STARKVILLE, Miss. – Mississippi State fans will have the rare opportunity to witness the passing of the harness, a ceremony that retires one bulldog and crowns another as the official MSU mascot.
According the University, Bully XXI, also known as Jak, is set to accept mascot duties from his father Champ Saturday during Super Bulldog Weekend.
Father and son will take the field together before the spring football game said official MSU Mascot handler Lisa Pritchard.
“We’ll do the exchanging of the harnesses, and after I transfer the harness from Champ to Jak, Champ will go into official full retirement,” Pritchard said. “There will be no more appearances for Champ.”
The pup will be only six months old when he takes over the job.
“He’s learning to sit and stay,” Pritchard said. “And he’s also training for noise and crowds and being around people and children.”
Jak’s responsibilities will be similar to those of previous mascots, she said.
“He’ll do the same things Champ did and Tonka before him—going to all the football games, going to baseball and softball until it gets really warm, visiting elementary schools and going to nursing homes,” she continued. “It’s a busy life.”
But that won’t be the case for his nine and a half-year-old dad, Champ.
Once in retirement, said Pritchard, he’ll enjoy the “easy life” which includes living with his handler and relaxing in a recliner while watching ESPN.
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