Althouse: "The new Purdue Pete, introduced Saturday, has been retired."

April 15, 2011

"The new Purdue Pete, introduced Saturday, has been retired."

"Faced with mounting criticism about the sideline mascot's new look, Purdue officials Wednesday announced they would reinstate the previous big-headed Pete."

26 comments:

Known Unknown said...: Heh heh, they said 'big headed"

I prefer the old one too, looks more homemade and college-y.; 4/15/11, 9:14 AM
Wince said...: The new Purdue Pete would age better on camera because he looks like he's in permanent soft-focus.

He also looks like he's of hispanic extraction.; 4/15/11, 9:28 AM
Patrick said...: Some clown got paid to decide to have the mascot "re-invented." It was probably the same clown who decided that no, they really didn't need a "re-invented" mascot.

Don't tell me they don't have enough money.; 4/15/11, 9:28 AM
Original Mike said...: I read that Michigan State tried to remake Sparty, but the fans rebelled there, too. Thank goodness, 'cause the old Sparty is way cool.

People can't seem to leave things alone. But change, simply for change's sake, is not a virtue.; 4/15/11, 9:29 AM
rhhardin said...: Mascot-free is a nice choice to try.; 4/15/11, 9:34 AM
The Dude said...: This comment has been removed by the author.; 4/15/11, 9:38 AM
Original Mike said...: "Mascot-free is a nice choice to try.

Every party has a pooper,
That's why we invited you.
Party-pooper
Party-pooper; 4/15/11, 9:50 AM
Irene said...: Maybe Purdue decided it doesn't want a Pete that looks like he is on steroids.

Especially after Barry Bonds's conviction yesterday for obstruction of justice.; 4/15/11, 9:52 AM
Phil 314 said...: Interesting for me given ASU's recent change in uniforms that de-emphasizes Sparky

(from this to this

FYI: Sparky was created by Disney); 4/15/11, 9:53 AM
Unknown said...: The Blonde's favorite nephew's best bud goes to Perdue, but had nothing to say on the subject over Spring Break.

But, then, he takes a different view of things.

For him, girls exist to add "drama".; 4/15/11, 10:09 AM
Known Unknown said...: Interesting for me given ASU's recent change in uniforms that de-emphasizes Sparky

This is what I love about the idiotic world of online news organizations: Let's talk about aesthetics but don't link to any fucking pictures.; 4/15/11, 10:09 AM
Known Unknown said...: But I notice Phil did the media's job again with his links.

Thanks, Phil.; 4/15/11, 10:10 AM
lemondog said...: Grrrrr..........looks a bit thuggish. Beady close set-eyes, slightly mashed-in nose, wide jaw on top a no-neck and located underneath the helmet most likely a narrow sloping forehead with hairline immediately above his thick bushy eyebrow(s); 4/15/11, 10:35 AM
Original Mike said...: "Grrrrr..........looks a bit thuggish."

That's what you want in a mascot. You want some pussy mascot like a gopher?; 4/15/11, 10:43 AM
kjbe said...: Dad's an alumn. I don't think he cares - I think he'd just like to beat the Badgers, once and a while.; 4/15/11, 10:47 AM
Automatic_Wing said...: Don't care about Purdue Pete, but what a bummer about Sparky. He was one of the best CFB logos out there. I wonder why they dumped him, too French-looking?; 4/15/11, 11:13 AM
traditionalguy said...: The difference is in the eyes. Why change to a drug user's eyes...oh yeah, never mind.; 4/15/11, 11:23 AM
Fen said...: td beat me to it. Big Eyes for mascots. I'm betting that for the fans in the stands, the new Pete looked all squinty and shifty.; 4/15/11, 11:36 AM
paul a'barge said...: A great loss for the tolerance of obesity (the new Pete is fat).; 4/15/11, 11:36 AM
Phil 314 said...: Grrrrr..........looks a bit thuggish.

That's a sports logo theme lately (past 10 years)

Note old Bronco logo (snot rocket horse) vs new Bronco logo (angry devil horse); 4/15/11, 12:43 PM
ken in tx said...: The old Purdue Boilermakers logo was adopted by my high school, The Holt Ironmen, in Holt Alabama, in the 1950s. Our school was located next to a foundry, and boilermakers and foundry workers seemed close enough. I did not even know it was Purdue's logo until years later.; 4/15/11, 12:52 PM
Phil 314 said...: and nothing like the old timey logo from yesteryear

Sparky was an old timey logo that had passed its prime. Oregon got rid of the duck several years ago (also a Disney character) and went with the Nike designs. ASU's new logo is also via Nike.; 4/15/11, 12:52 PM
Old RPM Daddy said...: When I was a freshman, Boilermaker Pete had a squarish cap, and a pugnacious, almost pouty expression. I remember him being kidnapped by the Wisconsin cheerleaders one Saturday, and racked up on the goalposts. The Purdue cheerleaders tried the same thing with Bucky, but had trouble lifting him, and the Wisconsin cheerleaders were able to intervene in time.

The current iteration isn't all that different from what I remember seeing introduced later my freshman year. The big technological advance, as far as I remember, was that the new head had moveable eyebrows.; 4/15/11, 1:49 PM
Original Mike said...: "I remember him being kidnapped by the Wisconsin cheerleaders one Saturday, and racked up on the goalposts. The Purdue cheerleaders tried the same thing with Bucky, but had trouble lifting him, and the Wisconsin cheerleaders were able to intervene in time."

Several years ago at a home Wisconsin game I was at, a Michigan State fan (don't remember why he was on the field, he might have been a cheerleader or trainer) went beserk and started wailing on Bucky for real. He got hauled off to jail. It was really something to watch.; 4/15/11, 2:21 PM
kjbe said...: Quote from dad, "The reason they changed it, was that some people thought he looked too grumpy!!"; 4/15/11, 3:46 PM
Old RPM Daddy said...: @Me: "I remember him being kidnapped by the Wisconsin cheerleaders one Saturday, and racked up on the goalposts."

Looking back, we might have been playing Iowa that day. Rest of the story still stands though. And we got our butts whooped, like we usually did back then.; 4/15/11, 3:50 PM