By Kolin Kriner
A bird that should fly above the competition got shot down by a dog and now I have a problem with UAlbany — and Instagram.
Burghy, the bright pride and joy of SUNY Plattsburgh losing to a boring, bleak and lame great dane named Damien was probably the worst thing to happen to me this semester.
SUNY Mascot Madness is a yearly battle between mascots across the SUNY System to determine which mascot is the champion.
Plattsburgh won the web vote, but of course we can’t have nice things. Around the corner UAlbany pulled a carpet from under our feet and won the social media voting, causing us to fall out of our chance of entering the final four for this year’s SUNY Mascot Madness. The score ended up being 15,688 for Burghy, and 16,146 for Damien.
Damien is ugly, can I just say? A solid two going against the ten that is our beloved mascot, left to the demise of a school with a student population nearly three times the size of our own.
I also can’t forget to mention the fact that Damien’s ears are clipped. It’s 2025 UAlbany, do better.
Burghy has charisma and so much life. Damien is a plain dog. This hit harder than the 2024 election and I am trying my best not to push for a recount of the votes.
At least it was a close race. I’d say we’re the underdog, although I don’t want the term “dog” used in reference to Burghy in any way given the circumstances. The margins were close, but it unfortunately wasn’t enough.
I ask you, students of SUNY Plattsburgh, to join me in voting against UAlbany during the final four round. Ensure that Damien has the same fate we do, simply as a punishment to UAlbany for crushing Burghy’s dreams of being the champion we all know he could — and should — have been.
