The Syracuse Clown Mascot? (stolen from r/cfb)

[Jake]

"In the early 1980s, after the retirement of the Saltine Warrior mascot, Syracuse University 'auditioned' a variety of new mascots before settling on the iconic Otto The Orange."

That looks a mascot for a team

This is 100% accurate. I was the Orange in 95-96 and we staged a protest during the WVU homecoming game where i dressed as a wolf and the Orange beat me up and tossed me into a body bag. We pulled it off, it was fantastic, the crowd went nuts. I ran off the field and into the lockerroom and removed the wolf costume.The police came to arrest me and banged on the door. A certain omerta prevented it from happening that day because everyone was clueless to who was the perpetrator. I was also VERY hungover that day and was probably legally drunk. A double whammy if I get arrested and I smell like Goldschlager from 44s.

A day later, I got a call from Linda Bell, cheerleading HC, who indicated I would be meeting with Jake and the GM of the Dome about the stunt we pulled. Omerta was no longer.

During that meeting, I came thisclose to getting expelled because I made a mockery of the school, trespassed (not really) and created a chaotic situation. I pleaded to Jake and Doug? (GM of the Dome) that we were just passionate about this ridiculous decision and the school wants the Orange forever. It seems like a scene from a movie but it was really me talking in circles and Jake grumbling the whole time. He was a real beaut.

Long story short, i didn't get expelled, the Orange reigned and I went back to being the worst Mascot in Syracuse history. I do relish my .1% impact on the decision and REALLY relish the fact that every autograph that I signed at Rutgers in 1995 was my real name and not Otto the Orange. Always P*ssed off the Rutgers fans. LGO!

Tough guy Otto: A rollover no more

That is a great story.

 

[Faegan]

I don't believe the clown was an official mascot of Syracuse. I don't remember it at all, and I was a student then and attended every game.

When the university decided to pull the plug on the Saltine Warrior after 1978, there was a 2 year gap with no set mascot (this first article is wrong; Otto debuted in 1982). The university decided on a gladiator, but it didn't make sense (it looked a lot like Sparty only worse), was hated and died a quick death. There are pictures of it in the second and third articles linked. I remember Egnaro (orange backwards), the weird troll. It was just weird. Can't find any pictures.

I think it was during this weird period that some fans decided to fill the mascot void by coming to games in outfits they designed. They weren't official but some became kind of popular. You can see the 'Beast of the East' in the clown video; he was the tall weird beast walking around. The Dome Ranger was pretty popular and the university tolerated his antics (when he was younger, he ran around the basketball court to try and get fans to make noise). Dome Eddie survives to this day but has never done much except occasionally try to dance, very badly.

I don't believe the clown was an official mascot. Just someone who decided to wear a Halloween costume to a game. It is interesting to see how the Otto outfit has improved over the years. It was pretty bad early on and perhaps that is why the university didn't adopt it as the official mascot for what, 13 years?

Origins of Orange: Colors, nicknames and mascots of Syracuse sports over the years (from the archive)

Syracuse University's mascot: From dog to goat to warrior to gladiator to an orange

Survival of the citrus: SU weeds through weak crop of mascots, grows a real winner with Otto

Syracuse University Archives: Syracuse University History - Syracuse University Mascots

Maybe we should bring back Vita the goat as a supplemental mascot?

I kind of like Vita the Goat... it has subtle intimations of ritualistic sacrifice. It ties in nicely with my Louis Black-inspired desire to have Al Michaels paraded around in a coffin before home games to intimidate our opponents.

 

[NJCuse97]

Late to the party. Congratulations elimunelson on that great story and having been a part of SU lore and history. This is a fun thread.

 

[elimunelson]

I remember Dome Ranger into the mid 90’s. Poor guy wore some serious knee braces and I think ultimately the school told him to stop for fear of injury/liability (just my thoughts). I also remember Dome Vader. There was also a kid from a fraternity that wore a rainbow wig and used to run laps around the court. Eventually he was granted access to the big “S” flag running laps inciting the wave while the sour citrus society played our unofficial fight song, “the hey song” (Rock and Roll part 2). We didn’t know what else to call him, so we called him “Wiggins”. I believe he was attacked on separate occasions by Otto, and Dome Ranger (more likely why D R was removed). Linked articles may say this, but Otto was originally called Clyde after the orange ghost in PacMan. My roommate was on the FB team at the time and the wolf thing was real. It was about this time as well that the NJ Nets contemplated calling themselves the Swamp Dragons and the Bullets became Wizards. The uproar about “Orangemen” was loud from alumni, prompting Newhouse alums (ADJW?) to encourage ESPN to feature Otto in ads in support of keeping the name and mascot. To my knowledge, this is the beginning of ESPN featuring mascots in their ads.

I was involved in those along w the other mascot. I did the commercial where Steiner decks me. The ad guys who did the campaign were Syracuse guys. Their story was they pushed for Orange in the commercials. I didn’t even think that John may have been involved in that decision too. Got to spend 3 nights in Bristol.

It was a very nice payday for a “scholar athlete”. I probably broke some ncaa rule pocketing the cash.

 

[obliterata]

There were a lot of suggestions back then for an Otto replacement, the wolf got a lot of press at the time. I don't think there was any type of actual contest, just a lot of people throwing ideas out there.

Never an Otto fan, my suggestion was an orang - a real one, not some guy in a costume. I sent a letter to The New Times stating this and they published it. I still think it'd be pretty cool.

 

[elimunelson]

Late to the party. Congratulations elimunelson on that great story and having been a part of SU lore and history. This is a fun thread.

I am always gun shy to talk about those two years because they come across as absurd. But my kids have gotten older and ask me about it all the time so it’s fun to reminisce. U guys rock because I love eating up all the Syracuse history. It’s fun to chat w other lunatics of Syracuse

 

[Cheriehoop]

The dome ranger never attacked anyone. I believe it was arthritis affecting his knees and a bad Achilles that made him quit. He was never removed from a game. He sold insurance and worked for the city at one point.

Dome Eddie, a janitor at Lemoyne, sadly was attacked by 2 fans after a basketball game and suffered a broken leg and torn ligaments in 1989 ending his 4 year performance as Dome Eddie. The rainbow colored wig guy who I think was a student was attacked right during a game by other students right near where the Sour Citrus band plays.

 

[Sudano]

I remember the kid back in the 90s for a few years who would wear a rainbow frizzy wig and a Hawaiian shirt and run around the court with a flag. He would torture poor old Otto by bumping him when he went by. I forgot which game maybe a ND or CT game on national TV bumped Otto hard and Otto flipped out and jumped on him and started punching him. Otto was escorted out of the arena by 2 cops, Funniest thing I saw at the dome. Took the elevator up and went through that side room off the tunnel and I just saw Otto's deflated body laying on the floor. Good memories.

 

[Cusefan95]

I was involved in those along w the other mascot. I did the commercial where Steiner decks me. The ad guys who did the campaign were Syracuse guys. Their story was they pushed for Orange in the commercials. I didn’t even think that John may have been involved in that decision too. Got to spend 3 nights in Bristol.

It was a very nice payday for a “scholar athlete”. I probably broke some ncaa rule pocketing the cash.

I blame you the next time we get hit with probation when North Carolina gets caught running fake classes for athletes, since it’ll all trace back to this post.

 

[NJCuse97]

The dome ranger never attacked anyone. I believe it was arthritis affecting his knees and a bad Achilles that made him quit. He was never removed from a game. He sold insurance and worked for the city at one point.

Dome Eddie, a janitor at Lemoyne, sadly was attacked by 2 fans after a basketball game and suffered a broken leg and torn ligaments in 1989 ending his 4 year performance as Dome Eddie. The rainbow colored wig guy who I think was a student was attacked right during a game by other students right near where the Sour Citrus band plays.

My apologies to Dome Ranger. I guess my memory is hazy. It was a fun time. Games had a better energy then. I think it was a high time for the league and the game was still played in the paint.

 

[PeteCalvin]

IIRC, Dome Eddie was a janitor at LeMoyne. I was also partial to the Dome Knitter.

Didn't Dome Eddie get beaten up pretty bad by some punks back then? I remember him being at games with crutches and a neck brace, and his face looked like he sparred with Tyson.

 

[Scooch]

I am always gun shy to talk about those two years because they come across as absurd. But my kids have gotten older and ask me about it all the time so it’s fun to reminisce. U guys rock because I love eating up all the Syracuse history. It’s fun to chat w other lunatics of Syracuse

Mascot stories are the best kind of stories.

As my screen name here suggests, I have a tale or two to tell as well.

 

[PeteCalvin]

That clown is downright scary, I don't know who will give me more nightmares that thing or GRob?

Does JB know that the clown raided his circa 1975 wardrobe?

 

[Cheriehoop]

Didn't Dome Eddie get beaten up pretty bad by some punks back then? I remember him being at games with crutches and a neck brace, and his face looked like he sparred with Tyson.

Yes he got jumped after a basketball game and they broke his leg also causing ligament damage. He was hospitalized for a while.

 

[PeteCalvin]

Does this bring back memories anyone?

See! More proof that our old turf was bad on then knees! Those negative recruiters were right!

 

[DoubleDee]

An old girlfriend and I were at a game, late 80s. During a time out, while surrounded by kids, Otto had no idea a toddler was behind him. The kid got bumped down to the ground and Otto ended up stepping on the kid. Nothing serious, so therefore it ended up being hilarious. We laughed about that right out of the blue for years. Like out to dinner, she erupts in laughter.
Me: “What’s so funny?”

Her: “The Orange stepped on the baby!”

 

[SUFaninNJ]

The Dome Ranger’s name was Dennis Rogan, I believe. I think he also did some local radio and theater on the side of his insurance business.

 

[OrangeXtreme]

The Dome Ranger’s name was Dennis Rogan, I believe. I think he also did some local radio and theater on the side of his insurance business.

Dennis Brogan

One Way to Cheer Up: Cheer Harder

 

[blizz]

God, could you imagine the ridicule if this Clown stuck?

Or the horror if it randomly reappeared every 25 or so years...

 

[SUFaninNJ]

Dennis Brogan

One Way to Cheer Up: Cheer Harder

I was just coming back to change it. I think I was having a late night craving for a Rogan’s sub from my days in Ithaca on South Hill. Talk about another school that avoided a mascot catastrophe. Flying Squirrel? Lake Beast?!

 

[Jake]

Or the horror if it randomly reappeared every 25 or so years...

That clown Is the creepiest thing I’ve ever seen. The first thing that comes to mind is “registered sex offender”.

 

[OrangeDW]

I remember the kid back in the 90s for a few years who would wear a rainbow frizzy wig and a Hawaiian shirt and run around the court with a flag. He would torture poor old Otto by bumping him when he went by. I forgot which game maybe a ND or CT game on national TV bumped Otto hard and Otto flipped out and jumped on him and started punching him. Otto was escorted out of the arena by 2 cops, Funniest thing I saw at the dome. Took the elevator up and went through that side room off the tunnel and I just saw Otto's deflated body laying on the floor. Good memories.

LOLLLL!!! Did not know that. Hilarious!

I remember rainbow wig guy stealing the cheerleaders thunder during a timeout and leading the crowd in “YMCA”. The place went nuts.

I also remember him being passed up the student section all the way to someone’s box, where they handed him a beer. I think it was the 96 Georgetown game.

 

[shandeezy7]

Dennis Brogan

One Way to Cheer Up: Cheer Harder

I golfed in a foursome with him at a charity golf tournament about 7 or 8 years ago. I was a child when he was roaming the sidelines at the Dome so I had no idea he was formerly the Dome Ranger until one of the other guys in the foursome told me. Really nice guy.

 

[Nahson]

Or the horror if it randomly reappeared every 25 or so years...

The funny thing is, he did. In 2005 he came back and hung around a few years.

 

[OrangeDW]

I golfed in a foursome with him at a charity golf tournament about 7 or 8 years ago. I was a child when he was roaming the sidelines at the Dome so I had no idea he was formerly the Dome Ranger until one of the other guys in the foursome told me. Really nice guy.

I remember he came back for that big Villanova game in 2010. He got quite a bit of air time on ESPN if I remember right.