Does new WuShock have surfer-dude hair?

WuShock’s streamlined new look, unveiled last weekend, might disappoint some Shocker fans who liked the quirky — OK, downright weird and scary — appearance of the old Wumeister.
But face it: When the venerable Wichita State University mascot keeps falling down on the sidelines and can’t get up, it doesn’t exactly inspire fear. Something needed to be done.
The new design’s shorter head and lighter, more mobile suit should help Wu pull his weight as team mascot and cheerleader.
Still, WSU really should consider bringing back the hula skirt — that really messed with the minds of opposing teams.
Posted by Randy Scholfield

10 Comments

  1. raptor
    Posted October 17, 2006 at 7:18 am | Permalink

    Not much you can do with a shock of wheat, I guess…..

  2. JM
    Posted October 17, 2006 at 8:48 am | Permalink

    This is one instance where the name of the University’s team is cooler than the mascot (Shockers.)

    I agree with raptor, not much you can do with a shock of wheat.

  3. outlander
    Posted October 17, 2006 at 12:10 pm | Permalink

    You know, a big lightning bolt on the shirt might be a nice touch. It would provide an alternative “shocker” concept, as well as an explanation for the bad hair.

  4. ddub
    Posted October 17, 2006 at 12:53 pm | Permalink

    Bring back the Wu of the ’80s and ’90s, the one who looked like he was about to rip your f*&$!ng head off. That was a badass mascot.

  5. Wichitagirl
    Posted October 17, 2006 at 3:47 pm | Permalink

    For starters, WuShock is such a stupid name. Next, the whole shock of wheat theme is ridiculous. Can’t they come up with something more powerful than a shock of wheat? How about a poll to come up with a new name? How about the WSU Shockwaves? It’s better than “WuShock”.

  6. showtime
    Posted October 17, 2006 at 6:55 pm | Permalink

    First off, if they were going to change the mascot, it probably would’ve been during the late Wichita University or early WSU years. But, to the main point, yes. The new WuShock looks like he just got off his surfboard (maybe they should think of adding just to go along with the hair.) He kind of looks like Alex from “Two A Days”. I actually would’ve taken last year’s Wu over this one, as creepy as it was. Oh, and yes, the lightning bolt would be a good touch, just depends on how they would design it to go with the new or next Wu.

  7. J M Walker
    Posted October 17, 2006 at 9:13 pm | Permalink

    “Not much you can do with a shock of wheat, I guess…..”

    Come on, people . . . think! Paint with it, smoke it, eat it, make a thatched roof out of it, use it as fertilizer, mix it with mud and make a house, and, last but not least, wipe your ass with it.

  8. vincentvg
    Posted October 19, 2006 at 3:10 am | Permalink

    Still looks like crap. WSU can’t make an exciting mascot to save their life. The mascot has a great name, but they need to update his appearance really bad. Seems like there are a few people at WSU who are afraid of change.

  9. ksangostic
    Posted October 19, 2006 at 6:55 am | Permalink

    I have never understood why the WSU mascot was a shambling shock of wheat in the first place. If Nebraska had done the same thing, a Cornhusker would have been a walking ear of corn. Why not have the mascot be a burly guy with a wheatshock and a lightning bolt on his overalls?

  10. Francisco Sebastian Dominquez D'Anconia
    Posted October 28, 2006 at 2:16 am | Permalink

    vincentvg:

    Nebraska’s mascot is the Cornhusker. Not the Corn. A CornHUSKER is someone who removes the husks from corn…a person. Sometimes this person is burly, and has blonde hair.

    The Wichita State Shocker is meant to resemble a “shock”, which I guess is some kind of bundle, of wheat. If you want to step it up a notch go with an actual shock of wheat as your mascot. Put it on display at sporting events, make millions for your athletic program with the huge boom in apparel sales. Perhaps secure it with a yellow and black ribbon.