OT Ualbany's mascot isn't returned whole
Matthew Kruk
Ualbany's mascot isn't returned whole
Costume for UAlbany's Damien is back, but a component is missing
By SCOTT WALDMAN, Staff writer
First published in print: Tuesday, November 24, 2009
ALBANY -- Damien the Great Dane came home neutered.
The missing mascot for the University at Albany reappeared on campus
Saturday, about a month after the costume's giant torso went missing
from the laundry room.
It was found over the weekend, splayed out on one of the school's
baseball diamonds.
His dognappers did commit one unspeakable act: They cut out his crotch.
Charlie Vella, the UAlbany student who wears the costume at home
basketball games, said he won't put it on again because it is "gooey and
filthy."
"They probably wore it to play beer pong and thought they were the
funniest people alive," he said.
Vella, a senior English major, had his eyes open around Halloween,
looking for the thief who took Damien's body.
Only a small group of people know what happened to the Dane. So far, no
one is saying.
The school has already ordered a new costume, which costs $6,000 for the
head and body alone, because Damien was getting shabby anyway.
The new Damien is expected to arrive on campus before January, when the
school has a long stretch of home games, spokesman Karl Luntta has said.
"We're glad he's back," he said. "We don't condone theft in any way."
In his stead, the body of another mascot -- Lil' D -- is being combined
with Damien's head, which did not get swiped. Vella said he is making
that costume work at the home games, but it's not the same as Damien.
Vella said he understands collegiate high jinks, but said his classmates
have to realize the difference between swiping something like a traffic
cone and snatching a large costume that many see as a symbol of athletic
prowess. The costumed mascot also visits sick children in the hospital
and makes appearances at other benefits around town.
"It's like they didn't care about the teams or the program," Vella said.
Scott Waldman can be reached at 454-5080 or by e-mail at
swal...@timesunion.com.