Beyond Ridiculous

What are things coming to when a high school team can't call themselves the Cougars?  Seriously, what does it say about us as a people?  I saw this news article today stating, "Students at a new Utah high school are facing disappointment after their choice for a new school mascot was rejected for one of the strangest reasons possible: Board members deemed it might be seen as offensive to middle-aged women."  I kid you not.  This is ridiculousness to the nth power.  Less than 30 miles down the road is Provo, Utah.  Home of Brigham Young University.  A university with an honour code, and a university that "exists to provide a university education in an atmosphere consistent with the principles of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints" (quote from the BYU website).  It's also a university with a pretty decent athletics program.  Hall of Fame quarterback Steve Young, who played for the San Francisco 49ers, was a BYU Cougar.  That's right.  The Brigham Young University Cougars.  Maybe word hasn't hit campus yet that cougar is slang for "a middle-aged woman seeking a romantic relationship with a younger man."

But hey, let's explore this a bit further.  If this were a court of law, the rejection of the name "cougars", based on the thought that it could be deemed as offensive to some, would set precedence.  Can you imagine how many teams would need to change their name?

I'm wondering if the Queen and her family would be offended that the baseball team in Kansas City is called the Royals?  Is the Army okay with those folks in Texas naming their baseball team the Rangers?  And how about the San Diego Padres.  Do you think the Catholic priests are offended?  And if we really want to go to the dark side, how about the Oregon State Beavers, the USC Trojans, and the Nashville Predators.  Names like this, with such strong sexual overtones, are likely corrupting our youth.

C'mon people!  This is political correctness gone too far.  Lighten up and stop taking everything so seriously!