SCC Fighting Artichoke drafted in The Athletic’s mascot draft

Artie is off to battle against other mascots deemed most intimidating, fun, unique or simply nostalgic by a group of reporters from The Athletic.

Six writers from the outlet drafted teams of their favorite mascots in college sports.

The Scottsdale Community College Fighting Artichoke was picked by Nicole Auerbach in the fourth round.

One of the more unique mascots in sports, the artichoke was voted on by students to be the mascot in the 1970s. Some students, wanting to protest the money that was being directed to athletics instead of academics, voted on a name to embarrass the school.

The embarrassment came. The administration called for a recount. The artichoke won again.

But since then, Artie has become a beloved part of the SCC community.

It has also become known to some others around the country who are particularly devoted to sports and mascot lore, as shown by getting drafted in this The Athletic feature.

The Fighting Artichoke was the second vegetable selected, behind the Delta State Fighting Okras of Mississippi.

Some members of the drafting group began arguing which veggie was a better pick.

Auerback argued that Artie’s spikes at the top of its head would help in battle. Danielle Lerner, who picked the Okras, rebutted that her vegetable would be able to move better and artichokes have more surface area.

David Ubben simply thought they were both bad picks.

“But in a dry, dark room, neither would do well,” Ubben says. “It is remarkably easy to game plan for both of those.”

It was not clear at all how to determine the winner. Is it which team would win in a fight? Which had the widest range of mascots? Which mascots had the most history?

I guess, much like mascots in general, it just comes down to how the viewer personally feels about them.

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