Back in 1987 the athletic department at FIU decided to retire the university’s first mascot, The Sunblazer.
It is my thought that this should not have been the case.
One of the main reasons is that people who follow sports, in general, do not tend to think of FIU at first when they think of the Panthers.
In my mind, even as a student here at the University, the order of thoughts are the Carolina Panthers of the NFL, the University of Pittsburgh Panthers, and then the Florida Panthers of the NHL before noting FIU.
I would much rather be a member of the Sunblazer nation, something that is both original and has the ability to have catchy slogans, catch phrases and even hashtags for social media.
“I wouldn’t have minded it [being the Sunblazers],” junior sociology major Moses McGahee said. “#BurnEmBlazers would have been a nice saying and I’m sure the Sunblazer would have looked a lot more dangerous in this day and age.”
I do agree with McGahee when he says that the mascot would have needed some updating for the present day however.
It does look a little strange but I remember that it was back in the 1980s so I can’t expect that much.
I also have to note that it is a very odd mascot. However, there are some pretty strange ones still out there today. Some of these include the Banana Slugs of the University of California at Santa Cruz, the Geoducks (pronounced gooeyducks) of Evergreen State College in Washington, the Scottsdale Community College Fighting Artichokes, and the Washburn University (Kansas) Ichabods.
Now, it is my opinion, since athletics decided to drop the brighter side of our university’s mascot name, it became confusing.
When the word Golden was taken off of the Panthers name, incoming students who do not know the history of the mascot, probably wonder why we have a yellow, almost lion-like, mascot when we are simply the FIU Panthers.
A friend brought up a valid point to me though on why the Panther makes sense. She told me that it is an animal native to Florida.
That does make sense.
However, Florida is known as the Sunshine State.
A big part of the Sunblazers would be the sun and I do recall that we as a state are the only that didn’t really have a winter and can see the sun most days.
Also, for people outside of Florida, as I lived in Virginia for a few years, I had no idea whatsoever that there was a Florida Panther and I just thought that the Panthers of the NHL just took the name out of randomness like the Carolina Panthers.
The Sunblazer would have so much potential in my opinion for growth and marketing.
Yes, the colors could still be blue and gold but there can be some cool color combos if the change would be made for the fiery and fierce Torch, the Sun Blazer.
Yes, I gave him the name of Torch.
I thought torch because current Conference USA opponent in the University of Alabama at Birmingham who are the Blazers and have a dragon as a mascot.
We could be red and gold or gold and black, as space is black.
In theory he could even be friends with Burnie the Miami Heat mascot, which would be cool or hot to put that pun into things.
However, unless athletics wants to raise Torch from retirement and give him a face lift.
I don’t think I will ever get to say Burn ‘Em Sunblazers, Burn ‘Em.
Nor will any future student of FIU.
Share your opinion via our poll question.
[poll id=”10″]
Answers Explained:
Panthers – Current
Golden Panthers – Most recent former
Sunblazers – Retired mascot from 1987
Fighter Jets – FIU is on the grounds of a former airport
Other – Leave a comment with what you think it should be. Include your year and major and you may get it in The Beacon.
-rhys.williams@fiusm.com
Bring back the ‘Blazers.
I think we alumni got burned with the name change. It was never a bright idea in the first place.
Did the quest for sports revenue cloud the issue? See the light and change the name.
Being a part of the 1984 National Championship Soccer Team I and my teammates loved the Sunblazer name and what it represented and also being different than the typical college names. We believed as Sunblazers that we were blazing a trail of winning ways for our School. Which we did. When they changed the name I took it and named our Youth Soccer Club SK Sunblazer Soccer Club. We continue the tradition of excellent soccer and pride in what we represent “Heart, Strength and Courage” . All our teams yell out their fight call before each game, “Sunblazers on 3! Sunblazers on 3! 1,2,3 Sunblazers! or “Blaze it up” or “Go Sunblazers!”. We continue with the traditional Yellow and Blue Colors we represented at FIU back then. FIU did honor that team this past year. It was good to be recognized. Funny how Most everyone we talked to Did Not know that FIU use to be called Sunblazers not Panthers or Golden Panthers. I thought it was a unique name and definitely a unique mascot! After reading this piece I am glad that some do remember the FIU Sunblazers. Being part of the old school some of us have the saying when we go to FIU Soccer Alumni events and say, “we are Sunblazers not Panthers!” :)
I believe that the Sunblazer mascot was named "S.O.B." (son of a blazer).
I believe that the Sunblazer mascot was named "S.O.B." (son of a blazer).
I believe that the Sunblazer mascot was named "S.O.B." (son of a blazer).
I believe that the Sunblazer mascot was named "S.O.B." (son of a blazer).