U of Minnesota's new Mascot

[Donna]

 A poem about the peregrine falcon

The University of Minnesota Rochester is scheduled to reveal its choice for a mascot on Wednesday during an event in the Peace Plaza at 7 p.m.

I wrote in a column back in June that my choice was the peregrine falcon, which is among the three finalists. The others are the Griffins and the Raptors.

That column prompted this poem by someone who calls him/herself the Anonymous Political Poet:

The peregrine Falcon

A smart searching bird

A hungry predator

Its sharp cry can be heard

 

It's the fastest flying bird

In the whole entire world

Two hundred miles an hour

Its powerful wings unfurled

 

From the tundra to the tropics

It's the most widespread bird of prey

It is loyal; mates for life

Hunts to eat everyday

 

Medium sized birds

Make up most of their diet

But occasionally small mammals, reptiles and even insects;

They will try it


Oh no. It can't be true!

But it is. A Gopher is a small mammal

What does that say to you?

Gopher, watch out for that Falcon       

Swooping from the blue

All right, the University of Minnesota Rochester students have spoken. The school's mascot is now and will forever more be the Raptor. I made my case earlier for the Peregrine Falcon, because it's a fast, fearsome bird that can be found in and around Rochester. 

Of course, a raptor can also be a falcon — or an eagle or any other bird of prey. So, I guess it's OK. The new logo is pretty cool. I don't know about you, but I think it looks like a pumped up Woody Woodpecker on a mission to kick some butt.

I've become a collector of baseball caps with cool logos, on them, so I can't wait to pick up my first Raptors cap. And I can't wait to attend my first Raptors football game — in the year 2025. What good's a mascot (I'd recommend we call him Woody) if he can't go out there and cheer a team on to kick some butt.

[MAK]

    Thanks Donna!       

[nwfloridafalconfan]

I heard they went with "Raptors".  Darn - they could have revived Coach Hayden Fox's fictitious Minnesota (State) Screaming Eagles.

http://www.afn.org/~afn02552/screaming_eagles.png

[Shaky]

Yes, this institution of higher learning had to go with a cartoon bird with teeth. How educational.

[Bobbie Ireland]

Yes, this institution of higher learning had to go with a cartoon bird with teeth. How educational.

Sign o' the times, m'boy... sign o' the times.

[Shaky]

Sign of the times: Made in China

[Bobbie Ireland]

I have one of those...

[nwfloridafalconfan]

While this one just screams book learnin'