From 'Cock Commander' to 'Cluck Norris': How USC's search for a new name for its rooster mascot descended into FARCE
The University of South Carolina has decided to rename their live rooster mascot following a rather bizarre dispute between the bird's former owners and its current owners. Mary Snelling and Ron Albertelli, the former owners of the rooster, do not find it amusing that its new caretakers, the Clarks, have refused to cut the comb on top of its head which was earlier shaped to replicate a fighting gamecock.
Naming rights between the University and Albertelli's have expired and the latter have not shown interest in renewing rights following the changes made to the rooster, leading to the university looking for a new name for the bird that will be in play before their opening footballl game against Georgia state on September 3.
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With Sir Big Spur, the rooster in question, needing a new name on an urgent basis, The State put together a list of ten names before asking readers for their opinions and suggestions. At the time, 'Cock Commander' topped the list of names with 78% votes followed by 'Cluck Norris', 'Coop', 'General', 'Cock-a-doodle-dude' respectively.
The name 'Big Spur' was a fan favorite but is off limits since the rights to this name was not owned by the USC. Sir Big Spur can not be renamed the same due to the rights of that name belonging to neither the owner nor the university.
With the identity of Sir Big Spur gone, it is the end of an era for Gamecock fans. The bird first appeared in 1999 at a USC baseball game. Sir Big Spur made his football debut in 2006. In 2020, he was sent on a small break due to Covid restrictions that said live mascots were banned during games for the time being. But he returned in 2021 and will do so in 2022 and the proceeding years as well, although he would no longer have his old identity.