The only thing more important than having a team at a sports game is having the spirit squads to lead the fans in cheers. From cheerleaders and dance squads to music playlists and crowd interactivity, the point of the spirit squads is to keep the fans engaged and excited in the game, regardless of how their team is doing.
However, the most important aspect of a cheer squad is the mascot. As the defining symbol of a college’s identity, the mascot is expected to represent the school from an entertainment perspective.
Here at Mississippi State University, we are now who Bully is: the adorable little canine, 22nd in a line that began in 1935, who graces every football game by running with the team as they take the field before the match.
While the bulldog may be an important symbol of MSU, another equally important, slightly underappreciated mascot is the costumed Bully.
First appearing in 1964, and becoming an official resident of Mississippi State in 1971, the costumed mascot has been bringing joy and entertainment to MSU fans ever since.
Every year, five college students are selected to wear the costume and become Bully for miscellaneous university functions. As a reward for their hard work, they receive a semester scholarship and financial support to attend a summer cheerleader boot camp.
This is not an easy task. All members are required to wear the costume during home football games, swapping out when necessary to prevent over-exhaustion. Two members are required to travel for away games, and non-football games are assigned to specific members who can fit them into their class schedules. Private and requested ceremonies are assigned based on who volunteers for them.
In addition, the five students are required to uphold their grade point average and maintain continuity of the character’s behavior. They ensure that Bully is depicted in a respectful light and proper attitude.
Yet despite the dedication given to upholding the charade, the Bully costume typically receives less love than the actual dog itself, with its only big claim to national attention being a 2013 incident, when it was run over by an ESPN cart.
While they may not be scoring touchdowns or taking concussions for the team, the students that play Bully have to sacrifice the time that they have outside of class, time that could be spent with friends or loved ones, as well as the amount of time dedicated to studying for tests, quizzes and exams.
They also have to wear the costume in the heat and cold, rain or snow, day or night. They have to perform dances and cheers while wearing an oversized dog head that is probably not comfortable to wear. To top it off, they must keep their identity a secret to fully become Bully.
Being Bully is a job, and I feel like the people who make that choice should be recognized for their efforts.
At Michigan State University, there is a tradition that upon graduation, the students who played their mascot, Spart the Spartan, wear their Sparty boots at the ceremony to reveal their secrets to their friends, family and classmates.
Mississippi State should offer something similar to the students who take time out of their personal lives to be the school’s costume representative. To reward them with a little praise for their dedication.
An additional benefit of revealing the identity of the mascots is that it would allow them to receive thanks and praise from loyal Bulldog fans.
The mascot’s role is to bring both a face and a personality to the school, and in doing so, it allows people to attach themselves to that ‘person’. By revealing the people behind that costume, fans would be able to truly appreciate the hard work and sacrifice taken to uphold that character they love.
People should be recognized for their work and dedication to their school — to leave a legacy as they leave college. As they cross that stage, accepting their diploma and shaking MSU President Mark Keenum’s hand, everyone should feel that they matter here at Mississippi State and leave an irreplaceable mark on the campus.
