If you thought athletes had it tough competing in front of thousands of people, you were right. You should try dressing up like a bird and acting like a buffoon in front of all your peers.
Having to lead cheers, distract opposing players, mock referees, flirt with women and harass rival mascots isn't easy for Ball State's beloved Charlie Cardinal. Doing it in front of a live audience full of thousands of your classmates is even more difficult.
Being Charlie Cardinal
What does every home football and basketball game have in common? The "Big Red Bird" will be at his best, performing at all these events.
The Ball State Intercollegiate Athletics department usually tells the student mascots at which events they want them to appear.
After getting a schedule of games and events made out, the five people who don Charlie's suit decide who is going to work what events. They plan around their class schedules.
The senior mascot, however, usually works important home games and events because of his or her experience.
Making appearances at minor sporting events (like volleyball, track and swimming) are crucial, according to the students who play the mascot.
"Homecoming is huge for us with all of its festivities," second-year mascot Korinth Patterson said. "We also perform at parades, grand openings and ice cream socials."
In addition to sporting events, Charlie works various appearances in the community as well as jobs promoting the university.
Could you imagine what a home game would be like without Charlie? It would be comparable to Rome without the Coliseum or Paris without the Eiffel Tower.
Routines and gimmicks
Banging on the floor with a megaphone, riding a scooter, mocking referees, and getting in fights with opposing mascots are just a few of Charlie's infamous antics.
All the fights that take place between mascots are apparently staged. Sorry if this disappoints anybody, but just like pro wrestling (which is also fake, for those who didn't know), the battles for mascot superiority are still entertaining to watch.
"The fights between mascots are usually planned out and it's common courtesy to let the opposing (mascot) win," said Bob Phelps, a veteran Charlie. "When I'm out there I always try to do things I have always wanted to do as a fan - things I couldn't usually get away with because I knew I'd get in trouble."
Charlie's walk, talk and act are about the only things that stay constant. The routines are not usually planned out ahead of time. More or less, it's comparable to performing in a live comedy act like "Saturday Night Live."
There's just one significant difference: Will Ferrell, Ana Gasteyer and Chris Kattan don't have to wear a 20-pound bird suit when they perform.
Charlie's suit is made up of five components: the head, body, feet, girdle and the feather lining.
"The suit was difficult to get into when I first began playing Charlie," second-year mascot Patrick Logan said. "Sometimes it takes 10 to 15 minutes to get on."
It also gets about 40 degrees hotter than room temperature while wearing the suit, according to the mascots.
"You're always hot when wearing the suit," Phelps said. "The smell is just horrific, but it's all worth it. When you hear the fight song playing, you forget all about the downsides of the job."
Perks and advantages
Now that most of the sacrifices of playing Charlie have been revealed, many people must be thinking: Why would you want to be the mascot in the first place?
Has anyone heard of the term "crowd pleaser?" Being one of the campus' most recognizable figures has its advantages.
After all, flirting with women is one of Charlie's favorite hobbies. Many women couldn't even bear to think about snubbing the charismatic bird.
"He's a bit of a ladies man," Phelps said. "One of his favorite taunts is the "call me" thing he does to women."
Charlie also serves as a role model to children from around the Muncie area. The kids look up to him and most of them think he's a real bird.
"That's my favorite gig," Patterson said. "All the kids think the Cardinal is real and it's great to be able to put a smile on someone's face."
All the students interviewed for this column have also said they will put their time working as the mascot on resumes. Believe it or not, playing the part of a goofy bird in college could make the difference in getting a job.
One student even said he were considering trying to become a professional mascot.
"I would love to do it professionally," Phelps said. "Professional mascots can make up to $100,000 a year."
Make no mistake, one must possess a wide variety of talents if he or she decides to be a mascot.
Write to Pat at pbray@bsu.edu
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