Behind the mask

You see him at the basketball games. You also see him around campus. You even can see him on Facebook.com. But who is the man behind the ram?

Correction: Who are the men behind Rameses?

During the 2006-07 sports season, three students share the job portraying UNC's mascot. While the three are former strangers, they each have similar views on what it's like to be the most visible character on campus.

"At basketball games, I'm big and bad. But around kids, I'm Barney. I have to frolic and be animated," said Tyler Treadaway, a sophomore history major from Mount Pleasant.

Brad Lockwood, a sophomore biology and French double major from Raleigh, said he's a completely different person in the suit.

"I just adopt a new persona," he said.

Jason Ray, a business major from Charlotte, is the third man behind the ram. Ray, a senior, has the most experience as Rameses. He has had the job for four years while Lockwood and Treadaway have each held the job one year.

"I decided I was going to make it worthwhile," Ray said about the Rameses job. "I just act like a big cartoon character."

The three students take turns in the suits and work University functions and charity events at no charge. But Rameses is also for hire.

Rameses attends birthday parties and grand openings and even has handed out holiday bonus checks with Santa Claus. The mascots get paid $100 per hour and have several private bookings per week - not including University-related functions.

"Rameses is the walking symbol of the University," Treadaway said. "He needs to be everywhere."

Despite a busy schedule, Treadaway said he plans to be Rameses for his remaining time at UNC. His job as Rameses sometimes takes precedent over other things in his life, but Treadaway said he sees himself as having a special role.

"I can't be Rameses forever," Treadaway said. "You've got to want to be Rameses. We don't just show up at a game - it takes a lot of sacrifice."

Lockwood said he felt like he was granted a privilege to be the mascot for UNC, so when a job for Rameses calls, "I've got to answer."

"It is very time-consuming," Lockwood said. "But I wouldn't trade my job as Rameses for anything."

During games Lockwood said Rameses is the bridge between fans and what is happening to the Tar Heels.

"When there's a bad call, I have to react to it," Lockwood said. "I'm the motivation for the fans and team. I try to get the crowd interactive and 100 percent behind the team."

"(Students) appreciate what I am doing," Lockwood said. "There's nothing like everyone grabbing at you when you play Rameses. It isn't annoying at all."

Acting as Rameses is not just about frolicking at basketball games and attending charity functions. While the job might seem straightforward, the mascots pointed out challenges.

The hardest aspect for Ray is when he is having a bad day. Ray said a fun atmosphere must constantly surround Rameses.

For Lockwood climbing the bleachers at the Smith Center wearing giant hoof shoes is a challenge. He said he fears tumbling down the narrow steps in the Rameses suit.

"No one has any idea what size the shoes are," Lockwood said. "They're just big."

Every new Rameses mascot learns to sign autographs in the same style. Treadaway was able to master the signature, but he still has mishaps.

"Sometimes I get marker all over the suit," Treadaway said. "Now I let the fan help me undo the pen."

Getting help removing the pen cap would not be difficult for most people signing autographs, but Rameses cannot communicate verbally.

"You have to be animated because you can't speak," Ray said. "You have to be able to approach people, too, because sometimes it gets boring just walking around."

Rameses' schedule requires that the mascots keep in touch with one another and meet before every game. But these guys share much more than time together.

"We share each other's sweat because sometimes we're jumping into the suit right after one another," Lockwood said.

How do they wash the white fluffy mascot suit?

"I wash it with my whites," Lockwood said. "Sometimes I hang it to dry on my door."

"We can't wash the head, though," Lockwood added. "Sometimes it smells pretty bad when it's really hot."

The mascots have to be conscientious about overheating during the warmer months when the temperature in the suit can be more than 100 degrees.

"We can't drink with the head on," Lockwood said. "Sometimes I have to walk into a closet to get a drink. It may look funny to see Rameses walking into a closet, but that's what we have to do sometimes."

While the Rameses persona always will continue, the faces behind the mask come and go.

"The mascot that graduated last year went to work for Disney Cruise Line after graduation," Ray said.

Although he was recruited by the Durham Bulls for the Wool E. Bull position last year, Ray said he is pursuing another career path. But it's closely related to what he's been doing the past four years: sports marketing.

Treadaway and Lockwood are also pursuing other careers after college, even though they both said they enjoy portraying Rameses.

"When you're Rameses, you're like a god on campus," Treadaway said. Although no one knows exactly who is under the mask, "Rameses is the coolest thing around."

Contact the Features Editor at features@unc.edu.