Mascots bring the spirit

The mascot of the Duke Blue Devils reacts after defeating the San Diego State Aztecs 68-49 during the third round of the 2015 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena on March 22. (Bob Leverone/Getty Images)

The Auburn mascot performs during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game in the second round of the Southeastern Conference Tournament between Texas A&M and Auburn on March 12 in Nashville, Tenn. (Steve Helber/Associated Press)

The Stephen F. Austin Lumberjacks mascot performs on the court in the second half against the Utah Utes during the second round of the 2015 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 19 in Portland, Ore. (Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

Jack the Bulldog, the Georgetown Hoyas mascot, performs in the first half against the Utah Utes during the third round of the 2015 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at Moda Center on March 21 in Portland, Ore. (Jonathan Ferrey/Getty Images)

The Oregon Ducks mascot looks on as the Oregon Ducks play the Wisconsin Badgers during the third round of the 2015 NCAA Men's Basketball Tournament at the CenturyLink Center on March 22 in Omaha, Neb. (Ronald Martinez/Getty Images)

The Robert Morris mascot performs during the first half of an NCAA Tournament college basketball game against Duke in the Round of 64 in Charlotte, N.C., on March 20. (Gerald Herbert/Associated Press)

Super Hugo, the mascot for the Charlotte Hornets, performs during the second half of an NBA basketball game against the Indiana Pacers in Charlotte, N.C., on Feb. 8. The Pacers won 103-102. (Chuck Burton/Associated Press)

Brigham Young Cougars mascot Cosmo the Cougar performs during the championship game of the West Coast Conference Basketball Tournament against the Gonzaga Bulldogs at Orleans Arena on March 10. (Ethan Miller/Getty Images)

Boston Celtics mascot Lucky the Leprechaun spins a ball on his finger during a time out in the second half during a preseason game against the Brooklyn Nets at TD Garden on Oct. 22 in Boston. (Mike Lawrie/Getty Images)

Harry the Hawk waves a flag during introductions prior to the game between the Atlanta Hawks and the Memphis Grizzlies at Philips Arena on Jan. 7. (Kevin C. Cox/Getty Images)

Japanese popular mascot character Funassyi speaks during a press conference at the Foreign Correspondents Club of Japan in Tokyo on March 5. (Shizuo Kambayashi/Associated Press)

The official mascot, a mole called Krtek, created by Czech designer Zdenek Miller, waves during the European Athletics Indoor Championships at the 02 Arena in Prague, Czech Republic, on March 6. (Sven Hoppe/EPA)

The Oklahoma Sooners mascot, University of Oklahoma Sooner Schooner, jokes with ball kid Drew Mabrey prior to the start of a semifinal game against the Iowa State Cyclones of the 2015 Big 12 Basketball Tournament at Sprint Center on March 13. (Ed Zurga/Getty Images)

Referee Violet Palmer (left) receives a kiss on the hand from Denver Nuggets mascot Rocky the mountain lion just before tipoff as the Nuggets host the Orlando Magic in the first quarter of an NBA basketball game on Jan. 7 in Denver. (David Zalubowski/Associated Press)

Robin Lopez (42) of the Portland Trail Blazers jokes with the Washington Wizards mascot during a timeout in the first half at Verizon Center on March 16 in Washington. (Rob Carr/Getty Images)

New England Patriots mascot Pat Patriot and fans cheer during an NFL football send-off rally at City Hall in Boston on Jan. 26 before the Super Bowl. (Charles Krupa/Associated Press)

Italy's new President Sergio Mattarella (center) arrives to inspect a guard of honor during a welcoming ceremony as the Presidential Guards mascot dog sits on the red carpet at the Quirinale presidential palace in Rome on Feb. 3. (Tony Gentile/Reuters)

A member of the Spanish Legion stands beside a mascot goat during a farewell ceremony for the contingent making up part of the Support Iraq operation at the military base Alvarez de Sotomayor in Almeria on Jan. 23 before their departure to Iraq.

A championship mascot stands behind Chinese team members as they sing their national anthem with their gold medals for winning the men's 5000m relay race at the Krylatskoye skating center during the short track world championships in Moscow, Russia, on March 15. (Ivan Sekretarev/Associated Press)

A Bradford City supporter holds a mascot during their FA Cup fifth round soccer match against Sunderland at Valley Parade in Bradford, northern England on Feb. 15. (Phil Noble/Reuters)

Fans lift up the Saint Louis Billikens mascot during the first half of an NCAA college basketball game between Saint Louis and VCU on Jan. 23 in St. Louis. (Jeff Roberson/Associated Press)

The Pittsburgh Pirates mascot, Pirate Parrot, walks across the field at McKechnie Field before the beginning of the Pittsburgh Pirates' Black and Gold intrasquad spring training baseball game in Bradenton, Fla., on March 2. (Gene J. Puskar/Associated Press)

Cincinnati Reds mascot Mr. Redlegs gives out fist pumps to fans prior to a spring training baseball game against the Seattle Mariners on March 8 in Goodyear, Ariz. (Ross D. Franklin/Associated Press)

The Baylor mascot Bruiser stands near pyrotechnics set off during team introductions before an NCAA college basketball game against TCU on Feb. 4 in Waco, Texas. (Tony Gutierrez/Associated Press)