You have to love this......

**Wesley** · 05-16-2008, 09:48 AM

Originally Posted by dustinal

Iowa's most widely recognized nickname is The Hawkeye State, however it has nothing to do with the EIU Hawkeyes. Rather, EIU took their mascot name from the state nickname, which supposedly originated from the book The Last of the Mohicans.

The hawkeye State begins around Cedar rapids and goes to Bettendorf. The Cyclone State is everything west and south of CR
except for a band of Maruaders working at the Rag.

**huntt26** · 05-16-2008, 09:50 AM

that pic and caption is amazing Cyclone711

**cgwarrior33** · 05-16-2008, 10:05 AM

Gene Chizik, avid gamer.

**weR138** · 05-16-2008, 11:19 AM

I've always understood it to be "The tall corn state"

What is confusing to me is the image of a hawk used by EIU. A hawkeye is an Indian scout is it not? tOSU's mascot isn't a male deer, it's a buckeye.

**Bader** · 05-16-2008, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by weR138

tOSU's mascot isn't a male deer, it's a buckeye.

Who the hell picks a poisonous nut as their mascot?? I can just picture Brutus... "C'mon, eat me!!"

**ISUclones33** · 05-16-2008, 12:00 PM

actually it appears to be tony hawks pro skater, I can imagine Gene destroying a skateboard.

**weR138** · 05-16-2008, 12:34 PM

Originally Posted by Bader

Who the hell picks a poisonous nut as their mascot?? I can just picture Brutus... "C'mon, eat me!!"

Yeah, it's kind of silly but at least it's original and regional. I think the most popular mascot is the tiger which is sillier since the only tigers in north america are found in zoos.

**dustinal** · 05-16-2008, 01:18 PM

Originally Posted by Cyclone711

I'm pretty sure that's how alot of big 10 teams got their nick name. Gopher state, Buckeye state, Badger state etc. Nicknames were already in place when the colleges were founded.

Yep. A quick check of the state nicknames here...

50states.com State Nickname List

...reveals a lot of mascots based on them.

Indiana - Hoosier State
Iowa - Hawkeye State
Nebraska - Cornhusker State
North Carolina - Tar Heel State
Ohio - Buckeye State
Oklahoma - Sooner State
Oregon - Beaver State
Tennessee - Volunteer State
Wisconsin - Badger State
Wyoming - Cowboy State

It never really dawned on me how many of those are Big Ten teams, but as you can see there are several from other conferences as well.

Also, Virginia is The Old Dominion State, and the school Old Dominion is in Virginia.

And yes, I'm wasting away my Friday afternoon.

EDIT: Oh, and according to that site, Minnesota is the North Star State and not the Gopher State. (Good thing too--I think Gopher State would be kind of stupid.)

**dustinal** · 05-16-2008, 01:20 PM

Originally Posted by Wesley

The hawkeye State begins around Cedar rapids and goes to Bettendorf. The Cyclone State is everything west and south of CR
except for a band of Maruaders working at the Rag.

If only this were true. Unfortunately there's a good number of people in western Iowa who consider themselves part of Husker country.

**Cyclone711** · 05-16-2008, 01:25 PM

Originally Posted by dustinal

Yep. A quick check of the state nicknames here...

50states.com State Nickname List

...reveals a lot of mascots based on them.

Indiana - Hoosier State
Iowa - Hawkeye State
Nebraska - Cornhusker State
North Carolina - Tar Heel State
Ohio - Buckeye State
Oklahoma - Sooner State
Oregon - Beaver State
Tennessee - Volunteer State
Wisconsin - Badger State
Wyoming - Cowboy State

It never really dawned on me how many of those are Big Ten teams, but as you can see there are several from other conferences as well.

Also, Virginia is The Old Dominion State, and the school Old Dominion is in Virginia.

And yes, I'm wasting away my Friday afternoon.

EDIT: Oh, and according to that site, Minnesota is the North Star State and not the Gopher State. (Good thing too--I think Gopher State would be kind of stupid.)

I've heard it been called both. Although there are pictures and models of gophers all over the state capital so idk.

**SplitIdentity** · 05-16-2008, 01:48 PM

Actually, and I'll have to do some checking to make sure, but I think the U of I's original nickname was the Canaries.

**jdoggivjc** · 05-16-2008, 01:55 PM

Originally Posted by SouthernHawk

Actually, and I'll have to do some checking to make sure, but I think the U of I's original nickname was the Canaries.

If that is truly the case then Iowa doesn't get to make fun of Iowa State for ANYTHING. EVER. AGAIN.

**Cypwr** · 05-16-2008, 05:06 PM

Originally Posted by weR138

I've always understood it to be "The tall corn state"

What is confusing to me is the image of a hawk used by EIU. A hawkeye is an Indian scout is it not? tOSU's mascot isn't a male deer, it's a buckeye.

Do not think about it too hard it may drive you batty. Is a Cyclone a red bird ? Is Crimson Tide an elephant and so on.

**Cypwr** · 05-16-2008, 05:17 PM

Originally Posted by 2020cy

Technically, I believe that Iowa is supposed to be "The tall corn state" I'm not sure where everybody gets off using the hawkeye state. The cyclone state does sound better than the other two options.

At one point the government of Iowa thought enough of the name "The Corn State" to put the slogan on the the states 1953-54-55 license plates. Maybe it is a slogan like "A Place to Grow" that was around several years ago and not necessarily the state nickname.

**brother bob** · 05-17-2008, 01:41 PM

Originally Posted by SouthernHawk

Actually, and I'll have to do some checking to make sure, but I think the U of I's original nickname was the Canaries.

An Anouncer at Kinnick Stadium on a Saturday this fall at the start of a college football game...'and now your University of Iowa Canaries!' and the crowd goes...<you fill in the blank>

that is hilarious! thanks for the pick me up on that one!!!

brother bob