The relentless curse of the mummified remains has long been a topic of fascination and horror. Throughout history, tales of cursed mummies have captured the imaginations of people around the world. From the ancient tombs of Egypt to the unexplored caverns of South America, stories of the wrathful spirits and supernatural powers associated with mummified remains have been passed down through generations. The belief in curses, particularly those connected to mummies, has its roots in ancient Egyptian beliefs and rituals. According to their beliefs, the pharaohs and high-ranking individuals were mummified and buried with valuable possessions to provide for them in the afterlife. It was believed that disturbing these sacred burial sites would bring about a curse that would befall anyone who entered.
Said Jay Williams, “It was an honor to be the first Tiger Cub.” “It was exciting to create a personality and see the kids faces. The Tiger is more traditional, the fighting Tiger, but I am an innocent, playful childlike mascot that the smaller kids really enjoy. The Cub adds a new dimension and means of interacting with the crowd.”
The Eye of the Tiger will always shine bright for the Clemson mascot due to an endowment set-up by Stuart McWhorter 88-89 and his father Clayton in 1995. You may have been scared then, but back in 2014, you were named number four on CBS Sports s list of the top ten scariest mascots in college football.
It was believed that disturbing these sacred burial sites would bring about a curse that would befall anyone who entered. These curses were said to cause illness, madness, and even death. Perhaps the most famous example of a mummy curse is the "Curse of the Pharaohs.
Meet “the Tiger,” Clemson’s Mascot
Huge yellow eyes, highlighter orange fur, and an equally bright jersey to match—Clemson’s mascot, “the Tiger,” is hard to miss as he rallies Clemson fans on gameday and silently wreaks havoc on the sidelines. On Monday night, the Tiger will do just that during his fourth appearance at the College Football Playoff National Championship in the last five years (including wins in both 2017 and 2019), a track record that has established him as something of an elder statesman of cheering on the game. For the first time, though, this 2020 match will pit tiger against tiger, as LSU sharpens their claws to take down the reigning champs. Here, the Tiger takes us through how he’s earned his stripes—and how he’s preparing for Monday night.
Age: 66 (“If you’re a history buff,” the Tiger says, “we have a book, Clemson Through the Eyes of The Tiger. It’s our mascot heritage book that gives you all the details about when it first began and personal reflections of former mascots.”)
Height: 6 feet 1 inch
Weight: 260 to 270 pounds
How do you prepare for a big game?
Definitely make sure that I’m in shape, because being a mascot is not for the faint of heart. In terms of preparing, the main things are: Hydrate to be great, do your pushups (because we plan on doing plenty), and then bring the energy. Bring your enthusiasm, and bring the party. You are the life of the party.
You mentioned push-ups—you’re known for doing them every time your team scores. Have you ever wished the boys would just stop scoring?
I have to be honest, yeah. You get over sixty-plus push-ups, or heck even fifty-plus push-ups. You have to understand: This is consecutive push-ups for every score. So whether you score six points, seven points, three points, you don’t just do one set. You do seven and then fourteen and then twenty-one, so by the time you get into the fifties and sixties, you’ve done well over two hundred to three hundred push-ups.
That’s a lot of pushups.
Yes. Inside of a sauna. Let me add that.
Where is the strangest place you have gone as the mascot?
As the Tiger, we do tons of community events, whether that be weddings, birthdays, retirement parties. I’ve worked new hiree events, job application events. I’ve never done a funeral, although I do believe there was one on the schedule, and I’m glad it was cancelled—I don’t know what you would do there.
One story comes to mind: I was doing a wedding in the nation’s capital, and a family rented out one of the Smithsonian museums, the Daughters of the American Revolution one. So I go up to the security guard, and I’m like, “Yeah I’m here to work the wedding. You’re supposed to be secretive.” Kid you not, I’m in a pair of blue jeans, a Clemson shirt, orange shoes, and I have this big bag on my back. Of course, the security guard was suspicious, so I showed him my email saying I was supposed to be there. My name was not listed, other than “the Tiger.” I proceeded to show him what was in the bag, and actually had a gun drawn on me. Good news, the DJ came and saved the day and I was able to make it in alive as the Tiger to do the wedding.
You may have been scared then, but back in 2014, you were named number four on CBS Sports’s list of the top ten scariest mascots in college football. LSU’s feline didn’t make the cut. Thoughts?
Well I will say this: I would rather our mascot look intimidating than like a stuffed animal. You think of a tiger in the wild—it is an animal that you would respect, that you would love to go see, but at the same time you know it’s nothing to play with. You look at the community we’ve built, our Clemson family, and we are definitely welcoming. But as a mascot, I’m glad we’re on the list. We’re here to handle business.
You have a history, as the Tiger, of mimicking referees. Have you ever gotten into trouble for picking on an official?
As a mascot, you can’t talk. Your job is to mimic—not to be disrespectful, but in a playful sense. I believe a ref that I pissed off the most was probably in baseball because, you know, we have free will. We can pretty much walk anywhere. If you get in trouble, I guess the ref has to understand that they’re not talking to a person at the moment, per se. They’re talking to a tiger. Definitely being a distraction, getting caught in the wrong place at the wrong time, being on the opponent’s side [can get you in trouble]. But it’s all good, it’s fun and games.
Who is your favorite tiger (other than yourself)? There are quite a few other tiger mascots.
The only ones I’ve met have been Auburn’s and LSU’s, and between the two I would say they are about equal. The thing about mascots is, we’re kind of all in the same situation. As a mascot your biggest job is to survive, not have a heat stroke, and do your job of hyping up the crowd and having fun. Mascot are like a family…I think that we’re all friends.
Do you have a message for the tiger on the other sideline?
Push-up contest.
How do you celebrate after a big win?
After a big win you eat the biggest pizza you can find, and/or you go to a buffet. Okay, let’s start with the first thing you do. You take a shower because you’re going to smell really bad. Then you go find that pizza, and you go and celebrate with your Clemson family.
So you’re hitting the town after the championship game. No cat naps?
Well, I’ve got about a fourteen hour bus ride back, so you better believe there will be a cat nap on the bus.
To end, let’s back it up a minute: If you guys take home the trophy, what’s going to be your first reaction when that buzzer hits zero?
[Exhales.] Thank God.
The description of Clemson's first mascot – one that it had on its sidelines for over 30 years – is nearly identical to the first result when you perform a Google Image search for "pimp outfit."
" This curse is said to be connected to the opening of the tomb of King Tutankhamun in 1922 by archaeologist Howard Carter. Following the discovery, a series of mysterious deaths and misfortunes occurred among those involved in the excavation. This led to widespread speculation that the curse of the pharaoh had been unleashed. While curses associated with mummies may seem like nothing more than superstition, there have been some notable instances where strange and tragic events have occurred following the disturbance of a mummy. For example, the opening of the tomb of the Chinese Emperor Qin Shi Huang in 1974 was followed by a series of earthquakes in the region, leading some to believe that the disturbance of his mummified remains had angered the earth. In recent years, the idea of cursed mummies has been sensationalized in popular culture, with movies and books depicting the dire consequences of disturbing these ancient burial sites. While these stories make for thrilling entertainment, it's important to approach the topic with a healthy dose of skepticism. Ultimately, the relentless curse of the mummified remains is a tale rooted in folklore and ancient beliefs. While there may be instances where unexplained events occur in connection with these remains, there is little scientific evidence to support the existence of a curse. However, the allure of these stories continues to captivate the human imagination and keep the myth of the mummy's curse alive..
Reviews for "The Enduring Legend: Mummified Remains as Objects of Fear and Fascination"
1. Emma - 2/5 stars - "I was really disappointed with 'The Relentless Curse of the Mummified Remains'. The storyline felt extremely predictable and lacked originality. The characters were one-dimensional and failed to evoke any emotional connection with me as a reader. Additionally, the pacing was slow, making it difficult to stay engaged throughout the book. Overall, it felt like a subpar attempt at a mystery thriller, and I wouldn't recommend it."
2. Nathan - 1/5 stars - "I can't express how much I despised reading 'The Relentless Curse of the Mummified Remains'. The writing was appalling, with numerous grammar and punctuation errors that constantly pulled me out of the story. The plot was convoluted and confusing, leaving me utterly bewildered at times. The dialogue felt forced and unnatural, making the characters unrealistic and unsympathetic. I struggled to finish this book, and it was a complete waste of my time."
3. Olivia - 2/5 stars - "While I tried to find enjoyment in 'The Relentless Curse of the Mummified Remains', I found it to be an underwhelming read. The narrative lacked depth and failed to explore any thought-provoking themes. The plot twists were weak and easily predictable, causing me to lose interest in the story quickly. Furthermore, the author's writing style felt repetitive and monotonous. Overall, I was left feeling disappointed and unsatisfied with this book."
4. Michael - 2.5/5 stars - "I had high hopes for 'The Relentless Curse of the Mummified Remains', but unfortunately, it fell flat for me. The premise initially intrigued me, but as I delved into the book, I found the execution lacking. The pacing was uneven, with long stretches of slow development followed by rushed resolutions. The dialogue felt stilted and forced, making it difficult to connect with the characters. While there were moments of suspense, the overall reading experience left me wanting something more substantial."