Help William & Mary choose a new mascot

Well, I think I'll get off the political kick for at least one post.

My alma mater is trying to find a new athletic identity. Back when I was in college in the dark ages (you know it as the 1980s), they were making the transition from "Indians" to "Tribe," an appellation they still bear. Problem was, when the NCAA went after schools with Native American team names, they decided to let W&M keep "Tribe," being a word with multiple meanings, but they had to remove the feathers from the logo. As a result, they went from a dynamic, instantly-recognizable logo (right, top) to something amorphous, hyper-stylized, and uninteresting (right, bottom).

Anyway, while the university's teams still will be the "Tribe," they want a new mascot: something that will maintain or enhance school spirit and be identifiable with W&M. And so the College has launched a survey featuring the five finalists out of a process that has been going on for a number of months. It even was featured on ESPN:

At first, it seems odd that the mascot finalists are so divergent from the "Tribe" nickname. Then I got to thinking: there are plenty of other universities whose mascots are distinct from the school's team name. Look for example at the ram representing the North Carolina Tar Heels, the elephant for the Alabama Crimson Tide, or the ibis that inhabits the Miami Hurricanes' sideline. Each is emblematic of something in the universities' history or folklore, but the teams aren't the "Rams," the "Elephants," or the "Ibises." So too for William & Mary ....

So if you're interested, check out the finalists and cast a vote. My W&M friends (at least those who have commented about this on Facebook) have been pretty uniformly disappointed in the finalists, but I actually think there's at least one option that isn't altogether bad. I wonder if anyone feels the same....

Let's welcome our new mascot!

Dear readers, I'm pleased as punch to announce that Blast Off! has its very own mascot!

Like most mascots, it's adorable (especially when it gets mad), its antics are fun to watch, and it says nothing beyond the occasional guttural grunt.

Folks, let's hear it for The Year 2008!!

Formerly known hereabouts as "Zhombre," the new Blast Off! mascot (pictured at right) delights its audience with its silly, nonsensical bleating. It specializes in personal attacks without substance and thinks it's far more important to society than it actually is! Ever since its first appearance, when it didn't even know that 2008 is a leap year, its ignorant, soporific platitudes have brought joy to people all over the world. No, of course the RedState gang couldn't live without it, and it thinks Michelle Malkin is "dreamy," but like a festering boil, it gets under your skin until you just want to lance, I mean, hug its little head off!

Watch for special appearances of The Year 2008 in the days and weeks to come. Accept no imitations -- only the Official Blast Off! Mascot, The Year 2008, can make you feel that, even if you dropped out of school in the seventh grade, you're still smarter than someone on the planet!

Congratulations, The Year 2008!

(h/t Trademark Dave)