<p>I found out that for Harvard the mascot for the school is John Harvard. I dont know bout you guys but this sounds strange for a few reasons:
1) Isnt it strange to cheer for an actual person? I know he was the founder and all but I think that the mascot should be something that gives spirit to the student body and resembles them so there is a personality and uniqueness that connects and identifies everyone. I personally dont think that honoring a person gives personality to body nor should identify the university as whole.
2) I know this is gonna sound really radical and out there but is there any sort of propaganda or subliminal message that Harvard is trying to send through its message?
3) Am I the only one that thought that this is kinda weird? Has there been any attempts to change the mascot?</p>
<p>Just saying, I love Harvard and all but there is something that makes me wonder bout its mascot.</p>
<p>About your first point; John Harvard was not the actual founder of Harvard College. Have you ever heard of his statue on the campus being called the statue of three lies? Due to his generous gift to Harvard, then called New College, it was named after him.</p>
<p>^^ haha but i was thinking just anything real or mythical, that represents the Harvard students but I dont think one person can fulfill that purpose.</p>
<p>Haha, I never thought about that. The teams are just referred to as The Crimson, or Crim. You never hear “The John Harvards of Harvard”. That mascot uniform they trot out for FB games is pretty scary, though -here’s a description I found elsewhere:</p>
<p>" If I was John Harvard, I would rise from the dead and kick someone’s ass over this. I’m assuming that the people at Harvard are so busy and don’t have the time to design a mascot. So what’d they do? Took that deformed guy from 300, removed the hump, made him have a stroke, and added an over sized Pilgrim hat."</p>
<p>^ i just looked up a picture of it and its just like the description. But I swear the mascot is gonna give me nightmares now!! Lmaoo but legit someone should have thought by now “dang! He is not good looking and not the best representation of our school. We really should change out mascot”</p>
<p>If it’s weird it’s weird about other schools too. For example, the Williams College teams are known as the Ephs, after Ephraim Williams. And in addition to being the Bulldogs, Yalies are also commonly known as the Elis, after Elihu Yale.</p>
<p>FWIW Harvard’s official mascot is Crimson, the color (Just as Stanford’s is Cardinal, the color). I am yet to see the John Harvard mascot at any game.</p>
<p>Yeah, that’s an odd choice for a mascot, but honestly, I feel that every school with a large endowment was named in respect to a donor some time ago…</p>
<p>Since residents of Cambridge are called “Cantabridgians,” the Harvard Crimson ran an op-ed piece last year in which the student author suggested that the mascot be a “Cantab.” He envisioned a mascot in an aluminum can costume with the pop-top popped up. I thought that was pretty lame until I saw the John H. costume. :)</p>
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