Doggy style
The life and times of JMU’s furry mascot
Posted on February 11, 2008
The Duke Dog wows crowds at every game, but the man behind the mask remains a mystery.
The student who acts as Duke Dog, whom will be known as Elliot Finnigan for the purpose of this article, has had his ups and downs.
“My absolute worst experience was trying to start ‘the wave’ at a football game this past season,” Finnigan said. “I was running back and forth in front of the student section throwing my ‘paws’ up and down trying to get the crowd into it. During one of my attempts I tripped over Duke Dog’s gigantic feet and ate the pavement. You probably laughed if you saw it. I got up and went to hug one of the cheerleaders to try to play it off, but I don’t think it worked.”
It wasn’t all hard. Finnigan had high points in his career as well.
“A great experience I had as Duke Dog was crowd surfing after a men’s basketball game last year. There is no better feeling than having hundreds of students and fans throwing you up and down, celebrating a victory. I’ve also had the opportunity to represent JMU in different parades. The last one I stood on top of the bed of a truck and went crazy in front of thousands of people. It was awesome. I love signing autographs for little kids. It’s pretty difficult, but totally worth it.”
The Duke Dog attends every men and women’s basketball game and every football game, but he also makes appearances at certain JMU athletic contests and other events in the community such as parades and alumni gatherings. He is also available to attend certain business and private functions by request through the marketing department.
“Duke Dog must be personable, work well under time restraints and pressure, represent the Dukes and JMU in a professional manner and have a good sense of comedic timing,” said Alyssa Gerlando, the Duke Dog’s manager. “Duke Dog does not go through any formal physical training.”
Despite the difficulty, demand for the job is high.
“I was transferring to JMU last year and was looking for on-campus jobs,” Finnigan said.
“My mom found the ‘Duke Dog’ position and recommended it to me. I loved the idea! I figured that since I was a cheerleader and mascot in high school, it would be a perfect job for me. It is an awesome, extraordinary honor to represent the JMU community. I love every second of it!”
