NASHVILLE -- State Rep. Joe McCord decked "Rex the Rescue Dinosaur" in a hallway of the Legislative Plaza on Tuesday.

Actually, it was someone in a costume representing Rex, the mascot of the Tennessee Emergency Number Association, made up of E-911 organizations around the state. Rex came along as members of the association visited legislators on Tuesday.

McCord, R-Maryville and UT Old Boy, said he was greeted by Rex and playfully poked him in the costume nose. The lawmaker said he had recently dressed up as another famous dinosaur, Barney, for a children's birthday party.

Barney's noce is soft and fluffy, he said, and the children "had a ball" swatting his nose with no pain or harm to himself inside. So he thought he could do the same with Rex.

Not so.

McCord says he learned that Rex's artificial nose is "solid and very heavy", fitting closely against the face of the person inside.

Thus, he said the playful poke — and the awkward balance of the rotund creature costume — knocked Rex flat on the floor with a crowd of legislators, lobbyists and a few visitors from Blount County as witnesses.

"It wasn't malicious", said McCord. "The dinosaur wasn't hurt. But my ego was."

The legislator helped Rex, who was not available for comment, back to his feet, unhurt.

No 9-1-1 call was necessary.