|
|
|
Written by Erin Frustaci
|
|
Wednesday, 13 September 2006 |
|
|
|
|
Ever wonder who the person is in the oversized costume at football games? We have too.
And so we embarked on a mission, which led us to Ashley Garrison, a close personal friend of Cam the Ram, Colorado State University’s mascot.
“I try not to tell too many people, but when they find out they think it’s pretty cool and want to see the suit,” Garrison, 21, of Fort Collins said. “I try to keep it on the DL.”
Garrison began befriending mascots in high school when she discovered the Nederland High School Panther.
“That was my first exposure to it and I’ve been doing it ever since,” Garrison said.
Mascots are high energy individuals with a little bit of athletic ability. Garrison met Cam at tryouts three years ago and the two have been inseparable ever since.
“Cam is the biggest fan that Colorado State has,” she said. “He has to bleed green and gold.” 
The hardest job of the celebrity ram is keeping fans’ moral up when the team isn’t doing well.
Cam’s job entails endless public appearances, events and games.
Garrison has high hopes for Cam. One of her goals is to take him to the College Mascot Nationals within the next two years, before she has to say goodbye to him. At that point, someone else will fill the shoes, or hooves.
“Cam’s a pretty crazy guy,” Garrison said. “It’s more about the character than the person who plays the character. That’s something I really try to emphasize.”
In Cam's words
What is it about this job that makes it challenging?
The hardest part is when the Ram’s don’t win.
Makes you get out of bed in the morning?
I get out of bed to go see the fans and cheer for the Rams.
Things that impress you?
Big horns impress me.
Things that don’t.
Buffaloes don’t.
How do young/new
employees get ahead?
A lot of manure shoveling (hey— we’re rams!), hard work and enthusiasm!
Did you ever think in a million years you’d work here?
Well, Colorado is my home, and Fort Collins is a great place to be. I’m just honored that the students want me here!
If you weren’t doing this, what would you do?
Scaling mountains and rocks along the Continental Divide. You know, normal things that rams do.
What’s the stupidest thing you’ve ever done while at work?
I have never done anything stupid. But if I had done something stupid, it would probably be run into the volleyball net, fall off something, trip and fall or hit someone with my horns.
Smartest?
Smartest thing I ever did was come to CSU.
What’s the most unusual thing you’ve ever done to make money?
I don’t think we can talk about that here.
Any interesting anecdotes?
No, but you can make one up and give me credit.
What’s the one thing you wish you could do on the job that you can’t right now?
Back flips.
What do you do during your breaks?
Stand around the water cooler and talk stats with the other rams at the office.
What’s one thing about your job you would do, even if you weren’t paid to do it?
Wait— I’m supposed to be getting paid? I need to talk to someone about this!
Name one thing in your life that really prepared you for your job.
Climbing the Rocky Mountains as a lamb was really similar to climbing the stairs at Hughes.
What’s the biggest payoff in your job?
Victory! And bowl games.
Are you the boss? Do you think you should be?
Not really, but I act like I am. No, I wouldn’t want to deal with the day-to-day issues. I just like the fun stuff.
What do you do when you’re not at work?
Lift weights, read historical fiction, play cribbage, graze, be outstanding in my field.
Pets? Family?
I don’t think they let rams have pets, but I came from a large herd when I was a lamb.
Favorite TV shows.
“Animal Planet,” “ESPN,” “Altitude” and “FSN.”
Movies.
“Babe” 1&2, “Napoleon Dynamite,” “Cool Runnings.”
Books.
“Not So Fast Sonny,” “Black Beauty” and “White Fang.”
What Web sites do you have bookmarked?
CSU athletics.
Where do you play? Go out to eat?
Horsetooth Reservoir, Old Town, City Park, ARDEC, Hughes Stadium and Moby Arena.
Favorite spot?
In the middle of Moby Arena, surrounded by fans after the Rams win a huge game. | Only registered users can write comments.
Please login or register. |
|
|  | "Humankind cannot gain anything without first giving something in return. To obtain, something of equal value must be lost. That is Alchemy's first law of Equivalent Exchange. In those days, we really believed that to be the world's one, and only truth." | |
|  | We're not that bright, even though in our own little world, we're geniuses. We like 80s hair bands and one-hit wonders, but among us we have respectable tastes, too. Metallica, Iron Maiden, U2. Pursuit of all things trivial is a lifestyle, not just a game. We like some sports, love other sports, and can find something to say about anything. We watch TV and movies and we've read a book or two, even a few classics (Yes, Classic Comics count!)
We call it insight, you call it what you will. | |
|  | Felix Wong is an outdoor enthusiast living in Fort Collins. A mechanical engineer by day, he is especially passionate about bicycling, running, and backpacking. | |
|  | Hola Amigos! I'm Sandra. I like to believe that people are 70 percent good and 30 percent dumb. I'm stickin to that story. Reading this blog might make you want to be good, but probably just dumb. | |
|  | Donovan Henderson is editor of NEXTnc. | |
|  | Here at Nextnc we have some characters. Get a sneak peak behind the curtain and find out what amusing antics our staffers get themselves into on a weekly basis. | |
|  | What is up FoCo?
I am a recent college graduate of Minnesota State University Moorhead. After recieving my B.A. in English and Mass Communications this past August I moved down to Colorado.
I enjoy long walks on the beach, candlelight dinners, and heavy metal. My hobbies include reading and writing, music, movies, and getting drunk. Some of my favorite contemporary authors include Bret Easton Ellis, Chuck Palahniuk, and Kurt Vonnegut. My top movies are anything directed by Kubrick. I enjoy listening to anything that rocks.
Right now I am just trying to get to know Colorado and FoCo better. Mostly in order to find the best drink specials on each day that ends in Y. So if you know where I can get a cheap drunk on, let me know!
--Drew | |
|  | Life's little morsels of inspiration, observation and encouragement seen through the eyes of the Nextnc reporter.
| |
|  | Ms. Giles currently lives in Colorado where she stars in her own private reality show. She writes aphoristic accounts of her life, taken completely out of context, and embellished with characters and situations disguised to resemble something close to interesting. | |
|  | over and out | |
| | My name is Michelle Turley and I'm 28 years old. I live in Severance with my hubbie, Brandon. We have 2 dogs and a cat. We enjoy camping, four-wheeling, and just being in the mountains. I like to cook, clean (go figure), flea market, and play poker. I have so much to say about poker... | |
|
|
