George M. Steinbrenner High School is opening its doors in August, and although it will have team sports, it does not yet have a school mascot or colors. Can you help?
Steinbrenner High is located in Lutz, Fla., which is in the Tampa/St. Petersburg region. Yes, it's named after that Steinbrenner, because, presumably, there's already a Marge Schott High in the area.
Grasso and King are visiting schools that will feed students to Steinbrenner and, among other things, asking students to vote on a school mascot and colors. Prospective mascots include the Stallions, the Chargers, the Yankees and the Clippers — all in keeping with the interests of New York Yankees owner and sportsman George M. Steinbrenner, for whom the school is named.
"I'm begging you: Please don't call it the Yankees," said Terry Bitter of Lutz, whose three children will one day go to the school. Bitter, a Rays and Tigers fan, said calling the teams the Yankees would be too polarizing, and besides, the school is not in the North.
For those of you who suggested "Sea Turtles," sorry.
I think that calling them the Steinbrenner Red Sox would heal rifts and add instant good karma to the universe, but I could be wrong. I also have a suggestion for school motto (should be written in Latin):
"What the hell did you trade Jay Buhner for?! He had 30 home runs, over 100 RBIs last year! He's got a rocket for an arm... You don't know what the hell you're doing!"
Hillsborough's Steinbrenner High Has Much To Do Before Opening [St. Petersburg Times]
Steinbrenner: 'An Enormous Honor' [St. Petersburg Times]
George Steinbrenner High School: The Final Countdown [Bugs And Cranks]