Writer / Christy Heitger-Ewing Photography Provided by Amy Payne & the Indianapolis Colts
“I felt like I had more in the tank,” he says.
A number of former Aubies had gone on to become professional mascots so he followed in their footsteps and became the Atlanta Falcon’s mascot in 2004 and the Buffalo Bill’s mascot in 2005. Neither felt like the right fit for him, however, so he moved back home to Marietta, Georgia, and was considering going back to school “He was hilarious, and I thought that looked when the phone rang in March 2006. The like fun so I set out to learn how mascoting Indianapolis Colts had plans to launch their works,” says Mock, who, his sophomore own mascot and encouraged him to apply year, auditioned and landed one of four for the position. Mock was flattered but student slots who shared the costume. uninterested and declined the offer. They told him that if he changed his mind to “I learned a lot about how to become a submit his resume by a certain date. That mascot and performer while at Auburn,” night, he found himself sketching out Blue says Mock, who, in 2003, won the on a legal pad, and over the next few days, Collegiate Nationals Mascot championship. he felt conflicted. Since Auburn’s rule only allows a student to act as mascot for a two-year term, when “The night before the application due date, I he finished his second year, he didn’t want had this overwhelming dread wash over me to quit. that I had made a mistake,” Mock says. When Trey Mock attended freshman orientation at Auburn University, his eyes immediately gravitated to Aubie the Tiger, the university’s mascot who was both athletic and entertaining.
40 / GEIST MAGAZINE / SEPTEMBER 2020 / atGeist.com
He shared his regret with his dad, who told him to get his resume together. He then drove his son to the Atlanta airport so he could ensure his package made it on a FedEx plane to arrive in Indy the next day. “That’s a small ounce of the support my parents have given me through the years,” Mock adds. Reviewing resumes and highlight tapes, the Colts narrowed the field down to 58 people, then from there cut it to 12. They flew in their top five to perform a two-minute skit and impromptu session, followed by an interview. The next day, they offered him the position. Mock shared his sketch of Blue with the organization and explained the type of character he envisioned. “They initially wanted a rough, tough, mean mascot because that’s football, but I got
