No matter the sport, he’s always at the game. When he’s not cheering on the team, he can be seen prowling around LSU’s campus plotting his next antic.
He’s Mike the Tiger. LSU’s loveable yet mischievous mascot has been around since his 1959 debut. In all those years, he’s definitely earned his stripes as one of LSU’s most loyal fans.
Although he spends most of his time roaring for the Tigers, he’s grown quite a fanbase of his own. Students, sports lovers and even opponents and rival fans can’t seem to get enough of LSU’s mascot and resident ball of energy.
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“There’s never a dull moment with Mike. You’ll never see Mike standing still,” LSU student Matthew Wallace says.
Wallace knows the mascot well. He is a member of Team Mike and served as its captain for the 2022-2023 season. As captain, Wallace handled the logistics of getting Mike scheduled for events and led creative duties like dreaming up ideas for Mike’s costumes, skits and videos.
Tryouts usually occur in April for Team Mike, which is part of LSU’s spirit squad. During auditions, full-time students who apply can try on suits, learn Mike’s walk and demonstrate how they’d emulate his character.
After three days of tryouts, a group of about five students is selected to carry out the tiger-sized role of making mascot magic happen for the upcoming school year.
Who are those students? It’s mostly a mystery. Though members may tell their peers that they are part of Team Mike, they keep the true extent of their roles under wraps.
“It’s very traditional for mascot programs to keep (the details) hush hush,” Wallace explains. “It’s more or less like a good bit of disillusion when talking to people (about it), because we’re not Mike. Mike is his own separate person.”
According to the online tryout informational presentation, though, Team Mike is “responsible for performing as, handling and scheduling Mike the Tiger.” Members of Team Mike have student athlete status, which means they participate in practices and workouts to ensure they have the utmost energy for all mascot duties.
“Mike’s always running around,” Wallace says. “If you lose him, you’re going to have to catch him really quickly. So you want to make sure you can keep up that stamina. Being part of Team Mike, we are offered a strength and conditioning coach on campus. He’s been a real big help keeping us in shape and making sure we’re able to keep up with Mike.”
In order to ensure Mike always has a consistent look, members should also have a height of around 5’7” to 6’3” and should be around 145 to 200 pounds, though there is really no specific weight, height or gender requirement.
Mike is an in-demand guest for plenty of events throughout the year. Team Mike commits to assisting the feline for five to seven hours a week. This entails being the mascot’s chauffeur to and from events, guiding Mike through hectic crowds on campus or in stadiums, coming up with fun things for Mike to do and being the mascot’s right-paw man.
Team Mike must attend all home football games and the Mike Camp in August. The group participates in an average of two additional events per week, which include athletic events like games and tournaments away from home, campus events like graduations and ring ceremonies, and community events like hospital and school visits, which they help organize and plan for the big cat celebrity.
Apart from his fuzzy face, Mike is also known for his trendy outfits and costumes fashioned after pop culture icons, popular memes and other LSU legends. Who could forget when he almost showed up the ever-fashionable Kim Mulkey, sporting his own butterfly sequined blazer and pink feathered jacket? A true fashion icon.
“In recent years, he seems to have gained the title of being one of the best-dressed mascots out there,” Wallace says. “Traveling with Mike, you always get compliments from other handlers of mascots about Mike’s outfits, which are pretty much facilitated by Team Mike.”
Wallace says Team Mike is always thinking of costume ideas. Just like any celebrity, Mike has his own tailor and seamstress who works hard to get him into the best outfits that fit a larger-than-life cat like him.
Team Mike’s outfit ideas are sent to Sheri Kirley, who works with her mother, Kim, to give Mike flashy, custom designs that keep him looking his best.
Of course, Mike’s popularity goes beyond his getup. He captivates crowds with his playful and cheeky personality. He can be seen busting out dance moves on the sidelines, photobombing fans and cheering on LSU with the most enthusiasm and energy.
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And wherever Mike is, members of Team Mike are always in tow.
So, next time you see the fanatic tiger, just know that it takes a small village—or in this case, Team Mike—to keep this mascot looking his best. lsusports.net/spiritsquads/mascot
This article was originally published in the 2023 Tiger Pride issue of 225 magazine.