Ralphie Heads to San Antonio
December 23, 2016 | Ralphie
BOULDER - The Colorado Buffaloes football team was allotted 15 extra-practices in preparation for the Dec. 29 Valero Alamo Bowl against Oklahoma State. They wrap up their final practices at home this week before they leave Saturday for San Antonio to finish the remaining four practices in Texas. Â
But the real question is: how many practices is their beloved live mascot allowed to prepare?
"We have had two extra practices to get Ralphie and the handlers ready to go to the Alamo Bowl," said John Graves, the Program Manager of the Ralphie Live Mascot Program. "We would've had three but the snow cancelled our practice but we'll have another practice the day before the game as well at the Alamodome."
That's right. Ralphie V is heading to San Antonio to lead her fellow Buffaloes out onto the field to take on former Big 12 rival Oklahoma State.
A Ralphie has run at all of Colorado's bowl games since the Ralphie tradition started in 1967, with the exception of two Aloha Bowls. That is a total of 23 bowl games, with an additional four Big 12 Conference Championship games (she did not travel to the Pac-12 Championship this season).
In her nine seasons as mascot for Colorado, Ralphie V is no stranger to running at different events and venues, having run at events such as the Fourth of July, the National Western Stock Show, pep rallies, soccer games, lacrosse games, and of course football games at both Folsom Field and Mile High.
This will be Ralphie V's first bowl game and her first time running outside of Colorado.
As Ralphie leads the football team onto the field, she will be making a left turn rather than her normal right turn seen in Folsom Field. This type of run is not new to the handlers or to Ralphie, as they practice this run during the year. When Ralphie runs at the National Western Stock Show, she also makes the left turn.
"Fans only know that Ralphie can turn right because that's all they've see at Folsom Field," said Graves. "But the handlers and Ralphie have also practice turning left – not much is different about it other than how we turn; the other guy goes one way as opposed to going the other way."
But it won't just be the left turn fans should be expecting to be different for Ralphie. The beloved mascot will be beginning and ending her run in the same corner of the dome.
"The other thing that will be different about this run is that her pin where she starts will actually be right next to the trailer that she'll finish in," Graves said. "She's basically starting and stopping from the same corner of the field."
Her journey to Texas isn't as simple as loading her into the trailer and hopping on Route 36. In fact, Graves had to get approval and request permits to make the trip happen.
"A lot of approval we have to get is through the United States Department of Agriculture and from the Department of Transportation," he said. "We've gotten all those permits and the clearance so we'll be looking forward to a nice, fun trip down to San Antonio."
Ralphie's safety and wellbeing on the trip to San Antonio remains at the upmost priority to her handlers. Because of past events related to Ralphie traveling to away football games, her travel and ranch she will be staying at in Texas will be kept secret.
And as the football team prepares for their first time playing on artificial turf this season, Ralphie will be doing the same. But don't be surprised to see her stampeding through the dome at a quicker speed says Graves.
"She's run on artificial turf before so it shouldn't be an issue for her," he said. "She'll actually have better traction on the artificial turf then she will on the real grass."
BUFFALO SIGHTING – Don't want to miss a moment of Ralphie in Texas? Be sure to check out the Buff Bash on Dec. 29 as Ralphie will be making an appearance at the CU Alumni Association's Buff Bash from 5 pm to 6:30. Later that day, Ralphie will lead the football team onto the field of the Alamodome for the 8 pm kickoff time. Also, her handlers will be joining the band and cheer team at Rudy's Bar-B-Q Pep Rally on Dec. 27 at 5 pm.
@CUBuffsRalphie – Be sure to follow Ralphie on her social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@CUBuffsRalphie) to get updates on her preparation for the bowl game and her travel from Colorado to Texas.
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But the real question is: how many practices is their beloved live mascot allowed to prepare?
"We have had two extra practices to get Ralphie and the handlers ready to go to the Alamo Bowl," said John Graves, the Program Manager of the Ralphie Live Mascot Program. "We would've had three but the snow cancelled our practice but we'll have another practice the day before the game as well at the Alamodome."
That's right. Ralphie V is heading to San Antonio to lead her fellow Buffaloes out onto the field to take on former Big 12 rival Oklahoma State.
A Ralphie has run at all of Colorado's bowl games since the Ralphie tradition started in 1967, with the exception of two Aloha Bowls. That is a total of 23 bowl games, with an additional four Big 12 Conference Championship games (she did not travel to the Pac-12 Championship this season).
In her nine seasons as mascot for Colorado, Ralphie V is no stranger to running at different events and venues, having run at events such as the Fourth of July, the National Western Stock Show, pep rallies, soccer games, lacrosse games, and of course football games at both Folsom Field and Mile High.
This will be Ralphie V's first bowl game and her first time running outside of Colorado.
As Ralphie leads the football team onto the field, she will be making a left turn rather than her normal right turn seen in Folsom Field. This type of run is not new to the handlers or to Ralphie, as they practice this run during the year. When Ralphie runs at the National Western Stock Show, she also makes the left turn.
"Fans only know that Ralphie can turn right because that's all they've see at Folsom Field," said Graves. "But the handlers and Ralphie have also practice turning left – not much is different about it other than how we turn; the other guy goes one way as opposed to going the other way."
But it won't just be the left turn fans should be expecting to be different for Ralphie. The beloved mascot will be beginning and ending her run in the same corner of the dome.
"The other thing that will be different about this run is that her pin where she starts will actually be right next to the trailer that she'll finish in," Graves said. "She's basically starting and stopping from the same corner of the field."
Her journey to Texas isn't as simple as loading her into the trailer and hopping on Route 36. In fact, Graves had to get approval and request permits to make the trip happen.
"A lot of approval we have to get is through the United States Department of Agriculture and from the Department of Transportation," he said. "We've gotten all those permits and the clearance so we'll be looking forward to a nice, fun trip down to San Antonio."
Ralphie's safety and wellbeing on the trip to San Antonio remains at the upmost priority to her handlers. Because of past events related to Ralphie traveling to away football games, her travel and ranch she will be staying at in Texas will be kept secret.
And as the football team prepares for their first time playing on artificial turf this season, Ralphie will be doing the same. But don't be surprised to see her stampeding through the dome at a quicker speed says Graves.
"She's run on artificial turf before so it shouldn't be an issue for her," he said. "She'll actually have better traction on the artificial turf then she will on the real grass."
BUFFALO SIGHTING – Don't want to miss a moment of Ralphie in Texas? Be sure to check out the Buff Bash on Dec. 29 as Ralphie will be making an appearance at the CU Alumni Association's Buff Bash from 5 pm to 6:30. Later that day, Ralphie will lead the football team onto the field of the Alamodome for the 8 pm kickoff time. Also, her handlers will be joining the band and cheer team at Rudy's Bar-B-Q Pep Rally on Dec. 27 at 5 pm.
@CUBuffsRalphie – Be sure to follow Ralphie on her social media accounts on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram (@CUBuffsRalphie) to get updates on her preparation for the bowl game and her travel from Colorado to Texas.
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