Yes, I am biased. I’ll admit it. But for my money, the funnest mascot in the country is the Stanford Tree. While almost every other school has some mean, vicious mascot (Wildcat, Wolverine, Bear), Stanford’s mascot is a dancing inanimate object. And each year that inanimate object changes. Some years it’s a pine tree; some years it’s a redwood; some years it’s a fir; a couple times it’s been a palm tree. Regardless, he’s always drunk.
The Stanford Daily had a recent article about the man who will be the next Tree. As always, he had to go through a series of stunts that showed he was dedicated to treedom. For years the Tree was always a member of my fraternity. One year, the winning Tree applicant’s stunt involved covering himself with honey (or chocolate, I can’t remember) and having the band’s Dollies lick it off of every inch of him, and then lighting himself on fire.
The band is also the craziest band in the world. While other schools’ bands march around like Marines, the Stanford band is unruly and usually either drunk or high during games. Their halftime formations have gotten them banned from the State of Oregon by the governor (they formed a chainsaw that sliced through a spotted owl); Their drum major got them banned from Notre Dame (he dressed up like a nun); The drum major again got in trouble for mocking Mormonism (by proposing to all five of the Dollies) in a game against BYU; They played outside the courthouse during jury selection of the O.J. Simpson trial; And they pulled a stunt that got them banned from an entire airline (imagine the entire band moving to one side of a plane and jumping up and down).
Oh, and of course, they first gained notoriety with “The Play.”
The tree won’t be making an appearance at the men’s tournament this year, but he’ll be in San Diego this weekend with the women, so check it out!
on Mar 17th, 2009 at 1:18 PM
I’ve seen the Stanford Band before and they are definitley cool to watch… and listen to! I’ve never heard more fun Rock and Roll songs from every other band…
As a USC alumni, I’m supposed to love the “Spirit of Troy” but I guess I just get a little bored hearing the same song over and over again.
I never thought I’d hear myself say, it, but “Go Stanford Band!”
on Mar 17th, 2009 at 1:39 PM
On no you din’t! Fight On Eric! Fight On!
on Mar 17th, 2009 at 3:07 PM
I love living down the hall from the Tree! Never a dull moment.
on Mar 17th, 2009 at 4:56 PM
Glad to see the Stanford Band hanging on.
The University of Virginia used to have a similar type band — the student run Pep Band — until the administration decided being the only ACC school not to have a marching band was a problem. Now we have a dull marching band. I remember one Continental Tire Bowl skit that led West Virginia’s governor to write a letter to UVa President voicing outrage over the Band’s depiction of a West Virginia native in pigtails, overalls and bare feet. I’ve been to West Virginia, and I must say that depiction was kind. At least she had teeth.
on Mar 17th, 2009 at 6:05 PM
Five – Do you go to Stanford or are you having a real bad acid trip?
on Mar 17th, 2009 at 9:41 PM
The funnest mascot in the land (NCAA or otherwise) was featured on The Simpsons on Sunday:
http://tinyurl.com/ch2swf
on Mar 17th, 2009 at 9:55 PM
Five goes to stanford.
on Mar 18th, 2009 at 12:12 AM
Of course I go to Stanford, thanks-Da Dame-how else would I know him? The thing is, you never know what you’re going to get each day. Oh yeah, let’s party! Oh yeah, let’s chill! Oh yeah, let’s have the band over! Oh yeah!
on Mar 18th, 2009 at 11:25 AM
Is the Tree still always a Theta Delt?