ICYMI: The Best SUNY Mascot Madness Responses

Tell us a bit about yourself

I tried a few different professions before doing this. Selling live bait was a disaster, and so was my windshield cleaning business. Eventually I had to accept reality that six-foot-tall red birds are probably bound to end up as mascots. When I heard Plattsburgh had an opening, I migrated. I’ve been here ever since. – Plattsburgh’s Burghy the Cardinal

I am from where all the giant blue predatory cats are from, duh – the secret science lab located deep below SUNYIT’s 800 beautiful acres of land. – SUNYIT’s Walter Wildcat

Our old mascot just wasn’t cutting it, so they hired me to take care of the job. – Binghamton University’s Baxter the Bearcat

Getting my job wasn’t easy. The process included sweat, intelligence, and victory; I won a Chinese checkers match a dragon, a tiger and an eagle. Needless to say, they’re all gone now and I have a couple new friends. – University at Buffalo’s Victor E. Bull

I’m getting to know the Bear over at SUNY Potsdam a little better now that we’re focusing on shared services. We’ve made a couple of appearances together. Seems like a nice guy, and he has a suh-weet coat of fur on him. – Canton’s Roody the Kangaroo

You might say I fell into the job from an oak tree. Just kidding. Actually, I beat out a bunch of other mascots in an online poll of ESF students. C’mon, it was me against an owl, a lumberjack and a bear. Who would you pick? I kicked their virtual butts. – SUNY ESF’s Oakie the Acorn

My best mascot bro, Otto the Orange, lives right across the street at Syracuse University. We pal around at events like Freshman Orientation at the Carrier Dome welcoming all the new ESF and SU students. One time, we made a video to promote a campus ride-sharing program. I did the driving of course. Otto’s a great guy, but you don’t want to let him drive your car! He can also be a little annoying after he gets on ESPN all the time. I have to squeeze him and tell him to lighten up. – SUNY ESF’s Oakie the Acorn

I don’t have any friends who are mascots. It can be lonely at the top, but I’ll let you in on a secret, I’ve got my eye on that little Morrisville Mustang. There is just something about a Knight and a good horse! – Geneseo Knight

The path to mascot is filled with committees, competitions, and choices. In my case, I was chosen after I won a fierce dance-off contest against “Wally the Worm”. Guess what dance Wally did? – Genesee’s GDUB Cougar

Many of my friends from the Adirondacks were selected at different schools. My friends Bear and Cardinal are still working at Potsdam and Plattsburgh. I’m not sure where the Kangaroo guy from Canton came from but I am interested in being friends with someone from down-under. I’m not really friends with the Red Dragon brothers from Cortland and Oneonta – they have a rather unfriendly temperament so I don’t have a burning desire to get to know those two. – Brockport’s Ellsworth the Eagle

Do you have any friends that are mascots?

I think you mean do I have any friends who are mascots. And the answer is no because I have a habit of correcting grammar and most mascots are straight up sloppy in that department. You should see some of the texts I get. – Plattsburgh’s Burghy the Cardinal

What is your favorite television or movie animal?

My favorite movie animal is the Big Bad Wolf. – Stony Brook University’s Wolfie the Seawolf

I really love Scrat, the saber-toothed squirrel from the Ice Age movies. Man, there’s a guy that will do anything for an acorn! – SUNY ESF’s Oakie the Acorn

What is your favorite food?

Morrisville Mustang, braised with just a hint of lemon. – SUNYIT’s Walter Wildcat

I have to confess. I’m a grazer. So I’ll eat almost anything. When I stick to my diet, I like a nice blend of oats, bran and barley. – SUNY Delhi’s Lucky the Bronco

Froot Loops. Gotta support all my feathered friends out there! – Jamestown Jayhawk

I am a big meat eater and I enjoy a diversified menu that consists of things like: Nittany Lion, Wildcat, Mustang, Bison, Crusader, Pony, Phoenix, Storm and Screaming Eagle. Referee can also be quite tasty if prepared correctly. Aside from these dishes, I like to eat Italian once in a while. (By that I mean a good plate of pasta and of course not an actual Italian.) – Cobleskill’s Coby T. Tiger

When it comes down to it, my go-to is smoked andouille sausage with red beans and rice and a whole lot of cayenne red pepper sauce. Smoking hot with plenty of bite. – SUNY Cortland’s Blaze

What’s it like to be a mascot?

Like a combination of being Santa Claus and Michael Jordan, but sweatier. – Jamestown Jayhawk

It is always warm and I give a lot of High 4’s. – Alfred State’s Orvis the Pioneer

I’m famous! Everyone has my face on his or her shirt and the paparazzi take tons of pictures. I was asked to play Simba in the Lion King but I turned it down to model for Gummi Bears. – Potsdam’s Max C Bear

You know being in the public eye constantly can be very tough but that’s the nature of the business. If I may paraphrase and steal a quote from my good friend Bono, “Being a Mascot, I have two instincts, I want to have fun and I want to change the world. I have a chance to do both.” Plus you have to like the New York State benefits that go with the gig. We’ve got a great medical plan here at Cobleskill! – Cobleskill’s Coby T. Tiger

What do you like to do for fun?

Write Harry Potter fan fiction. In my version, Hedwig defeats Lord Voldemort. – Jamestown Jayhawk

I know it’s clichéd, but I’m just a simple wildcat: I like chasing weak or sick animals, laying in that one small spot of sunlight that comes through the skylight in the living room, and posting under an alias to farm animal message boards to say things like “You know, I heard there’s this whole beautiful world outside the farm gates; in fact, my cousin Carl said we can easily hop the fence and just go wandering in the “wilderness” for a few hours if we like. He even said it’s best if we all just “split up” and go exploring for a couple of hours.” (And yes, “cousin Carl” is another one of my aliases). – SUNYIT’s Walter Wildcat

I just love catching a game. Nothing beats the excitement of a Buffalo State victory. At the end of the night when everyone has gone home, however, I have been known to have some friends come to Kissinger Pool for some midnight skinny dipping. – Buffalo State’s Benji

Besides supporting my campus community and amping up the crowd at Seawolves games, I love to travel around the world! Check out my “Where in the World is Wolfie” travel map to see all the places I have been so far! Click here: http://bit.ly/bytDEp – Stony Brook University’s Wolfie the Seawolf

What do you consider the ideal fan?

Anyone who doesn’t wear wool! – Farmingdale’s Rambo the Ram

A loyal one! – Purchase College’s Perseus the Panther

The ideal fan roots for the Hawks and creates a positive atmosphere by not taunting or baiting opponents. – New Paltz’s Hugo the Hawk

My ideal fan bleeds Maritime Blue and Privateer Red, whether they’re at sea or on land! I also like to see the die-hard male fans that come out and brave the elements shirtless with phrases written upon their chests. It reminds me of the men I saw working on the decks of the ship when I was busy privateering in my earlier years! Our fans carry their love of SUNY Maritime College to many ports around the world and throughout the seven seas. – Maritime’s Petey the Privateer

One that’s passionate, loyal, willing to stick with us through thick and thin, and LOUD! – Jamestown Jayhawks

Anyone who burns inside for SUNY Oneonta! – Oneonta’s Torch

Anyone who shows spirit and enthusiasm for their team. We have many fans of the Hawks and it is my job to keep them supportive and positive. – Rockland’s Rocky

I really enjoy when the whole family comes out to our competitions, especially the younger fans. Their passion and excitement is unmatched. I try to make sure that everyone has a great time, but I focus on the next generation of mustangs. – Morrisville Mustang

Someone who shows undying support and pride for the Generals! – Herkimer’s General Herkimer

Someone who is passionate about their team, but still shows respect for the other team, other fans, and refs. – Tompkins Cortland’s Pounce

Anyone that eats, sleeps, breathes and, most importantly, bleeds GREEN! – Binghamton’s Baxter the Bearcat

My ideal fan is knowledgeable about the sport, and respectful of the players, coaches and officials. He or she also wears blue and orange (our school colors) faithfully. – SUNY Orange Colt

One who wants to get up and celebrate with me! – Erie’s Pawz

I consider an ideal fan someone who is a part of our NCCC Wolfpack fan club who attends every game and cheers on not only the uniform, but the person inside as well. I also like fans who play along with some of my in-game antics and who actively fight for the t-shirts that we throw into the crowds during our “T’s for Three’s” contest. – Niagara CC’s Tripp the Thunderwolf

Someone who bleeds Green and Gold! – Adirondack’s Eddie Rondack