I’m better, I’m an accountant!
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Will see in nov but it seems Tillman wants this. The liability is less in a cage and I doubt they let it roam with sedation like in the old days. Lsu has mike the tiger and it works and is a hit.
That’s too bad, my fondest memory are the cougar guard walking Shasta by the Architecture building.
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I think the days of the cat in a leash are over. Pita would have a fit. It will never leave its habit. It would be cool if it could be built into the stadium so he/she could be viewed from the stadium
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Agree with lots of your positions; well supported. But not so much on liability thing. The cougar guard took care of Shasta for a long time(decades?) and I don’t recall any instances or problems. I’m guessing you sign liability waivers if you’re in a rodeo, have live animals at a kids birthday party, or go to an indoor trampoline place. Point being waivers are signed all the time. Do our on campus athletes sign waivers to play ?
On the sedation issue, was that indeed done in the past ? If so, that would change my thinking of bringing
Shasta to any live sporting events , cage or no cage.
That should not happen.
I wasn’t in the Cougar guard, but I’m pretty sure Shasta was heavily sedated at the games for sure.
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It’s one of those dirty little secret things, I never really knew, but had suspicions.
With the band, fireworks, crowd noise, and all, it would have to be a nightmare for
a wild animal.
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I used to work with a guy that was part of the Cougar Guard in the 1950s. I had assumed they would sedate Shasta to get the harness and leash on.
I was overestimating the professionalism of the Cougar Guard. He told me it was just a bunch of frat guys with a van. There was no sedation, just a bunch of guys in the thickest, sturdiest jeans and long sleeved shirts they could find, putting the harness on with brute force. They’d get the harness on and put Shasta in the back of the van. Said it was always interesting on road trips to pull up to a gas station with a live Cougar!!! 
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On campus cage was not huge, but not exactly a crate either. Here is photo of I’m guessing
a Cougar Guard member inside Shasta’s Den with her ! He is wearing interesting footwear. There is a lot to talk about in this picture 
I’m guessing from campus view and car in background this is earl 60s or late 50s
There was a small ( think back yard sized) exercise area at the back of the Den.
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We’ve progressed so it won’t be like this on this go around. Prob no cougar roaming the sidelines or traveling. It will prob stay in its cage. Then it’s protected from killers shooting them and is happy. It’s basically a house cat like I have which is 3 black cats and they live longer being safe vs being hit by cars etc so it’s the same for the Coog. A longer , safer life.
Probably true and wise. But reading some of the stories, on overnight trips, they stayed in hotels and one time Shasta shredded the shower curtain when she wasn’t watched closely. Imagine !
It’s amazing to me how it was handled for decades back then and now we are obsessed with safety.
Not saying that’s a bad thing (safety). Cars didn’t have seatbelts either.
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Yeah crazy they were in a van with a live Coog at gas stations. Prob should be movie about it. Very old school.
fast times at cougar high
There is no comparison on the habitat and care the Cougar would receive now opposed to 40+ years ago.
But who’s going to pay for it? Student loans?
If they get someone to fund it, I’m all for it. I don’t want the school to pay for it though.
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And this isn’t just a one time deal, its an on going cost.
I would guess the ongoing costs need to cover food, employee, vet, security, insurance, utilities, and maintenance of the habitat. $200k per year cover it ?
But how do put a price on school spirit impact ?
No clue.
I wouldn’t expect them to be too crazy. But building a facility will be. The ongoing maintenance of that facility will get expensive eventually though.