Watch “How to Fit in at Tiger Stadium” on YouTube here.
Mike VI, the University’s live tiger, spent part of the summer practicing entering his trailer for home football games, and his costumed counterpart took time to refresh on cheers and make a video encouraging stadium-wide participation.
 
“It’s pretty awesome when [Mike VI] rides around the field with the cheerleaders,” said Mark Haddox, a philosophy junior who visited the tigers habitat Thursday afternoon during “a long lunch break” with his girlfriend. “It’s something you come to expect, and it goes hand-in-hand with pre-game.”
 
Two veterinary student caretakers worked with Mike VI on his loading technique this summer, but as a young, male tiger he may decide to not cooperate, and the caretakers can’t force him in, said Ginger Guttner, School of Veterinary Medicine spokeswoman. If Mike VI decides to not attend a game, fans should not be worried.
 
During the 2007 season, Mike VI missed only the first game because his caretakers deemed the day-game weather too hot, Guttner said. In 2009, Mike VI made it in the stadium for all but one game, when the field was too wet for his trailer.
 
But in 2008,  Mike VI went to only two of the eight home games, attending the first two but and not entering the trailer for the remainder of the season, Guttner said.
 
Guttner also noted Mike VI adds an intimidation factor because his trailer is “parked outside of the visiting team’s locker room before the game,” and players “must got by him to get on and off the field.”
 
The Athletic Department posted to its site and YouTube this week a video of the costumed Mike the Tiger teaching fans, “How to Fit in at Tiger Stadium,” by putting a humorous spin on cheers in an effort to increase stadium-wide participation.
 
“If the other sections were more like the student section, it definitely would add to the game experience,” said Student Government President J Hudson.
 
The video shows Mike learning cheers for each down as well as for the song “Neck.” From disco and boxing and bowing and building model airplanes, the video suggests the cheers’ origins and includes catchy ways to remember the choreography.
 
Craig Pintens, assistant athletic director for marketing, said the video, which has more than 9,000 views on YouTube, was filmed in Norman, Okla. by Old Hat Creative, a production company. The video “was very cost effective” and was funded by the Athletic Department’s normal budget.
 
Pintens said his department is working on a second video of Mike the Tiger teaching cheers that will be shown later in the season.
 
Kati Hayes, biology junior, said though she hopes Mike VI will show at this season’s seven home games, she understand if his caretakers can’t get the cooperation.
 
“I don’t blame them for not forcing [Mike VI] into the trailer,” Hayes said. “He’s a tiger, after all.”
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Contact Nicholas Persac at [email protected]