Backgrounder

Capital One kicked off a new college tradition in 2002 with the Capital One All-America Mascot Team,

elevating twelve hard-driving, ambitious, oddly proportioned mascots to the pinnacle of

All-American. College mascots are no longer relegated to toiling in the background unappreciated.

Gone are the days of working their feathers, fur and tails to the bone in the shadow of flashy

All-American quarterbacks, running backs and wide receivers. At last, these unsung heroes of the

college gridiron have their own national stage – their own place in the sun.

In a quest to honor these unsung heroes, each year the company sends out a call for nominations to

all of the nation’s Division IA and IAA athletic programs with college football teams. From a list of

contenders, a panel of mascot aficionados chooses 12 talented mascots to be members of the

Capital One All-America Mascot Team. Judging is based on how well the mascots interact with fans,

good sportsmanship and community service.

Being named an All-American comes with its fair share of perks – the photo shoots, a national

advertising campaign, the parties, the mascot groupies and star power. Plus, each member of the

mascot team receives $5,000 for its school’s mascot program.

But being named an All-American is only the beginning. The 12 mascots are then embroiled

in a fierce battle to claim the most coveted title in all the mascot land – Capital One

National Mascot of the Year. Beginning in the fall, fans can vote for their favorite of the

12 at www.capitalonebowl.com. This online (“popular”) vote is combined with a judges’ ranking

(50/50) to determine the winner. Historically, the colleges and universities have pulled out all the

stops to drive fans to vote for their mascot. We’ve seen Jumbotron tributes, letters from state

senators, billboards, television and newspaper ads and e-mails from eager alumni and college

staffs enticing millions of loyal fans to go online and vote for their favorite lovable, wild and

wacky character.

But alas, each year only one mascot can reign supreme. The University of Montana’s “Monte the

Grizzly” claimed the title in 2002 and “Cocky” from the University of South Carolina got bragging

rights in 2003.

Glory awaits whichever mascot is named the 2004 Capital One National Mascot of the Year—

who’s the best of the best? Find out during the Capital One Bowl on January 1, 2005.

Capital One All-America Mascot Team 2004

How They Were ChosenThe 2004 Capital One All-America Mascot Team was open to all

NCAA Division IA & IAA college mascots who were mascots during

the period from Sept. 1, 2003 through June 1, 2004. Nomination

kits were mailed to each athletic department with football programs

in March 2004, and were due by 5 p.m. EDT, Friday, June 4, 2004.

On June 10, 2004, behind closed doors in a highly-secured board-

room, a panel of skilled mascot judges—including mascot guru and

historian, Dr. Roy Yarbrough; former college mascot and current

sports marketer Scott Schricker; and representatives from ESPN and

Capital One—carefully analyzed each contender and scored them

based on the following criteria:

★ Interaction with fans and demonstration of the mascot’s

originality, ability to create enthusiasm among the fans and

contribution to an exhilarating atmosphere. (0-50 points)

★ Originality, creativity and professionalism of the mascot’s

appearance/costume. (0-20 points)

★ Demonstration of good sportsmanship. (0-15 points)

★ Involvement in community service. (0-15 points)

At the end of the day, the top 12 mascots with the most points were

selected to the team.

Meet the TeamThey’re brash. They’re feisty. One’s even a bit cocky, and another’s a real “rebel.”This year’s Capital One All-America MascotTeam represents colleges and universitiesfrom coast to coast. While these mascotscome in all shapes and sizes – two dogs,two cats, three birds, a turtle, a bear, arebel, a gopher and one big red blob – they all have one thing in common. Theyreally know how to put the “pep” into any pep rally.

The Team (in alpha order by school):★ The Bird – Air Force Academy

★ Aubie – Auburn University

★ Hairy Dawg – University of Georgia

★ Duke Dog – James Madison University

★ Scratch – University of Kentucky

★ Testudo – University of Maryland

★ Goldy – University of Minnesota

★ Monte – University of Montana

★ Cocky – University of South Carolina

★ Hey Reb – Univ. of Nevada Las Vegas

★ The Hokie Bird – Virginia Tech

★ Big Red – Western Kentucky University

2004 All-America Mascot Team

Timeline★ March 30, 2004

Nomination kits sent to Division IA and IAA schools

★ June 4, 2004Nomination kits due back to Capital One

★ June 10, 2004Judging for the Capital One All-America Mascot Team

★ June 14 - 18, 2004Notification to the 12 winningschools

★ August 11-13, 2004Mascot advertising shoot

★ TBDOfficial announcement of the Capital One All-America Mascot Team

★ October 11, 2004Race for Capital One National Mascotof the Year begins (Online voting pollopens at capitalonebowl.com)

★ December 26, 2004Online voting ends

★ January 1, 2005Announcement of the Capital One National Mascot of the Year duringthe Capital One Bowl in Orlando, Fla.

Press ContactsPam Girardo703.720.2351pam.girardo@capitalone.com

Mandy O'Donnell212.468.3648mandy.o'donnell@mslpr.com

Mascot of the Year

Some people think that recognition as a member of the Capital One All-America Mascot Team is thehighest in the land. But that’s not the case. From day one of being named to this prestigious team, the 12 All-America Mascots will be embroiled in a fierce battle to claim the most coveted mascottitle – Capital One National Mascot of the Year.

Just ask Monte from the University of Montana or Cocky from the University of South Carolina, ourprevious winners. They will tell you (in truth, they can’t talk) that it takes a lot of hard work and alot more than the “bear” necessities to win the crown and have something to crow about.

Glory awaits whichever mascot is named the 2004 Capital One National Mascot of the Year. Who’s the best of the best? Find out during the Capital One Bowl on January 1, 2005.

Eligible Mascots To earn the title 2004 National Mascot of the Year, mascots must have been named to the

2004 Capital One All-America Mascot Team.

Capital One National Mascot of the Year SelectionThis year’s race for Capital One National Mascot of the Year will begin October 11, 2004, when fans across

the country will be able to log onto www.capitalonebowl.com to vote for their favorite mascots among the

12 All-Americans. Voting will consist of eleven (11) weekly match-ups between mascots. Voters will need to

cast six (6) votes total each week to select the winning mascot of each match-up. Visitors may vote once per

day on www.capitalonebowl.com. The real-time poll closes on December 26, 2004. However, unlike your

senior prom king and queen, this contest will not be based solely on popularity. The Capital One

National Mascot of the Year will be selected based upon the cumulative total number of points

received from the panel of judges and the online voting results. The mascot with the most points

will become this year’s Capital One National Mascot of the year on Jan. 1, 2005, during the Capital One

Bowl game in Orlando, Fla., and will receive an additional $5,000 scholarship to help fund its school’s

mascot program.

How it Works

★ Judges’ Ranking (50%): Each mascot is assigned a point value based on the judges' scoring. The top mascot based on the judges' cumulative scores receives 12 points, the next highest receives 11 points and so on through 12th place which receives one point.

★ Popular Vote (50%): Mascots also will be ranked one through 12 based on the total number of online votes they receive during the voting period. The mascot receiving the most votes earns 12 points, the next highest receives 11 points and so on through 12th place which receives one point.

2003 Capital One National Mascot of the YearUniversity of South Carolina’s Cocky

2002 Capital One National Mascot of the Year

University of Montana’s Monte

Inaugural (2002) Capital One All-America Mascot TeamFront: Smokey (Univ. of Tennessee). Standing left to right: Otto (Syracuse University), The Bird (U.S. Air Force Academy), Monte (Univ. of Montana), Sebastian (Univ. of Miami), Nittany Lion (Penn State), Buzz (Georgia Tech), Big Al (Univ. of Alabama), Albert (Univ. of Florida), Big Red (Western Kentucky University), Victor E. Bull (Univ. at Buffalo), Seymour (Univ. of SouthernMississippi).

2003 Capital One All-American Mascot TeamKneeling or sitting left to right: Aubie (Auburn University), Monte (Univ. of Montana),Smokey (Univ. of Tennessee), YoUDee (Univ. of Delaware), Albert (Univ. of Florida), Harry the Husky (Univ. of Washington). Standing left to right: Cocky (Univ. of SouthCarolina), Big Red (Western Kentucky University), Scratch (Univ. of Kentucky), Brutus Buckeye(Ohio State University), Hairy Dawg (Univ. of Georgia), Chip (Univ. of Colorado).

Fun Facts

mas·cot - ('mas-"kät) noun: 1. symbol of good luck 2. a person, animal or thing that is believed to bringgood luck, usually one that becomes the symbol of a particular group, especially a team (Date: 1881)

What would college athletics be like without our beloved mascots? They entertain us, energize us andput the “pep” in Pep Rally. Even if the home team is losing to the archrival, the roar, hiss, or flap of ourbeloved mascot lives on.

So whether they’re fighting mad like the Irish of Notre Dame, stubborn as a Mule from Central MissouriState, mean as a Rattler from Florida A&M or just plain Cocky from South Carolina, mascots play a crucial role in college athletics.

Here are some fun facts about those wild and zany college mascots...

In the Beginning …The first college mascots appeared at sporting events in the late 1800s. Yale University claims to be thefirst school to adopt a mascot – Handsome Dan the Bulldog. The Elis were 125-6 with Handsome Dan Ion the sidelines. He was rewarded by being stuffed and preserved behind glass in the trophy room ofYale’s gymnasium. Sources: http://www.yale.edu and The Times-Picayune (Oct. 2, 1999).

It’s a Jungle Out ThereContrary to today’s “human” mascots in costumes, the first mascots were live animals. The majority ofcolleges and universities soon abandoned this way of “mascotting” because of the high costs associatedwith caring for the animals. Source: http://www.gameops.com

He Ain’t Heavy … That’s Just His CostumeMascot costumes can weigh up to 25 – 30 pounds, although the average weight is approximately 10 – 15 pounds. Source: http://www.gameops.com

Never Let ‘Em See You SweatThe golden rule: never remove the head in public. Source: http://www.gameops.com

The Eagle Has LandedThe Eagle is the most common college mascot. Rounding out the top 10 are (No. 2) Tigers, (No. 3)Bulldogs, (No. 4) Knights, (No. 5) Panthers, (No. 6-tie) Bears, (No. 6-tie) Crusaders, (No. 8-tie) Lions, (No. 8-tie) Warriors and (No. 10-tie) Pioneers, (No. 10-tie) Saints. Source: “Mascots, The History of SeniorCollege and University Mascots/Nicknames," by Dr. Roy E. Yarbrough.

The Fighting … Oh Never MindSeveral colleges have no mascot at all – Barnard College, Dartmouth College, Hollins College, Stanford,Walla Walla College, Agnus Scott College and Wellesley College. Source: “Mascots, The History of SeniorCollege and University Mascots/Nicknames," by Dr. Roy E. Yarbrough.

A Family AffairIf college mascots wanted to have a family reunion, they could probably do it in Mascot, Va., just 130 miles from Capital One’s headquarters in McLean, Va.

His Date Was A “Real” Dog!Did you know that UGA III from the University of Georgia became the first college mascot to attend aHeisman Trophy Banquet? He accompanied Herschel Walker during his 1982 Heisman win. Source: http://georgiadogs.ocsn.com/traditions/ugas.shtml

A Work of FictionIn the 1994 film “Pulp Fiction,” John Travolta’s character (Vincent Vega) wore a University of CaliforniaSanta Cruz T-shirt with the infamous Banana Slug mascot emblazoned on the front. Director QuentinTarantino frequented the Santa Cruz area some years back when his girlfriend was a student at the campus. He specifically requested the student-designed Slug shirt be used in the film. Source:http://www.slugweb.com

Does That Come With Fries?The Longhorn mascot made his debut at the University of Texas in 1916, but it was a short career for thefirst steer. Aggies from archrival Texas A&M branded the numbers 13-0 on the steer, signifying the scoreof the previous year's upset win. The branded steer's next public appearance was in the form of steakserved during a Texas-Texas A&M dinner to honor the 1920 Texas team, which upset Texas A&M, 7-3, towin the Southwest Conference championship. The portion that bore the shameful brand was served tothe Aggies, and the other half went to Texas. Source: http://www.mackbrown-texasfootball.com

Flap HappySt. Joseph’s University is well known across the country for its unique mascot requirements. The Hawk must flap his “wings” every moment that the mascot head is on. This not only includes sporting events, but other appearances from festivals to wedding receptions. While St. Joe’s doesn’t have a football team, it still has a pretty cool mascot. Source: http://www.sjuhawks.com/basketball/men/bios/hawk.htm

Independent WomenThirty-three colleges and universities have made the distinction between men’s and women’s athletic teams by giving them different mascots, but no school has done so as succinctly as Centenary College, in Shreveport, La. The men’s teams are called the Gentlemen and the women’s teams are referred to as … what else … the Ladies. Source: "Mascots, The History of Senior College and University Mascots/Nicknames," by Dr. Roy E. Yarbrough.

More Fun Facts

More Fun Facts

Crouching Tiger … Hidden War Eagle?There’s been some confusion about what the official mascot is at Auburn University. Over the years, sports writershave referred to Auburn teams as Tigers, War Eagles and Plainsmen. To set the record straight, Auburn has onlyone nickname – the Auburn Tigers.

The nickname Tigers comes from a line in Oliver Goldsmith's poem, "The Deserted Village," published in May 1770,"where crouching tigers wait their hapless prey..." "War Eagle" is a battle cry, used by Auburn fans in the samemanner Alabama fans yell "Roll Tide!" Since Auburn athletes were – in the early days – men from the plains, it wasonly natural for newspaper headline writers to shorten that to Plainsmen. To confuse things even more, the schooldoes have an eagle that flies around the football field on game day. His name? Tiger. Source:http://www.auburntigers.com/traditions/

Top DogWhile the University of Virginia’s mascot is known as the Cavalier these days, the school’s original mascot was ablack-and-white dog called Beta, which roamed the campus during the 1920s and ‘30s. Legend has it that heattended one philosophy class so frequently that his name was called out on the roll. (He’d bark to let the profes-sor know when he was present.) His most famous exploit came after being left behind in Athens, Ga., following aUVA football game with Georgia. It was not until two weeks later that a scratch was heard at the back door ofone of the school’s fraternity houses, and a cold, ragged and hungry Beta stood there. It is not known how hefound his way home. When he died in 1939, an estimated 1,000 students marched in his funeral procession tothe University Cemetery. Source: http://virginiasports.ocsn.com/trads/va-mascot.html

Not Your Average Day at the RacesThe choice of the elephant as the California State University Fullerton mascot – dubbed Tuffy Titan – dates to theearly 1960s when the campus hosted "The First Intercollegiate Elephant Race in Human History." What started as apractical joke turned into an event that attracted 10,000 spectators, 15 pachyderm entrants (including one fromOxford University in England), a telegram from Richard M. Nixon and worldwide media coverage. Tuffy enduredthe race and soon the elephant mascot was seen at campus athletic events. However, in 1963, one elephantcharged the crowd, causing minor injuries, and the sign of a liability insurance crisis quickly halted the live mascottradition at the school. Sources: http://sports.fullerton.edu/mascot.html and “Mascots, The History of SeniorCollege and University Mascots/Nicknames,” by Dr. Roy E. Yarbrough.

The Original Mighty DuckThe University of Oregon athletic teams had no nickname until the 1920s. University of Oregon studentsreferred to themselves as Webfooters. Then, a gentleman’s agreement between Oregon’s Athletic Director Leo Harris and Walt Disney brought Donald Duck to Eugene. Walt Disney productions even provided logo designs that incorporated Donald into the University of Oregon’s “O.”

But not everyone at the school found Donald funny. Jerry Frei, Oregon's football coach for five seasons (1967-71), wanted Donald to sport teeth in his bill to better portray his team's "Fighting Ducks" image. And Dick Harter, the men's basketball coach for seven years (1971-78), disdained the Duck nickname altogether and insisted that any public relations materials refer only to his teams as the "Kamikaze Kids." Donald remained the lone duck mascot in any collegiate or professional capacity until the advent of the Anaheim Mighty Ducks franchise in the National Hockey League in 1993. Source: http://goducks.ocsn.com/genrel/ore-mascot.html

About Capital OneCapital One Financial Corporation (www.capitalone.com) is a holding company whose principal

subsidiaries, Capital One Bank and Capital One FSB, offer consumer lending products. Capital One, a

Fortune 500 company headquartered in McLean, Va., is one of the largest providers of MasterCard and

Visa credit cards in the world. Capital One trades on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol

“COF” and is included in the S&P 500 index. Capital One’s affiliation with college football began with

the sponsorship of the 2001 Capital One Florida Citrus Bowl (now the Capital One Bowl) and ESPN’s

Bowl Week. In addition, Capital One sponsors the ABC College Football Halftime Report and numerous

other college football programs.