The University of Memphis is advancing into the second round ofthe NCAA tournament. Well, not the entire team, but Pouncer is,according to mascot.net, a Website for mascots.
The U of M's mascot, Chris Kourvelas, otherwise known asPouncer, is currently in first place of the western bracket intheir unofficial public Web vote for favorite college mascot.
According to Kourvelas, he became Pouncer when the previousPouncer retired and the guy hired to proceed did not want tocontinue.
"I was kind of thrown into it, but it was something I reallywanted to do," Kourvelas said.
He was asked to come down to The Pyramid with no experience, andperformed the second half of the game against Temple in 2000.
"I've been a Tiger fan since I was a kid, and it had alwaysseemed like something fun to do," Kourvelas said.
Kourvelas said the best part of being The U of M's mascot istraveling with the teams.
"I've been everywhere from Milwaukee to New York. I just gotback from Oklahoma City. I also love entertaining the crowd andpicking on the opposing side's fans," Kourvelas said.
He said he has been known to hold up outspoken signs offans.
"There is a line, a very clear line, of what's acceptable andwhat's not, and I've definitely flirted with that line," Kourvelassaid.
According to Kourvelas, he often imitated referees until onetold him that he would "throw a technical" on him, so he has tonedthat down.
"I sprayed our baseball team with a water gun, and one guy gotpretty mad," Kourvelas said. The most trouble Kourvelas saidPouncer has ever gotten into was at the Memphis Cincinnati game,when he took the Cincinnati coach's dry erase board and ran offwith it.
"They told me if I didn't give it back they would kick me out,"Kourvelas said.
However, according to Kourvelas, the job of Pouncer isn't allfun and games.
"I would say the biggest challenge of my job is trying to maketime for appearances for every sport plus extra appearances. I'llget a call from someone wanting me to come to their child'sbirthday party months in advance and then there will be an alumnievent on the same day and sometimes I have to cancel on someone,"he said.
Kourvelas receives a full scholarship from the U of M SpiritSquad for his work as Pouncer, but is under University control andis required to attend all alumni events.
According to Kourvelas, he is free to charge if he wants for allappearances outside of University events, but most of his otherappearances are for charity.
"I've done everything from Jump Rope for Heart to Up 'Till Dawnto cancer awareness," Kourvelas said.
