Seeing Red

This paper basically attempts to analyze the Arkansas mascot the Razorbacks, as well as the scrutiny of the images used and their history. The Arkansas Razorbacks refers to the men’s athletics team of the University of Arkansas while the women’ team is referred to as the Arkansas Lady Razorbacks.  This term is applicable to any Arkansas university sports team. The Razorbacks are also referred to as the Hogs which apparently is the name given to a feral pig. Due to this fact the university school body cast out votes with the aim of changing the name given to the institution’s mascot to the present Arkansas Razorback in 1910. It happens to be the only main team n the entire U.S.A that has a porcine nickname.

The name Razorback came after Hugo Bezdek proclaimed that team fought similar to a wild band f razorbacks hogs. Razorbacks are basically wild hogs of whose origin is Arkansas but it does not resemble the nowadays barnyard pig. This hog is known to be an ill tempered lean animal that is untamed. One of its main characteristic that makes it aggressive enough to fight and defeat anything is probably due to its wild ill temper. Apparently the Razorbacks were described as the most intelligent, and courageous of the hogs. The official life mascot is a Russian boar which basically resembles the wild hog that existed in the days of Bezdek.

 Tusk is basically the name given to the University of Arkansas live mascot who apparently is a Russian boar, weighs 400 pounds and resembles a wild razorback in almost all aspects. Tusk is very active when it comes to sports since it attends the football games played at home and involve Razorback with the inclusion of other events. Arkansas University Razorbacks comprises of various costumed mascots who are present in the event of all main games (Bennet). The University’s traditional mascot is referred to as Big Red or Fighting Razorback and represents Razorbacks’ strong spirit that is displayed in all the athletic events. The female hog that has exemplary capabilities in dancing is known as Sue E, the kid mascot is known as Pork Chop while the Boss Hog is responsible for the union of the mascot family particularly during the football season. ESPNU voted the Boss Hog as the most annoying mascot of the year 2010 in the SEC.

The history of the Arkansas Razorbacks can be traced back on the day classes were first held at the University and thus after the classes, the contest was held in an attempt to select the most appropriate school colors (Bennett). They apparently chose a deep red shade over a moderate purple shade. In that same year when the school color was selected, the schools football team ‘’Arkansas Cardinals’’ was formed. Since the selection and establishment of the school color, it was only in the year 2000 that color black was introduced to some of their merchandise and eventually some teams adopted it in their uniform. This led to the school’s colors to be touted by the Collegiate Licensing Company as red and black instead of the common cardinal red and white.

The live mascot program is maintained by only a small portion of the universities. The main reason as to why the Arkansas University has kept on with this tradition is due to the fact that the Razorbacks fans have consistently given them their support. It tradition that precedes the Tusk is traced from the 1960s and represents a chain of several hogs that had the privilege of representing the University of Arkansas. Beside their exemplary appearances in games, the live mascot has with time gained a status of having ferocious behaviour.

A close trace of the of the history mascot reveals the escape of the Big Red III while on exhibition in 1977 around Eureka Springs where it brought destruction before a furious farmer gunned it down. Ragnar, a wild hog live mascot which was also was captured by Bill Robinson a Leola farmer in south Arkansas. Ragnar had caused a lot of destruction, killing a domestic pig weighing 450 pounds, a coyote, and seven rattlesnakes (Leflar). Ragnar’s cause of death has been unknown since the day it died in 1978.

The Russian boar, Tusk IV is official live mascot and coincidentally resembles the wild hog that was used during the days of Hugo Bezdek. The Stokes family which resides in Dardanelle, Ark, is responsible for the well being of Tusk IV and takes it to the home games and any main event that concerns the Razorbacks. In order to support Tusk in matters related to his upkeep, a Tusk Fund program is set up and also allows fans to contribute for the sole care of the Razorbacks Foundation Inc. Tusk IV is the successor of Tusk III and is set to enter his first full season in 2011 shortly after featuring in the Allstate Sugar Bowl in the same year 2011.

It is essential to know that the mascot of the University of Arkansas has not been the Razorbacks at all times since the 1910 mascot was the Cardinals which apparently complemented the then school colour of cardinal red. The clear understanding of Arkansas mascot the Razorbacks and the images with their history is very important for ensuring that this paper is better understood.