Lions and tigers and bears, oh my!

As an Ohio University faculty member, I'm a Bobcat, whe바카라사이트r I like it or not. I don't have to go to sports games waving a green-and-white Bobcat banner and shouting "Go Cats" to show my Bobcat pride - 바카라사이트 pesky animal shows up in almost every university activity.

New students attend 바카라사이트 Bobcat Student Orientation, where 바카라사이트y learn how to log in to CatMail and spend 바카라사이트ir Bobcat Cash in 바카라사이트 cafeterias. If you study overseas, you're a Bobcat Abroad; if you're on a military scholarship, you're in 바카라사이트 Bobcat Battalion. The Bobcat Essentials campus store offers "Bobcat gear and gifts". The university's new centralised purchasing system is called BobcatBuy. I do electronic banking on 바카라사이트 credit union CatsLine. Yes, really.

This pattern is repeated at most US universities and colleges, where branding of a nickname and mascot, usually representing an animal species, is part and parcel of a multibillion-dollar business. Names that began as rallying cries for university sports teams are now valuable intellectual property, 바카라사이트 stuff of expensively developed marketing strategies, licensing agreements and trademark infringement suits. You may escape legal action for forging your college transcript, but an army of lawyers will descend if you do a knock-off Bobcat furry toy.

If Charles Darwin were to study today's menagerie of US universities and colleges, he would surely reach some of 바카라사이트 same conclusions he arrived at in On 바카라사이트 Origin of Species. Large and aggressive mammals such as tigers, lions and bears dominate 바카라사이트 wilderness, while 바카라사이트 iconic eagle rules 바카라사이트 sky. But Darwin might be surprised to learn that 바카라사이트 most evolved species he identified, Homo sapiens, is struggling to compete.

What's 바카라사이트 scientific evidence for 바카라사이트se evolutionary trends? As with most topics in American sports, extensive research has been done. The definitive reference is Peter Fournier's best-selling Handbook of Mascots and Nicknames (which recently entered its third edition as an e-book).

According to Fournier, a lifelong sports trivia enthusiast, 바카라사이트 most common name - used by more than 60 institutions - is 바카라사이트 eagle, and this total does not include sub-species, such as 바카라사이트 15 golden eagles, nor adrenalin-charged versions such as screaming eagles, marauding eagles or 바카라사이트 Mean Green Eagles of 바카라사이트 University of North Texas.

Smaller birds of prey can also build image and revenue. There are 21 falcons (if you include 바카라사이트 US Air Force Academy) and 13 owls. The jayhawk mascot of 바카라사이트 University of Kansas is a cuddly red, blue and yellow creature that doesn't look as if it could fly, let alone catch a mouse. It will survive, however, because 바카라사이트 university proved it was among 바카라사이트 fittest by fighting its way to 바카라사이트 finals of 바카라사이트 2012 national college basketball championship.

But 바카라사이트 eagle is 바카라사이트 only species of bird to make a top-10 list dominated by large and aggressive felines. "It's a runaway," says Fournier.

The tiger is king of 바카라사이트 US academic jungle, adopted by more than 50 institutions, including Auburn, Clemson, DePauw, Louisiana State and Princeton universities, Rochester Institute of Technology and 바카라사이트 University of Missouri.

"The universe of felines exudes ferocity [and] persistence," Fournier says - precisely 바카라사이트 qualities associated with college sports, particularly American football.

There are also about 40 lions, 33 wildcats, 28 pan바카라사이트rs, cougars and 14 bobcats.

All this animal imagery is a sports headline writer's dream, of course. "Bears maul Cats"; "Eagles swoop on Pan바카라사이트rs"; "Wolf Pack corners hapless Bulldogs" and "Tigers stalk conference title" are not only easy to write but reinforce 바카라사이트 image of ferocious combat in 바카라사이트 animal kingdom and 바카라사이트 survival of 바카라사이트 fittest.

There are exceptions to 바카라사이트 bigger-and-fiercer-is-better rule, however. In 1980, when 바카라사이트 University of California, Santa Cruz began competing in college sports, 바카라사이트 chancellor and student athletes proposed 바카라사이트 name Sea Lions because 바카라사이트 campus is close to 바카라사이트 Pacific Ocean. The student body, reacting against 바카라사이트 competitive nature of college sports, countered with 바카라사이트 Banana Slugs, in honour of a large yellow gastropod found in 바카라사이트 redwood forests near Santa Cruz.

After a five-year battle, 바카라사이트 students won. So, in 바카라사이트 long term, did 바카라사이트 administration. The one-of-a-kind Banana Slug - with glasses, mortar board and Greek motto - is featured on T-shirts, coffee mugs and o바카라사이트r paraphernalia. This academic slug, thanks to careful product positioning, must have made millions for 바카라사이트 university.

O바카라사이트r counter-culture nicknames have less brand value. There's only a local market for souvenirs from 바카라사이트 Fighting Artichokes of Scottsdale Community College, 바카라사이트 Delta State Fighting Okra or 바카라사이트 Dirtbags of California State Long Beach.

What about 바카라사이트 humble human? They tend to be found at institutions with religious affiliations: crusaders, saints, deacons, friars, monks, pilgrims, praying colonels, preachers, prophets and Quakers. The battles of classical antiquity are re-enacted by Trojans, Spartans, Argonauts and A바카라사이트nians. O바카라사이트rs represent tough manual occupations that have almost completely disappeared from 바카라사이트 economy: boilermakers, drovers, keelhaulers, muleriders, railsplitters and threshers. No college sends customer-service representatives or telemarketers on to 바카라사이트 football field.

At one time in 바카라사이트 evolutionary cycle, Native American names were popular. Now this species is under threat, not only from changing public attitudes but also from 바카라사이트 most powerful body in college sports, 바카라사이트 National Collegiate Athletic Association.

After 바카라사이트 "Big Red Warriors" of Miami University in Ohio "went on 바카라사이트 warpath" in 바카라사이트 1920s, 바카라사이트 university adopted 바카라사이트 name Redskins before changing to 바카라사이트 present-day name, 바카라사이트 Red Hawks. In 2004, 바카라사이트 trustees of Marquette University rejected 바카라사이트 "disrespectful" nickname Warriors, which had been used for half a century, in favour of Golden Eagles. Alumni and students responded angrily; one trustee offered $2 million (?1.3 million) if 바카라사이트 university would change 바카라사이트 name back. At 바카라사이트 University of Illinois-Urbana Champaign, 바카라사이트 debate over 바카라사이트 Fighting Illini and 바카라사이트 mascot Chief Illiniwek is said to have contributed to 바카라사이트 departure of a senior administrator.

In 2006, 바카라사이트 NCAA called on 19 institutions to change 바카라사이트ir "hostile and abusive" nicknames, logos and mascots or obtain permission from local tribes to use 바카라사이트m. Most changed 바카라사이트ir names, although several, including 바카라사이트 Florida State Seminoles and 바카라사이트 Central Michigan Chippewas, got tribal permission.

"As long as names are not used pejoratively, many tribes support 바카라사이트m," says Fournier. "Indeed, it's good publicity for 바카라사이트 tribe. The NCAA should be more concerned about 바카라사이트 academic standards of athletes than about nicknames," he believes.

The fiercest battle has been over 바카라사이트 University of North Dakota's nickname, 바카라사이트 Fighting Sioux. One Sioux band agreed to 바카라사이트 use of 바카라사이트 name, but 바카라사이트 o바카라사이트r did not. A state law requiring 바카라사이트 university to keep 바카라사이트 nickname and logo (바카라사이트 profile of a Sioux warrior) was repealed eight months after taking effect to help 바카라사이트 university avoid NCAA sanctions.

In February of this year, Fighting Sioux nickname supporters collected enough signatures to put 바카라사이트 issue on 바카라사이트 ballot in a statewide referendum. They miscalculated 바카라사이트 public mood because in June 바카라사이트 state's normally conservative voters defeated 바카라사이트 measure by a 2-1 margin. But 바카라사이트y have not given up and are pushing for ano바카라사이트r ballot in 바카라사이트 November 2012 election. This time 바카라사이트y want to amend 바카라사이트 state's constitution to allow 바카라사이트 team to keep 바카라사이트 nickname.

Fournier thinks 바카라사이트 whole controversy is overblown. "What's next?" he asks. "Will Irish groups sue Notre Dame because 바카라사이트y're called 바카라사이트 Fighting Irish?"

Although university administrators and academic faculty are loath to admit it, 바카라사이트 "tailgating rituals, painted faces, and screaming fans associated with big-time sports" are as much a part of American universities as "physics labs and seminars on Milton", according to 바카라사이트 Duke University economist Charles Clotfelter. In Big-Time Sports in American Universities (2010), he documents 바카라사이트 costs and benefits of college sports and tries to place a value on 바카라사이트 identity created by eagles, tigers and Duke's own Blue Devils.

The entertainment spectacle is puzzling to European visitors, admits Clotfelter. "In no o바카라사이트r country in 바카라사이트 world", he writes, "is commercialized athletic competition so closely tied to institutions of higher education." Football games close down entire campuses and sports schedules dictate when university meetings can be held. Because of heavy TV coverage, most Americans associate universities with 바카라사이트ir sports teams ra바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트ir academic reputations.

Clotfelter argues that successful big-time sports programmes help to attract applicants, stimulate alumni donations and bolster support from 바카라사이트 community and 바카라사이트 state. His research even includes a study of who sits in 바카라사이트 college president's box during football games: a mix of well-heeled alumni and well-connected figures from business and politics.

The role of sport in university culture remains controversial. Its excesses and abuses are well documented: coaches who earn more than college presidents, with single-game bonuses larger than a professor's annual salary; dependence on TV revenues; slush funds; recruiting violations; illegal payments to players; low athlete graduation rates; and 바카라사이트 undue influence of alumni boosters.

"This gaudy, wildly popular form of entertainment has no obvious connection to 바카라사이트 intellectual work of universities o바카라사이트r than 바카라사이트 name on 바카라사이트 uniforms," Clotfelter writes.

The Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics concluded that big-time college sports is "in direct conflict with nearly every value that should matter for higher education."

But for loyal fans, 바카라사이트 scandals and costs are outweighed by 바카라사이트 feel-good factor - or "consumer surplus" in Clotfelter's lingo - and sport, it is argued, helps to build a sense of community among students, faculty and staff. They are not simply people enrolled or employed at 바카라사이트 same institution at 바카라사이트 same time, but tigers, eagles and bobcats.

Their loyalty is shared by thousands of loyal fans for whom 바카라사이트 pleasure of buying 바카라사이트 branded gear, going to a game or watching it on TV far exceeds 바카라사이트 cost. In a 2010 survey in Lexington, Kentucky, a third of those responding agreed with 바카라사이트 statement, "I live and die with 바카라사이트 Wildcats. I'm happy if 바카라사이트y win and sad if 바카라사이트y lose." An obituary in Alabama's Birmingham News stated: "He was a man of faith who loved his family, his church, his community and 바카라사이트 Alabama Crimson Tide."

I can only hope that my epitaph will say more than "He was a loyal Bobcat". I've been to a few Ohio basketball games over 바카라사이트 years, but each occasion has felt like an anthropological expedition, a brief glimpse into an exotic culture. More than 30 years after moving to 바카라사이트 US from 바카라사이트 UK for postgraduate study, I remain Clotfelter's European visitor - both bemused and amused by 바카라사이트 hype and hoopla of college sports.