Graduate student James Armstrong knows how to change USC’s luck on the football field.
Armstrong is very superstitious — that’s why he’ll change up the costume before he takes the stage next week as USC’s new Mic Man.
“There’s the idea of we had this home streak, and I come on the stage and we lose the game,” Armstrong said. “That’s not true … But at the same time, it’s very difficult to deal with that.”
Armstrong may have been critical about his first performance, but others were more complimentary.
“I think James did well, he kept up his spirit through one of the toughest losses in Williams-Brice in the last decade and continued to bring energy until the last snap,” former Mic Man Chase Mizzell said in an email. “It was an undeniably difficult game to start his career as Mic Man. He will continue to grow more comfortable and confident as each game passes and will surely leave a legacy as an outstanding Mic Man.”
Though he was disappointed about the loss, Armstrong still calls the experience “almost indescribable.”
“I’m definitely excited to get our first win in. Once we get that first win, I think that’ll set the tone,” he said. “We may have lost, but at the same time … seeing the students stay as long as they did, as loud as they did and as proud as they did was incredible thing.”
Armstrong is no stranger to representing USC’s school spirit — he played Cocky as an undergraduate student. But Mic Man is a slightly different role for him.
“First, you can talk, which is a blessing and a curse, especially after losing my voice,” Armstrong said. “It’s a full-body experience. As Cocky, you’ve got a costume that really does a lot of the work for you. As Mic Man, you do everything on your own. Everything part of your performance is all you.”
Plus, Armstrong said, Mic Man “doesn’t smell as bad.”
Even before assuming the persona of Cocky, Armstrong said he was a “passionate freshman,” and he went to every sporting event he could.
He originally thought he was too short to play Cocky, so he sent a message to the Mic Man in 2010 asking to be his “apprentice” and fill in for him, in the event he couldn’t perform.
So it was no surprise that Armstrong applied to be Mic Man this year.
The application process included an online application, in-person interviews and a simulation in which applicants led the cheerleaders through various chants and cheers. Mizzell, the cheerleading squad and the athletic department collaborated to make the final decision. They were looking for something specific in Mizzell’s successor.
“Mic Man must be relentless and passionate. It is a unique job in which the individual must be the most energetic fan at every moment during gameday, Mic Man should be the perfect archetype of a Gamecock,” Mizzell said. “We searched for someone who would carry on the traditions we have built for the position and also bring their own style.”
In total, 28 individuals applied to be Mic Man, but Mizzell said Armstrong stood out from other applicants because of his comfort during the audition, physical and vocal balance and energy.
“James is a Gamecock, through and through,” Mizzell said. “He has dedicated his time at Carolina to serving the school and the athletic department and has an unyielding passion for Gamecock athletics.”
For Armstorng, Mic Man is more than just an opportunity for him to show his Gamecock spirit — it’s a chance for him to grow in his religious faith.
“As corny as it sounds, I think I’m most excited to glorify God and make use of one of the talents God’s given me,” Armstrong said.
As Armstrong took to the field on Thursday, he wasn’t just thinking about the game. He was remembering one of the children he had gotten to know as Cocky who had died earlier that week of cancer.
Richard Culliver’s funeral, which took place the Sunday before the game, was the last time Armstrong wore the feet of the Cocky costume.
His performance as Mic Man on Thursday was a way for him to honor Culliver’s. As a result, Armstrong assumed his new role remembering to live every day and every moment to the fullest.
As Mic Man, Armstrong said he hopes others view him as someone who “gave it their all every single game” and was “louder than ever, prouder than ever.”
And furthermore, he wants to contribute to creating a legacy for Mic Man.
“We’re trying to build a tradition, and I think I’m just part of the foundation,” Armstrong said. “I hope that after me, the persona of Mic Man continues to become something bigger, better, louder and more recognizable.”