





Mascots have become an ingrained part of virtually every type of sporting event from all over the world. Some people love them, and some people (like Mike Wilbon) absolutely hate them.

But no matter how you feel about a mascot's in game antics, it's hard to resist laughing at someone in an over sized costume that inadvertently creates genius physical comedy. Not the staged stuff that mascots usually do to entertain the fans, but honest to goodness accidents that are funnier than any PR rep or stunt coordinator could hope to dream up.

The following is my personal top 10 list of the greatest moments in sports mascot failure.



10. Wolfie moonwalks off a ledge









As the wacky pair's dancing reached a fever pitch, Nevada's mascot, Wolfie, attempted the difficult transition from doing the "windmill" to moonwalking...without realizing where his impromptu dance floor ended. (Video has no sound, but it's not needed).



During a 2010 exhibition baseball game between the University of Nevada and the Minor League AAA Reno Aces, the mascots of the respective teams decided to have a dance party on top of the Reno dugout between innings.As the wacky pair's dancing reached a fever pitch, Nevada's mascot, Wolfie, attempted the difficult transition from doing the "windmill" to moonwalking...without realizing where his impromptu dance floor ended. (Video has no sound, but it's not needed).



Why it is not staged : Falling backwards from the opposing team's dugout onto a concrete floor, while hilarious, is not safe. Also...



What you may have missed while laughing : The Reno Aces mascot, Archie (who looks like a drop of jelly that fell from a PB&J) frantically attempts to warn and then save his fuzzy friend before he plunges over the edge.







9. Berlino the Bear does a taxi cab impression:

Gives rides and crashes into things.

At the 2009 Women's Track and Field Championships in Berlin, Germany, Jamaica's Melaine Walker won the gold medal for the 400 meter hurdles.





Berlino, the mascot for the event, joyfully ran over to her, gave Melaine a hug, and then offered her a piggy back ride/victory lap around the track. Walker happily accepted. Then this happened:

Why it is not staged : Melaine Walker may have been euphoric about her victory, but I doubt that she would purposely celebrate in a way that could have given her a concussion.

What you may have missed while laughing : The announcers stopped watching Melaine and Berlino's antics to interview the distraught 2nd place finisher, Lashinda Demus. Right at the moment when the announcers switched into their "sober defeat" voice setting is when Berlino collided with the truck.





Falling backwards from the opposing team's dugout onto a concrete floor, while hilarious, is not safe. Also...The Reno Aces mascot, Archie (who looks like a drop of jelly that fell from a PB&J) frantically attempts to warn and then save his fuzzy friend before he plunges over the edge.



8. Rufus beats up Brutus





We are all well aware that mascot fights are almost always staged. This one, however, was not.









In 2010, the Ohio State Buckeyes played Ohio University at home. During Ohio State's pregame ceremony, Brutus, the Buckeye's mascot, did his usual run out with the cheerleaders. That's when Rufus, Ohio University's mascot, decided it was time to throw down.



