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 three with teams ranging from Notre Dame to Temple.
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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Notre Dame Fighting Irish
Notre Dame is doubly cursed by being old and traditional as well as having a Mascot that is a group of actual, living people. These two limitations mean that you can’t have a puffy headed red headed dude with x-ed out eyes toting huge novelty whiskey bottles. At least get a guy with a red beard – I hear Conan O’Brien is growing a beard and looking for work. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
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Oakland Golden Grizzlies
Pretty standard angry bear suit, and pretty standard angry bear suits are cool. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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Ohio Bobcats
(Rufus)
I think Rufus should change his name to Buzzkill. That cat is uninspiring.
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Ohio State Buckeyes
You almost can’t go wrong with a wacked out mascot like “buckeyes!” Just make a big buckeye, put a silly expression and an Ohio State hat on it and you’re done! We need more seeds, nuts and legumes as mascots! Tell me Mr. Peanut wouldn’t fit perfectly courtside or along the sidelines! (Photo by Andy Lyons/Getty Images)
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Oklahoma State Cowboys
Whew doggee! That thing is not pretty and quite disturbing! I think I like him! (Why in the world did someone opt to go with a huge shiny plastic hat instead of a normal plush one?) Isn’t that Bad Blake? (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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Old Dominion Monarchs
Close but no cigar on this one. I don’t know if I could fully explain the difference between a college team mascot and a breakfast cereal character, but this monarch definitely falls into the latter category. (Photo by Chris Graythen/Getty Images)
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Pittsburgh Panthers
This would be a nice Division II mascot. That being said, it is also a serviceable Division I mascot, but a University with as much athletic prowess as Pitt deserves better.
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Purdue Boilermakers
Is this the only blue collar mascot in the tournament? (Are miners blue collar?) I love the big sledge hammer, but unlike the Oklahoma State cowboy I think a big plush head would be better than hard plastic. Still like him though! How can you not like a boilermaker? (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
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Richmond Spiders
(Spidey)
Richmond obviously tried really, really hard but they wound up really, really failing. This outfit has “committee” written all over it. “Ooooh – how about he look like Spider-Man?” “And he could have red Chuck Taylors!” “And a cape!” Besides, there are far too few arachnid mascots to get weird and not give your “spider” mascot eight legs.
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Robert Morris Colonials
(RoMo)
I was fully prepared to not like RoMo simply because he shares his name with a certain ex-boyfriend of Jessica Simpson, but there’s something in those crazy eyes that demands my respect and approval. It’s like if one of our founding fathers was Adam West on PCP. (Photo by Jonathan Daniel/Getty Images)
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St. Mary’s College Gaels
(Gael Force One)
Now THIS is how you do a great bad mascot! What IS that thing?!? Some sort of inflatable Power Ranger of the Round Table? Oh but to really succeed with a graet bad mascot you need to have a beautifully ridiculous name. Oh wait, Gael Force One! Well played St. Mary’s.
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Sam Houston State Bearkats
I will give the Sam Houston State Bearkat one thing – it sure is orange! He could be some serious competition for Chester Cheetah from the Cheetos commercials! (Something tells me that if the SHS bearkat hugged you your clothes would be orange.) (Photo by Doug Pensinger/Getty Images)
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San Diego State Aztecs
Absolutely ridiculous, and if I may risk being politically incorrect, GAY! Are these the San Francisco Asstechs? Aren’t there any Aztecs left to be offended by this? (Photo by Ethan Miller/Getty Images)
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Siena Saints
I had to look into this one because I couldn’t figure out what a saint had to do with a dog, but then I learned it’s a Saint Bernard. Ohhhhhh! Okay, mascot and cartoon 101: You CANNOT have a Saint Bernard without a little barrel of liquor around it’s neck. You just can’t do it. Sorry Sienna, but FAIL. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)
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Syracuse Orange
Another color mascot. (Grrrr) But Syracuse did a great job of taking their ridiculous team moniker and making a ridiculous mascot out of it! Who doesn’t like a big, furry orange ball in a hat? (Photo by Rick Stewart/Getty Images)
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Temple Owls
How do you have an owl as a mascot and then make it with squinty eyes?!? That looks like an angry maroon Stewie from Family Guy! Dang it Temple, hasn’t Hooter’s taught you anything? We like our owls with HUGE eyes! (Photo by: ZumaPress)
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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
