Post by Rulon on Jan 2, 2011 17:16:45 GMT -8
I have stayed quiet on this Zuma issue but Steve is my friend so perhaps it is time for me to join the fray and give you my opinion. Here is some history for you to consider. These are facts, not hear say.
In 2001, when the two student groups MEChA and NASA complained about the use of a human depiction as a mascot, Dr. Weber commissioned the preparation of a White Paper on the issue.
www.themwc.com/genrel/050301aaa.html
After the White Paper was issued, Dr. Weber then commissioned a vote of the student body. No one has ever been able to explain why he went to the effort and expense of holding this plebiscite because immediately thereafter he overturned the referendum and announced that Monty Montezuma would be banned. He then commissioned the creation of the Ambassador. Large sums of money were spent on this creation. As we all remember, that went over like a lead balloon and the Ambassador lasted less than one year. The uniform was retired and the student that portrayed the regal Montezuma was hired by the Alumni Association to make up for him losing his job as the Ambassador.
Then a new mascot committee was formed in 2002 and they held a public forum where they requested input and suggestions. At that forum one of the eventual members of the Aztec Warrior Foundation spoke and presented the following image and suggested that only the name Montezuma be removed and instead, the school should just call the SDSU mascot the Aztec Warrior.
www.mexicanceramic.com/folk/caballero.htm
Does this look familiar to anyone? I thought so. Anyway, on that committee was a member of the athletic department, Steve Schnall. He proposed a stuffed animal character, either a jaguar or an eagle, as those were two ranks of warriors within Aztec culture. The committee was unable to come to a final recommendation, but leaks from committee members let it be known that an animal was likely to become the new mascot.
Upon hearing these rumors, a small group of people met and came up with the idea of creating a non-profit foundation to try and raise money to save Monty. They applied for charitable, tax-exempt status with the IRS and that was granted in July 2002. The Aztec Warrior Foundation hired Carlos Gutierrez and paid for the creation of a new uniform. We made a point of NOT using the name Monty or Montezuma, and tried to conform to the requirements set forth in that initial White Paper. We launched a pre-emptive strike against the creation of an animal mascot by presenting our own, un-official Aztec Warrior mascot. Once Carlos appeared at that first football game in the new uniform, there was no way that the University could adopt an animal mascot. A two-year struggle began. Everyone but a small handful of administration personnel supported our struggle. The most adamant opponent of our efforts was Mr. Steve Schnall. He gave the orders that Carlos was never to be shown on the big screen at Qualcomm and he had his security goon (Spiller) harass our group at every turn. We persevered.
Finally, after several meetings behind the scenes with Dr. Weber, the Aztec Warrior Foundation agreed to support the creation of a new mascot. The design was by the University’s art department. Thus was born the “Bird-Head” uniform. For those of you who do not remember, check out page 4 of the Spring 2004 issue of 360 Magazine (link follows):
advancement.sdsu.edu/marcomm/360/images/360sp04.pdf
This image was put to a second vote, this time allowing input from both student and Alumni Association Members. It was overwhelmingly approved. Our group did not particularly like it, but agreed that a Warrior of any kind was better than nothing. Carlos was hired for a two-year stint as part of our contract with the University. Also a part of the agreement between the AWF and SDSU was the creation of the Aztec Warrior committee of the SDSU Alumni Association. We were given four seats on this committee, athletics received three seats and alumni received three seats. Steve Schall represented the athletic department and was one of their three members. The committee was charged with hiring the Aztec Warrior, paying for the uniform AND the salary of the warrior with no financial support from athletics or the university. Budgetary constraints always were the stated reasons for not supporting the warrior financially. It even took three years of begging to get Steve Schnall to put a “check-the-box” donation request on football ticket renewals. During the first two years, much of the money to finance the mascot came from personal donations from former AWF board members. Later, the committee members found memorabilia items and held silent auctions at the Monty’s awards ceremonies, the proceeds of which continued to fund the Warrior. SDSU never had a budget item for the mascot during this time. They still do not. There was never any money for it. The Alumni Association had to pony up the funds.
The SDSU AA Warrior committee modified the original uniform and it evolved to the one we have today. We used as our support and inspiration the historical figure of an Aztec Eagle Warrior discovered at the Templo Mayor in Mexico City.
www.flickr.com/photos/ilhuicamina/2159366077/
At one of the Alumni Association Warrior board meetings during the first couple of years, Steve Schnall presented an idea for a stuffed animal “supplemental” character mascot. It was voted down by the committee. Frankly, most of us just didn’t trust him and we still don’t. Fast forward to 2010. Brian Sipe volunteered to work on bringing some fresh ideas for reestablishing a game day experience for Aztec football. He presented those ideas to the committee. His ideas were great! However, re-introduced at the same time and made to look like a Brian Sipe idea was Zuma. But Zuma was NOT Brian Sipe's idea. However, the committee could not say “no” to Brian Sipe and so, without any public comment or hearing, Zuma was thrust onto the stage. Money was conveniently found to pay for it and its uniform. SDSU is spending real money on Zuma. They cut professors and academics and athletics (mostly women's) and then cry poverty, but Zuma IS funded. Yet, SDSU has never spent any money on the Aztec Warrior. He was always paid for with private funds or Alumni Association funding. If you don’t believe me, ask Jim Herrick, executive director of the SDSU Alumni Association. He will confirm that Mike (the current Aztec Warrior) and all previous warriors has/have been a budget item of the Alumni Association. NOT Athletics, and NOT academics! Alumni!!! But Zuma is paid for by University funds. Seems to me that kind of makes Zuma the official SDSU mascot.
Out of respect for those involved, I will not name the persons who participated in the conversation (they can step forward if they like) but a member of the AWF was told by an ex officio member of the Alumni Warrior Board committee and a university administration official that we had been duped by the Zuma proponents. Steve Schnall is only an assistant athletic director BUT apparently the sole decider of who or what will be SDSU’s mascot. Who gave him this authority? I don’t know, but it appears that many are too apathetic to care.
Remember, one of the primary arguments against keeping Monty Montezuma was that using the name “Monty” was disrespectful to the historical personage known as Montezuma II. That argument was echoed in the original White Paper and again in the negotiations we had for a new mascot to be called simply the “Aztec Warrior” and then again in the press releases issued by the University. YET, “Zuma” is not disrespectful? How can the University talk out of both sides of their mouth at the same time? They have no problem with a furry stuffed animal prancing around and using a nickname for Montezuma but heaven forbid we call our warrior “Monty”.
SO… Is Steve Aztec paranoid? You make up your own mind. But I personally think not, and I will not be surprised if the Aztec Warrior quietly disappears.
Rulon Jenson
Former Director, Aztec Warrior Foundation
In 2001, when the two student groups MEChA and NASA complained about the use of a human depiction as a mascot, Dr. Weber commissioned the preparation of a White Paper on the issue.
www.themwc.com/genrel/050301aaa.html
After the White Paper was issued, Dr. Weber then commissioned a vote of the student body. No one has ever been able to explain why he went to the effort and expense of holding this plebiscite because immediately thereafter he overturned the referendum and announced that Monty Montezuma would be banned. He then commissioned the creation of the Ambassador. Large sums of money were spent on this creation. As we all remember, that went over like a lead balloon and the Ambassador lasted less than one year. The uniform was retired and the student that portrayed the regal Montezuma was hired by the Alumni Association to make up for him losing his job as the Ambassador.
Then a new mascot committee was formed in 2002 and they held a public forum where they requested input and suggestions. At that forum one of the eventual members of the Aztec Warrior Foundation spoke and presented the following image and suggested that only the name Montezuma be removed and instead, the school should just call the SDSU mascot the Aztec Warrior.
www.mexicanceramic.com/folk/caballero.htm
Does this look familiar to anyone? I thought so. Anyway, on that committee was a member of the athletic department, Steve Schnall. He proposed a stuffed animal character, either a jaguar or an eagle, as those were two ranks of warriors within Aztec culture. The committee was unable to come to a final recommendation, but leaks from committee members let it be known that an animal was likely to become the new mascot.
Upon hearing these rumors, a small group of people met and came up with the idea of creating a non-profit foundation to try and raise money to save Monty. They applied for charitable, tax-exempt status with the IRS and that was granted in July 2002. The Aztec Warrior Foundation hired Carlos Gutierrez and paid for the creation of a new uniform. We made a point of NOT using the name Monty or Montezuma, and tried to conform to the requirements set forth in that initial White Paper. We launched a pre-emptive strike against the creation of an animal mascot by presenting our own, un-official Aztec Warrior mascot. Once Carlos appeared at that first football game in the new uniform, there was no way that the University could adopt an animal mascot. A two-year struggle began. Everyone but a small handful of administration personnel supported our struggle. The most adamant opponent of our efforts was Mr. Steve Schnall. He gave the orders that Carlos was never to be shown on the big screen at Qualcomm and he had his security goon (Spiller) harass our group at every turn. We persevered.
Finally, after several meetings behind the scenes with Dr. Weber, the Aztec Warrior Foundation agreed to support the creation of a new mascot. The design was by the University’s art department. Thus was born the “Bird-Head” uniform. For those of you who do not remember, check out page 4 of the Spring 2004 issue of 360 Magazine (link follows):
advancement.sdsu.edu/marcomm/360/images/360sp04.pdf
This image was put to a second vote, this time allowing input from both student and Alumni Association Members. It was overwhelmingly approved. Our group did not particularly like it, but agreed that a Warrior of any kind was better than nothing. Carlos was hired for a two-year stint as part of our contract with the University. Also a part of the agreement between the AWF and SDSU was the creation of the Aztec Warrior committee of the SDSU Alumni Association. We were given four seats on this committee, athletics received three seats and alumni received three seats. Steve Schall represented the athletic department and was one of their three members. The committee was charged with hiring the Aztec Warrior, paying for the uniform AND the salary of the warrior with no financial support from athletics or the university. Budgetary constraints always were the stated reasons for not supporting the warrior financially. It even took three years of begging to get Steve Schnall to put a “check-the-box” donation request on football ticket renewals. During the first two years, much of the money to finance the mascot came from personal donations from former AWF board members. Later, the committee members found memorabilia items and held silent auctions at the Monty’s awards ceremonies, the proceeds of which continued to fund the Warrior. SDSU never had a budget item for the mascot during this time. They still do not. There was never any money for it. The Alumni Association had to pony up the funds.
The SDSU AA Warrior committee modified the original uniform and it evolved to the one we have today. We used as our support and inspiration the historical figure of an Aztec Eagle Warrior discovered at the Templo Mayor in Mexico City.
www.flickr.com/photos/ilhuicamina/2159366077/
At one of the Alumni Association Warrior board meetings during the first couple of years, Steve Schnall presented an idea for a stuffed animal “supplemental” character mascot. It was voted down by the committee. Frankly, most of us just didn’t trust him and we still don’t. Fast forward to 2010. Brian Sipe volunteered to work on bringing some fresh ideas for reestablishing a game day experience for Aztec football. He presented those ideas to the committee. His ideas were great! However, re-introduced at the same time and made to look like a Brian Sipe idea was Zuma. But Zuma was NOT Brian Sipe's idea. However, the committee could not say “no” to Brian Sipe and so, without any public comment or hearing, Zuma was thrust onto the stage. Money was conveniently found to pay for it and its uniform. SDSU is spending real money on Zuma. They cut professors and academics and athletics (mostly women's) and then cry poverty, but Zuma IS funded. Yet, SDSU has never spent any money on the Aztec Warrior. He was always paid for with private funds or Alumni Association funding. If you don’t believe me, ask Jim Herrick, executive director of the SDSU Alumni Association. He will confirm that Mike (the current Aztec Warrior) and all previous warriors has/have been a budget item of the Alumni Association. NOT Athletics, and NOT academics! Alumni!!! But Zuma is paid for by University funds. Seems to me that kind of makes Zuma the official SDSU mascot.
Out of respect for those involved, I will not name the persons who participated in the conversation (they can step forward if they like) but a member of the AWF was told by an ex officio member of the Alumni Warrior Board committee and a university administration official that we had been duped by the Zuma proponents. Steve Schnall is only an assistant athletic director BUT apparently the sole decider of who or what will be SDSU’s mascot. Who gave him this authority? I don’t know, but it appears that many are too apathetic to care.
Remember, one of the primary arguments against keeping Monty Montezuma was that using the name “Monty” was disrespectful to the historical personage known as Montezuma II. That argument was echoed in the original White Paper and again in the negotiations we had for a new mascot to be called simply the “Aztec Warrior” and then again in the press releases issued by the University. YET, “Zuma” is not disrespectful? How can the University talk out of both sides of their mouth at the same time? They have no problem with a furry stuffed animal prancing around and using a nickname for Montezuma but heaven forbid we call our warrior “Monty”.
SO… Is Steve Aztec paranoid? You make up your own mind. But I personally think not, and I will not be surprised if the Aztec Warrior quietly disappears.
Rulon Jenson
Former Director, Aztec Warrior Foundation
