"Mascot Love" is the eighth episode of Season 1 of Hannah Montana. The title is a reference to the Captain & Tennille song "Muskrat Love".
Plot
Miley thinks that she and Lilly should try out for the cheerleading team so they can spend more quality time together since Miley spends most of her time rehearsals, soundchecks, concerts, wardrobe fittings, and wardrobe checks. Miley coaches Lilly in cheerleading so Lilly can make the team, but Lilly is really bad. So, at the tryouts, Miley is scared that Lilly won't make the team, but she ends up doing her skateboarding stunts (without the skateboard), and is amazing. Lilly gets on the team and Miley doesn't, but instead is made the mascot, "Pirate Pete." Miley becomes jealous of Lilly. Because of the school's cheap budget, Miley has to wear a dirty pirate head and ride a pink tricycle. Lilly now has no time for Miley because all her time is being taken up by cheerleading practice.
During a game, Miley gets fired as the mascot for getting in a fight with another mascot, and Lilly just leaves Miley by herself because she likes cheerleading now. Miley learns her lesson, that she should be happy for Lilly and support her, because Lilly always does the same for Miley at her Hannah Montana concerts. So Miley does not go to the Rolling Stones concert, instead she goes to the mall to spend quality time with Lilly. At the end, Oliver ends up as the mascot and is good at it, but smells really bad.
In the subplot, Robby pays Jackson to fix the sink and garbage disposal. After some time, they call a plumber and he tells Robby that Jackson actually saved the house from being flooded. Surprised, Robby congratulates Jackson.
Trivia
The episode won the "Rah Rah Wrong" category in the 2006 Disney Channel New Year Sing-Along Bowl-athon.
The scene where Miley comes home and says the mask is following her is a reference to The Mask, a movie where the main character (Jim Carrey) is also trying to get rid of a mask, but is unable to because it keeps coming back to him.
Miley Cyrus had always wanted to be a mascot. She revealed this during the Disney Channel Games of 2006.
In real life, Miley's favorite sport is cheerleading. She revealed this in the Hannah Montana 2-Disc Special Edition Soundtrack.
The scene where Jackson pretends to shoot webs out of his wrists after claiming that he got bitten by spiders is a reference to Spider-Man.
Goofs
When Miley goes to the refrigerator as Hannah Montana her real hair can be seen under her wig.
When Oliver says his phone number during cheer practice, he says "5550121" but later on in the episode, he says "5550127".
When Lilly is auditioning for the cheerleading team, Miley is missing from the bleachers in one shot.
