‘Rum’un’ takes place in weird, wacky mascot world

Tasmania Football Club’s menacing new figurehead ‘Rum’un’ is unique, but how does he compare to others in the weird and wacky mascot world? We take a look at some of the scariest and strangest.

Rum'un with North Hobart junior Katie Foale 11. Picture: Nikki Davis-Jones

Tasmania Football Club’s wild and wacky new figurehead ‘Rum’un’ is just the latest in a long line of intriguing mascots to patrol sidelines across the world. We take a look at some of the more polarising ones around the world, including another close to home.

MC Hammerhead (Cronulla - NRL)

We’re not sure if this nightmare inducing reef dweller got its name because no one wants to touch this, but there’s a reason most sharks in movies or cartoons are great whites.

Cronulla fan Trent Raines with mascot MC Hammerhead and cheerleader Chanelle in 2004.

WOLVY (Japan Sunwolves - Super Rugby)

Japan’s Super Rugby side was shortlived, possibly because their mascot scared the players to death. It looks like a werewolf with a drinking problem who hasn’t slept for three days.

You can’t say it didn’t have an effect though, it possibly got more publicity than the team.

Sunwolves mascot

Joe Blake (Cairns Taipans - NBL)

Make no mistake. You only need to look into the cold, red eyes of Blake the Snake to feel the need to rush to the Cairns Convention Centre toilets, and cower in the corner in fear.

Cairns Taipans mascot Joe Blake. PICTURE: JUSTIN BRIERTY

Pierre the Pelican and King Cake Baby (New Orleans Pelicans - NBA)

Not even Stephen King in his wildest dreams could conjure up this monstrosity. If someone gave birth to this baby, they’d justifiably try and switch it with another in the hospital. He makes the also creepy Pierre the Pelican look positively uncreepy in comparison - which is saying something.

Mascots: Pierre the Pelican and King Cake Baby

The Coyote (San Antonio Spurs - NBA)

The Spurs phoned it in so hard with this mascot they couldn’t even be bothered giving it a name other than ‘The Coyote’.

Hopefully WADA has ticked off whatever hallucegenic substance has made his eyes green and psychedelic.

Mascots: The Coyote

Gritty - (Philadelphia Flyers - NHL)

No one actually knows what this thing is, but it looks like the result of asking grade three kid to invent a Sesame Street character from scratch.

Gritty makes Oscar the Grouch look half presentable.

Philadelphia Flyers mascot Gritty. Drew Hallowell/Getty Images/AFP

Kingsley - (Partick Thistle - Scottish soccer)

Artist David Shrigley concocted Kingsley about a decade ago, quite possibly when enebriated drowning the sorrows of another loss. I don’t know much about art but I know what I like - and this ain’t it.

Partick Thistle FC's mascot Kingsley.

Blitz and Bolt - (Parramatta - NRL)

“Quick we need a distraction from how awful our team is playing.”

If that was the Eels’ intention after unveiling these Avatar-like creatures during their first home game of the season against the Tigers on Sunday, then mission accomplished.

To make it worse, they conjure up memories of Eiffel 65’s shocking song Blue (Da Ba Dee).

Mascots: Blitz and Bolt

Fighting Okra - Delta State University

Its nose looks, well, like a different part of the anatomy, but this angry looking vegetable was adopted as the university’s unofficial mascot because it is ‘prickly’ - both figuratively and demeanour. If you’re in any doubt this fella isn’t overly pleasant than the boxing gloves are a giveaway.

Mascots: Fighting Okra

Salmo - (Hobart Hurricanes - BBL)

It’s a bit fishy the Hurricanes never won a title while ‘Salmo’ the Salmon was creeping the living daylights out of everyone.

Tassal is no longer a sponsor but Salmo possibly retired because of the overwhelming temptation for young troublemakers to throw anything and everything down his (or her’s no one is totally sure) overly massive pie hole.

We say pie hole, because undoubtedly plenty would have been tossed in there.

The Devil is unique, but this concoction is still the GOAT of weird Tassie mascots.

Mascots: Salmo

Stanford Tree (Stanford University)

Actually the mascot of the university’s marching band, this fearful piece of foliage is a regular at Stanford’s sports matches. If you made it your Christmas tree, you wouldn’t have to worry about the kids nosing around their gifts before the big day.

Mascots: Stanford Tree