# Condom jokes aside, why did USC select The Trojans as their mascot? **URL:** \ **Category:** The Game Room\ **Created:** [November 19, 2013, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/condom-jokes-aside-why-did-usc-select-the-trojans-as-their-mascot/674229 "2013-11-19T02:45:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 11\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 2:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/condom-jokes-aside-why-did-usc-select-the-trojans-as-their-mascot/674229/1 "2013-11-19T02:45:03Z")
I mean, the salient point about the Trojans is that their empire no longer exists, BECAUSE THEY LOST A WAR WITH AN EXISTENTIAL FOE. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 2:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/condom-jokes-aside-why-did-usc-select-the-trojans-as-their-mascot/674229/2 "2013-11-19T02:53:34Z")
And you didn’t start with Wikipedia? > [@](#): > > USC students and athletes are known as Trojans, epitomized by the Trojan Shrine, nicknamed “Tommy Trojan”, near the center of campus. Until 1912, USC students (especially athletes) were known as Fighting Methodists or Wesleyans, though neither name was approved by the university. During a fateful track and field meet with Stanford University, the USC team was beaten early and seemingly conclusively. After only the first few events, it seemed implausible that USC would ever win; however, the team fought back, winning many of the later events, to lose only by a slight margin. After this contest, Los Angeles Times sportswriter Owen Bird reported that the USC athletes “fought on like Trojans”, and the president of the university at the time, George F. Bovard, approved the name officially. This was also five years before Trojan brand condoms existed. ---
**Author:** ![Claverhouse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/13edae/32.png) [@Claverhouse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Claverhouse)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 3:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/condom-jokes-aside-why-did-usc-select-the-trojans-as-their-mascot/674229/3 "2013-11-19T03:07:37Z")
Because there are no extant Trojans to complain about racialism ? ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/condom-jokes-aside-why-did-usc-select-the-trojans-as-their-mascot/674229/4 "2013-11-19T03:19:39Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > I mean, the salient point about the Trojans is that their empire no longer exists, BECAUSE THEY LOST A WAR WITH AN EXISTENTIAL FOE. So, yes, that’s exactly it. ---
**Author:** ![chacoguy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/50afbb/32.png) [@chacoguy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/chacoguy)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/condom-jokes-aside-why-did-usc-select-the-trojans-as-their-mascot/674229/5 "2013-11-19T03:27:06Z")
Better still, why are Trojan condoms called that? THEY LET THE GUYS THEY WERE TRYING TO KEEP OUT, INSIDE! ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 3:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/condom-jokes-aside-why-did-usc-select-the-trojans-as-their-mascot/674229/6 "2013-11-19T03:45:56Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > Better still, why are Trojan condoms called that? THEY LET THE GUYS THEY WERE TRYING TO KEEP OUT, INSIDE! Well, with condoms, you want them inside… ---
**Author:** ![Ethilrist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ethilrist/32/4604_2.png) [@Ethilrist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ethilrist)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 3:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/condom-jokes-aside-why-did-usc-select-the-trojans-as-their-mascot/674229/7 "2013-11-19T03:59:35Z")
Now, Trojan diaphragms, that’d be a problem. ---
**Author:** ![Colibri](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/colibri/32/1841_2.png) [@Colibri](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Colibri)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 4:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/condom-jokes-aside-why-did-usc-select-the-trojans-as-their-mascot/674229/8 "2013-11-19T04:01:49Z")
> [@chacoguy](#): > > Better still, why are Trojan condoms called that? Ned Flanders as King Priam, after receiving the Trojan Horse from the Greeks: “Now whenever people get wood, they’ll think of Trojans!” ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [November 19, 2013, 5:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/condom-jokes-aside-why-did-usc-select-the-trojans-as-their-mascot/674229/9 "2013-11-19T17:53:43Z")
The Trojans were greatly admired by many ancient peoples due to their bravery in fighting, etc. A lot of ancient folk claimed descent from various Trojan survivors. This included some of the Romans, some Carthaginians, and even British royalty (on their behalf) via fictional genealogies thru Roman-Britain times and back. The Iliad and other “Heroic” literature made a very big impression back in the days before cable TV. A more recent example are the various “[Rebel](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nathan_Bedford_Forrest_High_School_(Jacksonville))” and such mascots throughout the SE US. ---
**Author:** ![Accidental\_Martyr](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ce7236/32.png) [@Accidental\_Martyr](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Accidental_Martyr)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/condom-jokes-aside-why-did-usc-select-the-trojans-as-their-mascot/674229/10 "2013-11-20T07:26:08Z")
In Alabama we have the Troy University Trojans and the Jacksonville State Gamecocks. When they used to play this, of course, led to signs at games like “Your Trojans can’t cover our Cocks.” ---
**Author:** ![Kobal2](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kobal2/32/20_2.png) [@Kobal2](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kobal2)\ **Post date:** [November 20, 2013, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/condom-jokes-aside-why-did-usc-select-the-trojans-as-their-mascot/674229/11 "2013-11-20T08:04:50Z")
> [@Ethilrist](#): > > Now, Trojan diaphragms, that’d be a problem. Diaphragms are more Spartan. Come with your shield and on it.