Go Cocks!!!!!
Posted on 10/18/2001 12:30:28 PM PDT by Egregious Philbin
LOL!!
Now that you mention it, consider this line from PETA's letter;
"... make a long-overdue name change to better reflect society’s increasing awareness of, sensitivity to, and rejection of needless violence in all its forms."
PETA should be demanding the complete replacement of all contact sports with such enthralling replacements like tiddlywinks and parchese. The ban would have to include even such games as chess and checkers because of their implicit mental violence. Can you imagine what it must be like to work for PETA? Eeeuuuucccchhhhhh!
A few years ago I was working my way through grad school with a couple of jobs, one of which was in a friend's sports clothing and memorobilia store. It was in a pretty ethnically diverse mall, so we carried the obligatory red NY Yankees hats, the orange UNC Tarheels, etc. All UGLY and primarily intended for one particular audience. On another wall were several "coaches" hats. USC was there--"Cocks" along with Oregon State "Beavers", USC "Trojans", etc.
Most negative comments came about the wrong colored hats, but one day a couple of black teens came in looking at hats. One had on a red NY Yankees hat and one had on a Carolina Blue NY Yankees hat. When they saw the hats that said, "Cocks", "Beavers", and "Trojans," they asked my friend if people really bought them.
When he told them yes, one of them put the "Cocks" hat down, shook his head, and said, "Stupid white kids." It was a moment I'll never forget.
Dear Ms. Phelps:
This morning, I received your letter requesting that the University of South Carolina (USC) abandon its Gamecock mascot. For nearly 100 years, the University has celebrated the virtues of the Gamecock as its mascot, and we will continue to do so for as long as we are the University of South Carolina. Because your letter implies disgust with the Gamecock itself, I hope you will allow me the opportunity to provide some information about the Gamecock and its association with South Carolina and the University.
The ancient Syrians worshiped the fighting cock as one of their deities. In China, the gamecock is considered the herald of mortal existence and a symbol of honor, merit, and the west. In ancient Greece, the gamecock was the announcer of the sun and was considered sacred because of its magnanimity, courage, skill, and constancy. In Germany and Hungary, the gamecock is still considered a weather prophet. Over the centuries, such noble attributes have been associated with the gamecock as diligence, wakefulness, defiance, and vigilance.
It seems the "Gamecock" name was first associated with USC athletics teams in 1902. That year, USC upset Clemson (our in-state athletics rival), and Carolina students paraded through the streets near campus carrying a transparency that had been hanging in a local store window. The transparency, drawn by USC mathematics Professor F. Horton Colcock, featured the image of a gamecock standing over a fallen tiger. Two weeks later, The State newspaper began referring to the USC team as the "Game Cocks." By 1904, the two words had been joined and the name had stuck.
A possible source for the first link between the University of South Carolina and the gamecock mascot lies with a nickname of a legendary military leader from South Carolina, Thomas Sumter. During the War for Independence, Sumter energized South Carolina in its fight against the British. In his preferred hat, coat, and epaulettes, Sumter donned the colors of the gamecock, and he was well-known for his fearlessness in battle. British officers commonly scorned Sumter as the "South Carolina Game Cock," but South Carolinians were proud of his daunting spirit. Letters and other records indicate that by the 1840s, South Carolinians were praising Sumter as the "South Carolina Game Cock." Perhaps his nickname inspired Professor Colcock as he depicted the USC victory over Clemson.
As you can see, South Carolina and the Gamecock have a history that incorporates far more than the sport of cockfighting. While cockfighting is illegal in South Carolina, gamecocks are not.
The University of South Carolina is proud to be known as the Fighting Gamecocks, and we will remain so for many years to come.
Sincerely,
John M. Palms
Click here for University of South Carolina/USC News original article link.
That's bad....but I did hear she raises them.....
One of my favorite bumper stickers is one I picked up at a South Carolina game in the '80's when my parents were living in South Carolina. It has a picture of the mascot and reads:
You can't lick our Cocks!
Oh the double-entendre potential if the University of South Carolina faced off against the University of Southern California. Who would prevail -- the Trojans or the Cocks?
Indeed < g >
The bumpesticker potential of ALL the above (including the Beavers) is astronomical!
SHUT UP!
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