UL-M to change nickname

[Hansel]

MONROE, La. - On Wednesday, the Louisiana-Monroe Mascot Committee endorsed Warhawks, the mascot suggestion that garnered the most votes in a recent online public poll.

While ULM's new mascot design has yet to be finalized, the committee has suggested the Warhawk mascot could assume a variety of identities that draw upon different strengths.

One Warhawk identity could relate to the area's aviation history. Warhawk has local historical connections to the P-40 Warhawk Airplane, flown by Northeast Louisiana's General Claire Chennault and the Flying Tigers during WWII. The P-40 Warhawk was the first American plane to break the 300 MPH mark, was rugged, and could withstand heavy punishment.

The Warhawk identity might also include hawks, a fierce bird of prey, indigenous to this area and often seen on ULM's campus. The hawk symbolizes courage, speed, power and vision.

Rickabaugh Graphics representative Eric Rickabaugh will tour the ULM campus and northeast Louisiana to gain a feel for local flavor and will then incorporate that into prospective mascot designs. ULM staff is busy planning an unveiling of the mascot designs, with a goal of June 1.

ULM President James E. Cofer, Sr., who participated in Wednesday's decision, is grateful for the committee's extensive work over the past five months. "I want to thank the committee for all their hard work and their continued commitment to the university," he said. "The work is not done. We've outlined the next steps here today and all of us are counting on you to continue to do great work as we begin new traditions at ULM."

http://southland.cstv.com/genrel/040506aaa.html

[The Sicatoka]

But "Warhawks" just sounds so violent.

And how do we know some of the Dept. of Defense supportive, "hawkish" members of Congress won't protest?

[bigmrg74]

Ba.... They should just go all out and chance the name to War Pigs, and change the school fight song to a little ditty done by the Prince of F'ing Darkness himself, Ozzy Osborne!!