True Blue: USU mascot to be unveiled Friday night
Few people look forward to being beheaded, but Big Blue, the mascot for Utah State, is ready for it and waiting.
After three years of running around representing the Aggies and dressing as a bull, the man behind the mask is graduating and will be unveiled Friday night during halftime of the men’s basketball game at the Spectrum.
“It’s going to be quite a traumatic experience for all of us,” Linda immerman, head of the Aggie Spirit Squad, said about the unveiling of Big Blue. “He has been such a unique Big Blue for all of us. He knows what he is doing for the university as well as what he does for us.”
Randy Spetman, the athletics director of USU, said Big Blue is an icon for Utah State, someone who represents athletics.
“Big Blue epitomizes sportsmanship and what’s good in athletics in our program,” Spetman said. “He’s our goodwill ambassador.”
Big Blue said there is a lot of pressure on him because he represents Utah State. He said when Wells Fargo had a ribbon cutting then-President Kermit Hall invited Big Blue to particpate in it.
“I was there with the president [of the university] and with the president of Wells Fargo,” he said. “Howly cow, there was these figures and there was Big Blue. Because President Hall didn’t represent Utah State, the president of Wells Fargo didn’t represent Utah State, Big Blue did and they wanted that image. Big Blue is Utah State.”
The Aggies first got their mascot in 1989. The mascot for what was then Rick’s College (now BYU-Idaho) began calling Zimmerman and telling her he wanted to represent Utah State as its mascot.
Zimmerman said he kept calling and bugging her, so she decided to have him come to the Big West tournament.
“We ended up finding an old, royal blue and not a very good looking suit,” she said. “We dressed this kid at the Big West … and he was absolutely just amazing. Everybody fell in love with him.”
From there on out, Big Blue became an integral part of Utah State athletics and the university.
Big Blue said he wasn’t entirely sure where the actual idea for a bull came from, because, contrary to popular opinion, he said an Aggie is not a bull.
“Even though people call me an Aggie, it’s not an Aggie,” Big Blue said. “I’m glad I’m not a farmer or a teacher or whatever mascot. A bull is a cool mascot. I’m glad I don’t have to dress up like a farmer.”
But bull or farmer, Big Blue said it is important to have a some kind of mascot.
“Utah State needs and icon – an image – especially to reach the kids,” Big Blue said. “There needs to be some figure that represents Utah State. That’s what a mascot is.”
Now Big Blue is a very busy man. Besides going to the home events for five varsity sports – men’s and women’s basketball, gymnastics, volleyball, football – Big Blue has several other events he attends. He said he attends events in the community, birthday parties and other events associated with Utah State. He said he had seven events he had to attend in one week.
But his most important job is reaching out to the crowd and getting them excited about the Aggies.
“I’ve never seen anyone that relate so well with children and just capture them,” Spetman said. “It’s so phenominal to watch the reaction he gets from kids. He generates an enthusiasm and a spirit that just kinds of permeates through the whole arena.”
Zimmerman said it has been important to keep Big Blue’s identity a secret. Not only to allow him to live a normal life, but the mystery generates interest. She also said people at games and matches need to see the mascot and not the person.
But she said it’s time for the mystery to be over, at least until the next Big Blue is found.
“He deserves to be recognized,” she said. “He’s been behind the scene for three years. It’s time people get to see who that person is behind the mask.”
Although he will be moving on from Utah State and its mascot, Big Blue said he will always think the bull is an important part of USU.
“I can’t imagine it without Big Blue,” he said. “Without having a mascot – without having Big Blue – you’ve lost that image and that icon.”
Big Blue will be beheaded during halftime of the Utah State men’s basketball game against Idaho. The game begins at 7:05 p.m.
-aedmunds@cc.usu.edu
The Aggies´ mascot big blue will be “beheaded” Friday night during halftime of the men´s basketball game in the Spectrum. After three years of representing USU, Big Blue is graduating. (Statesman archive)