Hello! And welcome to my collection of all the school mascots from the colleges and universities competing in the 2010 NCAA Mens Basketball Tournament! The schools are alphabetized and spread out over four pages (The index is at the top and bottom of every page) and each entry includes the name of the school, the proper name of the mascot (if known), a photo and my brief commentary. I think it’s a nice way to kill time in between March Madness games!
This is page two with teams ranging from Kansas State to Northern Iowa.
Here is the index for the rest of the collegiate mascots:
PAGE ONE: Arkansas-Pine Bluff – Kansas
PAGE TWO: Kansas State – Northern Iowa
PAGE THREE: Notre Dame – Temple
PAGE FOUR: Tennessee – Xavier
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Kansas State Wildcats
(Willie Wildcat)
Oh man. Lamest of the lame here. Couldn’t the school splurge for the entire mascot costume instead of just the head? You might as well just wear a team ball cap – it would look less ridiculous. (Photo by: ZumaPress)
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Kentucky Wildcats
Is that Dolly Parton’s ‘Coat of Two Colors?’ I love me some quilts, but get that wildcat a new head and some flashier duds! You’re one of the top three college basketball institutions of all time for goodness sake! (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
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Lehigh Mountain Hawks
(Clutch)
There wasn’t too much on the web on ol’ Clutch the Mountain Hawk, and that’s a shame! He’s got the big beak and claws sticking out of his green sneakers. Plus, “Mountain Hawk” is kind of unique and cool. (They should run with the “Mo-Hawk” idea though – maybe even give Clutch a Mr. T hairdo.)
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Louisville Cardinals
Bright red with an angry beak and big huge bird feet… Kudos! Proof that classic and simple works! (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
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Marquette Golden Eagles
Nawp. No good. The facial expression isn’t angry or funny and actual people sneakers? Step it up Marquette! (Photo by Jim McIsaac/Getty Images)
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Maryland Terrapins
Turtles are awesome! That being said, the Maryland Terrapin is a little too doo doo colored and weird for my taste. Get a bigger shell, some cool turtle feet and some kind of facial expression. You’re the only one out there representin’ turtles Maryland, and you’re lettin’ ’em down! (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
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Michigan State Spartans
I’m not a big Michigan State Spartans fan, but that’s what a non-animal mascot is supposed to look like! School colors all over the place, mohawk headgear, a funny facial expression you can see from a mile away and big ol’ puffy muscles! (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
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Minnesota Golden Gophers
(Goldy Gopher)
Goldy Gopher goes for cute and succeeds. (He’s a gopher, he had to go that route.) Minnesota fans must love getting their kids stuffed animals. Heck, I want a little Goldy Gopher myself! (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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Missouri Tigers
Nope, nope, nope. This looks like someone promoting a generic brand of cereal at Food World. Missouri is the “Show Me” state, and Missouri you need to show me better than that. (The internet caption for that picture would read, “I can haz real costume?”) (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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Montana Grizzlies
(Monte)
Lamest bear suit in the tournament? Step it up Monte – this is Division 1!
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Morgan State Bears
Okay. I wish I could see the bear feet so I had more to go on. Clearly better than Monte the Montana Grizzly though! (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)
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Murray State Racers
(No live Mascot)
Oof! The “racers?” My suggestion is one of those jockey on a horse costumes – that would be pretty dang funny! Whoever’s wearing it could have one of those little whipping sticks and beat himself as he runs around the court!
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New Mexico Lobos
(Lobo Louie)
Lobo Louie reminds me of Shasta the Houston cougar in that it appears he spends pre-game and halftime getting sauced. Once again, I have no problem with that! This is probably how most children see their fathers on gameday anyway – a rabid, hairy drunk creature flailing about complaining about the refs. If I were a New Mexico fan, I would want to watch the game with Lobo Louie! (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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New Mexico State Aggies
No siree! If you could have purchased your costume at the dollar store, you are not a good mascot.
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North Texas Mean Green
(Scrappy)
Is there really a university out there with “Mean Green” as a mascot? I’ve already let my feelings be known about adjective+color as a school mascot (hate it) and this one is no exception. BUT, the one positive thing about such an innocuous moniker is that you have free reign to have any live mascot you want! It could be a crocodile, an amoeba, a serpent or a can of beans. North Texas went with seagull apparently. I like the big bird feet, but that is more than countered by this trophy for lamest mascot eyes. (And possibly “worst wings?”) (Photo by Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)
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Northern Iowa Panthers
(T.C. ‘The Cat’)
T.C. looks a little like Scratchy from Itchy and Scratchy and a lot like a cologne bottle from Will Ferrell’s Anchorman movie. I think he’s the character that would have been created if malt liquor beer companies could sell to children. All of these sound like positive things, but I have to give T.C. the thumbs down for being just a bit too cheesy and “from the alley.”
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PAGE ONE: Arkansas-Pine Bluff – Kansas
PAGE TWO: Kansas State – Northern Iowa
PAGE THREE: Notre Dame – Temple
PAGE FOUR: Tennessee – Xavier
