What have you done, Bill Murray?
Oh, sure — it probably seemed like fun when the famed comedian and actor body-slammed ESPN’s Lee Corso during College Gameday at Clemson before the Tigers’ game versus Florida State in 2013. FSU alumnus Corso, to no surprise, picked his alma mater as the victor dressed as school mascot Chief Osceola, with which Murray — whose son attended Clemson — took immediate issue.
Manhandling the then-78-year-old Corso — along with several elbow drops — might have made for some briefly uncomfortable moments. But it’s what Murray did with Chief Osceola’s signature spear, hurling it into the crowd of Clemson students assembled to watch the ESPN pregame show, that has had repercussions.
According to Corso, Florida State will no longer allow its 1957 graduate to don the Chief Osceola costume because trusting that spear to outsiders (or at least one who couldn’t hold tightly onto that weapon, even when confronted by comedian attack) is just a bit too risky, in light of Murray’s actions.
Lee Corso says he hasn’t been allowed to put on Seminoles mascot gear on Gameday since Bill Murray stole spear and threw it at Clemson game.
— Heath Cline (@heathradio) August 3, 2015
Since no such story has been reported, it’s probably safe to assume that a Clemson student didn’t find him or herself on the business end of that spear. (I mean, at the very least, that would have been a great story for that person to share on social media, right? How many of us can say they were speared by a movie star?) But you can see why lawyers for ESPN and Florida State might be skittish about Corso donning the Chief Osceola gear again.
If you’re keeping score, Corso now has two mascots whose headgear or ensemble he can no longer wear during College Gameday. The former coach is also not allowed to wear the headpiece of Auburn’s Aubie the Tiger, as he revealed at an ESPN luncheon at the College Football Hall of Fame on Monday (and reported by AL.com’s Natalie Williams).
But lest you think that this is due to some incident such as Charles Barkley wrestling Corso to the ground, donning the Aubie headpiece and then mauling an Alabama student with the tiger’s fearsome jaws, that’s not the case. As it turns out, Auburn has strict rules about who’s allowed to wear the mascot outfit.
@MorganOnAir @colecubelic Strict mascot rule – only the Aubies can be Aubie
— David Reynolds (@Aubie_13) August 3, 2015
As Reynolds went on to explain in a subsequent tweet, the rules are in place to maintain the character of Aubie. Consistency, people. No hopping around the Gameday set doing whatever Corso may do while suited up. And no talking when wearing Aubie. Integrity must be maintained.
Just in case you were wondering, the Auburn mascot weighed in on the matter himself.
I have never and will never let Lee Corso take my head for @CollegeGameDay! Animal abuse is never ok! #SaveTheFelines
— Aubie the Tiger (@AubietheTiger01) August 3, 2015
Aubie might want to watch out for Murray when Auburn plays Clemson next year at Jordan-Hare Stadium to begin a home-and-home series. He won’t have to worry about Corso, though. Rules are rules.