Wildcat Willy is the physical manifestation of Northern Michigan University; he is THE wildcat. Throughout his long history, he has had many forms and iterations of NMU pride. I have dug into the rich history of the beloved mascot and judged each one on a scale of 1-10 to decide which Willy reigns supreme.  

1. 90s Willy

What a little freak. I have very little to go on from this ’90s mascot, other than its visage, which can be found hanging up in the Superior Dome. This is no Wildcat to me, this looks like a big floppy ear dog. It is more modern than McQuillian’s costume but it does not capture the image it should. 90s Willy gets a 4/10 for me for looking like a dog and being goofy. 

2. 2000s Willy

This guy is kind of weird. This is the most recent predecessor to our current Willy. I am not a fan of the big eyes, it comes off as a scary Littlest Pet Shop version of a Wildcat, for a sports mascot a Wildcat should be equally fierce and funny. This just comes off as trying to be more cute that either. For these reasons, 2000s Willy gets a 6/10, at least it looks like a Wildcat. 

3. McQuillian Willy

This is pretty cool, in an old way.  NMU obtained a designated human mascot in 1984, put on by now Athletic Director Rick Comely and Jay McQuillian. Looking at the original version of something is interesting. Reading about how McQuillian developed routines from nothing is a fun read, and very impressive. McQuillian gets a 8/10 for me, for its antiqueness and rich history. 

4. Modern Willy

I find absolutely nothing wrong with this version of Willy. This is a good Willy, it looks like a cat and has a kind of fierceness to it. This Willy can look intimidating (as much as a mascot can be) and hilarious, especially in his different outfits. For these reasons modern Willy gets a 9/10 for me. 

5. Willy Bobby

The peak wildcat. Bobby is the original Wildcat (there are some reports of students dressing up as Wildcats prior but they are relatively unrecorded.) Bobby is the name of a declawed bobcat bought in 1970, to be a living mascot for NMU. The cat lived in a dorm and in its basement until a cage was bought for it, and would even go on trips with the sports teams. Though there is some controversy as to how well Bobby lived, two times students cut it free because they thought it was not being cared for well enough. The fact NMU had a living animal representing our mascot is amazing, it reminds me of Mike the Tiger who lives at Louisiana State University. Yet the fact students released Bobby for its well-being is very sad, and upsetting that the people in charge could not care for it properly in the eyes of the student body. It is also stated that Bobby went to the bathroom in a toilet, an absolute noble and distinguished Wildcat. With the lore, the rebellious attitude of the students, and the nobleness of the cat makes Bobby a 10/10 for me. 

That completes my list for how I ranked the Wildcat Willys of the past and present. I got this information from numerous sources: an article published by the North Wind in 2018 and one in 2016, an article on Bobby published by The Northern Tradition and a section done on Jay McQuillian in a Winter 2007 edition of Northern Horizons.