Athlon: Ranking the Big Ten Conference's Mascots (9. Minnesota's Goldy Gopher)

BleedGopher

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per Athlon:

I've decided to start by ranking the mascots from the nation's oldest conference, only to be reminded once again that three Big Ten schools don't actually have an official mascot. And no, Jim Harbaugh does not count as Michigan's mascot.

I've ranked the existing 11 Big Ten mascots from worst to first. Let's find out where your favorite stuffed cartoon landed on the list.

9. Minnesota's Goldy Gopher

Goldy doesn't have any obvious flaws outside of the fact that he's pretty much a walking, kid-friendly cartoon. He doesn't look angry. He's not muscular. There isn't much to him in the way of an intimidation factor. The more I think about it, he looks a little like a costume your weird neighbor would wear to one of those sketchy parties he's always inviting you to.

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/ranking-big-ten-conferences-mascots#4

Go Gophers!!
 

This guy is a clown. If there's one thing we can get right, it's the mascot.
 

If there is anything we are 'elite' at is our mascot - anywhere outside of top 3 in the conference is ludicrous.
 


I can see his point. I wouldn't mind if he looked a little bit more intimidating and less like a kid friendly cartoon.

I really like the 1985 Goldy logo with his eyebrows pointing downward making him look a bit more fierce.

1985-goldy.gif
 


Is this about the logo or Goldy in person? Goldy is the best mascot in the country. Not even close.

Go Gophers !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
 

This is so wrong it hurts.
 

What?!?! Athlon discounting/poorly rating any aspect of, or relating to, Gopher athletics (esp. football)?

No effin' way.
 

Even my UND Sioux friends think Goldy is an awesome game day and marketing mascot. The only one in the B1G that might give him a race for #1 is Sparty.

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GopherHole posts/tweets are the only way I am reminded that Athlon still exists.
 

He never did say if he accepted the invitation to the freaky party...

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No kidding. The U already tried Steroid Goldy. He wasn't a big hit..

Disagree- was on campus when he came out. Political correctness and concerns about the "message" of a tough and menacing mascot by a vocal few led to his downfall.


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Does he not know that Goldy can spin his head? That is a game changer!
 


Disagree- was on campus when he came out. Political correctness and concerns about the "message" of a tough and menacing mascot by a vocal few led to his downfall.


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What a surprise..:rolleyes:

Yeah, the fact that Steroid Goldy was brought in by Holtz, who absconded in the middle of the night or that the original Goldy was a pretty beloved symbol of the U had nothing to due with his replacement. Just "political correctness" and a vocal few.

"Tough and menacing"? You really though that? Gees...
 

There's no way the author was able to separate the program from the mascot completely as he points out. If Brutus was the U's mascot he'd be 11th out of 11 with a bullet. Ok , maybe he'd be a notch ahead of the nittany lion but you get the point. If fleck wins more games, authors like this will suddenly find themselves more fond of Goldy.


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Oh happy day, ANOTHER ATHLON (badgerhawk) article crapping on the Gophers. Still haven't learned to just simply stop reading their bullsnot..

Goldy #9?! what in the actual chicken cluck... Goldy is a top 6 mascot IN THE COUNTRY
 

Goldy's a pretty popular mascot. I think part of the popularity is that the U doesn't try to make Goldy "tough" - it would look rather ridiculous if they toughened up Goldy.

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What a surprise..:rolleyes:

Yeah, the fact that Steroid Goldy was brought in by Holtz, who absconded in the middle of the night or that the original Goldy was a pretty beloved symbol of the U had nothing to due with his replacement. Just "political correctness" and a vocal few.

"Tough and menacing"? You really though that? Gees...

Not sure what u are surprised by?

You obviously don't remember the Daily articles regarding the complaints about Goldy's appearance- no I didn't agree with their assertion about the mascot appearing menacing- just repeating what was said by the complainers.


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Disagree- was on campus when he came out. Political correctness and concerns about the "message" of a tough and menacing mascot by a vocal few led to his downfall.


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He also got into a fight on the Washington bridge if I remember correctly.
 

"Political Correctness" is nothing more than the free market admitting it made a mistake and is not willing to take the heat from portions of the public created by said mistake. To ignore the complaints, would be an equal exertion of political correctness - just in the opposite direction.
 

The change away from "tough Goldy" was a great thing regardless of why it happened. An angry Goldy wouldn't have become the adored mascot we have now, his big smile and cheerful appearance make him approachable for kids and adults alike. Imagine angry Goldy visiting kids at Children's Hospital, not quite the same look as now.
 

per Athlon:

I've decided to start by ranking the mascots from the nation's oldest conference, only to be reminded once again that three Big Ten schools don't actually have an official mascot. And no, Jim Harbaugh does not count as Michigan's mascot.

I've ranked the existing 11 Big Ten mascots from worst to first. Let's find out where your favorite stuffed cartoon landed on the list.

9. Minnesota's Goldy Gopher

Goldy doesn't have any obvious flaws outside of the fact that he's pretty much a walking, kid-friendly cartoon. He doesn't look angry. He's not muscular. There isn't much to him in the way of an intimidation factor. The more I think about it, he looks a little like a costume your weird neighbor would wear to one of those sketchy parties he's always inviting you to.

https://athlonsports.com/college-football/ranking-big-ten-conferences-mascots#4

Go Gophers!!

Prior to the Mitch Lee mess in Madison back in '86, we had a brand new masculine and fierce looking Goldy. But the brain trust decided to go back to the Sunday School Goldy
 

Goldy is reigning national champion! Surprise surprise Athlon did not do their homework!
 

Based on what I have seen of Athlons insights, they are not qualified to rank their own "rank".
How they are in business is beyond me.
 


What a surprise..:rolleyes:

Yeah, the fact that Steroid Goldy was brought in by Holtz, who absconded in the middle of the night or that the original Goldy was a pretty beloved symbol of the U had nothing to due with his replacement. Just "political correctness" and a vocal few.

"Tough and menacing"? You really though that? Gees...

I remember it well. It was all over the news at the time that some eggheads at the U didn't like having an aggressive looking mascot, and they wanted it softened. I was 11 or 12 years old at the time, and I remember channel 5 news showing the previous and revised mascots side-by-side.

I had a tee shirt with aggressive football Goldy on it, and I wore that shirt out. Couldn't get a replacement, so I wore it till it turned to rags.

So long story short, it was definitely political correctness that led to the changes in Goldy. To say it wasn't is revisionist mascot history.
 

I remember it well. It was all over the news at the time that some eggheads at the U didn't like having an aggressive looking mascot, and they wanted it softened. I was 11 or 12 years old at the time, and I remember channel 5 news showing the previous and revised mascots side-by-side.

I had a tee shirt with aggressive football Goldy on it, and I wore that shirt out. Couldn't get a replacement, so I wore it till it turned to rags.

So long story short, it was definitely political correctness that led to the changes in Goldy. To say it wasn't is revisionist mascot history.

Doesn't mean it was the wrong move.
 

I remember it well. It was all over the news at the time that some eggheads at the U didn't like having an aggressive looking mascot, and they wanted it softened. I was 11 or 12 years old at the time, and I remember channel 5 news showing the previous and revised mascots side-by-side.

I had a tee shirt with aggressive football Goldy on it, and I wore that shirt out. Couldn't get a replacement, so I wore it till it turned to rags.

So long story short, it was definitely political correctness that led to the changes in Goldy. To say it wasn't is revisionist mascot history.

" I was 11 or 12 years old at the time"

That does explain things. ;)
 




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