The Georgia Institute of Technology, commonly known as Georgia Tech, is a renowned university located in Atlanta, Georgia. One unique aspect of the university is its impressive mascot. The official mascot of Georgia Tech is the Yellow Jacket. The Yellow Jacket, a type of wasp commonly found in the southeastern United States, was chosen as the mascot due to its aggressive nature and ability to defend itself. It represents the university's dedication to strength, determination, and resilience. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket serves as a symbol of pride for the university community.
Cheerleaders and photographers should fear the Buzz. Lance King/Getty Images
We all know and love the hilarious and energetic Yellow Jacket that pumps up the crowds at sporting events and lifts up the spirits of Tech students. Editor s note Welcome to the third installment of Mascot Memoirs, in which NCAA mascots from around the country relive their fondest memories from behind the mask.
The Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket serves as a symbol of pride for the university community. It is often seen at sporting events, where it energizes the crowd and unites fans in support of the Yellow Jackets teams. The mascot's spirited and lively demeanor represents the enthusiasm and passion of the Georgia Tech community.
Mascot Memoirs: Buzz, Georgia Tech
Editor's note: Welcome to the third installment of "Mascot Memoirs," in which NCAA mascots from around the country relive their fondest memories from behind the mask. Previously, we checked in with Michigan State’s Sparty and Notre Dame's leprechaun.
Here’s a secret you may not know about Buzz, Georgia Tech’s yellow jacket mascot: He’s actually played by multiple students, one per quarter during a typical football game.
Here’s another secret: those students’ identities. So the only facts we can reveal about one Buzz we spoke to is that he’s a fifth-year biology major, premed, and this is his second year donning the wings and stinger.
Why is a full colony of yellow jackets necessary?
“He’s super-curious, super-hyper and crazy unpredictable,” Buzz says. "You have to do full sprints, jump up walls and run through people. It gets very tiring -- and it’s very, very hot in Atlanta.”
As the Buzzes prepare to invade El Paso, Texas, for the Sun Bowl versus USC on New Year's Eve, our Buzz correspondent relived some of his most memorable moments:
• Date: Sept. 10, 2011
• Where: Murfreesboro, Tenn.
• Event: Georgia Tech football beats Middle Tennessee State 49-21
Buzz says: “It was my first away game. Usually when we score, I run the flag through the end zone and the cheerleaders come after me and run tumbling passes. Instead of turning around and going outside the end zone, I just turned 180 degrees and ran directly back. I forgot the cheerleaders were doing tumbling passes. One was doing a round-off back handspring and going up for a back tuck. As she was coming for her back tuck, I ran full speed into her with the giant GT flag and pretty much caused her to face-plant into the end zone. All I remember was, I thought, ‘Oh God, I killed a cheerleader.’ It was bad.
“I asked the coach later and she said, ‘She’s OK, she’s a little hurt, but don’t do that again.’ That’s an inside joke that we keep bringing up … that we should do that to a cheerleading freshman, just run into them with a flag.”
The upset over Clemson led to spontaneous crowd surfing. Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images
• Date: Oct. 29, 2011
• Where: Atlanta
• Event: Georgia Tech football upsets fifth-ranked Clemson 31-17
Buzz says: “I had first quarter of that game. It was electric. Nighttime at Bobby Dodd Stadium -- it was crazy, super-loud, everybody is jazzed up. People were throwing me up, [I was] crowd surfing . it was so incredibly loud.
"You’re standing on a wall and you’re waving your arms and pumping everyone up and you’re getting energized. I was able to contribute to making it super-loud and it helped the football players feed off of that. Even though we didn’t end the season as well as expected, playing a role in that upset was incredible. We stormed the field, and my teammate in the fourth quarter was crowd surfing for a good 30 minutes. No one would let him down.”
• Date: Spring 2012
• Where: Georgia
• Event: Buzz and friends visit an ill fan.
Buzz says: “Earlier this year, there was a man named Mr. Marshall. He asked for Buzz at his 95th birthday party, but before the party he had a heart attack. He was hooked up to oxygen at his house and had his caretakers around. When we found out about it, we sent myself with a cheerleader and a whole bunch of GT goodies.
"We visited him in his house. He looked very ill. When he saw me and the cheerleader, he started smiling and crying. Just for me to be able to be there for 10 minutes and make him smile and cry from joy, that was one of my most meaningful moments. It shows you as a mascot what you can do. It was very humbling.”
• Date: Oct. 21, 2012
• Where: Atlanta
• Event: RamblinWreckTube, the GT Athletic Association’s YouTube channel, posts a “Gangnam Style” parody video starring cheerleaders and athletes like GT offensive lineman J.C. Lanier.
Buzz says: “We wanted to increase school spirit; it’s been a tough year for us. We filmed it on two days and put it together. It’s up to over 30,000 views. Especially for Tech being a small school, I heard buzz around campus that it was popular on Facebook.
"When someone says, 'You see the "Gangnam Style" video? It’s awesome!' I’m like two rows behind them eating lunch and laughing to myself, saying they have no idea that’s me. I guess that’s one of the benefits of being a secret mascot.”
• Date: Oct. 27, 2012
• Where: Atlanta, Ga.
• Event: BYU defeats Georgia Tech football 41-17
Cheerleaders and photographers should fear the Buzz. Lance King/Getty Images
Buzz says: “I’m in the student section, pumping them up. I think we scored a touchdown -- I ran to the corner and do pushups on something called a Buzz board. When I jumped over the wall, I thought I probably just hit one of the stages for the band and ran to my corner.
"[Later] my boss asked me, ‘Do you know what you did?’ I landed on a photographer and broke his $8,000 camera.
"My first reaction was, ‘Oh geez, not me. Why me?’ He was upset. Luckily for me, I didn’t get in trouble. They had to sign paperwork for liability for being on the field. I felt really bad.”
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In addition to sporting events, the Yellow Jacket mascot can be found at various university events and traditions. It makes appearances at orientation sessions, alumni reunions, and even at academic ceremonies such as convocations and graduation ceremonies. This presence reflects the mascot's role in cultivating a sense of unity and school spirit among students, alumni, and faculty. The Yellow Jacket costume consists of a black and gold bodysuit, representing the official school colors. It also features a large headpiece resembling a wasp's head and a pair of signature wings. The mascot costume is carefully crafted to match the true appearance of a Yellow Jacket while being friendly and approachable. Furthermore, the Yellow Jacket mascot is not only limited to physical appearances but is also active on various social media platforms. It interacts with students, alumni, and fans across the globe, sharing updates, event information, and engaging in discussions with the community. Overall, the Georgia Tech Yellow Jacket serves as an important symbol of pride, unity, and team spirit for the entire Georgia Tech community. Its energetic persona and dedication to representing the university's values make it an integral part of the Georgia Tech experience..
Reviews for "From Mythology to Mascot: Exploring the Origins of Georgia Tech's Yellow Jacket"
1. Jennifer - 1 star
I was really disappointed with the Georgia Institute of Technology mascot. It was just a giant, lifeless robot that didn't seem to have any personality or charm. It didn't engage with the crowd at all during the game and felt disconnected from the spirit of the team. I was hoping for a mascot that would bring some energy and excitement to the game, but this one fell flat. Overall, it was a major letdown and didn't add any value to my experience at the game.
2. Michael - 2 stars
I have to say that the Georgia Institute of Technology mascot was quite underwhelming. As someone who enjoys the enthusiasm that mascots can bring to a game, I was disappointed by the lack of energy and interaction from this mascot. It merely stood on the sidelines, occasionally waving to the crowd without any real purpose or significance. I was hoping for a mascot that would get the crowd pumped up and engaged, but this one didn't deliver. It felt like a missed opportunity to have a memorable and engaging presence at the game.
3. Samantha - 1 star
The Georgia Institute of Technology mascot was a complete bore. It lacked any sort of creativity or uniqueness that you would expect from a university with such a storied history. The choice of a robot as a mascot seemed lazy and uninspired. The robot didn't even have any distinctive features or characteristics, making it forgettable and uninteresting. It was just a generic robot that didn't contribute anything meaningful to the game or the university's spirit. I was extremely disappointed with the lack of effort put into creating a memorable mascot for Georgia Tech.
4. David - 2 stars
I was not impressed with the Georgia Institute of Technology mascot. It was essentially just a giant robot that didn't do anything to engage with the crowd or add any excitement to the game. It felt like a missed opportunity to have a mascot that represents the university's spirit and tradition. The robot didn't display any unique qualities or characteristics that made it stand out. Overall, it was an underwhelming mascot that didn't contribute much to the overall game experience.