Flagstaffsooner
10/12/2006, 10:19 AM
OU fan shows spirit
By Jesse Olivarez
The Oklahoman
As Erik Gransberg walked Monday among the lunchtime crowds lining the streets of Bricktown, few people paid him much notice.
In reality, nothing about the 25-year-old's appearance stood out. He was dressed casually in blue jeans and a crimson-colored University of Oklahoma pullover.
Few people in the crowd, if any, could guess they might have last seen Gransberg along the sidelines during an OU football game.
Gransberg is neither a player nor an assistant coach. He was the team's mascot.
During the 2005-06 school year, Gransberg donned the horse costume known to OU faithful as Sooner. That yearlong effort has paid off. Gransberg is now one of 12 people vying to win the Capital One 2006 Mascot Challenge.
For Gransberg, it's a dream come true.
"I'm just excited to be a part of this," Gransberg said. "It really is a big honor."
Gransberg and his competitors, who include the University of Wisconsin's Bucky Badger and Georgia Tech University's Buzz, among others, are competing for more than $10,000 in prize money that will be awarded to the winning school's mascot department.
For Lori Kemmet, the spirit coordinator for OU's athletic department, the money would be a windfall.
"We could really use the help," Kemmet said.
Gransberg said he was first approached to become the Sooner mascot in the summer of 2005. About two years before, the school's student council adopted a resolution calling for a new mascot to be created. After some thought, the council decided to create a mascot team -- Boomer and Sooner. The duo, who are named after the ponies that pull the Oklahoma Schooner at football games, were then charged with the task of firing up the fans at all University of Oklahoma athletic events.
The newly created mascots made their debut in September 2005. Kemmet said the first few games were rough.
"It was a mixed bag," she said. "Some fans absolutely hated Boomer and Sooner, but we noticed they started to have a small following by the end of the season. Especially among our younger fans."
She credited a good share of the quick turnaround to Gransberg's work.
"He was always working hard to be in the places where all the fans gather," she said. "He worked hard to become a visible part of our games."
For Gransberg, a Norman resident, it was only the latest of his attempts to support his favorite team. Before signing on to become Sooner, Gransberg served four years as an OU cheerleader. The tips he learned cheering along the sidelines helped prepare him for his future work as a mascot.
"I learned about the importance of being hydrated," he said. "I also learned what I could and shouldn't eat before a game."
Gransberg prepares for each game by consuming large amounts of water and nutrient-rich sports drinks. He also eats a light meal of tuna or chicken to help get him through. Despite these measures, Gransberg still sheds between 14 to 17 pounds a game, he said. The tough toll on his body is what concerns his mother most.
Gwen Gransberg, 51, fears that her son may injure himself doing his signature backflip at a game, but she keeps her fingers crossed.
"He never does anything half-heartedly," she said. "He likes to work hard as long as he can play hard."
Erik Gransberg, who graduated in May, recently passed the reins of the Sooner costume to another student. Just as he was about to settle down into his post-college career as a civil engineer for a firm in Oklahoma City, he auditioned and won the mascot jobs for the Oklahoma RedHawks, Oklahoma City Blazers and Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz.
Although he's sure he will enjoy his new jobs, he's certain that nothing will ever be quite like cheering for Sooner fans on Saturdays in the fall. "OU games are magical," he said. "You can't really describe it ... it's awesome." :pop:
By Jesse Olivarez
The Oklahoman
As Erik Gransberg walked Monday among the lunchtime crowds lining the streets of Bricktown, few people paid him much notice.
In reality, nothing about the 25-year-old's appearance stood out. He was dressed casually in blue jeans and a crimson-colored University of Oklahoma pullover.
Few people in the crowd, if any, could guess they might have last seen Gransberg along the sidelines during an OU football game.
Gransberg is neither a player nor an assistant coach. He was the team's mascot.
During the 2005-06 school year, Gransberg donned the horse costume known to OU faithful as Sooner. That yearlong effort has paid off. Gransberg is now one of 12 people vying to win the Capital One 2006 Mascot Challenge.
For Gransberg, it's a dream come true.
"I'm just excited to be a part of this," Gransberg said. "It really is a big honor."
Gransberg and his competitors, who include the University of Wisconsin's Bucky Badger and Georgia Tech University's Buzz, among others, are competing for more than $10,000 in prize money that will be awarded to the winning school's mascot department.
For Lori Kemmet, the spirit coordinator for OU's athletic department, the money would be a windfall.
"We could really use the help," Kemmet said.
Gransberg said he was first approached to become the Sooner mascot in the summer of 2005. About two years before, the school's student council adopted a resolution calling for a new mascot to be created. After some thought, the council decided to create a mascot team -- Boomer and Sooner. The duo, who are named after the ponies that pull the Oklahoma Schooner at football games, were then charged with the task of firing up the fans at all University of Oklahoma athletic events.
The newly created mascots made their debut in September 2005. Kemmet said the first few games were rough.
"It was a mixed bag," she said. "Some fans absolutely hated Boomer and Sooner, but we noticed they started to have a small following by the end of the season. Especially among our younger fans."
She credited a good share of the quick turnaround to Gransberg's work.
"He was always working hard to be in the places where all the fans gather," she said. "He worked hard to become a visible part of our games."
For Gransberg, a Norman resident, it was only the latest of his attempts to support his favorite team. Before signing on to become Sooner, Gransberg served four years as an OU cheerleader. The tips he learned cheering along the sidelines helped prepare him for his future work as a mascot.
"I learned about the importance of being hydrated," he said. "I also learned what I could and shouldn't eat before a game."
Gransberg prepares for each game by consuming large amounts of water and nutrient-rich sports drinks. He also eats a light meal of tuna or chicken to help get him through. Despite these measures, Gransberg still sheds between 14 to 17 pounds a game, he said. The tough toll on his body is what concerns his mother most.
Gwen Gransberg, 51, fears that her son may injure himself doing his signature backflip at a game, but she keeps her fingers crossed.
"He never does anything half-heartedly," she said. "He likes to work hard as long as he can play hard."
Erik Gransberg, who graduated in May, recently passed the reins of the Sooner costume to another student. Just as he was about to settle down into his post-college career as a civil engineer for a firm in Oklahoma City, he auditioned and won the mascot jobs for the Oklahoma RedHawks, Oklahoma City Blazers and Oklahoma City Yard Dawgz.
Although he's sure he will enjoy his new jobs, he's certain that nothing will ever be quite like cheering for Sooner fans on Saturdays in the fall. "OU games are magical," he said. "You can't really describe it ... it's awesome." :pop: