Bald Eagle

[Daddy Dumpsalot]

This must be nice:

Tigers

Could we get a real Eagle as a mascot to attend the games? He could fly around the stadium, something like Auburn. I think this would be appropriate and could get the fans into the game.

War Eagle

[MeanGreen61]

This must be nice:

Tigers

Could we get a real Eagle as a mascot to attend the games? He could fly around the stadium, something like Auburn. I think this would be appropriate and could get the fans into the game.

War Eagle

He might sight and dine on a revered albino squirrel !

[Travis]

is there an ordinance or a law of some such that doesn't allow us to do that?

[Green Crazy]

He might sight and dine on a revered albino squirrel !

We could make that a tradition. No one in the stadium can sit until the eagle brings back an albino squirrel.

[FirefightnRick]

This must be nice:

Tigers

Could we get a real Eagle as a mascot to attend the games? He could fly around the stadium, something like Auburn. I think this would be appropriate and could get the fans into the game.

War Eagle

DDA, do you see this hand-crafted artillery piece above? That's "BOOMER the CANNON", a 7/8th's scale(Don't read the Talon website, it's full of all kinds of inaccuracies) Model 1841 Smooth bore muzzleloader. It's one of the universities oldest remaining historical artifacts that is still in use today. I and two other alumni have spent the past 20 years and a great deal of our own money and a whole lot of our time restoring it and building it for you as well as the rest of the university. We made it by hand, some as students but mostly as alumni. Alex Balic, my son and I worked around the clock, often times putting in 12 to 18 hour days trying to meet the deadline for debuting it the weekend of the SMU game last year. I spent the better part of my entire summer last year in a sweat-box workshop handcrafting the steel bandings and shaping the solid Oak wood so that you and the Mean Green faithful would have something to be proud of, something that makes our game-day experience more special and unique than anyone elses. My reward?

Twice since that time, due to pure carelessness and a lack of consideration for this universities traditions, property and assets, Boomer and it's accompanying Limber were left out in the rain and damp night air to rust and rot. One of these two times was for over two weeks. Does that answer your question about NT being able to handle the responsibilities of having a real mascot at North Texas?

Rick

Edited May 22, 2007 by FirefightnRick

[JayDub]

I spent the better part of my entire summer last year in a sweat-box workshop handcrafting the steel bandings and shaping the solid Oak wood so that you and the Mean Green faithful would have something to be proud of, something that makes our game-day experience more special and unique than anyone elses. My reward?

Twice since that time, due to pure carelessness and a lack of consideration for this universities traditions, property and assets, Boomer and it's accompanying Limber were left out in the rain and damp night air to rust and rot. One of these two times was for over two weeks. Does that answer your question about NT being able to handle the responsibilities of having a real mascot at North Texas?

Rick

Must...resist...urge...to...rip...Talons...arrrrgghhhh!

[JayDub]

Must...resist...urge...to...rip...Talons...arrrrgghhhh!

Ya know what...screw it. BOHICA, Talons...

This is yet another great example of "Spirit and Service" being thrown by the wayside in favor of "parties" and "all-around annoying the living sh*t out of most of the student section with their 'assigned seating' ".

If Talons can't handle the responsibilities of this University's traditions...then maybe someone else should be charged with the responsibility.

Edited May 22, 2007 by JayDub

[greenminer]

Some great (and funny) reads from the original thread I think are worth re-mentioning for the newer folks:

Quote

Back in the late 80's I wanted to start an Eagle rehab/adoption center on campus and have it sponsored through the Fort Worth zoo. But I was desparately trying to finish "Boomer" the Cannon's first restoration and didn't have the time to complete the study of it, plus the money to do it was going to be out of this world. Maybe some day? It seems to me that during or after the Centennial North Texas or the UNT Health Science Center actually sponsored one of the Bald Eagle facilities at the Fort Worth zoo, but I can't remember when? Maybe someone here recalls when that was?

Rick

Quote

Why not just put an albino squirrel on the 50 yard line and wait a moment or two. I'm sure some sort of bird of prey will show up. It'd be much cheaper than "owning" a bald eagle etc and the last time I checked albino squirrels aren't regulated by anyone so there won't be any red tape. Plus we could dress the squirrel in a tiny squirrel jersey which would be a replica of that weeks opposing team. Talk about a show the kids would love.

(I for one would make it in prior to kick-off for that. Not to mention the extra tickets we'd sell to PETA each week. Truly a win-win situation.)

Quote

During the Matt Simon era, the team along with Coach Simon got involved with an organization called "Last Chance Forever" or something like that. It was a group in the Aubrey area that rehabiliated eagles. Simon and some members of the team had their pictures made with the eagle at the "farm" and the picture was in the D R-C.

I bet there is some kind of bird handler in the area that would love to provide a eagle flyover on game day.

But be prepared for the "dangers" involved. Remember the photos of the little girl shown on the scoreboard the victim of tortilla misfires ?

[meangreendork]

Rick's already taken the hammer to the individuals responsible. Mind you, he got his due for his lack of responsibility...and he's no longer active.

[OldTimer]

is there an ordinance or a law of some such that doesn't allow us to do that?

Its my understanding to have a "bald eagle" is illegal. Way back when I was in school I remember we had a "South Asian Sea Eagle" or something like that but he never was allowed to fly.

[Bryan316]

Rick's already taken the hammer to the individuals responsible. Mind you, he got his due for his lack of responsibility...and he's no longer active.

What he said. It's already been taken care of, back at the Spring Game. Rip Talons all you want if it makes you feel good, but continuing to go on what you saw from ~4 years ago is rather ignorant. Please walk around in the house before you judge it instead of just looking at one room through a window.

[Ibleedgreen]

Back in the 70s (I think it was), there was a golden eagle that attended all of the football games. His name was "Scrappy," hence the name of our mascot of today. I believe there was at least one other golden eagle that served in that capacity. I am not sure which organization was in charge of his care.

[JayDub]

What he said. It's already been taken care of, back at the Spring Game. Rip Talons all you want if it makes you feel good, but continuing to go on what you saw from ~4 years ago is rather ignorant. Please walk around in the house before you judge it instead of just looking at one room through a window.

I see all I need to see everytime I'm back home for a game.

[SCREAMING EAGLE-66]

Back in the 70s (I think it was), there was a golden eagle that attended all of the football games. His name was "Scrappy," hence the name of our mascot of today. I believe there was at least one other golden eagle that served in that capacity. I am not sure which organization was in charge of his care.

---Scrappy was the mascot name used during the 60's and I think even the 50's. If that live Eagle existed during the 70's, he was named for what had existed for years. During the 60's I remember seeing some stuffed eagles in the Union building that had once been mascots at some point in the past. I think they were Golden Eagles and were showing their age even then. Eppy (the costumed mascot) was a temporary change to a peaceful, non-violent mascot... the change seemed dumb then and even dumber now.

[Cr1028]

Ya know what...screw it. BOHICA, Talons...

This is yet another great example of "Spirit and Service" being thrown by the wayside in favor of "parties" and "all-around annoying the living sh*t out of most of the student section with their 'assigned seating' ".

This has got to be my all-time biggest gripe about home games, that and the sorry speakers the cheerleaders used that were nothing but static and noise.

If Talons can't handle the responsibilities of this University's traditions...then maybe someone else should be charged with the responsibility.

My buddy and I were going to do just that until we lost all momentum by daring to criticize the Talons.

[trud1966]

DDA, do you see this hand-crafted artillery piece above? That's "BOOMER the CANNON", a 7/8th's scale(Don't read the Talon website, it's full of all kinds of inaccuracies) Model 1841 Smooth bore muzzleloader. It's one of the universities oldest remaining historical artifacts that is still in use today. I and two other alumni have spent the past 20 years and a great deal of our own money and a whole lot of our time restoring it and building it for you as well as the rest of the university. We made it by hand, some as students but mostly as alumni. Alex Balic, my son and I worked around the clock, often times putting in 12 to 18 hour days trying to meet the deadline for debuting it the weekend of the SMU game last year. I spent the better part of my entire summer last year in a sweat-box workshop handcrafting the steel bandings and shaping the solid Oak wood so that you and the Mean Green faithful would have something to be proud of, something that makes our game-day experience more special and unique than anyone elses. My reward?

Twice since that time, due to pure carelessness and a lack of consideration for this universities traditions, property and assets, Boomer and it's accompanying Limber were left out in the rain and damp night air to rust and rot. One of these two times was for over two weeks. Does that answer your question about NT being able to handle the responsibilities of having a real mascot at North Texas?

Rick

Yeah this issue periodically resurfaces every 4 months. Even I started the same coversation back in December. I'm not sure why there is every the slightest consideration that somehow UNT and/or Talons take CARE of the Blankity Blank Bird! First of all, not to slam the Talons, but why would anyone entrust a wild animal that nobody knows anything about to what amounts to the equivalent of a Fraternity? I'm not the smartest guy in the world, but I'd say I'm smarter than I was in college, and if someone came up to me and ask "Dude, could you take care of my Eagle?" Umm OH HELL NO!

I personally LOVE the idea of the Eagle flying around the stadium, but, if you read the threads from months past, it's going to be an extremely difficult task to pull of. Heres what I'd suggest. Start out simple, no flying yet. Someone contact a Bird Handler in the North Texas area to just set up a display outside the stadium, hand out flyers, collect donations. Kid's will love it, people will take photos of the bird. Everyone around is now aware how hot the term "Green" is lately, right? (As is, Nature conservation, preservation, etc) The PR possibilities with the "Mean Green Eagle" are endless. Literature will say how Mean Green fans donations goes to help with the preservation of the beautiful animal, blah blah blah. It WRITES ITSELF PRACTICALLY. UNT wins the PR, and the bird handler picks up donations and promotes his cause. How could anyone lose at this?

Most importantly, drop the idea of "us" handling the bird. Find an organization that brings their own bird. No handling and no cages to clean. Later down the road, if this is sucessful, start working the idea of getting a bird to fly the stadium.

[Guest GrayEagleOne]

Back in the 70s (I think it was), there was a golden eagle that attended all of the football games. His name was "Scrappy," hence the name of our mascot of today. I believe there was at least one other golden eagle that served in that capacity. I am not sure which organization was in charge of his care.

Well, as OT pointed out, it wasn't a golden eagle as we all thought, but a sea eagle from southeast Asia. I'm not sure who found that out but it wasn't common knowledge at the time.

The organization that was responsible for caring for the eagle was the Rally Club. It would be the forerunner of the present-day Talons. It was started in the mid-50s and lasted until the origin of the Talons.

In the late 40s, North Texas kept an eagle in a cage at the golf course clubhouse, where the Radisson now stands. The care and upkeep was shoddy and the bird was given to Forest Park Zoo in Fort Worth. To the best of my remembrance, that was the time when the name Scrappy came into being. The new caricature logo was the same as Silver's avitar and was known as Scrappy.

I'm told that eagle later died but the zoo allowed us to use one of their eagles to take to the football games. I can't speak for all of the years but in 1956 it was my duty, as president of the Rally Club, to take the cage to Fort Worth, pick up the eagle, and transport the mascot to Denton. We had about a five fout cubed cage with a perch which was mounted on a trailer where Scrappy was kept. He was picked up on Saturday morning and retruned on Sunday.

I can't attest to the specific breed of the bird that I was given. He was in a very large caged area that contained many birds of prey. The keeper usually had him ready for transport when we got there. As I stated above, I always thought that it was a golden eagle that we were using but it could have been anything. But, it lookedlike a golden eagle in size and color.