Behind the Beak

Photo by Claire VanOsterbridgeBy Monica Kreber
kreberm@mytjnow.com

He makes public appearances. He has a distinctive outfit. His identity will never be revealed to the public.

No, he is not Superman –but he is Winthrop’s mascot Big Stuff.

As part of Winthrop tradition, The Johnsonian may not publish the name of the person who puts on the Eagle suit and dances with the Spirit Squad at sports events. However, a “friend of Big Stuff” (FBS) said that it is common rule among school mascots to remain anonymous. 

Last weekend the Spirit Squad began audition processes for the Winthrop dance team and for a potential new Big Stuff.

FBS said the audition process, which typically lasts two to three days, basically checks out the personality and creativity of a wannabe-Big-Stuff candidate.

“Really just having an outgoing personality and not being afraid to just be ‘out there,’” FBS said.

Spirit Squad coach Michelle Rock said someone who wanted to be Big Stuff would have to be fun, creative and “a little crazy -- in a good way.”

“Since a big part of what Big Stuff does has to do with humor, he is constantly having to come up with new ideas for skits and create props,” Rock said. “He’s also very involved in the community, so a potential Big Stuff would need to be available and dedicated.” 

Aside from sports events Big Stuff makes appearances at high schools, middle schools and even the Special Olympics, so FBS said the mascot needs to be able to think on the spot in a lot of different situations – given different games, different scenarios [and] different appearances.

“You have to know how to interact with different groups of people,” FBS said.

FBS added that mascots need to know what is going at all times, and they have to know the rules at events because the NCAA has regulations for mascots.

“It’s an opportunity not a lot of people get,” FBS said. “You have to have a certain spark about you.”

Last weekend’s info session involved getting to know the prospective Big Stuffs.

“You come in, we interview you, talk to you about some stuff and see what sort of experiences you have, and then we throw you in the suit and see what you got,” FBS said.

Along with a rising Big Stuff candidate, Winthrop’s mascot has gotten a wardrobe change: the outfit has been updated and made its “sneak peak” a women’s basketball game last month; the costume arrived Dec. 16.

“It was time for a new one,” FBS said. “The last time we got a new one was about roughly six or seven years ago.”

The old costume, FBS said, is somewhat hard to wash (it “stank”) and although it was not “unsanitary,” it was uncomfortable to wear. FBS said Winthrop will still hold on to the older one for events in which Big Stuff needs to make multiple appearances at the same time. 

FBS added that certain aspects of the new costume are better than the old: other than being newer and cleaner, the new costume is also lighter and has better vision. The new costume has five finger sleeves whereas the old one had three. 

The costume has gotten mixed reviews.

“People say they don’t like it because of the new eyes,” FBS said, “but with anything new it takes time for people to like it.”

Rock said she has heard positive reactions to the costume and that the new blue eyes were created to incorporate the blue found in Winthrop’s logo.

“That was the only way we could think to do it and honestly, I think it’s a great addition,” she said.

It is not the first time Winthrop’s mascot has been updated.

“I could show you pictures from the ‘80s where Big Stuff looks really, really different from what he is now,” FBS said. “When it changed people liked it, and some didn’t like it.”

Big Stuff got his name in the 1980s when Winthrop won the conference championship in the Big South for the first time – FBS said there was a quotation about the team being “big stuff,” and the name stuck.

The history of the mascot dates back before the ‘80s, when the freshman class was required to have their own mascot. Eventually the Eagles became a popular name.

 Rock said promoting excitement and fun is such a crucial part of what the Spirit Squad does at Winthrop’s home games, therefore Big Stuff’s antics and fun personality is such an important contribution to the program.

“Big Stuff is great because he’s the goofy, silly part of our program,” Rock said. “Our fans love him, and the Eaglettes wouldn’t know what to do without him.”