7 Creepy Olympic Mascots You May Have Forgotten

The 2014 Sochi Olympics are swathed in controversy, but the mascots are pretty freakin adorable. Ray of Light, Snowflake, Polar Bear, Hare, and Leopard are cuddly and easy to market; however, not all Olympic mascots have been so squee-worthy. Let's take a look.

7. Hey Roni, glad you're here, since the real mascot DIED.

bridgeandtunnelclub.com / Via bridgeandtunnelclub.com

That's right, the Lake Placid 1980 Winter Olympics had planned to use a LIVE RACCOON (what could go wrong?) as their mascot. His name was Rocky. Alas, Rocky went to the Great Trash Can In The Sky before the games kicked off, so he was replaced by Roni the Raccoon.

RIP, Rocky. I hope you were able to shoot of the legs off your rival before you left us.

6. Izzy, the. . .blue thing?

images.fastcompany.com / Via Fastcompany.com

The 1996 Atlanta Summer Olympics brought us Izzy, short for "What is he?" Despite this clever wordplay, he was much-maligned, partly due to his resemblence to a "Sperm in Sneakers." Incidentally, he was the first computer-generated Olympic mascot. Overall, he looks disturbing-yet-harmless. Points for the fashion-forward color scheme and the use of the five Olympic rings on his butt and eyeballs, but otherwise, "yikes" at the very least.

5. Speaking of sperm, check out Schuss!

img2-3.timeinc.net / Via ew.com

Schuss was the first Olympic mascot (although technically not official. . . too bad, Schuss) and appeared at the Grenoble Olympic Games in 1968. Nothing screams "Germany" quite like Schuss.

4. Vucko, the evil wolf of Sarajevo!

radiosarajevo.ba / Via radiosarajevo.ba

Check out the mascot from the 1984 Winter Games in Sarajevo. Hey Vucko, why are your fingers crossed? Why do you look like a villain from a Sonic game? Is that a scarf, or a ribbon holding your head on your neck? STOP STARING INTO MY SOUL, VUCKO!!

3. Snowlets? Or a Sendak fever dream?

ipcnorway.net / Via jcpnorway.net

The Snowlets of the 1998 Nagano Olympic games were not the first choice of critter. The original mascot was supposed to have been a weasel named Snowpie. Fun fact: the finalists in the year Vucko won ALSO included a weasel. Because nothing says "Values, history, culture, and sportsmanship" like a weasel.

2. Sometimes a mascot is just a mascot

Via olympic-museum.de

Athena and Phevos represented the 2004 Athens Summer Olympics. They caused quite a bit of stir. Why? Because they look like dancing phalluses? Nope, because some groups dedicated to felt that they insulted Greek culture. Either way, what's up with Athena's pasties?

1. And the winner, now and forever. . .

timesonline.typepad.com / Via timesonline.com

Do you remember Wenlock and Mandeville? I sure didn't. Which is strange, since they were the mascots at the London Summer games in 2012. TWO YEARS AGO. Did I see them and then scrub them from my mind? My favorite explanation for these two is " a drunken one-night stand between a Teletubby and a Dalek ". I think that's rather kind, considering the other images they conjur up. Enjoy your cute furry Russian critters, folks!