Uga VIII took over in October as the University of Georgia's mascot. Frank W. "Sonny" Seiler, the longtime owner of this line of English bulldogs, rates Uga VIII's first month in the spotlight.
We are very pleased with him so far. He travels unbelievably well. We took him to Kentucky, which was his first out-of-town game, his first night game and first airplane ride. He never gave us a minute's trouble.
He is every bit as good as his predecessors and probably exceeds them. He is a good-looking dog and in excellent health. He has two more months to grow and fill out. He won't get any taller.
He has a great head. He resembles his grandfather, Uga VI. It's easy to get their pictures mixed up, which is what we want. We had a choice of three puppies directly descended from Uga VI, and he’s certainly lived up to the expectations so far.
My son, Charles, holds him down on the field. Uga loves his air-conditioned house. He's not loafing; he's just comfortable in there, and it's hell to get him out.
We are very pleased with his demeanor and stature. He emits what we want. Uga is very much aware of his presence, of the fact that he is the focal point of attention. He knows his place when he goes to the game. He has good bearing. He's proud and has a good stature when he stands. You will not see him slump or suddenly flop on the grass.
He pays attention to the game. The stadium is full for whoever our opponent is, and his attitude will be the same.
I'm sure he will eventually develop his own characteristics that will differentiate him from other dogs before him. Right now, I don't notice any of it. I'm happy he is so well-adjusted and so quickly adjusted. I wouldn't hesitate to take him any place.
He's young, and the team's young. They will grow up together. Like everybody else, I'm not particularly happy about the way this season has developed for the team, but I understand. True fans and students will get behind the team and move forward so we can win the rest of our games. It's good to have something to look forward to, and in that way Uga embodies the attitude of the team.
Uga VIII will appear at selected Georgia basketball games. There's no room on the sideline for him during the game, but he will appear before the game, at halftime and sometimes at timeouts.
-- As told to Michelle Hiskey
