How the Bulls Were Born
With many different early name suggestions, the “Golden Brahman” was selected as the official mascot of ±«Óătv in November 1962. Students reasoned that, since Florida was a cattle-raising state like Texas, ±«Óătv needed a mascot comparable to the Texas Longhorns mascot. In the late 1980s, the mascot evolved into the “Bulls.”
±«Óătv Mascot, Rocky the Bull
Rocky's image was first trademarked in 1974 and re-designed in 1986. Today's Rocky was unveiled in 2003. Rocky is a regular at ±«Óătv athletic games and other campus and community events. See more of Rocky through the years.
Homecoming
±«Óătv has held a campus Homecoming since 1964. Since 1997, ±«Óătv Homecomings have been scheduled during football season and are called “SuperBull.” The ±«Óătv campus comes alive each fall during Homecoming week with traditional student and alumni activities.
The Stampeding Herd of Thunder
±«Óătv's Marching Band, the Herd of Thunder (HOT), first took to the field at the football season home opener with a unique entrance to the field that began as a running “stampede” and the tradition has continued ever since.
"Go Bulls!" Hand Symbol
First started as a good luck symbol for basketball free-throw shots, the “Go Bulls!” hand symbol is now used as the premier symbol of ±«Óătv cheering, greetings and overall identity.
Scoring Celebration
There is nothing more exciting than to see the ±«Óătv Bulls football team score! When they do, the ±«Óătv Cheerleaders acknowledge the feat. One cheerleader does one pushup for every point atop an elevated board held up by the other cheerleaders. The ±«Óătv Sun Dolls do concurrent kicks - one kick for each point.
Bull Market
A decades-old tradition, the ±«Óătv Market's original venue was in the mall behind the University Center, which was eventually rebuilt and renamed the Phyllis P. Marshall Center. Today the market is back where it belongs-- in the beautiful MLK Plaza behind the new Marshall Student Center. Every Wednesday during the fall and spring terms, the market fills with students, staff and faculty eager to find a bargain, eat lunch and catch up with friends and colleagues.
±«Óătv Week
Established when former Tampa Mayor Pam Iorio declared April 9th to be ±«Óătv Day in 2010, the one-day celebration has morphed into a week-long celebration known as ±«Óătv Week. It includes a number of events celebrating ±«Óătv pride such as the Ultimate Bull Talent Show, Rocky's Birthday Bash, the University Lecture Series, Bullstock and many more. ±«Óătv Week is a celebration of the institutions' rich history and its community.
