Miami's overzealous mascot flagged

NEW ORLEANS (AP) _ A penalty on Miami's mascot ruffled Hurricanes coach Butch Davis' feathers a bit, but in the end there was no harm done by the fowl's foul. <br><br>Sebastian the Ibis got

Wednesday, January 3rd 2001, 12:00 am

By: News On 6

NEW ORLEANS (AP) _ A penalty on Miami's mascot ruffled Hurricanes coach Butch Davis' feathers a bit, but in the end there was no harm done by the fowl's foul.

Sebastian the Ibis got a little too excited when Najeh Davenport scored the 3-yard touchdown that sealed the Hurricane's 37-20 Sugar Bowl victory Tuesday night.

After Davenport bulled his way into the end zone, Sebastian ran into the unraveling pile of players and gave the running back a big hug and kiss.

The overzealous act by the costumed cheerleader resulted in a 15-yard penalty against Miami, forcing Todd Sievers to kick the point-after from 35 yards out.

A penalty for too many men of the field moved the kick back 15 more yards, but Sievers still hit the 50-yard PAT.

Davis was not happy with the birdbrained maneuver. He was seen screaming at a member of his sports information staff on the sideline, and Sebastian got booted from the field.

But he returned a few moments later and was on the field celebrating with the team as the game ended.

Davenport didn't mind the big fuzzy bird flying off the handle a bit.

``We're buddies,'' Davenport said. ``I see him at all the basketball games and we kid around.''

Connie Nickle, in charge of the mascots at Miami, said it's not unusual for Sebastian to run on the field.

``He's done it before and not been penalized,'' she said. ``It just matters how sensitive the refs are.''

It's not the first time a mascot has drawn a flag in a big bowl game.

In the 1985 Orange Bowl, Oklahoma's Sooner Schooner drew an unsportsmanlike conduct penalty that cost the Sooners three points.

Oklahoma and Washington were tied 14-14 when Tim Lashar kicked a field goal that apparently put the Sooners in front by three in the third period.

However, the kick was nullified by an illegal procedure penalty, and the Ruff-Neks, the students who drive the Schooner, did not see the flag.

The Schooner galloped onto the field, as it does every time Oklahoma scores, and the officials threw another flag for unsportsmanlike conduct, costing the Sooners 15 more yards. This time, Lashar's kick was blocked.

Oklahoma eventually went ahead 17-14, but Washington rallied to win 28-17.