Becoming Otto

This extremely rare and previously unreleased video contains unedited footage from the spring 1998 auditions for Otto the Orange, Official Mascot of Syracuse University.
Highlights include:
0:10 - 0:48
Sweeping, panoramic shots of the Archbold Gym basement and a review of the Mascot Selection Committee.
0:49 - 1:13
Round One (Part 1): Personalized candidate interviews. Many aspired to become Otto. Only four would make the cut.
1:14 - 1:47
Round One (Part 2): Personalized candidate interviews feat. Rob Raffety (24 years old; goof w/sideburns, animated hand gestures) seated in the corner.
1:48 - 9:17
Round Two (multiple candidates): Pyramid Lifts. Each applicant was afforded up to three opportunities to successfully rise into a pyramid formation. Many applicants are successful. Some are less successful.
9:18 - 9:57
Round Two (Raffety audition): Pre-Pyramid Lift entrance and pre-lift shenanigans. Note how the cheerleading coach was absent when he entered, so Raffety was compelled to improvise some entertaining stretching techniques.
9:58 - 10:30
Round Two (Raffety audition, cont.): Pyramid Lift, 1st attempt. Unsuccessful yet deftly handled with brushing motions (pre-“Dirt Off Your Shoulder” technique).
10:31 - 10:45
Round Two (Raffety audition, cont.): Pyramid Lift, 2nd attempt (partial). Aborted due to kung-fu grip on the male cheerleader’s shoulder.
10:45 - 11:05
Round Two (Raffety audition, cont.): Pyramid Lift, 2nd attempt (full). Unsuccessful due to Raffety’s corpulence causing temporary muscle failure in one of the lifters.
11:06 - 12:04
Round Two (Raffety audition, cont.): Pyramid Lift, 3rd attempt. Success due to modified underhand lift technique of the male cheerleaders. Functional dismount followed by gestures of elation and gratitude.
12:05 - 15:05
Round Three (Raffety audition, cont.): Artistic Choreography, 3 min. or less. The routine begins with Otto (Raffety) entering the room to the tune of Walter Murphy’s 1976 classic, “A Fifth of Beethoven.” The song was chosen as a nod to Jim Boeheim, whose epic head-coaching dynasty of SU’s Men’s Basketball program began that same year. Otto (Raffety) struts into the room and observes a heavy weight, which he is unable to lift until he consumes orange juice. The logic of OJ providing strength to Otto is admittedly questionable, although subsequent blood doping scandals that plagued international and domestic competitive cycling suggest it is at least plausible that an enormous plush fruit might consume concentrated no-pulp orange juice and suddenly acquire Popeye-like powers. Ok - this still probably doesn’t make any sense. But honestly, if this element of the routine is your biggest gripe, get a life. The music then changes abruptly to a montage of songs from the official soundtrack of the 1978 American musical romantic comedy film, “Grease,” starring John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. Note Otto’s (Raffety’s) flawless execution of the hand jive, a testament to the choreographic wizardry of one Michael Mozer, a well-loved friend and Brother and then-undergraduate admissions officer at West Virginia Wesleyan College with responsibility for recruitment efforts in upstate New York. Fatefully, Mike happened to be crashing on Raffety's kitchen floor the weekend of the mascot auditions and agreed to play the role of Zapruder at the try-out.
15:05 - 15:27
Round Three (Raffety audition, cont.): Otto (Raffety) held up a sign which said, “Would you like my Otto-graph?” Then, consistent with NCAA guidelines on morality and wholesomeness, Otto (Raffety) distributed oranges bearing Sharpie signatures to the panel of judges, along with copious “thumbs up” and “high five” gestures. At this point, Otto’s (Raffety’s) routine was supposed to end, but his antics persisted in reckless fashion, including crashing into the mirrored wall and a spontaneous chair-lifting display that appears somewhat out of context but somehow still works if you think about it.
15:28 - 16:00
Round Four, Pt. 1 (Raffety audition, cont.): The panel asked Otto (Raffety) to perform “crazy tumbling." So there you go.
16:01 - 16:36
Round Four, Pt. 2 (Raffety audition, cont.): In what is widely considered to be the “lamest” portion of the audition, the panel asked Raffety something to the effect of: “Imagine the Chancellor invited the Governor of New York to Syracuse - how would you welcome him to campus?” Otto's (Raffety's) reaction seems muted and weak. In his defense, the Governor at the time was George Pataki.
16:37 - FIN
They instructed Otto (Raffety) to “show us your crowd excitement skills.” Duh.
Thank you for watching this historic footage, the greatness of which is far surpassed by the academic reputation, athletic prowess, and partying mayhem of the most superior collegiate institution in the history of Western Civilization, Syracuse University.
Always and forever…GO ORANGE!