It is week four of this twelve part series, and as
such, this week’s winner (or loser, depending how you look at it)
rounds out the bottom third of the ACC mascot rankings. To read
previous posts, click on the category “Mascot Rankings” on the right. I
encourage you to post your responses to my rankings. This week, we hone
in on the No. 9 school, with the giant bronze turtle and a grassy area
that tries to rival The Lawn at UVA (but does not succeed). From that
“other” College Park – not the Atlanta area that is noted by Yung Joc
and other rappers – I give you…the University of Maryland Terrapins.
Usually, people are critical of corny mascot
origins, such as how the B.C. Eagle came from the poetic image of an
eagle swooping down, “snatching the trophy of victory from old
opponents.” However, corny-ness is not necessarily a bad thing. It evokes pride, and comes from a passionate love of one’s school.
That being said, Maryland’s mascot is a
turtle. Why? You’re saying to yourself, “There’s no relationship
whatsoever between the University of Maryland and a large turtle!” In
reality, the university admits to that, based on the school athletics
website’s explanation for the mascot: “Dr. H.C. Byrd, a football coach
who later became University President, recommended the Diamondback as
mascot in 1932 in response to the student newspaper’s search for an
“official” leader. Byrd’s childhood in Crisfield, Md., apparently
included skirmishes with this brand of snapping turtle, indigenous to
the Bay. The school paper was in fact already called The Diamondback,
and when the Class of 1933 stepped forward with the idea of giving the
University a permanent bronzed version as its graduation gift,
Testudo’s family was in to stay.”
As far as originality goes, the school is the
only one that uses the nickname “Terrapins.” However, that does not
necessarily improve the mascot’s rankings; as per the given
explanation, the university itself has little to do with turtles. The
former president’s childhood home gave rise to the Terrapin name.
Perhaps if Terrapins were found all over the campus, the name would
make sense, but (for instance) UVA’s sports teams are not called the
Redcoats (referring to our founder Thomas Jefferson’s “skirmishes” with
the British en route to the Revolutionary War). Therefore, the Terps
get a ranking of 2 out of 5 on originality: the name is unique, but
does not reflect any aspect of the university. Maryland should have
stuck with the corny – they used to be called the Old Liners (thought
to be a war reference).
The
Terrapins do fare better in terms of “coolness,” however, as they
receive a score of 3 in this category. Here’s why: one of the greatest
traditions of any university, even thought it has nothing to do with
athletics, is that students at UMD rub the nose of a large bronze
turtle named Testudo. According to the university website, “Rubbing his
nose is supposed to bring good luck (hence Testudo’s unusually shiny
nose).” I have been to the Univeristy of Maryland twice, and both times
I saw shrines at the half-ton bronze turtle. People leave candy,
change, and other such sacrifices while rubbing Testudo’s nose in hopes
of passing their exams. Also, the prospect of a person walking around
in a turtle costume is far superior to being a tiger, which is overdone
(see Clemson’s low ranking).
All this being said, Maryland ranks 9 out of
12, because Testudo provides the Terrapins with enough tradition to put
them above the likes of Clemson, Boston College, and Virginia Tech.
However, turtles and Maryland just don’t have enough in common for the
mascot to be ranked higher than eight of their ACC foes.
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