Bradley University unveiled its new Gargoyle mascot 'Kaboom!' Saturday night before the men's basketball game against the Loyola University, Chicago.
Deemed the scariest mascot in the college's history, the name of the school's new representative is derived from a word used by the Hall of Fame Voice of the Braves, Dave Snell. Snell used the word to energetically describe slam dunks during Bradley men's basketball games since the late 1970s.
"It fits in the sweet spot between powerful, fierce, intimidating and approachable," Bradley athletics director Dr. Michael Cross said. "I don't know if I'd use the word cuddly, because it's a rock, when it's all said and done, but it's something that will work very well in different settings," Journal Star reports.
Cross said that 'Kaboom!' not only represents Bradley Beavers but the entire institution. The new ambassador of the University will greet visitors and will also grace home athletic events, campus activities and various community events.
Kaboom! was designed after the gargoyle, The Thinker, that sits atop the Hayden-Clark Alumni Center and watches over Bradley's west side of campus. The architecture of Bradley campus features four gargoyles, two on Bradley Hall and two on the Hayden-Clark Alumni Center.
The Peoria private university has not had a mascot since 2000. Prior to the Gargoyle, Bobcat was the university's mascot. Introduced in 1996, the Bobcat was disliked and was eventually terminated around 2000.
"We got a lot of feedback throughout the process about interest in having a mascot," Cross said. "We heard very and loud and clear from students. We heard very and loud clear from faculty, staff and from alumni that was important piece of what they wanted to see Bradley have in its representation."
The unveiling ceremony of the school's new mascot Jan 22 received mixed reactions from the fans of Bradley Beavers. While some of the kids, aged 6 to 12 found the terrifying mascot 'cool', 'buff', 'weird', and 'funny-looking,' others said it looked like a 'stone dragon', 'a grey bat' and 'a monster with muscles'.
"It's not that it's a bad thing, it's just really unexpected," a 12-year-old said.
@BradleyKaboom We loved meeting you tonight at the @bradleyu game tonight! #AllAboutTheB #futurebrave #RISEoftheRED pic.twitter.com/V9zyxn5pnK
— Lindsay Anderson (@lindsaya525) February 23, 2014
