Optics and Exposure

The Villagnome

We Villanova Basketball fans have an unofficial mascot, the Villagnome, who is personified in a facebook page and twitter account. But, the Villagnome isn’t just an abstract mascot, many of us fans purchase our very own gnomes to cheer on the Cats with. Along with these gnomes, though, comes an uncomfortable tradition.

Each year, in the NCAA Basketball Tournament, the Villagnome’s boots start to shake. It has become tradition that, upon Villanova’s loss and elimination from the tournament, the Villagnome must commit ritual suicide. Just like a sacrificial lamb, all of the failures and losses of a season are taken by the gnome, and shattered with his frame.

I’m a little fuzzy on how the tradition was started, but the first act was committed by renton66, who is also responsible for starting the life of this unofficial mascot. After someone attempted a “death by 20-story drop” following a particularly shameful regular season loss, it was decided that all suicide attempts must have his blessing.

As has been the case every time that Villanova has entered the tournament since 1985, we were eliminated (albeit much earlier than hoped or anticipated), and I was told to “execute order 66.” You can see the result below.

The method of execution is part of the tradition as well. In fact, not only is it traditional to curb stomp the gnome, but I was told that Vans old skools would be preferable shoes to wear because “the little guy would want it that way”. It goes back to his first death. Given his stiff arms, the Villagnome is incapable of performing hara-kiri, so renton66 did the honorable thing for him. The goal is to recreate this moment as closely as possible.

Unable to perform hara-kiri himself, the Villagnome takes the only honorable way out for letting down the masses of Villanova basketball fans with the Nova loss at the hands of UNC in the Final Four. He will be missed, but he will be back.

Here’s to hoping the next generation survives the 2010-2001 season unscathed.