Mike V ventures to Sugar Bowl in Superdome
   When Mike’s roar rings throughout a stadium, fans know they have arrived at an LSU football game. The Sugar Bowl was no different. As Mike pulled into the Superdome, the Fighting Tigers of LSU claimed home field advantage.
English sophomore Jacey Rutherford said she and her friends were excited when they saw Mike was at the game.
“It was a big pride booster,” she said.
Mike V made the trek to New Orleans for his first trip to the Big Easy and his farthest trip to date. He has made shorter trips to Port Allen and a local mall.
Dr. David Baker, Director of Laboratory Animal Medicine at the LSU Veterinary School, is Mike V’s veterinarian. He makes the decisions on where and when Mike travels, and he said he will not let Mike go off campus without an LSUPD escort.
“There is a lot to it,” Baker said. “It is not a decision made lightly.”
Mike III traveled with the team during his tenure as mascot until his cage overturned on Airline Highway on his way to a game in 1970.
The Athletic Department contacted Baker as soon as they knew the football team would attend the Sugar Bowl. Baker said that it takes a couple of weeks to prepare Mike for such a trip.
Athletic Director Skip Bertman said what Baker does for Mike is part of the team effort. “For the Sugar Bowl, [Mike’s trip] was tremendously important,” Bertman said.
Mike traveled to New Orleans Jan. 1 and came back at halftime because his crew did not know how the weather would affect the roads.
Baker said preparation for Mike’s trip to New Orleans came in two parts: First, Baker made sure the trailer was structurally sound. A rope was needed to tie the cover over the trailer. Other essentials also were necessary, such as a jack and a spare tire for emergencies.
The second provision for the trip dealt with Mike’s comfort on the ride, especially from cold air drafts. Baker and his 11-year-old son built panels to close the back of the trailer. Two of Baker’s students who help care for Mike also helped prepare him for the trip. Baker laid straw down as bedding in the trailer on top of a rubber pad. He took care to feed Mike at certain times so the tiger would not have to go to the bathroom during his trip. Watering also presented problems because the back of the trailer was boarded up. Also, Baker brought a tranquilizer gun for potential problems.
A Ford F-250 from Henderson Ford pulled the trailer. Temperature and humidity monitors relayed data to the front of the truck, making sure everything in the trailer remained stable.
Baker said Mike did very well on the ride and did not seem to get sick. He had a good appetite at the game and played in the snow when he got back to Baton Rouge.
“He is middle-aged but in very good health,” Baker said. If there were an increased risk, then he would not travel, but as long as he is healthy, Baker said he sees no problem with Mike traveling.
Jessica Waldon