Jaxson de Ville

Jaxson de Ville is the mascot of the Jacksonville Jaguars, an NFL football franchise. His name is spelled "Jaxson" on account of Jacksonville is often shortened to "Jax."cite web | title=Jacksonville, Florida | author=Wikipedia.org | publisher=Wikipedia.org.com | year=2008 | url=http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jacksonville%2C_Florida | accessdate=2008-29-02] He is an anthropomorphic jaguar and is yellow with teal patches. He wears sunglasses, a Jaguars jersey, long shorts, and black and teal sneakers. The back of his jersey is typical, it reads "Jaxson" with his number, 00, but the front has a paw print. On certain occasions he wears other outfits, such as a large military field uniform when he was brought onto the field in a military jeep.cite web | title=Jersey Image | author=Jacksonville Jaguars | publisher=Jaguars.com | year=2006 | url=http://www.jaguars.com/jaxsondeville/PhotoGallery.aspxp=September_18,_2006_Jaguars_vs_Steelers | accessdate=2007-29-09] Jaxson finds other creative ways to enter the stadium: using a zip wire to bungee jump off the stadium lights or sliding down a rope from the scoreboard.cite web | title=Jaxson Bungee Jump Image | author=Eskew, McKimm, O'Neal | publisher=Jacksonville.com | year=2007 | url=http://photos.jacksonville.com/mycapture/enlarge.asp?userphoto=0&
] He is rarely seen without his motorized scooter and can sometimes be seen driving a golf cart.cite web | author=McKimm, Kirk, Yocum | title=Jaxson on the Scooter Image | publisher=Jaguars.com | year= 2007 | url=http://photos.jacksonville.com/mycapture/enlarge.asp?userphoto=0&
]

Jaxson is known for his crazy antics. He is very interactive with the crowd and the Jaguars (if they're not too busy), and sometimes interacts with the opposing team's players as well. He often mocks and jokes with the other team's mascot, if they are present. ] These acts got him into trouble in 1998 and stemmed the changing of the NFL's mascot rules, and also caused him to calm down.cite web | author=Jacksonville.com | title="Jaxson De Villain" | publisher=Jacksonville.com | year= 1999 | url=http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/100199/spb_09_30_n2.html | accessdate=2007-29-09] However, Jaxson was still seen, by some, as a mascot that gets in the way during the game. After the October 22, 2007 game against Indianapolis, Colts President Bill Polian complained to the NFL, and Jaxson was reprimanded again.cite web | author=Michael David Smith | title="Jaguars Mascot Jaxson de Ville Draws Ire of Colts President Bill Polian" | publisher=sports.aol.com | year= 2007 | url=http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2007/11/16/jaguars-mascot-jaxson-de-ville-draws-ire-of-colts-president-bill/ | accessdate=2007-18-11] cite web | author=Fox 30 Online | title="Jaguars Mascot Busted For Not Following Rules" | publisher=Fox30.online.com | year= 2007 | url=http://www.fox30online.com/content/topstories/story.aspx?content_id=109b97a7-99d9-4fbe-a68d-345c24346fda/ | accessdate=2007-18-11] During the November 18, 2007 home game Jaxson spent a good portion of the game in a make-shift "cage", but was released for short periods so he could interact with fans and also to give him an opportunity to ride his scooter.

Another controversy arose during an online NFL mascot competition, where Raiders Fans and Jaguars Fans were to vote for their mascots. During the process, a loophole was found allowing individual users to vote tens of thousands of times, enabling the vote total for the Jags-Raiders match to go well over 1 million, disqualifying both mascots from the competition.cite web | author=CBSSports.com staff | title="Most Fierce NFL Mascot Competition" | publisher=CBS.Sportsline.com | year=2008 | url=http://www.sportsline.com/spin/story/10860760 | accessdate=2008-20-06]

Jaxson appears at many events and around the Jacksonville community supporting various causes. He also participates in NFL and other mascot events such as the 2002 mascot convention that was held in New York City.cite web | author=Jacksonville.com | title=2002 New York Mascot Convention Image | publisher=Jacksonville.com | year=2002 | url=http://www.jaguars.com/jaxsondeville/PhotoGallery.aspx?p=2002_New_York_Mascot_Convention | accessdate=2007-29-09] Jaxson also contributes to the Jaguar's journal, provided by First Coast Community, which allows fans to post photos and includes journal entries from the mascot as well as the team members and ROAR members (the Jaguars cheerleaders).cite web | author=Jacksonville.com | title="Jaxson de Ville Kicks off Online Jaguars Journal" | publisher=Jacksonville.com | year=2002 | url=http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/090702/nec_10364228.shtml | accessdate=2007-29-09]

Jaxson's first appearance was on August 18, 1996cite web | author=Teneshia L. Wright | title=Alltales: "Singer’s Streak Hits Seven" | publisher=Jacksonville.com | year=2001 | url=http://www.jacksonville.com/tu-online/stories/082401/jag_7032192.html | accessdate=2007-29-09] and has been played by Curtis Dvorak since his inception.cite web | author=Jaguars Press Release | title="Jaxson de Ville, the ROAR to Travel to Middle East to Visit U.S. Armed Forces" | publisher=Jaguars.com | year= 2001 | url=http://www.jaguars.com/news/article.aspx?id=1834 | accessdate=2007-29-09]

References

External links

* [http://www.jaguars.com/JaxsonDeVille/ Jaxon de Ville on Jaguars website]
* [http://www.sportsrant.com/jaxson-ville-interview-jacksonville-jaguars-a26491.html/ Interview with Jaxson de Ville]