As University Of South Carolina Brainstorms New Name For Its Rooster Mascot, Pranksters Campaign For It To Be Dubbed 'Cock Commander'

The University of South Carolina's rooster mascot needs a new name, and pranksters are rallying around a brilliant candidate if the powers that be allow it — "Cock Commander."

South Carolina's legal team is advising against the Gamecocks using the name Sir Big Spur moving forward because of some 💯college football bickering.
The State has some suggestions for a new name, including Cluck Norris, Marco Pollo and Cock Commander https://t.co/tjJsh83bwg

— Matt Baker (@MBakerTBTimes) August 25, 2022

USC, whose team name is the "Gamecocks," has a live rooster mascot who for years has been known as "Sir Big Spur." Due to bickering between the rooster's original owners, Mary Snelling and Ron Albertelli, and its new owners, Beth and Van Clark, the agreement to use the nickname has expired, meaning the university will have to come up with a new name for the bird in time for the imminent college football season.

Given the opportunity to brainstorm new nicknames for a local celebrity rooster, local South Carolina publication The State offered some tongue-in-cheek names for USC to run with. While there are several terrific names for the rooster in the bunch, including "Cluck Norris" and "Marco Pollo," the favorite on social media was far-and-away "Cock Commander."

┏┓
┃┃╱╲ in this
┃╱╱╲╲ house
╱╱╭╮╲╲ we
▔▏┗┛▕▔ call him
╱▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔▔╲
Cock Commander
╱╱┏┳┓╭╮┏┳┓ ╲╲
▔▏┗┻┛┃┃┗┻┛▕▔ https://t.co/vXw4LAcXIY

— Mike Golic Jr (@mikegolicjr) August 25, 2022

It has to be “Cock Commander” now, right? You can’t hide that light under a bushel once you’ve set it free into the wild. https://t.co/CbyNoCBV4q

— Jacob Hester (@JacobHester18) August 25, 2022

YOU CAN’T INTRODUCE THE POSSIBILITY OF COCK COMMANDER AND THEN NOT CHOOSE COCK COMMANDER.

— Bill Connelly (@ESPN_BillC) August 25, 2022

Unbelievably, the nickname "Cock Commander" actually ties in with some niche and very funny USC lore. After "Cock Commander" went viral, a follow-up piece by The State explained that in 2004, the USC school paper ran a photo of the previous, bird-suit mascot Cocky with the caption, "I am the Cock Commander. All other cocks must bow before the Cock Commander. Yo soy el Cock Commander.”

I mean, it's history. https://t.co/XQu1Nt2vbp pic.twitter.com/aocAMiOoRj

— Sarah Ellis (@ellissk04) August 24, 2022

Evidently, the caption somehow made it past editors and it ran on campus, becoming an amusing moment for students at the time. The then-editor-in-chief Adam Beam, in response to the growing buzz around "Cock Commander," explained that he had caught the "Cock Commander" caption and attempted to edit it out but failed for unknown reasons. At the time, he took the gaffe in good humor and published an editorial explaining what happened.

To your credit, you explained for all to see. pic.twitter.com/vdty3lKIlr

— Doug Fisher (@dougfisher) August 24, 2022

Unfortunately, The State reported that it has been told USC will definitely not rename its rooster to "Cock Commander," though this may be an unwise decision, as right now, seemingly all of social media seems ready to root for Cock Commander.