Randy and Jason: I'm excited that other Rowan alums are writing in regarding your upcoming show. I'm a 2009 graduate of Rowan who also lives within 5min. of the school as well, and I plan on attending that evening.
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You mentioned our mighty mascot, The Prof. The mascot's name originally stood for "The Professors," as Rowan University, formerly Glassboro State College, was once primarily a college for educators. The original mascot was a studious looking owl with a monocle and a graduation cap.
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A few years ago the university invested in a new mascot uniform, which you may see in a photo below (that's me in the costume!). The Prof is now a bit more intimidating, with imposing eyebrows and an athletic build. And I, sirs, donned that costume during my time at Rowan University.
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It's not an easy thing being a college mascot - limited visibility, soaring temperatures, attacks by drunk fans, and a need to constantly replenish one's repetoire with new dance moves are all challenges that a mascot faces. However, the greatest challenge I ever faced as The Prof was a little thing called mascot basketball.
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I was invited, as Rowan's Prof, to attend a Philadelphia 76ers game during my college tenure. Several mascots from area university teams and professional and minor league teams were there to celebrate the birthday of the 76ers' mascot, Hip Hop. It was a strange evening spent in a green room with other people who have chosen, as their life's work or a hobby, to don giant cartoonish heads and dance for strangers. Myself and the other mascots made several appearances on the court during the game. Having received little instruction, we mostly ran around and danced, but I made of a point of always being the last off of the court, so maybe I'd get the chance to get a little game time.
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Well, my game time finally game, gentlemen, during a half-time show known as Mascot Basketball. The other mascots and I were told to choose teams and play a game. My immediate fear was that I would somehow fall and faceplant on the court, thus becoming an immortal portion of ESPN's Blooper Reel forever. I escaped that fate, though I will admit my performance was certainly lackluster. The mascots that had real hands, sneakers and fitted clothes shared the advantage, whereas folks like myself, with giant character heads, large cushioned shoes, and furry, four-fingered hands didn't stand much of a chance.
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My favorite portion of the game was a pretzel mascot who was there representing a local business. In the green room, all of us other mascots had taken off our "heads" in order to talk and drink water. The pretzel, however, never did this. He or she stood under 5 feet in height, and had no arms on the costume. The pretzel person never once undressed or spoke to any of us the entire evening, and was clearly unable to offer any support in the game, so we spent that time running circles around the pretzel, taunting it, spinning it around, and laughing.
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I'll still never know who was in that pretzel and if my actions will come back to haunt me, but I can at least selfishly admit that I made it through a 76ers mascot basketball game without being the laughing stock of the evening... Oh, and then I eventually earned a college degree or whatever.
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See you at Rowan! Go Profs!
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