What Is The Mascot Of Saddleback College?

Saddleback College, a community college in Mission Viejo, California, has announced its decision to remove its controversial “Gaucho” mascot after over half a century. The mascot, which depicts an angry Mexican man riding a horse, has been criticized for being a cultural appropriation that dishonored a part of South American culture. Saddleback President Elliot Stern made the decision to retire the Gaucho mascot following a petition signed by hundreds of people.

The college announced the new mascot will be the Bobcats, after much deliberation and consideration of 330 nominations, 21 semifinalists, and three finalists. A design for the mascot is currently being voted on. The Gaucho mascot, which has drawn comparisons with the Frito Bandito, is considered one of the more controversial representations of the college.

Saddleback College has officially dropped the Gaucho as the school’s mascot, which many saw as a racist and misappropriated representation. The school will work with a mascot designer over the summer on the new mascot. The image of the bobcat design selected by popular vote received 60.35 of the votes.

The decision to change the mascot was made following a renewed national movement against racism and police brutality. The college will continue to work with a mascot designer over the summer on the new mascot.

What is the Saddleback controversy?

Saddleback, founded by influential pastor Rick Warren in the 1980s, faced controversy in 2021 when he ordained three women as pastors, contradicting the denomination’s statement of beliefs. The denomination claims that while both men and women are gifted for church service, the office of pastor is limited to men as qualified by scripture. Warren addressed delegates at the annual SBC convention, urging them to treat each other as allies or adversaries.

What is the mascot for Saddleback College gaucho?

Saddleback College has decided to remove its mascot, the Gaucho, due to three main reasons: cultural appropriation, stereotype-based design, and representation of an all-male culture. The mascot has been under fire for at least a decade, with the movement intensifying last year amid nationwide protests against racism and police brutality. A faculty-led group, Retire the Gaucho, has played a significant role in spreading the message and involving people in the movement.

What is the old mascot for Saddleback?

The college’s original mascot, the Gaucho, was controversial due to its depiction of an angry Mexican man riding a horse, a gaucho being an Argentinian cowboy. The mascot was compared to the racist Frito Bandito logo, which was retired in 1971. This year, saddleback President Elliot Stern decided to retire the Gaucho mascot after a petition, community forums, and recommendations from the school’s governing bodies.

What did the Bobcats change their name to?

The Charlotte Bobcats, a new team established by the NBA, began competing in the 2004-05 season. In 2006, former NBA player Michael Jordan acquired a minority stake in the franchise and became its managing member of basketball operations. In 2010, Jordan’s ownership group purchased a majority share of the franchise. In 2013, the Bobcats announced they would begin playing under the Charlotte Hornets name in the 2014-15 season.

The Hornets were retconned as having suspended operations from 2002 to 2004, while the Pelicans are now considered a 2002 expansion team. In August 2023, Jordan sold his majority stake in the Hornets to investors led by Gabe Plotkin and Rick Schnall, retaining a minority share in the team’s ownership.

In 1985, the NBA planned to expand by three teams by the 1988-89 season, later modified to include four expansion teams. George Shinn, an entrepreneur from Kannapolis, wanted to bring an NBA team to the Charlotte area, which had long been a hotbed for college basketball and was one of the fastest-growing cities in the United States.

What college is a gaucho?

The University of Southern California has used the Argentine cowboy nickname since 1936, inspired by Douglas Fairbanks’s performance in the 1927 film The Gaucho. By the late 1980s, students began embracing the gaucho name by attending basketball games with blue-and-gold boleadoras, foam and yarn representations of leather balls used to hunt rheas. “Gaucho Joe” became famous for psyching up basketball crowds in the 1980s, while Aaron Bishop in the 1990s became the legendary “Fantom of the Thunder Dome”.

Why did Saddleback College change their mascot?

The Saddleback High School’s mascot, the Gaucho, has been criticized for cultural misappropriation, being an angry, racist caricature that contrasts with the institution’s status as a federally recognized Hispanic-Serving Institution. The school claims the Gaucho represents “all-male culture” and does not provide equal representation for its female athletes and women, who make up 60 of its students. The new mascot should be unifying, positive, relevant, representative of the Saddleback experience, history, geography, visually pleasing, and work equally for both genders’ sports teams.

How hard is it to get into Saddleback College?

The school has a 100% acceptance rate, thereby ensuring that all qualified applicants are afforded the opportunity to attend. Nevertheless, some of the institution’s more sought-after programs may have more rigorous admissions criteria due to high demand. In such cases, applicants may be required to meet additional qualifications.

What is Saddleback mascot?

Saddleback College is replacing its gaucho mascot with a bobcat. The decision was made after students and staff members expressed dissatisfaction with the depiction of the gaucho mascot, which they felt made them feel excluded by the campus community. The original gaucho mascot was retired earlier this year, and the new mascot will be the bobcats. The college’s president, Elliot Stern, emphasized the impact of the mascot on those they care about.

When did Saddleback College become the Bobcats?

In May 2021, the campus community officially retired the Gaucho mascot. Subsequent to multiple public forums and voting rounds, the Bobcat was selected as Saddleback’s new mascot, with a design chosen in September 2021.

Is Saddleback still Southern Baptist?

The Southern Baptist Convention (SBC) has declined to reinstate Saddleback Church, a megachurch in Lake Forest, California, established by retired author Rick Warren. The SBC Executive Committee had previously voted to expel Saddleback, and the subsequent member vote upheld that decision. Warren stressed that he was requesting that the convention conduct itself in accordance with the principles of a Southern Baptist.

What is a female gaucho called?

The Argentinian gaucho woman, also known as la china or muchacha, constitutes a significant aspect of Argentine culture, having been present throughout the country’s history.