After six long days witnessing intense competition between 32 of the most ferocious, yet lovable, school mascots, Catholic Mascotology ends with a clear winner rising in victory above the rest. “Petey,” the Canisius College Golden Griffin, claims the title of Best Catholic Mascot.
Cousin of the hippogriff, and two animals in one, we feel the Griffin is a worthy beast and school emblem to hold the mantle of best mascot, while also recognizing Petey’s journey was not an easy one. He began the first round by tearing through St. Bonaventure’s Bona Wolf, and went on to face a long lost relative, the Boston College Eagle. Following that, he beat up on the Iona Gael and then the Fordham Ram, but nothing was more difficult than the challenge he faced yesterday. “Iggy,” the Loyola Maryland Greyhound, had proven to be one of the toughest, and by far most surprising, competitors in the competition when in Round 2, in a complete upset, he beat up on the Notre Dame Fighting Irish Leprechaun and advanced to face off against the Providence Friar and then the Holy Cross Crusader. Yesterday saw a big back and forth between the Greyhound and the Griffin, with the Greyhound maintaining a lead for much of the afternoon. But in the end, the Griffin proved to be stronger, (and slightly more popular amongst his students,) and thus came out on top.
If you enjoyed Busted Halo’s®Catholic Mascotology, stay tuned next year because there are a lot more Catholic schools out there. That’s right, all you Explorers and Hilltoppers, you Titans and Barons, you Dons and Lions and Peacocks and Rats: Catholic Mascotology will be back, with some returning champions and some brand new challengers.
In the meantime, we send the Golden Griffin a hearty congratulations.
The 2013 Catholic Mascotology Champion:
The Canisius Golden Griffin: Half lion, half eagle, the mighty Griffin allows Canisius College two mascots in one. Though, one has to wonder about the theological implications of a Catholic school using an ancient Greek mythological figure as its mascot? However, further research actually proves it’s quite logical: in medieval times the Griffin was an emblem of the Church’s view of marriage since the animals were said to mate for life and stay faithful to their beloved even after the other had died. Furthermore, being a beast of both the land and the air, it was seen in Christendom as a symbol of Jesus — both human and divine.
