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Stanford head coach David Shaw doesn't fear much. However, he may stay out of Ralphie the bison's way come Saturday morning in Boulder.
Colorado's mascot, the aforementioned Ralphie, has been a regular at Colorado home games since 1966. The sight of Ralphie running out onto the field is one of college football's most memorable entrances.
However, Ralphie's entrance is memorable to Shaw for another reason.
As a freshman suiting up for his first game as a member of the Stanford football team in 1990, Shaw was excited and wanted to lead the team onto the field. Then he saw Ralphie.
"I would refer to it as my most terrifying experience as an athlete," Shaw said, per Palo Alto Online. "Back in the day, the cage used to be right outside the locker room.
"This was my first game, so I was really excited. We come out of the locker room, and for some reason, I want to be the first guy out. They open the locker room doors, I step out, turn toward the field and here's this Volkswagen with horns just dragging these human beings, and it seems to be running right at me.
"My natural instinct is to go back in the locker room, but I have 79 other guys coming out of the locker room. So, I'm trying to go back in, and they're all coming out. It's probably 20 yards away, but it feels like five feet, where they finally turned it into her cage.
"I don't think my heart stopped pounding until the ball was kicked off. To see a large, fast animal coming right at you ... This week, I'll be staying in the locker room until she's in her cage."
(h/t Palo Alto Online)
