U-M Furry Mascot on HBO Real Sports?

Submitted by Buttmunch on

This is my first forum post.  Long time reader, but I am a noob to the Mgoboard.  I didn't see anything on the board about this so here goes:

Last night on HBO's Real Sports there was a segment on college and professional mascots. There was a short clip featuring a "mascot camp" when what looked to be a U-M mascot walked across the screen. This is the first I'd ever seen anything like this - it had a maize wing design in its blue hair. I've embedded the link below, the mascot walks across the screen at the 0:28 mark. Am I crazy or is this something in the works for the future? Has anyone seen this mascot at any games?

Tshimanga Cowabunga

September 22nd, 2010 at 10:51 AM ^

That actually was a "Michigan" mascot but I think it might be MSU's version of it. If i remember correctly, State used to bring their own UofM mascot to games to Sparty could beat him up and beat him in a race and so on.

Another reason why we don't have a mascot tho. That thing was hideous

jmblue

September 22nd, 2010 at 1:20 PM ^

They do this every time we play them in East Lansing.  The "Wolverine mascot" they trot out is a blue Muppet-like character with big googly eyes that Sparty beats up.  Even though it should be obvious that it's not real, you would not believe how many MSU fans believe it is.

st barth

September 22nd, 2010 at 11:03 AM ^

Aside from that sweet photo of the Bobcat punch Buckeye in the face, mascots are just dumb. I'm so glad that M doesn't have one.

Of if we did, it should be a real wolverine that we unleash on the enemy.  Might be fun to see the spartan get ripped to shreds in front of 100,000 rabid, blood lusty fans.

mikoyan

September 22nd, 2010 at 12:18 PM ^

I seem to remember wandering around Ann Arbor in the late 80's and getting a little coupon book that had a Willy the Wolverine on the cover.  I also seem to remember reading somewhere else that this was a failed attempt at a mascot by the University and that he may have even been to a few games.  The sad part about a wolverine is that any mascot based on it would look silly (think Bucky the Badger).  The other sad part is that I think it would be cool if Michigan had one.....

profitgoblue

September 22nd, 2010 at 1:30 PM ^

Its all a matter of opinion on whether Michigan should have a mascot or not.  And judging by the negative feedback on my "no mascot" comment you are not alone in your desire for a mascot.  I'm not a fan of them - however, if Michigan was to have one, I hope it'd more like the Stanford Cardinal, Oregon Duck, or Ohio mascot than like the ND Leprechaun!

blueheron

September 22nd, 2010 at 11:10 AM ^

Older types here might remember the "Willie the Wolverine" campaign at Michigan.  As I recall, a couple of doofuses were trying to establish their cheesy creation as the official UMich sports mascot.  To make matters worse, they wanted a huge cut of any merchandise featuring said mascot.  They were relentless, but common sense carried the day.  No Willie.

mikoyan

September 22nd, 2010 at 12:57 PM ^

I hated the halo.  It looked like something you would see in Tennessee or Florida.  It was so out of character with the brick architecture.  At least they made an attempt to keep the spirit of the architecture with the skyboxes although I don't really like them because for me the charm of Michigan stadium was how it didn't tower over the surroundings. 

M-Wolverine

September 22nd, 2010 at 11:46 AM ^

I remember they had sold it to the people who put out those coupon books they used to pass out on the corner.  I can't find any images of it online though.

The University banned it:

(Don't bother going to the site...it's just a shill for a free trial membership)

http://www.highbeam.com/doc/1G1-7799892.html

WILLY THE WOLVERINE BANNED FROM UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN STADIUM

ANN ARBOR, Mich., Oct. 25 1989 /PRNewswire/ -- Woe is Willy the Wolverine.

The seven-foot creation of a pair of University of Michigan students has been selected Grand Marshall of the university's annual Homecoming Parade, Oct. 27, and as official tour guide for Parents Weekend, Nov. 3-5.

Yet the university administration has permanently barred Willy from attending any of the school's football games. Moreover, they refuse to explain their hostility to the furry giant, who has become a campus favorite since his arrival in Ann Arbor in the winter of 1988.

There's even a completely dead facebook page, with one member, trying to bring him back-

http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=2200414226

If you want to get an idea what it might be like, UVU are the Wolverines, and have a mascot who does a lot of "cool" stuff:

h

With his own, more successful Facebook page (Take a look for a better view of the costume):

http://www.facebook.com/pages/Willy-the-Wolverine/50309989393

(I'm so glad we don't have a Mascot...)

It does sound like this one is from MSU though.

http://ask.metafilter.com/162639/Does-Sparty-tackle-a-fake-wolverine-ma…

http://hooverstreetrag.blogspot.com/2007/11/bearing-grudge.html

Taking a break from the action on the field, there is something walking up and down the sidelines calling itself "Willie Wolverine". Nobody knows what's up with this thing. It's a full-body wolverine costume outfitted in pads and a football uniform that looks somewhat unlicensed. The head looks like it might be papier mache. Is this a try-out for a new official mascot? Did someone make it himself? Is it a Spartan plant? I heard later that it was just some guy in a homemade costume who talked his way onto the field (nice security, MSU), but I don't know whether that's true.

Where's the C&D letter for that?

blueheron

September 22nd, 2010 at 12:05 PM ^

"... who has become a campus favorite since his arrival in Ann Arbor in the winter of 1988..."

Ah, clever!  Completely baseless, though -- I never met anyone who claimed to like that monstrosity. 

UMichinCA

September 22nd, 2010 at 10:51 PM ^

I was there for  the "Willy" Campaign and that ain't it.  The Willy I remember was a lot more cartoonish; equally embarrassing.  "...campus favorite?"  HA!  I never met a soul who thought Willy was even a remotely good idea.

I like that we don't have a mascot.  I like that we don't feel the NEED to have a mascot just because everyone else does.  We're Michigan.  We do our own thing, our own way; blaze our own trails.  LEADERS and Best!!

Brodie

September 22nd, 2010 at 11:12 AM ^

Considering how the "Michigan" mascot behaves (constantly prancing around the shot as the other mascots work out), I'm thinking it might be a Sparty joke.

Ryano

September 22nd, 2010 at 11:21 AM ^

Didn't Michigan have an actual wolverine back in the day?  Obviously there's no way it would happen in the modern era.  Maybe they can hire Hugh Jackman to walk around?

NateVolk

September 22nd, 2010 at 11:32 AM ^

I am glad someone else brought that up. I keep thinking I remember them having one in a cage on the sidelines and it was like in the last 10 years?

I need to cross check the dates with those which I was hitting the bottle to excess on gameday.

Brodie

September 22nd, 2010 at 12:40 PM ^

MSU makes up a lot of fake mascots. It's kind of their thing... they played Hawaii so they had a kid go out dressed as a Hawaiian Punch can. I assume it's not illegal unless the other school complains.

As for sending it to mascot camp, that was clearly a gag. Mildly amusing, I guess. That thing is so effing hideous, it's hard not to laugh.

Feat of Clay

September 22nd, 2010 at 12:22 PM ^

Oh good, a thread that I can shoehorn my ongoing gripe into.

Have any of you ever checked out the chalkboard at the Chil's in Arborland?  It has a big "Welcome to Chili's Ann Arbor!" written on it, and then a drawing or two figures hugging a chili pepper. 

One of them looks like a pelican or possibly a white finch, and the other looks like a brown and black malamute.  The first thing is wearing a green shirt with a "E" on it and I am willing to accept that this the EMU Eagle with the beak drawn wrong.  The second is I DON'T KNOW because I refuse to believe that they are representing that thing as an actual wolverine.  I'm hoping Concordia goes by "The Huskies" because otherwise....