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Watch the video and slide show of the fight involving ORU's mascot

Eli the Eagle Stephen Pingry/Tulsa World
 
By Staff Reports
Published: 3/12/2008  2:50 PM
Last Modified: 3/13/2008  10:41 AM

Slide Show:

Watch a slide show of the fight.

One of three Oral Roberts University students who wear the Eli the Eagle costume for Golden Eagle athletic contests has had his wings clipped.

The male student involved in a scuffle between mascots during Tuesday's championship game of the Summit League basketball tournament "will not be participating in that role for the remainder of the school year," according to a statement issued by the school.

"The matter was addressed immediately by the cheerleading coach (Brad Turner). Any disciplinary action is being reviewed by the cheerleading program," the statement read.

Summit League associate commissioner Ed Grom retired both mascots from action after a first-half scuffle between ORU's Eli and Jawz the Jaguar, representing Indiana-Purdue Indianapolis.

"I told them they were done for the night," Grom said. "I told them to take off their costumes and nobody else would be using them."

ORU uses three students -- two males and one female -- who wear the Eli costume during athletic contests.

University officials said the name of the student in question, clearly a male after having his costume head knocked off twice in the skirmish, would not be released.

The incident sparked interest Wednesday after a portion of the scuffle appeared on youtube.com, a popular Internet site for viewing, sharing and uploading video content.

The scuffle apparently started as a dance contest between the mascots during a first-half timeout in the ORU-IUPUI championship game, but escalated into a shoving match with the mascots trying to wrestle and slam one another to the floor in the Union Multipurpose Activity Center.

The youtube.com video shows the final few seconds. In it, the IUPUI mascot has his arms wrapped around the ORU mascot from behind and is pulling him to the ground as ORU marketing director Richard McCutchen rushes to stop the skirmish. All three fall to the floor.

McCutchen then receives help from two IUPUI male cheerleaders in separating the mascots, who then leave the floor.

Grom said he met with both in the immediate aftermath. Grom said both schools apologized for the incident and no disciplinary action by the Summit League is planned.

By Staff Reports

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COMMENTS 
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47 comments have been made for this team so far. Tell us what you think below!

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Report Comment
BA Bob, (3/12/2008 3:01:43 PM)
ORU should be ashamed of themselves. They can't even win a mascot fight and they lie on their taxes. What a joke. They couldn't even sell out a high scool gym for a game to go to the NCAAs. The people are voting and it's not for Six Flags over Jesus.
Report Comment
Steve Smith, Owasso (3/12/2008 3:13:16 PM)
That's awesome!!!
Report Comment
Roger, Tulsa,Ok (3/12/2008 3:28:11 PM)
My boss used to be Eli and my buddy's brother in law used to be one...I think its hilarious that the ORU mascot got his butt thrown to the ground!
Report Comment
Chris, Bartlesville, OK (3/12/2008 3:28:44 PM)
BA Bob, you are a clearly a moron. Only you could tie a mascot fight to lying on taxes.

Get a freakin life.
Report Comment
Roger, Tulsa,Ok (3/12/2008 3:41:18 PM)
I wish we could see more of what happened before hand before the rumble took place...thats funny crap dude!

hahahaha
Report Comment
Mike, Tulsa (3/12/2008 3:42:23 PM)
Obviously, BA Bob was cracking some jokes, Chris. Lighten up and get back to work changing diapers.
Report Comment
BA Bob, (3/12/2008 3:42:50 PM)
Lying on your taxes and getting in a mascot fight certainly have something in common: neither are things that represent a univesrsity well. Then again, Jesus State lost all credibility a long time ago. HAHAHAHAHA
Report Comment
BA Bob sucks, tulsa (3/12/2008 3:57:14 PM)
man this guy is smart.......he keeps checking back and answering this question so he can talk to someone...lol...he is just lonely i guess.
Report Comment
BA Bob sucks suck more, (3/12/2008 4:03:22 PM)
You are a big enough loser to talk to me. Haha. Holy Crap sucks.
Report Comment
Onomatopoeia, Jenks (3/12/2008 4:19:15 PM)
Don't feed the atheistic TU trolls.
Report Comment
J, Tulsa (3/12/2008 4:21:23 PM)
It's pretty common for the mascots to go out and wrestle during a timeout at some point in the tournament. Usually it's just a fun little thing, which is how this appeared to start. But shortly into it you could tell "Jawz" got a lot more aggressive than what is normal...and allowed. And well Eli fought back, somewhat. It's not like they just started fighting out of no where. Gotta admit, it was pretty funny though.
Report Comment
BA Bob, (3/12/2008 4:28:08 PM)
I'm not from TU and I'm not an atheist. I just know what most everyone in Oklahoma already knows. ORU sucks. THey couldn't sell out a high school gym. How many is "NA?" Since when was TU atheist? They have a buncha churches on campus. Sounds like another jealous ORU freak, paying as much as TU for a barely accrecited education. HAHAHAHAHA
Report Comment
Russell Korets, Jenks (3/12/2008 4:30:47 PM)
I wish TULSA WORLD would STOP BASHING ORU. Can you write something nice about ORU once? Its funny and fun when mascots GO AT IT, why not label it FUN TIME AT GAME, instead of fight? Im sick and tired of Tulsa World bashing ORU... ORU is a great asset to our community, and its time we act fair. ORU Gave TULSA a wonderful day yesterday, boys and girls winning tournaments in Basketball, and ORU men baseball beating the #9th ranked team in nation. Thank you ORU, and know that Tulsa World does not represent our voices...
Report Comment
BA Bob, (3/12/2008 4:33:56 PM)
The TW represents my voice well. ORU sucks. There, I said it again. HAHAHAHAHA.
Report Comment
Onomatopoeia, Jenks (3/12/2008 4:36:17 PM)
13. 3/12/2008 4:28:08 PM, BA Bob,
I'm not from TU and I'm not an atheist.
--
You did not, however, deny being a troll.
Report Comment
Paul, (3/12/2008 4:39:07 PM)
We should have never let Lindsey Roberts be the mascot!
Report Comment
BA Bob, (3/12/2008 4:43:44 PM)
Troll>ORU fan. HAHAHAHA
Report Comment
mike, (3/12/2008 4:48:38 PM)
Question: Do ORU fans actually exist? I have never met one. These comments must be some sort of computer glitch.
Report Comment
Ranch Hand, Owasso (3/12/2008 4:58:26 PM)
Looks like the jaguar did jump him from behind and he had a little help from his friend.

I support both TU and ORU because they are local schools but BA Blob needs to check his skull for a brain. In spite of what the Roberts may or may not have done, it's no reason to lump these kids in with them. Most ORU kids are decent people and it's not their fault they chose a school with a some internal problems. Name me a school that hasn't...
Report Comment
BA Bob, (3/12/2008 5:06:37 PM)
Hasn't what? Run up a debt greater than its endowment? Built itself of the money of poor people who couldn't get it? Lied to students about building plans? Had its board resign because of a national scandal? Barely passed accreditation? Gotten into IRS trouble? This incident is just another in a long line from that looney bin . . .
Report Comment
Jack, Tulsa (3/12/2008 5:28:15 PM)
I think Tu's Capt Cain can take both of them!!!! LOL!!!!!
Report Comment
J Glenn, Tulsa (3/12/2008 5:30:29 PM)
These kids are getting out there an playing their hearts out, it doesn't have anything to do with the financial side and who is to blame. It's about the kids. Shame on you BA BOB or is that BooB
Report Comment
BA Bob, (3/12/2008 5:32:56 PM)
J Glenn;Tell that to all those empty red seats. People are voting "NO" on ORU with their butts. Three straight NCAA appearances and attendence was down this year. Explain that. I ask again - how many is "NA?" HAHAHAHAHA
Report Comment
BLAKE BOB, (3/12/2008 5:36:05 PM)
BA Bob is a silly goose....
Report Comment
WasThere, Tulsa (3/12/2008 6:58:07 PM)
I was at the game and saw the WHOLE thing not the ending as you are seeing here. Eli went out to dance with the Jag and he took him down and knocked his head off. Now that would make you mad wouldn't it?
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