Please stop with the mascot

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as some people may know i am a huge fan of low class or even no class humor...ask norm...at least the beauty has a jersey and shorts on...even if its one less MTBNJ jersey for the rest of us...no big deal though...IMO most adults get it...most adults should be able to explain it to there child at the age of 13-14 or older if its questioned...children under that age have NO clue what it is or what its or what its used for...its a different world now a days IMO children are rased a bit too sheltered some parents are a bit too busy or lazy or afraid to explain to there children what it is going on around them just let them google it ...then its too late and then its "hi grandma and grandpa"...or worse...but thats my take...um is she free this weekend or do yous got a race...let me know...
 
While I'm all for a healthy discussion, I suggest we try to keep this as gentlemanly as possible. The mascot is nothing more than advertising for www.mtbnj.com. I thought it of based on a thread about feeding bottles to racers.
http://www.mtbnj.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5727&highlight=pole+things

It is supposed to be humorous and maybe surprising/shocking. The first comment I got was at Lewis-Morris. A woman saw me ride by with it under my arm and she said, "Holly shit, I thought he had a real person under his arm!" That is what I was going for.

When my 8yo daughter asked me why the mouth looked the way that it does, I said, "Cause she is really surprised to see you!" That's it, end of discussion.

It is in no way supposed to represent anything sexual in nature. I hope to bring attention to our forums and our race team. Nothing more. I realize that some may have issue with it. At each venue, I have made a sincere attempt to get it out on the race course as quickly as possible where it will be seen only by racers. I'm not exactly comfortable riding around with it under my arm being starred at. :hmmm:

This can continue to be something fun and positive. Lets keep it that way please.
 
Cyclopath said:
Out of curiosity, why would you be offended by an Obama doll?
What would that represent to you?
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His lack of leadership skills. He is where he is because of his color. Mods, Please lock this thread, I see it going to a political argument.

Would it be better if the doll was renamed to Hillary?
 
mr.chainsaw said:
[..]...no big deal though...IMO most adults get it...
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What's to "get"? It's a plastic fuck doll. Is there some nuance to this I'm not seeing?

mr.chainsaw said:
most adults should be able to explain it to there child at the age of 13-14 or older if its questioned...[..].
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But why should they have to explain it? I've seen multiple threads here where people talk about being ambassadors of the sport. Most people go out of their way to be nice to hikers. We do our best to have positive impact on the trails through formal trail maintenance and even just simple litter clean up. On the message boards, it's taboo to talk about rogue trails, poaching off limits trails, riding in the mud or being confrontational with hikers. All in the interest of the good PR for mountain bikers.

But for some reason parading around like a bunch of college kids with a sex doll is fine at official functions?
I just think it's a hell of a mixed message.


ArmyOfNone said:
[..]Ben worked to try to find something that was opening free, but this is what we got. Its all in fun. Lets not get loose sight of that.
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Really? it's not hard at all to get a doll with out "life like orifices"

Try searching ebay for inflatable doll:

http://search.ebay.com/inflatable-doll

Chester the cheeta would have been cool.
 
MixMastaMM said:
His lack of leadership skills. He is where he is because of his color. Mods, Please lock this thread, I see it going to a political argument.

Would it be better if the doll was renamed to Hillary?
Click to expand...

I see no reason for locking this thread. I do not see it going into a political argument, at least not by my doing. I think this will remain a mud free discussion zone as we are all adults who are simply focusing on a marketing issue.

I don't think anyone is questioning the idea or the added attraction of a MTBNJ.com mascot. The question is whether or not Shaniqua, in her present state is an adequate representation of MTBNJ.com.

Maybe I have not really been here long enough to get the full flavor of the group and I probably have no business in daring to voice my opinion but so far, I see this as a very welcoming, very friendly group that fosters good natured discussion and always, always strives to shed a positive light on an often mis-aligned sport.

Now there is the bottom of it. Would a balloon headed non-suggestive blow up mascot a better representation of a group that wants to grow its presence, encourage beginners of all ages(be they male or female) and foster a positive relationship between trail users and the public at large?

Does Shaniqua fit that image or does she suggest that MTBNJ.com is more of a 'good 'ol boys' club?

It's your group. It's your decision.
Ride on!
 
"Cause she is really surprised to see you!" That's it, end of discussion.
 
BiknBen said:
While I'm all for a healthy discussion, I suggest we try to keep this as gentlemanly as possible. The mascot is nothing more than advertising for www.mtbnj.com. I thought it of based on a thread about feeding bottles to racers.
http://www.mtbnj.com/forum/showthread.php?t=5727&highlight=pole+things

It is supposed to be humorous and maybe surprising/shocking. The first comment I got was at Lewis-Morris. A woman saw me ride by with it under my arm and she said, "Holly shit, I thought he had a real person under his arm!" That is what I was going for.

When my 8yo daughter asked me why the mouth looked the way that it does, I said, "Cause she is really surprised to see you!" That's it, end of discussion.

It is in no way supposed to represent anything sexual in nature. I hope to bring attention to our forums and our race team. Nothing more. I realize that some may have issue with it. At each venue, I have made a sincere attempt to get it out on the race course as quickly as possible where it will be seen only by racers. I'm not exactly comfortable riding around with it under my arm being starred at. :hmmm:

This can continue to be something fun and positive. Lets keep it that way please.
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Ben - Your post is an excellent example of being able to convince yourself of anything when you try hard enough. You're carrying around a sex doll with a mouth made for (and known for) a sexual act and have somehow convinced yourself it isn't sexual at all.

And just because something is advertising or because you have no problem feeding your kid a lie when she sees you with it doesn't mean it's harmless to everyone else.
But this statement:

"At each venue, I have made a sincere attempt to get it out on the race course as quickly as possible where it will be seen only by racers."

pretty much sums it up. When you're thinking, you're embarrassed by it. You want PR but don't want it in plain view. Well you can't have the best of both worlds. You are the blow-up sex doll delivery guy. Quit pretending it's anything else.
 
NJ-XC-Justin said:
Ben - Your post is an excellent example of being able to convince yourself of anything when you try hard enough. You're carrying around a sex doll with a mouth made for (and known for) a sexual act and have somehow convinced yourself it isn't sexual at all.

And just because something is advertising or because you have no problem feeding your kid a lie when she sees you with it doesn't mean it's harmless to everyone else.
But this statement:

"At each venue, I have made a sincere attempt to get it out on the race course as quickly as possible where it will be seen only by racers."

pretty much sums it up. When you're thinking, you're embarrassed by it. You want PR but don't want it in plain view. Well you can't have the best of both worlds. You are the blow-up sex doll delivery guy. Quit pretending it's anything else.
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I think you've stepped beyond the limits of what you can assume about someone else when you bring in their parenting style. Are you going to start trashing parents who tell their kids Santa Claus is real?

It certainly comes off that you're looking to be offended. And it seems pretty clear to me that you've developed an anti-MTBNJ agenda of late. With this thread, saying things like "frat boy prank" as well as declaring this a "crappy site" in another thread I can only draw the conclusion that this is the case.

We know 2 members on this site with 12 year old daughters who race. I have reached out to both of them to see what their perspective is.

At this point you are losing the poll of public opinion by a fair margin. This doesn't count the 20 team members who gave the thumbs up, of which 8 are women as I previously posted. Of the 12 men I think 8 have children. This isn't your "frat boy" cross sample here. You're simply off base on that. But I suspect you will continue to use those little barbs because of the reason stated above.

At some point you need to look at the overall picture. Add it all up and if you look objectively, your seemingly personal agenda against the site is clouding your thought process here. I understand that you have concerns especially as it pertains to the 12 year old girls who are out there racing. But attacking people's parenting is not the right avenue and if it continues we'll have to ask you to take the attacks elsewhere.

We're all about difference of opinion and discussion. But you're being disrespectful of other people and bordering on troll territory now. You don't act this way when I talk to you at the races. I'd appreciate it if you treat people with some modicum of respect as if you were standing there having a discussion with them.
 
Norm - In no way did I say anyone was a bad parent. And what one thing did I saw that was disrespectful to anyone? Admittedly the "delivery guy" phrase to Ben lays it on thick, but if someone is going to carry the doll around, I would hope they can see it for it is. Again, I'm not even offended by the doll itself inasmuch as several people's refusal to recognize what it is. Is it wrong to say you have a sex doll when what you have is -- let's say it now -- a sex doll?

I've said from the beginning I'm fine with it if that is the majority opinion -- and initially that's all I wanted to say before this spun away. But I'll offer an apology to Ben and quit posting in this thread now to ease things up.
 
all im going to say about this is WOW. i cannot believe people take offense to a blowup doll. an 8th of a pound of inflated vinyl. the way i see it EVERYTHING in life needs to be able to be laughed at in some way shape or form, let it be comedy or tradgedy. now i do not race, but if i were riding say allaire or somewhere else and i came across that in the woods it would not only make me laugh but it would lift my spirits. now i do see valid points from both sides on this but than again like EVERYTHING in life someone is going to be offended by what you do. you could have had an inflatable barney out there and someones going to bitch cause hes purple and not blue. and EVEN if you got one with no mouth opening, someone is still going to to be offended because they see an inflatable woman and think "sex doll". there really is no win in this situation. i guess i should wear my new helmet around certain members on this board than which is pictured below. wouldnt want someone to pop a blood vessel over the intense offending nature over it.
 
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