Gehörnter Frosch
Tier 1
I was initially going to post this in the helmet thread, but it has gone off topic.
For years now, there has been a debate regarding the athletics logo and whether it accurately depicts TCU's real mascot. I have held a very strong opinion on this ever since my undergrad days back in the early 90s. I'm truly sorry if this offends anyone, but I am speaking from my heart here...and I what I feel is that TCU inadequately champions the real "Horned Frog"...otherwise known as the "Texas Horned Lizard".
In the spirit of being constructive, I'd like to first elaborate on my perspective, and then propose one possible solution.
At issue: The TCU football uniform should pay a clear and discernible homage to the species Phrynosoma cornutum. They are a rare (and treasured) part of Texicana, and it is a shame that millions of people will never know about this reptile. TCU is the only entity with a large enough megaphone to create awareness on a state and national level--and that megaphone is our athletics department.
Our mascot is referred to as a "frog". The athletics logo is easily confused with a "frog". We call ourselves "frogs". But the reality is, the Texas Horned Lizard is a reptile. It is as unique a mascot as there is in all of sports, at any level. Behold!
Somewhere, lost in this whole debate, is the fact that our athletics logo mischaracterizes this awesome creature as an actual frog. Because our university chose the Texas Horned Lizard as our mascot a century ago, don't we have a responsibility to not only perpetuate its namesake, but also champion its likeness...its essence?
When I was a kid, everywhere I went I saw these little guys crawling around and eating ants. They were a staple of my childhood. Sadly, it's been 30 years since I have seen one in real life. I think that's why some folks identify more with the academic logo...because it is clearly NOT a frog; it easily identifiable as a lizard. Nostalgia notwithstanding, again, do we have a duty to accurately convey our mascot to the world?
For this very reason, many of us embraced Nike's "blood lines" concept and the small elements of red that were incorporated into the football uniform. This represented something real, authentic and unique about our mascot. It brought the actual Texas Horned Lizard into public discussions, which then served to educate others about who we really are and what our logo represents.
That said, I get it. I understand the affinity for the pumped/aggressive frog logo. It has been an icon of our football resurgence--it has been the antithesis to the flying-T logo. It is what it is.
Yet at the same time, doesn't our university have the responsibility to be good stewards of the Texas Horned Lizard, including its legacy as a Texas treasure? Yes, the campus itself is adorned with the academic logo--several statues clearly and accurately depict the reptile. However, our athletics programs (mainly football) are the primary curators of TCU brand awareness. To that end, shouldn't there be some branding crossover between academics and athletics?
We're not going to change the name from "frogs" to "lizards" or "reptiles". And if we're going to keep the athletics frog logo, then we should at least find some other distinguishable, identifiable element of the uniform that cues awareness of the fact that our mascot is actually a lizard, not a frog.
Here's just one idea: Giving all football juniors and seniors a small-ish helmet sticker that is clearly a Texas Horned Lizard. It can be applied uniformly (maybe on the back) of their helmets, and would be visible on TV. It might give announcers something to talk about. It might cause viewers to wonder what it is, and prompt them to research on their own. But even if it accomplished none of that, at least we--the fans, alumni, students, supporters, etc.--we would know what it is and why it's there.
I guess the bottom line for me is this: Can the proponents and defenders of the current logo take a step back and view things from a broader perspective? Can we work together to update our sports uniforms so that they shine a perpetual spotlight on our real mascot? Ol' Rip would have wanted it that way.
For years now, there has been a debate regarding the athletics logo and whether it accurately depicts TCU's real mascot. I have held a very strong opinion on this ever since my undergrad days back in the early 90s. I'm truly sorry if this offends anyone, but I am speaking from my heart here...and I what I feel is that TCU inadequately champions the real "Horned Frog"...otherwise known as the "Texas Horned Lizard".
In the spirit of being constructive, I'd like to first elaborate on my perspective, and then propose one possible solution.
At issue: The TCU football uniform should pay a clear and discernible homage to the species Phrynosoma cornutum. They are a rare (and treasured) part of Texicana, and it is a shame that millions of people will never know about this reptile. TCU is the only entity with a large enough megaphone to create awareness on a state and national level--and that megaphone is our athletics department.
Our mascot is referred to as a "frog". The athletics logo is easily confused with a "frog". We call ourselves "frogs". But the reality is, the Texas Horned Lizard is a reptile. It is as unique a mascot as there is in all of sports, at any level. Behold!
Somewhere, lost in this whole debate, is the fact that our athletics logo mischaracterizes this awesome creature as an actual frog. Because our university chose the Texas Horned Lizard as our mascot a century ago, don't we have a responsibility to not only perpetuate its namesake, but also champion its likeness...its essence?
When I was a kid, everywhere I went I saw these little guys crawling around and eating ants. They were a staple of my childhood. Sadly, it's been 30 years since I have seen one in real life. I think that's why some folks identify more with the academic logo...because it is clearly NOT a frog; it easily identifiable as a lizard. Nostalgia notwithstanding, again, do we have a duty to accurately convey our mascot to the world?
For this very reason, many of us embraced Nike's "blood lines" concept and the small elements of red that were incorporated into the football uniform. This represented something real, authentic and unique about our mascot. It brought the actual Texas Horned Lizard into public discussions, which then served to educate others about who we really are and what our logo represents.
That said, I get it. I understand the affinity for the pumped/aggressive frog logo. It has been an icon of our football resurgence--it has been the antithesis to the flying-T logo. It is what it is.
Yet at the same time, doesn't our university have the responsibility to be good stewards of the Texas Horned Lizard, including its legacy as a Texas treasure? Yes, the campus itself is adorned with the academic logo--several statues clearly and accurately depict the reptile. However, our athletics programs (mainly football) are the primary curators of TCU brand awareness. To that end, shouldn't there be some branding crossover between academics and athletics?
We're not going to change the name from "frogs" to "lizards" or "reptiles". And if we're going to keep the athletics frog logo, then we should at least find some other distinguishable, identifiable element of the uniform that cues awareness of the fact that our mascot is actually a lizard, not a frog.
Here's just one idea: Giving all football juniors and seniors a small-ish helmet sticker that is clearly a Texas Horned Lizard. It can be applied uniformly (maybe on the back) of their helmets, and would be visible on TV. It might give announcers something to talk about. It might cause viewers to wonder what it is, and prompt them to research on their own. But even if it accomplished none of that, at least we--the fans, alumni, students, supporters, etc.--we would know what it is and why it's there.
I guess the bottom line for me is this: Can the proponents and defenders of the current logo take a step back and view things from a broader perspective? Can we work together to update our sports uniforms so that they shine a perpetual spotlight on our real mascot? Ol' Rip would have wanted it that way.
