Update: End near for Fighting Sioux mascot?

[d6]

My two cents (which is probably worth less than that).......the importance of any particular word is that it represents or symbolizes something.  From the time MU incorporated Warriors----as a marketing gimmick because the Milwaukee Braves came to town, the symbol representing that word was a Native American, specifically Willie Wampum.  If that symbol is replaced, then what does the word represent?  Marquette, as an institution, is far bigger than any word or athletic mascot.  People got over the loss of Avalanche and Hilltoppers as symbols/nicknames.  And, if we want to argue that the term Warriors symbolizes Marquette, don't we have to argue that Avalanche and Hilltoppers represent the university as well. 

[ChicosBailBonds]

My two cents (which is probably worth less than that).......the importance of any particular word is that it represents or symbolizes something.  From the time MU incorporated Warriors----as a marketing gimmick because the Milwaukee Braves came to town, the symbol representing that word was a Native American, specifically Willie Wampum.  If that symbol is replaced, then what does the word represent?  Marquette, as an institution, is far bigger than any word or athletic mascot.  People got over the loss of Avalanche and Hilltoppers as symbols/nicknames.  And, if we want to argue that the term Warriors symbolizes Marquette, don't we have to argue that Avalanche and Hilltoppers represent the university as well. 

Words have multiple meanings which the Warriors of Philadelphia, San Francisco and Golden State more than successfully executed away from an Indian "symbolism" (despite 4 decades under that symbol) to one with a different symbol despite the same word.

[d6]

I absolutely agree that words have multiple meanings.  In the same vein, if we simply change what Warriors was represented as (i.e., change Willie Wampum and replace it with a new symbol), then what is the significance of the word?  My opinion is that we should have either held firm and kept the Warriors and what it represents or we should have reverted back to one of our previous nicknames.  To keep Warriors and change the symbol, in my opinion, is no different than changing the word completely.  Hell, why don't we just pretend that the golden chicken is actually a warrior...........

[Canned Goods n Ammo]

My two cents (which is probably worth less than that).......the importance of any particular word is that it represents or symbolizes something.  From the time MU incorporated Warriors----as a marketing gimmick because the Milwaukee Braves came to town, the symbol representing that word was a Native American, specifically Willie Wampum.  If that symbol is replaced, then what does the word represent?  Marquette, as an institution, is far bigger than any word or athletic mascot.  People got over the loss of Avalanche and Hilltoppers as symbols/nicknames.  And, if we want to argue that the term Warriors symbolizes Marquette, don't we have to argue that Avalanche and Hilltoppers represent the university as well. 

Beautifully stated.

[Litehouse]

I wish we would have stayed Warriors.  But if they had to drop Warriors, they should have just gone back to Hilltoppers in '94 or even '05.  The Golden Eagles is just such a bland and generic name that represents nothing.

[Pakuni]

Words have multiple meanings which the Warriors of Philadelphia, San Francisco and Golden State more than successfully executed away from an Indian "symbolism" (despite 4 decades under that symbol) to one with a different symbol despite the same word.

It seems to me inaccurate comparing the circumstances of a professional sports franchise that's played in multiple cities to multiple fan bases and changed its logo nearly five decades ago to that of a nearly 130-year old university that has an entirely different relationship with its consumers/supporters.
Couldn't one surmise that the old GS Warrior logo has easily faded from memory in part because of the team's moves, it's relationship with its fans and the length of time that's passed since the change?
For the most part, the people who followed those Warriors under the Native American imagery lived thousands of miles away from where the team now plays and has for 39 years. I'd venture to guess that 95+ percent of Golden State Warriors fans today likely never saw or followed the team under the old logo, and maybe aren't even aware of it.
(FYI ... according to the NBA, the team officially changed away from the Native logo when the franchise moved to San Francisco in 1962 ... meaning the youngest fans to remember the old logo are in their mid- to late 50s).
http://www.nba.com/warriors/history/logo_history.html

Not sure I know the answer - though I lean pretty strongly toward saying the two entities are totally incomparable - but it's a question worth asking.