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FEATURE
As Tamm’s successor would soon learn, being inside the Gorilla costume had its advantages, especially when it came to UBC attacks.
While Tamm would secure a job with SFU Athletics at the termination of his internship, his legacy as sports marketing intern created a brand new requirement for the position. According to James Phillips, who took over Tamm’s job in the
fall of 1995, one of the main interview questions was: “do you fit into a gorilla suit?” Phillips did, and was immediately thrown into the fire with a novel challenge: he was a first-time mascot going to the Shrum Bowl. Held almost annually until 2010, the Shrum Bowl was SFU Athletics’ premier event. It was the one time a year SFU played football against UBC, but what occurred on the field was often a sideshow to what took place in the crowd. Alcohol consumption was high, mustard and ketchup bombs were always on hand, and mascots were clear targets for mischief. In 1993, the Gorilla’s head was stolen by some UBC fans during a game held on SFU turf, so when Phillips made the trip out to Thunderbird stadium for the ‘95 instalment, he knew he was in for a treat. It only took a single snap before the UBC Thunderbird ventured over to taunt SFU’s fans. In an ill-advised choice, he specifically targeted the SFU wrestling team. Apparently, the mesh fence separating them was nothing for 10 wrestlers, all of whom broke through and gave the UBC mascot a good pounding. Phillips, the opposing mascot, was soon charged by a number of vengeful UBC fans. He tried to swat them away with his drum but was eventually overwhelmed. Pulled out of the dogpile by security, both mascots were escorted from the stadium. Even
November 17, 2014
away from the game, Phillips said that the Thunderbird continued to challenge him to a personal fight because his drum had allowed him to avoid the injuries the Thunderbird had sustained. Phillips’ job settled down after that, although the Shrum Bowl incident did help inspire him years later when he co-produced and co-directed a documentary entitled Behind the Mascot, which premiered at the Toronto Film Festival in 2004. After Phillips was hired as head of marketing, the costume was passed on to a rotating group of athletes — after all, it seemed
through a rebrand because, well, they were all stolen. The Clan’s primary logo at the time was a exact replica of the NFL’s San Francisco 49ers’ interlocking “SF,” slapped in front of a maple leaf instead of an oval. The Gorilla also posed problems, not only because the NBA’s Phoenix Suns already employed a similar mascot, but also because Dinning agreed that it made absolutely no sense. Dinning and a committee, which included formerGorilla Phillips, started working with graphic designer and SFU alumnus Clay Yandle to design
wrong to have a prominent professional staff member continue to wear the Gorilla suit. A young track athlete named Hidayet Arslan wanted to take the Gorilla’s basketball routine up a notch. He asked if he could perform a slam dunk off a trampoline during the game’s first time-out, and Phillips said “great,” without thinking twice. He showed up to the game and witnessed what is still the most talked-about mascot blunder in school history, banging his furry head against the headboard. Although Arslan did return to the game after slamming his head into the baseboard, the first ever rule for SFU’s mascot was instituted: no trampolines. This didn’t turn out to be an issue, as developments were already underway for the creation of new mascot, that would not only be incapable of dunking, but would hardly be able move.
a new mascot. Finally taking the school’s Scottish tradition into account, a Scottish Terrier was chosen in 1996 as the unanimous choice for the new mascot; his name was McFog the Dog. The perfectly rhymed name was suggested by SFU Athletics staff member Margaret Jones, who borrowed the nickname of Patrick McTaggart-Cowan, SFU’s inaugural president. McTaggartCowan earned his nickname during World War II as chief meteorologist for the RAF Command. After an extended period of poor weather, aviators started to call him “McFog.” Combined with the tonguein-cheek reference to Burnaby Mountain’s normal state of clarity, Dinning loved the name; Yandle submitted two separate McFog designs, one aggressive and angry, and the other one more child- and family-friendly. Dinning chose the latter, but while McFog’s image was being
In 1995, a major shift occurred in SFU’s Athletics department when inaugural director Lorne Davies retired after 30 years on the job. New athletic director Mike Dinning came in with a desire to break down the barrier between varsity athletics and recreation. He sought to remove the exclusivity of Clan Athletics apparel and make it available for purchase by any student. Before Dinning could open his new sports shop, however, SFU’s logos and image had to go
sold on everything from water bottles to t-shirts at the new sports shop, students were less than impressed by him. Many felt that the new kilt-wearing, mustachioed terrier was simply not intimidating enough. One Peak writer claimed to have seen McFog “taken down from behind and mugged by
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three pre-teenagers” and lamented that he wasn’t forced to enter into a cage match against the Gorilla to earn his place. Another source of ridicule and difficulty for performers was McFog’s enormous head. It was so large that it caused the person inside it to frequently tip over, rendering “McFog the Log” almost immobile. While McFog was also treated to a Shrum Bowl assault in his first year, keeping up with tradition, his need for a handler and difficulty moving didn’t allow him to pump up the crowd like the Gorilla did. By 2003, McFog was gone. While there are a number of rumours about what happened to McFog in 2003, lack of popularity and waning interest in mascot maintenance are the most likely factors in Athletics’ decision to discontinue McFog at the time. The Dog would not be put down for good, though — he soon returned with a brawnier physique, a fresh attitude, and an extra ‘g.’
In an attempt to strengthen community spirit at SFU, Student Services acquired the rights to McFogg’s image in 2008. Yandle was once again tasked with updating McFogg, keeping his family-friendly vibe while making him more ferocious with a more muscular frame. Student Terry Forst, an active member of orientation and student life at SFU, would be the first person inside the new McFogg suit. He rotated mascot duties between a group of students, bringing new consistency to McFogg’s exaggerated movements by teaching movement classes
acutely aware of the fact that he was skinnier than the recommended waist size of the costume as his velcro kilt slowly started to slide down to his knees. While trying to let his handler know of the situation without speaking and ruining the illusion that McFogg was a real giant anthropomorphic dog, SFU’s mascot flashed the crowd. Suspenders were added to McFogg’s look following the incident, and he has avoided exposing himself ever since. After a successful run under the watch of Student Services, McFogg returned to Athletics in 2010 and can be seen at most varsity sporting events as well as any student event that requests his presence. However, the McFogg costume still doesn’t allow for the most agile of performances. A handler is required, the person in the suit can’t stay in the suit for over 20 minutes without a long cooling break, and the head still contains a rather bulky fan, but McFogg has finally found a place in the community’s heart. While his technical challenges have contributed to McFogg being an ‘inside dog’ that isn’t allowed out much for football games, he does keep up with his duties and even has his own Facebook and Twitter pages. McFogg isn’t alone on campus these days in the crazy-costume game. While they may not realize it, many students have continued the traditions pioneered by the Gorilla and even the Root Bear. The most notable of these are the SFU Power Rangers, a group of students joyfully mixing promotion for student government with 90s nostalgia and supertight spandex. Besides promoting EDM concerts, passing out
with a friend from the theatre department. The new costume was not without its problems, however, and Forst found himself in a bit of an embarrassing situation at an open house event in May 2008. As he started to walk through Convocation Mall, Forst became
candy and unintentionally giving freshman girls lessons on the male anatomy, they’re joining a long, costumed battle against SFU’s ‘no-fun’ reputation. So before you dismiss SFU as a concrete prison, maybe just pick up an odd costume, put it on, and embrace everything this place has to offer.