Screech unveils new look

Today the Nationals mascot, Screech, made an appearance at the DC area ESPN Zone. The fact that he was at the restaurant isn't really newsworthy, but the way he looked was. He showed up noticeably taller and skinnier than the Screech of old. So what's the secret to his drastic body transformation? Did he finally hit puberty and its just the results of a growth spurt? Can we attribute this to his new fitness trainer, and his intense training sessions of polates? Could those nasty rumors about his typical late nights spent doing lines and drinking red bull in Adams Morgan be true? Say what you want about how he lost the weight, but at least he's finally wearing pants.

GMU's Mascot: Gunston out,The Patriot in

Recently the athletic department of George Mason University announced that it would replace Gunston with a more intense mascot. Tuesday the newfangled mascot of GMU was unveiled and to be honest, its a kind of a letdown. But hey why don't you judge for yourself. Mason's new mascot "The Patriot" after the jump. "The Patriot" is what William Wallace would look like had he worn pants and a shirt. Or as Chris Mottram said "He’s kind of two parts Sam the Minuteman and one part David Puddy from Seinfeld." Whatever terrible hybrid he is, why does he need face paint and why is his shirt unbuttoned?

My best guesses for my own proposed questions are that he needs the face-paint, just so he doesn't look exactly like the colonial of GW. And I think the unbuttoned shirt is because the school is trying to lose its identity as a commuter school. They did this by giving their mascot an edgier look. Because hey, at GMU casual Friday is everyday. Oh and in case you care,"The Patriot," will get his official name following a month-long contest.

So what are your thoughts on the new mascot? Got any name ideas?

DC Sports Bog: Meet Mason's Mascot

Coolest Mascot

In response to Langston's challenge to name a mascot cooler than Tennessee's Smokey, I have but this to say. The University of Colorado has the market cornered on the nation's coolest mascot. Ralphie the Buffalo, yes a real, live buffalo, has been a fixture on the gridiron in Boulder since the late 1960's. He leads the team onto the field at the beginning of each half and opponents have been known to stare in awe at his raw power and magestic grace.

Also, while I hold no ill will towards Smokey, he isn't even the coolest dog mascot. In college football, that title would have to go to Tennessee's SEC rivals at the University of Georgia. Uga the bulldog has been a Georgia tradition since the late 1950's and he's been prowling between the hedges in Athens every season since. But the greatest dog mascot of all has to be Cpl. Chesty of the United States Marine Corps. During the Battle of Belleau Wood in WWI, German soldiers were so impressed by the tenacity and ferocity with which the Marines fought that they came to refer to U.S. Marines as 'tuefel hunden' or Devil Dogs. The moniker was adopted as a badge of honor by the Corps and eventually led to the adoption of a bulldog mascot.

What can I say, bulldogs are bad ass!