When it comes to getting the crowds out of their seats, the mascot is one of the most valued players on the field! A great mascot in costume can make a huge difference when it comes to getting the crowd hyped up, but what are some of the standouts on the field? Some mascots are awesome because of the history behind them, and some are just awesome because they are so odd, but either way, you can bet that these mascots make a scene when they show up.
The Tree – Stanford University
Officially, Stanford University has no mascot, and if they did, it wouldn’t be a tree. However, tell that to the Tree’s many fans. The Tree is officially the mascot of the marching band, but ever since 1975, when the figure was first introduced, it has won the hearts of students and alumni alike. The Tree shows up at all the places that a mascot would, and the fact that it has a sort of clumsy charm only makes it better.
The Rattler – Florida A&M University
When it comes to mascots, too many teams go right to the male options. At most, you get a mascot that is somewhat questionable. Florida A&M, however, has decided take a stab at something different, and they ended up with the rather adorable Rattler. The Rattler has a cute bob, an old-fashioned cheerleading uniform, and a big smile on her reptilian face.
Boll Weevil – University of Arkansas at Monticello
At first glance, a boll weevil doesn’t look that menacing. It’s hard to be scary when you’re less than an inch long, but the early members of the Univeristy of Arkansas knew what they were talking about. The boll weevil with its voracious appetite for crops, was terrifying to the farmers at the time, and if your mascot calls up images of a devouring horde that cannot be stopped and leaves nothing but devastated fields and broken dreams int heir wake, you’re probably onto something.
Geoduck – Evergreen State College
There’s not much to say about the actual geoduck itself, which is neither a duck nor a rock. In fact, it’s a mollusk that is native to the Pacific Northwest, and it was chosen as the mascot by Evergreen State College. In the realm of mascots, it is really something else; very few other teams are represented by something that that has more in common with a snail than with a football player. However, if you want to make sure that your mascot is never going to get mistaken for anyone else’s, this is probably the way to go.
Brutus Buckeye – Ohio State University
We’ve already seen insects and mollusks, so why not nuts? The buckeye is the state tree, and Brutus Buckeye is a large round nut with a human body. This mascot has been around since 1965, when students decided that they needed a mascot. There were plenty of animals thrown around; one popular option was a buck deer, though that was widely dismissed as being impossible. Brutus got his name from a student vote and delights crowds to this day!
[author] [author_image timthumb=’on’][/author_image] [author_info]Lainey Thorne is a mascot designer at Loonie Times in Toronto. She has over 15 years experience and enjoys being a part of the process of what hypes a crowd up at a company product launch or a University team.[/author_info] [/author]
