Mascots Gone Wild

Bizarre, Crime, NakedLaw, News, Sports

With the college and professional football seasons well underway, many people head to games to tailgate with friends and family and cheer on their favorite team. Some even clamor to get pictures taken with their beloved mascot.  But at some games, you might hesitate before handing over your child for that special moment.

Here’s a round up of some well-known mascots gone wild:

Penn State Nittany Lion: The person responsible for being the Nittany Lion was arrested last week for public drunkenness and criminal mischief. He was also suspended by the Penn State athletic department.

Minnesota Goldy Gopher: The University of Minnesota mascot found himself in trouble after apparently mocking an opposing player who kneeled to pray after a football game. The university later issued an apology on behalf of the mascot’s actions.

Pat Patriot: Last year the man who played the New England Patriot’s mascot was arrested in a Rhode Island prostitution sting.

Harvey the Hound: After taunting the Edmonton Oilers’ bench, the Calgary Flames’ mascot Harvey the Hound gets his famous red tongue ripped out by coach Craig MacTavish. MacTavish, then threw it into the stands behind him and then had to be restrained by a trainer from grabbing a hockey stick and assaulting Harvey further. See the troubling before and after shots:

Steely McBeam: The rough and tough Pittsburgh Steeler’s mascot has had a couple recent run-ins with the law. One of the men who played the part was arrested and charged with drunk driving, and as a result was fired from the football organization. In a more recent event this past April, the mascot was accused of sexual assault in an incident at a downtown Pittsburgh gay bar. According to the police report, the mascot was performing a Village People revue, and at intermission got into an “altercation” with another performer in the bar’s bathroom.


University of Oregon Duck vs. University of Houston Cougar: Oregon’s Duck was suspended for a game after he “attacked” the opposing team’s mascot. The reason? Apparently the Duck became upset when the Cougar imitated one of the Duck’s trademarks – push-ups for total points after each touchdown in front of the student section.

Stanford University Tree vs. Cal Berkeley’s Oski: In a rumble described as “legendary”, during a basketball game in 1995, the rival mascots go at it after Oski taunts the Stanford student section. The two eventually have to be separated and taken out by police, but not before Oski’s  headpiece was forcefully removed by the Tree, an act of special significance because Cal has taken great pains to keep its Oski costume wearers’ identities secret since the 1940s.

Philly Phanatic: A flashback to 1988 where Tommy Lasorda reacts to the Philly Phanatic’s routine of using a doll of Lasorda as a punching bag.

Benny the Bull: The mascot for the Chicago Bulls has found itself making headlines for all the wrong reasons many times. He accidentally hyper extended a man’s arm and ruptured his bicep muscle on a high five. And two years prior, Benny punched a police officer after running away on foot at a festival. He had been stopped for riding a mini-motorcycle without a permit. He even shot at both Kevin Garnett and James Posey from behind with a t-shirt cannon toward the end of a Chicago Bulls/Boston Celtics game, resulting in an “exchange” between the two. However, nothing beats the fight that broke out during an appearance on the Jerry Springer show:

Billy the Marlin: And just because this is hilarious, the Florida Marlin’s mascot Billy manages to cause trouble off the field for unsuspecting people as they pass by.