<p>What are the best and worst school mascots (at any school) in your opinion? Here's a start: </p>
<p>Best: The California Golden Bears! (that's pretty solid). :) Oski, on the other hand, I have to admit, is a bit old and decrepit (and a bit creepy), but you've got to give it to Oski for having some character! </p>
<p>Worst: The Stanford Cardinals.... and a Tree? Honestly - what duh? ;)</p>
<p>I'm going to show a little former school pride and nominate the much maligned UC Santa Cruz Banana Slugs for yet another "worst" mascot, though I totally agree that Oski is a little creepy.</p>
<p>Seriously. I get the idea behind it, but who wants to cheer for a slug? Doesn't that smug, self-important superiority and forced individuality -- "we're so above needing a traditional mascot, we're AVANT GARDE" -- get old after a while? (In my experience? It was old before it started.)</p>
<p>Oski is the mascot, not the golden bears in general. And oski is the best mascot in the history of the world. He drinks through his eye hole!! Who else can do that.</p>
<p>Cartoon characters at Disneyland.</p>
<p>banana slugs are poisonous!</p>
<p>
[quote]
Worst: The Stanford Cardinals.... and a Tree? Honestly - what duh?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I would agree but people would call me hypocritcal :(</p>
<p>
[quote]
Worst: The Stanford Cardinals.... and a Tree? Honestly - what duh?
[/quote]
It's the Cardinal, sans plural. Their mascot is the color.</p>
<p>And as for worst mascots, take a look at Otto the Orange from Syracuse. Seriously. He's a giant, walking....orange. I'd alsomake a case for WuShock from the Wichita State Shockers, since he's just a gigantic shock of wheat, but the awesomeness of their nickname (Shockers) far outweighs the lameness of having wheat as your mascot.</p>
<p>Here's a good thread on the subject of mascots:</p>
<p>Whoa now, hang on the undecided, let's not go slug bashing. You're not the only one who's been to UCSC. I personally think the slug was great choice (changed from the sea lion if memory serves). Plus, what is this about cheering for the slug? It's not like we had any real teams, rallies or any large school spirit type events. Sure it's weird and different, and yes I think that suits UCSC just fine.</p>
<p>---smug, self-important superiority and forced individuality -- "we're so above needing a traditional mascot, we're AVANT GARDE"</p>
<p>That's quite a conclusion to leap to. It strikes me quite the opposite. Santa Cruz really doesn't seem to take itself very seriously at all.</p>
<p>Nope. That was my impression. I disliked UCSC as a school -- loved some of my professors, had a few good friends, but I didn't really like the school. The history I read as to why they chose to adopt that mascot over the sea lion struck me as having a milder version of the attitude I expressed.</p>
<p>Bananas Slugs are still my top choice for worst mascot. :P</p>
<p>No I would have to say Stanford tree for the worst mascot. If you have actually seen a picture of it you would agree.</p>
<p>I do agree with the Stanford masoct, too, especially because of the confusion. They're the Stanford Cardinals, represented by a large Gumby-looking pine tree on the field?</p>
<p>But I liked Stanford as a school better (I know, I know -- what a traitor I am! You should hear the story about when my summer college at Stanford took a tour of Berkeley...) and they had teams worth cheering for, lame mascot or no.</p>
<p>Found this -- some real odd mascots on there for "favorites," especially including a couple that have been mentioned already on this thread as "worst."</p>
<p>Capital</a> One Mascots</p>
<p>
[quote]
I do agree with the Stanford masoct, too, especially because of the confusion. They're the Stanford Cardinals, represented by a large Gumby-looking pine tree on the field?
[/quote]
Technically, the Cardinal (no "s!") is the school's mascot and the Tree is the stanfurd band's mascot. That's why they're represented by a tree on the field or on the court. Yeah, it's a pretty dumb mascot, but at least it's certainly unique.</p>
<p>
</p>
<p>I knew that! I just forgot. :P Thanks.</p>
<p>Looking at it that way, though, it seems kinda Communist and/or Borg. They are all ONE -- and it's a shade of red. :p</p>
<p>I can't imagine what UCSC did to tramatize you undecided, but to each their own I suppose. Honestly I wish more school's would come up with more unique mascots. How many little league teams are called the Wild Cats? It's painfully dull. It's not like there's ever been an event where UCSC students rally behind the slug, I think it's typically used to sell merchandise at BayTree.</p>
<p>
[quote]
Worst: The Stanford Cardinals.... and a Tree? Honestly - what duh?
[/quote]
</p>
<p>I am fond of both MIT and Harvard, but I have to admit that the MIT mascot name of "Engineers" is pretty lame. Harvard isn't much better, what with the teams called the "Harvard Crimson" (the color, just like the Stanford Cardinal) and the mascot being John Harvard himself.</p>
<p><a href="http://web.mit.edu/athletics/www/%5B/url%5D">http://web.mit.edu/athletics/www/</a></p>
<p>So I would agree that Harvard, MIT, and Stanford are all pretty weak when it comes to mascots.</p>
<p>To this day, I don't get what the UC Davis mascot really is. A horse? A farmer? A centaur farmer?</p>
<p>So confusing.</p>
<p>It's not a horse?</p>
<p>I dunno...I've heard differing stories...:confused:</p>
<p>Davis is another example of different names. Their mascot is the mustang, but they call the students Aggies because of their agricultural background. :P</p>
<p>UCSC just was not a very positive place for me, and I never really liked the mascot anyway. I understand the need to be different, but... really. A slug? A bright yellow slug, at that?</p>
<p>Doesn't someone have a purple cow?</p>