“Creepy and offensive”: ASU’s ‘Sparky’ and others make some no-so-good lists

It’s gets weird and not a good look for the Pac-12 conference

Joe Rondone/The Republic / USA TODAY NETWORK

Chip the Buffalo is one of the most recognizable faces in college athletics, but a diverse group of panelists who were recently surveyed by Quality Logo Products didn’t think so. Not even in the “best” or “most sexiest” categories.

However, some of the bison’s Pac-12 counterparts made some of the least favorable lists, including most creepy and offensive. 

Perhaps a low point for the University of California is their mascot, ‘Oski’ the Golden Bear, being named the most “un-sexy” character in the nation.

The unlucky bruin with a misshapen head looks like a castaway from a Walt Disney original production set in the 1960’s. With a complexion similar to that of burnt baked potato wearing an aged yellow cardigan the same shade as fake butter movie theater popcorn, the bear is not flattering to say the least.  

For that, we have to agree there is nothing sexy about ‘Oski’, who’s joined by Blaze the University of Alabama at Birmingham Gator and Champ the Louisiana Tech Bulldog to top the list of least attractive mascots. The Stanford Tree was honorably mentioned on the list as well. No real surprise with that one at all. 

As for creepiest, you’ll find the Tree from Palo Alto on that list as the fourth-scariest, and eighth overall on the worst list in the nation. The abstract art project of a fifth grader is one of the craziest and most scrapped together mascots to see dancing around at college football games. Despite not being a crowd favorite, the Tree wasn’t the only one from the Pac-12 to be called “creepy”.

Arizona State’s ‘Sparky’ the Sun Devil 'also came at No. 7 overall on that list. The odd-looking twisted fantasy mascot rumored to be modeled after the late Disney himself not only sets an uneasy tone with fans, but was called one of the most offensive in the nation.

A list topped by Florida State’s Osceola and Renegade, along with San Diego State’s Aztec Warrior. 

But everybody loves the Duck. Even if you’re not a University of Oregon fan, the nostalgia of seeing one of the most lovable and entertaining sideline heroes is still strong in the Pacific Northwest. A vibe created by starring in several ESPN commercials over the past decade. And one of the main reasons why The Oregon Duck was ranked seventh-best overall.

There were 128 mascots in the survey — representing all colleges and universities with NCAA Division 1 football teams that have costumed characters, according to Quality Logo. 

Not all survey participants viewed every mascot. The 128 mascots were divided among 16 survey questions, each with eight randomized variations. Every survey taker evaluated at least 16 mascots. Each mascot was scored at least 150 times. Questions included multiple-choice rating scales and open-ended comment boxes.

The study participants were 55.4% male, 43.6% female, and 1% non-binary. They ranged in age from 18 to 79, with a median age of 36. In terms of sexual orientation, 85.1% identified as heterosexual, 2.8% as gay or lesbian, 10.9% as bisexual, and the remaining 1.1% preferred not to say.

Geographically, using the four regions defined by the U.S. Census Bureau, survey participation was as follows:

South, 474

West, 275

Midwest, 270

Northeast, 247

Check out the entire list of mascots via Quality Logo Products.