Why you should watch the Potato Bowl: Creepy mascot shenanigans
Akron and Utah State will square off on the Smurf Turf in Boise, Idaho on Tuesday afternoon in the Famous Idaho Potato Bowl. The contest isn't the most prestigious bowl game and it doesn't have a long track record of producing great games, but it does have one thing that makes it worth tuning in for.
Spuddy Buddy.
This is Spuddy Buddy, the potato-person mascot that roams the sidelines of the Potato Bowl. We know a few things about Spuddy Buddy, so let's get to know him/her/it.
1. Spuddy Buddy loves to dance.
Oh yes, no one loves to dance more than this potato. Just look at Spuddy Buddy go.
Spuddy Buddy just gets after it. I have no idea what those dances are, but they're poppin' and I expect to see more of this glorious dancing on Tuesday.
2. Spuddy Buddy is like a gremlin.
Last year it rained during the Potato Bowl and we learned that Spuddy Buddy must be treated like a gremlin. He cannot get wet. Do not let Spuddy Buddy get wet. The Potato Bowl goes to extreme lengths to keep Spuddy Buddy dry, forcing some poor intern to stand out in the rain and cover him with an umbrella.
They had to get one of those giant golf umbrellas for Spuddy Buddy because it's the only thing that can cover Spuddy up, but also offer up the freedom to dance and celebrate like the professional mascot Spuddy is.
I hope that poor umbrella holder got compensated in some way, too. Four hours of that isn't worth the college credit he may or may not have received for this internship.
3. Spuddy Buddy has a far more creepy CGI brother.
Mascot Spuddy Buddy is fine. A little creepy, but when you think about it all mascots are. But Spuddy Buddy's CGI brother/cousin, Demon Spuddy Buddy, that was introduced to the bowl back in 2012 is far more terrifying and creepy as they superimposed a human mouth and eyes onto a potato wearing a bowtie.
This was not OK. Stick to dancing potato mascots, not whatever this was an attempt to do.
Let's just keep Spuddy Buddy away from the fryers. We do not need him turning into french fries or potato chips during the game.
