As the Minnesota Golden Gophers tip off their opening game in the Big Ten Tournament in a matter of few minutes, it’s good to know they will have the services of their mascot, Goldy.
He is present courtside in Indianapolis, and retains the ability to perform his trademark gesture, the ability to rotate his head. And this is important because his head just suffered a blow from an irate fan.
According to the Minnesota Daily:
During the meet, the University of Minnesota mascot sat behind Douglas Dokken, 60, and started “messing with him,” witness Barry Colthorpe said. Goldy tapped Dokken on the shoulder and ruffled his hair.
Colthorpe said Dokken was ignoring Goldy’s antics, but within a couple of minutes, he snapped, turned around and punched Goldy in the face.
Goldy froze, but within moments of the first punch, Dokken wailed another, forcing Goldy to leave the area.
“I think it was clearly amusing — it’s not something you see every day,” Colthrope, 27, said. “It was just two people fighting, but if one of them is dressed up as a 7-foot gopher, then it’s pretty amusing.”
Yes, someone actually had the gravitas to do what the rest of us only dream about, and sometimes tweet about- punching a mascot in the head. If the Ace Ventura film series has taught us anything it’s this: violence against mascots is always hilarious.