Mascots are a very essential part of sports. They give teams a single identifying factor that the crowd can cheer and get behind. Players come and go, but mascots are normally a staple that has lasted as long as the organization itself. Some mascots are great, some are cute, and some are just plain creepy. Here’s my top 10 mascots in sports right now:
10. Benny The Bull (Chicago Bulls)
Look at that face. How could you not love Benny the Bull? He's cute and does adorable antics. Chicago is just one of those teams that everyone knows but most people don't particularly hate or love. Benny makes me like them just a bit more.
9. Mr. Met (NY Mets)
That is one happy baseball head. He's not as creepy as the Cincinnati Reds' Mr. Redhead, and he's been around longer than the Atlanta Braves' Homer. I don't particularly like the Mets, but their mascot seems solid.
8. Super Frog (TCU Horned Frogs)
When your mascot is the Horned Frogs, that can either be a bad thing, or a really bad thing. TCU somehow made it slightly ok with their muscular Super Frog. He's kinda cute, kinda fierce, and fun to watch.
7. Ralph (Colorado University)
Can we just take a minute to appreciate the fact that Colorado University has a full grown bison run across the football field? Super casual.
6. Sooner Schooner (Oklahoma Sooners)
The Sooners just slightly one-up Colorado bison by driving a horse drawn covered wagon around their field.
5. Jaxson De Ville (Jacksonville Jaguars)
I wouldn't be a true Jaxson (someone from Jacksonville) if I didn't have Jaxson De Ville on this list. There are many things mediocre about Jacksonville, namely the Jaguars and traffic. The best thing about going to a Jaguar game is easily watching Jaxson bungee jump, zip line, and ride around on a Segway.
4. Bailey (Los Angeles Kings)
I don't watch a lot of hockey, but there's just something awesome about a lion riding around an ice rink on essentially a four wheeler.
3. Sir Purr (Carolina Panthers)
Like Benny, Sir Purr is just adorable. Just look at him. I'm also a bit biased because I like Cam Newton and he plays for the Panthers.
2. Chief Osceola (Florida State)
I greatly dislike everything about FSU (especially sports related), but their mascot is legit. How awesome is a guy riding around on a horse (named Renegade for the record) and then throwing a flaming spear into the middle of the football field? Well played, FSU, well played. I still don't like y'all.
1. Aubie and Nova (Auburn University)
I may be a bit biased about this one, because I am an Auburn fan. But Aubie is a great mascot. He's won the Mascot National championships 9 times (including this year) and was Capital One's 2014 mascot of the year. Nova is equally as awesome. Officially named War Eagle VII in 2006, Nova flies around the stadium before each game to the cheers and screams of countless fans. It's such a beautiful sight to behold.
Granted, there are tons of mascots in sports today (both official and unofficial). Some are cool, others creepy, and some just downright strange. But they're all fun to watch and help to pump up the crowd. These 10 listed just happen to be some of my favorite. Always remember, War Eagle!
