No more "Lady Techsters?"

[Soonerdawg]

I hear there is going to be a vote this week amongst the female athletes to decide whether the female teams will be called the “Lady Bulldogs” or continue with the name, “Lady Techsters.” My understanding is that the vote is set up as a democracy, and not a republic, meaning that each player gets a vote, not each team. All teams, with the exception of the basketball team, will have to go with what the majority decides. The basketball team will remain the “Lady Techsters” regardless of how the vote goes.

Early polls indicate that a majority of the players on the volleyball and tennis teams are voting to change the name. The softball team is split.

[Dwayne From Minden]

I kinda like "Lady Techsters" for all our female sports teams -

And maybe it is better left alone and maybe they shouldn't have the right to name themselves "Lady Bulldogs"...

[Soonerdawg]

I knew there would be a great many people, who probably for nostalgic reasons, would want to keep the "Techster" name. However, I never have cared for it. I'm not sure what a "Techster" is, and also, it bleeds over to the men's side, and that really irritates me.

[aubunique]

Brach is not used by many people these days and would be better than Lady Bulldogs. Techster is unique among college teams and should not be dropped.
Only references to Tech's men as Techsters on national TV, etc., cause any confusion over the name.
Tech fans don't say Lady Techsters, just Techsters, because the name is used only for the Louisiana Tech women. The occasional confusion for the uninitiated is understandable, but harmless.

[Cool Hand Clyde]

I kinda like "Lady Techsters" for all our female sports teams -

And maybe it is better left alone and maybe they shouldn't have the right to name themselves "Lady Bulldogs"...

I agree.

And it shouldn't be left to the women playing sports in 2004 to make that decision for the tens of thousands of alumni.

[Cal&Ken]

This vote is just stupid. How would you like to go play for the LADY BITCHES. That is what a female dog is. That was the reason for the Techster name in the first place. There is no way the current players should determine for everyone what they would be called. If I were a recruit I wouldn't come play for the "Lady Bulldogs". That is STUPID!!!

[EJ]

Sounds like the same scenario when NLU 'voted' to change their name to ULM...

[aubunique]

-ster
suff.

1. One that is associated with, participates in, makes, or does: songster.
2. One that is: youngster.

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[Middle English, from Old English -estre, female agent suff.]

The entry above is from Dictionary.com

-ster is a suffix applied to many things. Roadster, for instance, a sleek, fast, small car with a hint of feminity and something any man would want to own and drive!
Under the first definition Techster would just mean someone associated with Tech.
Old Old English, the feminine meaning is apparent. From the ancient spelling, estre comes our modern words such as estrogen.

Similar ancient connections in Hebrew, Greek, etc.

esther

n 1: (Old Testament) a beautiful Jewess chosen by the king of Persia to be his queen; she stopped a plot to massacre all the Jews in Persia (an event celebrated by Jews as the feast of Purim) [syn: Esther] 2: an Old Testament book telling of a beautiful Jewess who became queen of Persia and saved her people from massacre [syn: Esther, Book of Esther]

Ish·tar ** (*P*)**Pronunciation Key**(shtär)
n. Mythology

The chief Babylonian and Assyrian goddess, associated with love, fertility, and war, being the counterpart to the Phoenician Astarte.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
[Akkadian Itar. See tr in Semitic Roots.]

Ishtar

n : goddess of love and fertility and war; counterpart of Ashtoreth and Astarte [syn: Ishtar, Mylitta]

What all this shows is the ancient and powerful associations suggested by the seemingly diminutive ending -ster. Techsters are powerful women, plain and simple. Bulldogs are tough cookies but there is plenty of precedent for being in awe of Techsters.

[oledawg66]

When I attended Tech, we were all Techsters. We still are. When the women began playing basketball, they adopted the name "LADY" Techsters to differentiate themselves from the male population and of course as we all know, to keep from being called bitches. It has become a unique and nationally recognized name and one that we are all proud of, except maybe BD28. But, of course, it applies primarily to women's basketball at Louisiana Tech University. I can see where the other teams would feel like they are being overshadowed by the WBB because they are. But, if I were to hear that the Lady Bulldogs were coming to town for a softball or a volleyball game, I would expect it to be Georgia or Miss State, etc. I hope they don't change, but I can understand why they would.

[TulsaDawg]

I agree.

And it shouldn't be left to the women playing sports in 2004 to make that decision for the tens of thousands of alumni.

I agree. Who is letting them vote on it?

[Choudawg86]

i'm not sure I want it left up to kids that may have never had ties to the university before they came here, and then, for the most part it'll only be for the 4 years (we're lucky if we get that many out of them) they play. Once they finish the majority has nothing to do with the program or the university.

I want it left alone also. Lady Techsters is unique, it has a history, and it is something that needs to be kept.

on a side note, if "techsters" is done away with, how is Walmart in Ruston gonna sell that NEW shipment of hats in the Tech section that say "Techsters" across the front with a bulldawg on the side. My jaw absolutely dropped when I saw them.

[Soonerdawg]

I see I am in a HHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGGGGGGGGGGGG GGGGEEEEEEEEE minority here. I never have liked the name "Techster." I knew that I would be in a minority, but I thought someone would agree with me.

If my daughter were to play athletics at Tech, I would rather her be associated with the school mascot rather than a name that is lame to most everyone but those who attend Louisiana Tech. I certainly wouldn't worry about somone calling her a b**tch.

[DallasDog]

Question: What do the ladies who play ball at UGA go by? I know there are a lot of universities out there that have Bulldogs as their mascot, I am curious what some of the others go by.

[TulsaDawg]

Others go by "Lady Buldogs" or just "Bulldogs". Some schools are dropping the "Lady" from their names.

[Soonerdawg]

Why can't they be called both?