While Penn State deals with its penalties and Jim Delany fights to become the first college conference dictator, another Big Ten storyline is developing.
Relax. This isn't as serious.
Two weeks ago, seven Big Ten mascots released yet another music video to Carly Rae Jepsen's "Call Me Maybe." The video featured Michigan State's Sparty, Minnesota's Goldy Gopher, Ohio State's Brutus Buckeye, Iowa's Herky The Hawk, Wisconsin's Bucky Badger, Penn State's Nittany Lion and both of Nebraska's mascots, Herbie Husker and Lil Red.
The mascots danced with students across their respective campus at both class buildings and athletic facilities. Herbie Husker also got touchy with what appeared to be Nebraska cheerleaders. Released on “TheRealSparty” YouTube channel, the video is approaching 300,000 views.
Left out of the video were mascots from Indiana, Illinois, Michigan, Purdue and Northwestern.
Illinois, Indiana and Michigan do not have costumed mascots, but apparently Purdue Pete and Willie the Wildcat took their absences personally. On Tuesday, the two schools joined forces to produce a music video of their own. Steering clear of the "Call Me Maybe" bandwagon, Pete and Willie staged their video to the tune of "Telephone" by Lady Gaga, perhaps sparking a new trend.
The video opens with Willie disgusted at not being included in the other mascots' video. Pete and Willie then engage in a variety of physical activities, which include Willie running up the stairs at Ryan Field, Pete pitching in the Alexander Field bullpen and both mascots lifting weights. Pete refuses to pick up the phone when the mascots from the group video call him, and Willie cannot go near a computer without seeing the video being played. Both try to dance off their anger.
The Big Ten Network says all of the conference mascots were invited to participate in the Carly Rae Jepsen video, but just seven chose to do so.
Due to the Big Ten's split into the Leaders and Legends Divisions in 2011, the two schools did not play each other in football last season and aren't scheduled to meet until Oct. 31, 2015 in Evanston, Ill. Pete and Willie have a long way to go before they meet on the field again.
