Uga VIII was crowned just last October, taking over after Uga VII died suddenly. Russ, who served as the interim mascot last year, will return to those duties.
Here's the story I just filed:
ATHENS – For the second time in less than two years, the University of Georgia is mourning the untimely death of the nation’s most famous live mascot.
Uga VIII, crowned in the official role only last October, passed away on Friday, the school announced. The dog was diagnosed with lymphoma about a month ago, after missing the Liberty Bowl on Dec. 31 because of what was thought to be a gastric problem.
So Uga VIII ended up serving only six games, the shortest tenure since the line of Ugas began in 1956.
The previous Uga died suddenly on of heart failure on Nov. 19, 2009. He served in the role just under 15 months.
There were six Ugas between 1956 and 2008. The next one will be the third since 2009.
Uga V, who served from 1990-99, appeared on the cover of Sports Illustrated in 1997, and was proclaimed the nation’s top mascot.
Uga VIII was born on Sept. 12, 2009, under the original name of “Big Bad Bruce.” The Seiler family, which has maintained the line of Ugas, announced his choice as the new Uga on Oct. 16, 2010, and he was introduced to the crowd at Sanford Stadium before the Vanderbilt game a few days later.
A press release from UGA said no funeral ceremony is scheduled.
On a personal note, as a proud dog-owner, and having lost my nine-year-old cat last month (cared for at the UGA small animal vet teaching hospital), this is obviously a sad day. A dog that was only 15 months old has passed, and that's way too soon.
My favorite Uga moment, and I'm sure many of yours, is this.
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33 comments:
Time for the Seiler family to give up their mascot duties.
Hey, anon@5:13, go f yourself.
You're right, that is sad news.
Maybe it's time to retire the Uga line and go with a non-pure bred line? It seems like it's almost unfair to the dogs at this point.
I agree. Their dogs are unhealthy, overbred, and un-energetic. I own a dog. It runs around, acts excited, and does basic dog stuff. These UGA dogs lately are walking zombies. Remember when UGA lept at that Auburn player a bunch of years ago? Can you imagine one of these latest lazy versions of UGA to get off of his bag of ice to notice anything going on around him?
With all respect, no more of these purebreds, especially from the Seiler family. How many more of these poor dogs should have to suffer until we give up this unnecessary "tradition"? Get a dog that's healthy, energetic, and happy. Who cares if it has spots? Seriously, let's grow up.
It's very sad that the last two Ugas have died so young, but I suspect it's more of a coincidence than an indication that something is wrong with the Seiler family's breeding practices. One died of an enlarged heart and the other of cancer. It's a very sad thing, but probably too early to be taken as evidence that the university needs to find a new line of dogs.
RIP...so sad. I had a white english bulldawg and he only lived a little over 6 years. Great dawg and I still miss George after almost 20 years.
Anon 5:15-
Stay classy
With the infusion of 'new blood' via the Dream Team, is it not time for an infusion of new blood into the UGA line?
I'd like to see an Olde English Bulldogge prowling the sidelines - pure white, of course...
Something like this
Very sad news, and I agree completely on the need for some new blood. It's a matter of simple genetics...the less variety in the gene pool, the more likely you are to have health problems, early death, etc.
The Olde English breed is great, I have an Olde English bulldog and an English bulldog myself. I would be partial to staying with the English bulldogs...all we need to do is go outside of the Seiler breeding pool. All due respect and appreciation to them for their providing of the mascots for the last half century, but if we continue to insist on "purebred Uga" bloodlines, the more we're going to see fatter, more unhealthy dogs who will die at one or two years of age. Just look at the progression of the Uga line. Uga I was lean, muscular, looked like he was ready to rip your throat out at any moment. The further down the Uga line we go, the worse their health.
Please, please, please, please do not let Mike Woods bring one of his dogs to the show.
That attention whore needs to disappear.
The tradition should be an all white English Bulldog, not an all white English Bulldog owned by the Seller family. Hold an open tryout for crying out loud.
The breeders have over time created a dog that is an aberration of the original breed. Check out the early bulldog mascots that UGA used - they bare little resemblance to the current breeders idea of the perfect bulldog.
Well said about Mike Woods. A completely
embarrassing moron.
Mike Woods is a loyal dawg, who supports all Georgia sports. I wish more Georgia fans were like him. What, are y'all jealous you've never been on TV. Boo hoo.
Let's see "fans" have cried about football, basketball, the blog, the mascots, the owner of the mascots, the off season workouts, the uniforms, our opponents,our bowl game, our schedule and now other fans. McGarity needs to bring back the towels next year for people to dab their eyes with for all the crying on here. Seth, were South Carolina fans this pathetic?
I agree that its time for the Seiler family to no longer have a stranglehold on this. I always thought it was weird to have such a lack of control over our own mascot.
We need some healthy, leaner, more energetic bulldogs. Not these unhealthy sloths we have had of late.
Unhealthy sloth?!?!?! He died of leukemia. What is wrong with you people?? Makes me embarrassed to be a UGA fan. Take some time to mourn the death of your mascot before trashing him and the family that bred him
this may be a dumb question, but is Mike Woods that guy who gets a bulldog painted on his bald head, and manages to get on TV every single game?
i think it's time for ol' russ to take the throne
If he must be all white, then this...
http://www.aperrados.com/wp-content/gallery/razas-de-perros/american-pit-bull-terrier.jpg
here's the link:
http://www.coolchaser.com/graphics/794026
Not like they can't find an all white bulldog from Uga's bloodline. You realize how many digs traceable to Uga are in this state? The hard part seems to be finding one owned ny the Seiler family. Went most of last season with a fill-in mascot because the number one priority seems to be keeping the honor of owning Uga with one family for some reason.
Lots of clueless people posting on this board.
Here's to Uga VIII
I agree with you PTC. The Seiler's bring in plenty of new blood. The tradition only requires one parent to be from the Uga line. They regularly bring in bulldogs from other renown breeders to introduce into their blood lines. The last two dogs have been a terrible coincidence. As far as Uga's easy-going personality... Lets face it folks- this dawg spends half his life taking pictures with people and families. I can't tell you how many times I have seen people handing their infant over the hedges to a cheerleader to have the baby held in front of Uga for a picture. If the Seilers were to choose an aggressive dog they would be opening themselves up to a lawsuit. As much as I loved it when the former Uga went after that Auburn player, can you imagine what would have happened if he actually sunk his teeth in him?
I'm full of myself for no apparent reason. Nobody really cares what I think, yet I continue to post as if they do. Why am I so pathetic?
The Seilers purposely went to a different Uga line for Big Bad Bruce because of the heart problem with Uga VII. Lymphoma is just bad luck, and has nothing to do with the breed.
I'm sad about Big Bad Bruce, though. He was right in front of our seats for the Kentucky game, and I've never seen a dog that loved attention so much. He would not hold still for media photographers, who came over independently to take pictures, because behind him he had whole sections of fans in blue and red taking his picture.
And the way he wagged his tail and smiled at the Kentucky cheerleaders who came over to pet him was adorable. Everyone, even UK training staff, stopped to have their picture taken with that dog, and he loved every minute of it. He was an AWESOME Uga. I hope his end was not painful.
I don't blame the Seilers for selecting sickly Ugas. I just think it's stupid that Uga has to be a dog that belongs to the Seiler family. Have an open audition for all-white English Bulldogs one Saturday this Spring. You'd have several hundred dogs to choose from. Pick a healthy one with a good personality. Voila! Uga. We waited a year for a replacement for Uga VII because the Seilers didn't have a suitable dog. Is there any legitimate reason that Uga has to belong to the Seiler family?
Uga always comes from the Seiler family because he stems from the same bloodline.
Billy: Not just no but H3LL NO! Pit Bulls frequently eat their own family members and you want to put one in front of millions of strangers! I want a great dog for our mascot but we won't find one by adopting the mascot of drug dens and trailer parks.
@ResevoirDog
Nonsense. There are thousands of original Uga bloodline dogs running around. Not like each Uga has been directly sired by the preceding Uga. Do you realize how many litters and litters of pups have been come down the line over the years? I don't understand why having an Uga owned by the Seilers is important to anyone but the Seilers.
Anon- 2:27
What I mean is that they own the line. This family had dedicated a lot to this University. I have no problem with them continuing to provide us with bulldogs.
Mike Woods is more embarrassing than a bad mascot bloodline. Have you ever had a conversation with this arrogant uneducated dumbass?
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