Georgia promotes ‘Russ’ to Uga IX
Despite the brown patch on his back, "Russ" had the interim title removed from his name and will officially become Uga IX. (AJC photo by Brant Sanderlin)
After two stints as the University of Georgia’s interim mascot, “Russ” will be promoted to Uga IX, the school announced Thursday.
Georgia, in a news release, termed the removal of Russ’ interim tag a “battlefield promotion.”
A ceremony will be held before the Sept. 15 football game against Florida Atlantic to crown Russ, the 8-year-old half-brother of Uga VII, as next in Georgia’s continuous 56-year line of official English Bulldog mascots.
“Like many great and memorable Bulldogs, Russ has earned the opportunity to serve in this capacity,” UGA president Michael Adams said in a statement. “I am confident that he will represent the Bulldog Nation very well and continue the grand tradition of Ugas.”
Russ first served as interim mascot following the November 2009 death of Uga VII, filling in for the final two games of that season and the first six games of 2010. Georgia turned the job over to Uga VIII in the middle of the 2010 season but again called on Russ when illness sidelined the new mascot from the 2010 Liberty Bowl. After Uga VIII’s death in February 2011, Russ remained interim mascot for all of last season.
Georgia is 14-9 with Russ on the job.
“Russ has endeared himself to the Georgia people over the last three years,” UGA athletic director Greg McGarity said in a statement. “His dedication to duty when called upon has been exemplary, and it’s fitting that he takes his place in the official line of Georgia mascots.”
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244 comments Add your comment
No surprise
August 30th, 2012
2:26 pm
Insider….michael adams was consulted on who spoke to the team?
I agree with your basic statement on the jerk actor, but enough already.
Go Dawgs!
Devil's Advocate
August 30th, 2012
2:26 pm
People keep throwing around “tradition” but can’t exactly agree on when a tradition starts…
G-Dawg
August 30th, 2012
2:29 pm
Said it before, and I’ll say it again….Alll mascots should reside in athens…not savannah!! UGA is one of my recognized mascots in the nation, and should go to all GA related events as a marketing tool. Recruiting trips, TD club meetings, fund raisers…to promote the University of GA within our state community. No reason to be sitting in the Seiler’s backyard 5 hrs away in Savanny. Waste of a resource, and DGD. Congrats to his Walk-On Scholarship!!
No surprise
August 30th, 2012
2:30 pm
gotta admit last years “Rise Up” Falcons commercial was cool, with Vince and all the famous people that appeared in the commercial.
too bad jerkoff jackson was narrator, but what are ya gonna do?
He can take his beret wearing butt to france for all i care.
Big Crimson 75
August 30th, 2012
2:31 pm
I still get a chuckle remembering the dog that went after the Auburn player.
Adam
August 30th, 2012
2:31 pm
Correct me if I’m wrong, but UGA 1 was not all white.
BRADDOG
August 30th, 2012
2:32 pm
Great Decision!! A walkon who came off the bench and answered the bell when his number was called!! Long Live UGA IV!!
We love him regardless of the haters
August 30th, 2012
2:34 pm
Cover of Sports Illustrated, role as himself in Clint Eastwood’s “Garden of Good and Evil” amongst many achievments……this is not an ordinary dog or mascot…..Uga is a STAR
hammerhead
August 30th, 2012
2:35 pm
I think Otto should be posthumously honored in the line of Uga’s.
Heyward Baxter
August 30th, 2012
2:35 pm
Roll tide ROLL
I did not know your mascot was an elephant (or elefant-your spelling). I thought your mascot was a roll of toilet paper & a box of detergent.
HBCU Fan
August 30th, 2012
2:35 pm
Can we have at least one black dog? Doggy rascism in running rampant at UGA.
been a few inbetween
August 30th, 2012
2:35 pm
Braddog….he’s Uga IX, not IV
russ
August 30th, 2012
2:35 pm
please dont let them paint my butt again!!!
woof
August 30th, 2012
2:38 pm
I’ll wait till all white “X” marks the Uga doghouse spot.
Find that dog
August 30th, 2012
2:39 pm
Where’s that puppy that Crowell held up on signing day 2 years ago?
He borrowed it from an alum.
That was a good looking all white pup
Uga X is coming
August 30th, 2012
2:41 pm
brown butts are fat and ugly
mini mi-mi
August 30th, 2012
2:52 pm
Why such old Bulldogs to assume the title?
GeorgiaGirl
August 30th, 2012
2:55 pm
@?, my point was directed to the people who claim Ga. has ALWAYS had a white Bulldog as a mascot., not true, that’s all
Russ named Uga IX |
August 30th, 2012
2:56 pm
[...] If you’ve been on the internet in the last three hours, you’ve seen that Russ has been n… [...]
airbagel
August 30th, 2012
2:56 pm
Mike, go deep into the traditions and we had many brindle mascots early on. I love russ a real looking junkyard dog.
DIT
August 30th, 2012
3:00 pm
@Big Crimson 75
____________
I agree my friend. That was classic. I remember that game well.
JoeCool23
August 30th, 2012
3:04 pm
Russ I.
The Riddler
August 30th, 2012
3:09 pm
He’s like a new Pope – he assume the UGA IX name.
7576DAWG
August 30th, 2012
3:10 pm
I do like the tradition of an all white Bulldog . It set us apart from all the other programs who’s mascot is a bulldog.
Even though I appreciate the Seiler family providing the bulldog to Georgia over the last half century , I would like our Vet Department to have that responsibility. It just doesn’t make since for Georgia to have such an outstanding Vet department and it not be responsible for providing the BullDawg.
UGA'91
August 30th, 2012
3:11 pm
Is it just me or has anybody else noticed that our mascots have died under mysterious circumstances since we beat Alabama? I’m just sayin.
I dropped my fried twinkie
August 30th, 2012
3:13 pm
UGA91…Your Dogs started dying after you lost to Kentucky
Beauty and Grace?
August 30th, 2012
3:15 pm
Word is that yours is too tiny to swing. Good luck with that!
girldawg
August 30th, 2012
3:16 pm
It was just meant to be! Russ is another one of our DGD’s
CrawforDawg
August 30th, 2012
3:18 pm
I’m in agreement…it’s about time. Reading between the lines though, one might conclude Sonny’s endeavors at running “genetic interference” have failed again this year.
I dropped my fried twinkie
August 30th, 2012
3:18 pm
Uga VII died a few days before the Kentucky loss
I dropped my fried twinkie
August 30th, 2012
3:23 pm
Russ
2009 2-0
2010 2-5
2011 10-4
Does Russ Uga IX start at 14-9 or 0-0?
cred
August 30th, 2012
3:27 pm
Being a Tech fan I have always thought that all UGA’s were the #1
mascot in the nation. Hard to say after getting bite in the a–
so many times.
MoMo
August 30th, 2012
3:34 pm
Awch!! this doesnt sound good! I think the Siler family has lost the blood line of Uga !! how you explain the inability to get a white puppy for the last year?? no full white puupies anymore!!
Dawg-Gawn
August 30th, 2012
3:39 pm
Excellent, well done UGA! It finally happened!
Campaign completed….. Russ is now, rightfully Uga IX…. Excellent DGD!
“Perfection is not attainable, but if we chase perfection we can catch excellence!”
~ Vince Lombardi
Now hire two analyst – one for special teams – one to team up with Bobo on game day!
“Respect Richard Samuel IV”
“Our Team, Our Time, No Regrets”
“Fan-Up” (Become a part of the team)
Believe in the “G”
Brock
August 30th, 2012
3:43 pm
Way to go Russ! We are the Georgia Bulldogs, not the Georgia Albino Bulldogs. Long may he hunker!
WDE
August 30th, 2012
3:46 pm
Russ best of luck ! Remember to bite a Barner every chance you get…
A. Bishop
August 30th, 2012
4:07 pm
I like this because it is healthier than the all white dogs. I’m not to informed on breeding practices but it seems like the past few Ugas have been very unhealthy from the start.
Bill Stanfill
August 30th, 2012
4:19 pm
Russ takes nothing for granted. Life has been no bowl of cherries for this young man. But he shows up early and stays late. His work ethic has trumped mere beauty. This young man has earned his way to the top. “It’s NOT who you know; it’s who you are on the inside that counts.”
Long may you reign, Russ! Long may you reign!
Seriously
August 30th, 2012
4:20 pm
Insider – Please don’t try to turn this into a political debate
BigGAdawg
August 30th, 2012
4:39 pm
About DGD time!!!
WOOF WOOF WOOF!!!
Left Coast Dawg
August 30th, 2012
4:50 pm
That’s it! Now we’re a lock for a National Championship!
All Hail UGA!!!
Lomax
August 30th, 2012
4:53 pm
Poor Russ! This is surely the kiss of death. BTW, that last one was closer to a hog than a dawg.
UGA89
August 30th, 2012
4:59 pm
I don’t get it. Last year the Seilers said they had a puppy they were grooming to be the next UGA. We were told that the reason we had Russ was so that the puppy could get older and that was why we went without our official mascot all last year. What happened between then and now???
anotherdawg
August 30th, 2012
5:03 pm
Cool thing was he never uttered one word of discontent.
anotherdawg
August 30th, 2012
5:07 pm
In spite of our recent problems, we’ve come a long way from a goat.
Jacket Fan
August 30th, 2012
5:12 pm
Cute pup
@UGA89
August 30th, 2012
5:15 pm
The NCAA and the NAACP# are pleased with our compliance with doggie affirmative action.
# National Association for the Advancement of cool puppies
Old Feller
August 30th, 2012
5:20 pm
My grandma used to say that you can always judge a man by how he treats children and animals. Dogs are great.
TossSweep
August 30th, 2012
5:26 pm
I hate to poop at the party but I think we need to find a better bulldog breeder than the Siler family. Last three have been sickly. This half-brother of Uga VII proves he’s healthier and stronger than the last three. This one is 8 years old and still kicking.
TossSweep
August 30th, 2012
5:28 pm
and just to add…Stop inbreeding the damn dogs just to get them bigger, whiter, and stouter. They don’t last long.