READERS SUGGEST IDEAS FOR MASCOT

Southeast Missouri State University should have a buffalo for a mascot, or perhaps a cheetah, a wolf or even a coyote, Southeast Missourian readers say.

A buffalo topped the list among the suggested mascots offered by 14 Southeast Missourian readers.

Many readers offered more than one suggestion.

The university is searching for a new mascot. A campus committee hopes to settle on a new mascot by May.

After abandoning its traditional Indian chief and princess mascots 10 years ago, the school experimented briefly with two other mascots. Both proved unpopular and were quickly dropped.

Southeast hasn't had a mascot for the past several years. It is the only school in the Ohio Valley Conference that doesn't have a mascot.

Five readers who responded to the newspaper's request for suggestions said a buffalo would be a good mascot.

"The buffalo has long been associated with the Indians, so this would still fit in with your keeping of the Indian and Otahkian nicknames," wrote Vicki Lantz of rural Cape Girardeau.

"Also, you could easily parade a halter-broke baby buffalo at every home game," she said. "We raise buffalo, so having a baby on the bottle and halter-broke is not out of the question."

Micah and Jordan Bain of Scott City like the idea of a buffalo as a mascot because it was "the most important animal to the survival of the Indians."

Rita Weber of Perryville graduated from Southeast with a bachelor's degree in 1974 and a master's degree in 1983.

She suggested a buffalo or a deer would be a good mascot because they are associated with Indian culture. "A buffalo or a deer hopefully would not offend a Native American," she wrote.

Mike Sheehan of Cape Girardeau suggested a buffalo too. But he also suggested a golden eagle, paint pony and "Great SEMO Spirit."

The eagle was suggested by several readers. Jo Ann Bock, a 1964 graduate of Southeast, said the eagle would complement the university's Golden Eagles Marching Band.

Eagles have ties to the native American culture, she said. She also suggested the wolf and the pinto pony as mascots since they too have ties to the Indian heritage.

The cheetah was favored by two readers. Gene Heise of Cape Girardeau wrote, "They are long-legged, fast and always on the attack."

Diana Brunke of rural Jackson suggested the lobo. "You can fit a wolf with the Indian theme and no one should get offended," she said.

One anonymous writer suggested catfish, a fisherman, a tugboat, a steamer, a river rat, an eagle, a hawk, a squirrel, a captain and Mighty Moe as possible mascots.

Southeast student Joe Pondrom suggested several Mississippi River-related mascots, including Southeast pilots and boatmen.

He also mentioned several other possible mascots, including pioneers, explorers, jolts, a reference to the New Madrid Fault, and Frenchmen, a reference to Cape Girardeau's French heritage.

Nona Chapman of Cape Girardeau has other ideas. Chapman suggested, "The Quakes -- We shatter the competition, and The Rocks -- We're steadfast."

Chapman also questioned if the university needs a mascot.

Audrey Borgfield of rural Jackson favors making the coyote the school's mascot.

Borgfield even suggested a name for the coyote. "O'Me's, the Coyote." The name is SEMO spelled backward.

Borgfield said the coyote would be "a howling-smart hero" that would blend in well with the Indian heritage.