The too macho mascot

Washington Times:

Many universities have come under pressure to reject their American Indian mascots, but in what may be a first, the University of Denver has ditched a non-Indian mascot on the grounds he wasn't sufficiently diverse.

A university committee gave the final axing in October to "Denver Boone," better known as Boone, a portly, chubby-cheeked cartoon character in a coonskin cap who represented the University of Denver Pioneers from 1968 to 1998.

"The old Boone figure is one that does not reflect the broad diversity of the DU community and is not an image that many of today's women, persons of color, international students and faculty and others can easily relate to as defining the pioneering spirit," Chancellor Robert Coombe said.

...

"It's an example of the hyper-sensitive, politically correct epidemic in higher education as well as secondary education," said Mr. Rosen, who was not involved in the movement to resurrect Boone. "Are they going to do away with the name 'pioneer?' I would think that would be at least as offensive as the mascot."

Pioneers was a little too staid for Lubbock Christian University back in the sixties, so they changed to a more zippy Chaparrals, aka the road runner bird. As far as I know the bird has never protested.

Texas high schools have some of the more unique mascots. There are the El Campo Rice Birds, Cuerro Gobblers, Robstown Cotton Pickers to name a few. My high school was the Greyhounds. So far no diversity issues have arisen about the shades of grey of the dogs.