Column: Live tiger shouldn't be an issue
Published Feb. 16, 2010
OK, it's about time we lay this issue to rest. There has been a lot of talk about this, and I am here to kill this issue once and for all.
While watching ESPN last week, I was pleased to see there would be some discussion about MU. Could it be the long-standing 32-game home winning streak our team had? How about how former quarterback Chase Daniel winning a Superbowl ring as a member of the Saints? Or could it even be the fact Kareem Rush is averaging 1.3 points per game in the NBA?
Nope, nope and definitely nope.
The story was about this school's idea to get a living, breathing Bengal tiger at home sporting events. I am ashamed this will be the only mention of MU on national television until March Madness.
ESPN reported 1,300 students are in the Facebook group to bring a tiger to home games, and only 1,000 are in the opposing Facebook group. What undoubtedly started as a drunken conversation at Harpo's on a random Thursday night a few weeks ago has now sparked a huge nationwide controversy.
Thanks, Internet.
This whole idea is ridiculous and utterly stupid.
When I was presented with the choice to either join the "yes" group or the "no" group — I did what every other MU Tiger should have done.
I ignored both.
I am 100 percent against this drunken "Let's get a freakin' tiger, man!" idea.
I am so against it that when the choice was brought before me to oppose the idea I said, "There is no way that I am going to give merit to such a ludicrous idea, so I will ignore it completely." To acknowledge this could have been a real conversation a few weeks ago is completely baffling to me.
Now I guess I'll eat those words because this story now has legs — four striped shameful legs, and I am here to say, "Stop talking about this."
To everyone in the "Vote Yes" group, you are why people at the University of Iowa think MU is an academic joke.
To everyone in the "Vote No" group, why the hell would you believe this is a real proposal? Don't be so irrational. Go apply to the University of Iowa.
To the Missouri Students Association president, whose name I don't know, stop drinking so much.
Mr. MSA President, there are a few things this school could use: a good headlining comedian for this semester, more fans for the rugby team and a whole lot more Ryan Beck. There is another handful of things this school doesn't need and leading the pack? You guessed it: a fucking Tiger.
The ESPN reporters said, when referring to the people in the "Vote Yes" group, "These kids are in college? What's wrong with them?" And so I am here to congratulate everyone responsible for this outlandish news story for making my and everyone else graduating in May's degree laughable. You people are a dark stain on MU's already bruised torso.
John Anderson is spinning in his grave — the one he surely just dug out of embarrassment when people around the office realized he went to MU.
From merely a pragmatist's standpoint, who's feeding the tiger? Why are we basically inviting animal rights groups to tie our school up in legal drama?
What MSA should do is sponsor a tiger at the St. Louis Zoo.
Name it Truman.
Everyone wins.
A professional caregiver can manage the tiger in a safe environment. We get our tiger, we lay this issue to rest and we can go on with our lives assuming nobody jumps into the tiger pit and gets eaten like last year.
Comments (4)
4:51 p.m., Feb. 16, 2010
Darrelle Edwards said:
@Domingo I don't see one valid argument in favor of getting a live tiger for MU. You take offense being labeled ignorant, but I'm sure you're quite intelligent. I believe Mr. Beck is simply highlighting your thoughts regarding this manner are ignorant. And using your comment as reference, he's right. If I'm not mistaken, you wrote a letter to the editor a few weeks back supporting the live tiger idea. But again, the piece was not much more than literary fluff and high praise for Tim Noce. If you don't want people to refer to you as ignorant, then don't come up with ridiculous proposals or support fiscally irresponsible measures. You mentioned a live tiger could be possible with alumni support. If so, fine. Find people like you and drum up the cash and accommodations necessary for such an endeavor. Call it whatever you want and dress it up in fancy outfits. But all that doesn't make it a good idea. Or an accomplished one.
9:58 p.m., Feb. 21, 2010
Letting Haters Pave the Way said:
@Darrelle By saying what you just said you shot down schools like LSU, Memphis, Baylor, Auburn, Texas, Colorado, Georgia, USC, Texas Tech, SMU, FSU, Yale, Texas A&M, Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgetown, North Carolina, Colorado State, and not to mention ARMY, NAVY, and AIR FORCE. All of these schools have LIVE mascots. LSU and Memphis both have live tigers and Auburn even has 2 eagles that fly over peoples heads! All these schools have recognized what a real mascot (on top of a costumed one) can do for a school. They have all benefited from one and you Darrelle are standing in the way of an opportunity for Mizzou. So please anyone in support of this happening take a note from T.I. and "never mind what haters say, ignore them til' they fade away."
10:29 p.m., Feb. 21, 2010
I feel sorry for anyone who had to read this said:
This is probably one of the worst columns ever to come out of the maneater. Why? 1. The idea is not ludicrous considering it has been done at other institutions 2. Just because the University of Iowa cannot have a live "hawkeye" you should not complain. 3. You don't even know your own president's name... YOU should probably go back to Iowa 4. Who even cares about you or the rugby team? 5. It is John Andersen, and if you were around back then, you probably wished you graduated in May and are just bitter you are pulling the 7-year experience 6. Last time I checked we have one of the best animal science majors in the country AND one of the best Vet Schools in the country, if they cannot handle a tiger, then their degree is in question. AND 7. You obviously have not been following the issue at all because there have been many articles about how MSA has been looking into adopting tigers at zoos in Missouri. Long story short, if you are going to write a column about an issue, make sure you actually know what you are talking about!
2:28 p.m., Feb. 16, 2010
Domingo said:
As founder of the "Students and Alumni in Support of..." group, I give people like you [who oppose the idea] respect, and I ask that you do the same. If you don't, be aware you aren't helping your case. So please, let's have a civil discussion and not belittle the other side. On that token, please don't refer to me or anyone else in the group as an ignorant student ("To everyone in the "Vote Yes" group, you are why people at the University of Iowa think MU is an academic joke") and imply we are less than intelligent. I am an accomplished Mizzou Alum, thank you. Other accomplished Alumni are in the group. Accomplished students are in the group. You get the point. I'm sure the group in opposition is the same.