Photo by Ryan C. Harris
Madison Mathews
Reporter
February 10, 2006
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Freshman Scott Glisson poses as the long lost
buffalo mascot Photo by Ryan C. Harris |
After two years of grazing in the not-so wide-open fields of a closet, the buffalo mascot is back. Those who have attended basketball games this season may have noticed this interesting character roaming the courts during the game trying to “up” the school spirit of the fans.
Ronda Paulson, the new cheerleading coach at Milligan, said she was very excited when freshman Scott Glisson approached her to bring the buffalo back to life.
The last man inside the suit was James Mefford, who graduated in 2004. The buffalo was then put on hold because it takes someone tall to fill the costume.
Having served as his high school mascot during his senior year, Glisson is no stranger to the world of mascots. Before arriving at Milligan last semester, he exchanged e-mails with Admissions Counselor Andrew Parker, who helped him get in touch with Paulson.
Glisson wanted to be the mascot so he could be close to the action, show his school spirit, get the fans “riled” up and just be “goofy,” he said.
“I’m pretty much invincible in the suit,” Glisson said. “I can do whatever I want. Last game, I knocked the ball out of the ref’s hands and he called a technical foul on number 45, which is my jersey.”
“I didn’t even know that we had a mascot uniform until this year,” said sophomore cheerleading squad captain Whitney Davis.
“Scott has a great outgoing personality that I knew would be perfect for the mascot, and thus far has done a good job,” Davis said.
As for the effect the mascot has had on the teams and fans, Davis said, “The crowd has responded positively for the most part. I think that it was something new and exciting to the crowd.”
Basketball fan sophomore Eric Rolston thinks adding the buffalo to the game has been “a nice touch.” Rolston also said the buffalo does not necessarily have an effect on the players, but that it keeps the fans involved with the game.
“The mascot is a very important part of the overall game,” Paulson said. She “is looking forward to continue working with the mascot.”