
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: TUESDAY, August 22, 1995                   TAG: 9508230107
SECTION: WELCOME STUDENTS                    PAGE: WS-57   EDITION: NEW RIVER VALLEY 
SOURCE: CHRIS KING STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: RADFORD                                LENGTH: Medium

WILL ROWDY RED MAKE RADFORD U'S LINEUP?

With the beginning of classes comes the resumption of college athletics. The burning question at Radford University this year is one of eligibility - not of a star athlete, but of the school's mascot, Rowdy Red.

The six-foot mascot sat out last season's athletic contests as a "rowdy" redshirt because of ego injuries suffered in the line of duty.

While Rowdy was incapacitated in the RU training room, controversy enveloped the 14-year-old purveyor of school spirit. A group of renegade students even attempted a coup targeting the mascot with the extra-large beak.

The end result of this backlash was the questioning of Rowdy's ability to promote a fierce enough image for the school and its athletic programs. He is, after all, a rather friendly looking creature, whose head is adorned by a baseball cap.

While this occurred, Rowdy's condition, which was not originally thought to be life-threatening, continued to degenerate.

"It was touch and go for a while," said RU head trainer Jackie Clouse, who has supervised Rowdy's recovery. "The swelling around his brain was worse than we initially thought."

After surviving the original assault, a host of defenders rushed to Rowdy's side. RU alumni maintained that the mascot was truly a man of the people.

They pointed to his origin: Rowdy is the brainchild of a raucous group of former Radford students who made a name for themselves heckling opposing teams in the late 1970s and early '80s. The group had T-shirts made promoting themselves as the "Radford Rowdies."

Rowdy Red was introduced to the Radford faithful on a golf cart Dec. 9, 1981, the night the Dedmon Center opened. According to veteran observers, Rowdy was never better than in the early years. He stirred the passion of the crowd, saved cheerleaders from opposing mascots and taunted officials.

Supporters also point to a Roanoke Express hockey game in 1993 when Rowdy, (occupied at the time by Denny Van Pelt, a former RU baseball player known for his theatrics) was a crowd favorite. If Rowdy could win over the rough-and-tumble hockey fans, couldn't he capture the imagination of collegians?

After nearly a year of bickering over the mascot's fate, not much is certain. According to RU athletic director Chuck Taylor, Rowdy is currently a "political prisoner," caught between two warring factions.

Meanwhile, Rowdy is on the mend. In recent weeks, people have reported seeing him roaming the Dedmon Center grounds after dusk.

"He has attacked his rehabilitation vigorously," Clouse said. "He has spent many hours on the muscle stimulator, and the results have been very positive."

Rowdy Red was not available for comment, but his progress has been confirmed by sources close to the situation. Though his return is not imminent, it is a possibility. A prospect that will once again stir a healthy debate on the RU campus, and hopefully a resolution.

by CNB