You know what's a bad ass? The UNC Mascot

So, I was perusing the damn-fine football blog EDSBS* this morning, and there was a posting from last night regarding the North Carolina-Florida State game.** Specifically, in the humorous preview of the game, there was a section discussing the respective mascots: for FSU, the Seminole; and, for UNC, the ram. Orson brought up something that I had completely forgotten:  Rameses XVIII got his current gig as mascot by killing his father.

Stop this pissed off sheep before it kills again.***

I did a little more reading on it, and I am just amazed at how little pub this mean-ass goat got. According to the good ole' Wiki, the Bighorn Sheep can weigh 300 pounds, with horns topping out at over 30 pounds. And, of course, they are known for their violent collisions with one another for dominance and mating. "Prior to the mating season or rut, the rams attempt to establish a dominance hierarchy that determines access to ewes for mating. It is during the prerut period that most of the characteristic horn clashing occurs between rams, although this behavior may occur to a limited extent throughout the year."

Does this look like the face of a killer? Actually, if it wants to get laid, it sure is.

It was during one of these dominance displays that Pablo a/k/a Rameses XVIII killed his sire, then-mascot Rameses the XVII. "Rameses and Pablo shared a field at Hogan's farm outside Carrboro. On April 13, they butted heads, as rams are occasionally wont. This particular collision was so jarring that it snapped off one of the older ram's horns. An infection set-in and despite the antibiotics, it wasn't enough. Rameses died 10 days later." Holy hell.

I decided to check out for myself some of these violent collisions, and I've decided that I'd rather break up a pit bull fight first****. These mean bastards use dirty tricks, hits from behinds, double-teams, kick each other in the balls, and blast one other with their double-layered skulls. Check out the Nat Geo video below...

Dominance displays, violence to get laid, tenacious...how is this different from us?

*Seriously, Spencer Hall (Orson Swindle) does a great job. Fine writing no matter the genre, and genuinely piss-your-pants funny.

** Immaterial to this post, but FSU stormed back from 18 points down and won 30-27, thus lining my pockets with lucre, as I had the 'Noles at a 2.5 point underdog. Whoot

*** Dear god, those balls are obscene...Someone get Rameses some boxers!

*** Once, while (potentially) breaking federal laws by hiking in a restricted area of the Badlands, a bighorn sheep blocked my way to the vehicle...staring at me, grunting/snorting and pawing the ground very agitatedly. Had a ewe not caught his eye, I think he would have charged me...I have never been so scared of animal, either before or since. Moral of the story? Some areas are labeled "Restricted" for a very good reason.