2008 Woodie Awards
Drew's mascot: The man behind the bear
Caitlin Blake
Issue date: 12/7/07 Section: Sports
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I sat on the icy-cold metal bleachers in what felt like the middle of a tornado. Superfan was standing behind me, reciting the biography of each Drew soccer player. It was late October, and I had come to visit Drew in the hopes of playing soccer. As interesting as the soccer game was, I was not so much captivated by the game, or the life histories of the players, but by the oversized, six-foot tall bear throwing candy into the crowd. I could not believe a school would choose a giant Smokey the Bear look alike as their mascot. After receiving my acceptance letter later that year, I was somewhat in denial that I too would be a Ranger. What is so intimidating about a bear that fights fires?
In the past two years past, the bear mascot has since come out of hibernation. The bear is back, and more intense than ever before. He has been at basketball and soccer games, getting the students excited about Drew sports. Lacrosse player, Jim Felix ('10), has taken it upon himself to regain the image of the bear.
"Jim as the bear is probably one of the best parts about going to the games. He's hilarious and is really outgoing, which are definitely qualities that every bear should posses," Sarah Ligorski ('10) said.
Felix is quick to point out that the mascot is not a bear, an assumption made by most students.
"Being a mascot, I felt I needed to research the Drew Ranger, so as to get into character more accurately," Felix said. "What I found out was that the Ranger Bear is not actually an animal-the Ranger Bear is more like Smokey the Bear."
Since Smokey the Bear has no real characteristics Felix could model his mascot persona off of, he came up with his own-"Ranger Bear, Sexy Beast, Pleaser of the Ladies Extraordinaire."
"I feel like the bear of our generation is a sexier, more goal-oriented bear, whose hobbies include long walks on the beach," Felix said. "The bear also loves the ladies and is looking for hibernation partners for the coming winter."
In the past two years past, the bear mascot has since come out of hibernation. The bear is back, and more intense than ever before. He has been at basketball and soccer games, getting the students excited about Drew sports. Lacrosse player, Jim Felix ('10), has taken it upon himself to regain the image of the bear.
"Jim as the bear is probably one of the best parts about going to the games. He's hilarious and is really outgoing, which are definitely qualities that every bear should posses," Sarah Ligorski ('10) said.
Felix is quick to point out that the mascot is not a bear, an assumption made by most students.
"Being a mascot, I felt I needed to research the Drew Ranger, so as to get into character more accurately," Felix said. "What I found out was that the Ranger Bear is not actually an animal-the Ranger Bear is more like Smokey the Bear."
Since Smokey the Bear has no real characteristics Felix could model his mascot persona off of, he came up with his own-"Ranger Bear, Sexy Beast, Pleaser of the Ladies Extraordinaire."
"I feel like the bear of our generation is a sexier, more goal-oriented bear, whose hobbies include long walks on the beach," Felix said. "The bear also loves the ladies and is looking for hibernation partners for the coming winter."
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