Why is it the Stanford Cardinal and not the Stanford Cardinals?

In each and every football season there is something that drives me crazy. Seriously, this really pisses me off.

When Notre Dame plays at Stanford, I have to listen to the announcers tell me that the Stanford Cardinal made his way onto the field. There are eleven players in any offensive unit, not just one player. The cardinal is unique. Cardinals is plural. Wouldn’t Cardinals make more sense when describing a unit of 11 individuals moving down the field?

I just do not get it. It literally drives me crazy every time I listen to it. Was it the whole team that took the field or just one of them? And if so, which one?

Fortunately, wikipedia.org gives me a little insight as to why this happens. It still doesn’t make sense to me, but I’ll let you decide.

In 1892, after a major victory over Cal, Stanford adopted cardinal as its primary color. Until 1972 they were known as the Indians. At that time a group of Indian students petitioned to change their name as the current one was offensive to them.

The University listened and from 1972 to 1981 their official name was the Cardinals.

Apparently the name was never a reference to the bird, just the color.

In 1981, the then Stanford present who was thinking too much about the subject, declared that from then on they would be called the Cardinal of Stanford in the singular.

Why is this necessary? I think if I was a sportscaster assigned to cover one of their games, I would have to take a stand. I will let the powers of being know that it will be my intention that when I mention a person on the team I will, in fact, refer to him as a Cardinal, but when I refer to a group of players, I will refer to them as the Cardinals. to do otherwise is silly and obviously I don’t have time for a lot of silly things.

Each adult must adhere to their own personal belief system or their lives will be without honor.

Unfortunately, this research led me to another big problem with the Stanford team name and mascot.

They don’t have pets. Why not?

Sometimes your logo will have a tree in the middle. Other times it’s just a big “S”. Stanford Tree is actually a member of the gang who is disguised as, well, what else, a tree. This tree is actually based on a particular tree that has a name, El Palo Alto, which is a Palo Alto redwood.

Although many people consider the “tree” to be their pet, it is not officially their pet.

Stanford is a highly respected university and you have to be smart to attend. You’d think a group of highly intelligent people wouldn’t have so much trouble naming their sports team or choosing a mascot.

Maybe now you think differently.

I’m thinking using a tree would be a good thing if you have an exceptionally tough defense and want to emphasize their immobility.

It doesn’t work as well on the offensive side of things. To say that the running back was as fast as a tree, or that a wide receiver ran across the field like a tree, just doesn’t sound right.

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