ has brought up many speculations on whether or not they should be allowed as mascots in the prestigious NCAA,” said Douglas Scott, president of the NCAA Mascot Committee. “The schools will have two years to change their mascots, or will be suspended from NCAA tournament play until a mascot change.”
Eleven schools in the nation are nicknamed the Beavers, from Farmington, Maine to Pasadena, California. As well as the Blackburn University Battlin’ Beavers. All of which will be forced to change their mascot.
As well as the beaver mascot getting the axe, the University of South Carolina, and Jacksonville State will also be subject to the ban, with their mascot, the “Gamecocks”.
“We also felt that the ‘Gamecocks’ was an inappropriate mascot,” Scott continued. “With the way our media has made innuendo now days, we can never be too safe. We just need to think about the children.”
The University of South Carolina is not the only USC being forced to a name change. The University of Southern California will also be forced to change their mascot, the Trojans.
“We figured that it could get to this some day,” Robin Stevenson, the assistant athletic director at the University of Southern California said. “We have been throwing around many ideas lately, but we fear that there could be another crackdown on what we choose as a new mascot.”
The Bemidji State Athletic Department has also been discussing many ideas for a new mascot. The list of mascots for Bemidji State to be changed to was recently limited to a final five. The Eagles, The Paulies, The Lakers, The Blizzard, and The Babes.
“The Athletic Department has been hard at work to decide a new mascot, they have created logos and even worked with new school color schemes,” said Student Senate Co-President Andrew Spaeth. “The current favorite, and more than likely the winner is ‘The Babes’ however.”
The new school colors will be changed to Blue and White, according to the department. The NCAA will cover the costs of the new logo licensing, jersey’s and everything that goes with the change, in terms with the new rule.
The new mascot of “The Babes” will take over in the fall of 2011. It will be a somber time when the two former Beavers take the field in their annual season opener between Minot State, and BSU.
“The NCAA wishes that this could have been easier.” Scott said. “We have now written in our constitution that a member of the NCAA will have to put their new mascots through a sensitivity poll, where parents of young children say whether or not it is acceptable.”
The name change has not gone over well with the alumni however.
“This is an outrage!” Carmen Cimmermansic, a BSU alumni stated. “We have been the Beavers ever since our athletics started, and it has never raised a sober eyebrow.”
The Bemidji State University Athletic Director, Rick Goeb could not be reached for comment on the matter. It was indicated that the summer of 2011, the bookstore will offer a 80 percent discount on all “Babes” apparel, in exchange for old “Beaver” apparel.
“I’m not gonna exchange my Beaver-wear,” said Bemidji State freshmen Anna Connelly. “It’s funny, I love when people tell me they like my Beaver logo. I’m gonna rock my Beavs forever.”
It is a somber time in Bemidji, as we watch our beloved Beavers take an exit. Maybe the Babes will bring better times, maybe they will not. Just remember next year when you hear the school song.
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