Dancing with the...Mascots?

For those of you who love Dancing with the Stars...why not Dancing with the Mascots???  I have a feeling that the Phillie Phanatic would be tough competition on the show!  Check out his sizzling dance moves with Jenn Utley from last night's Phillies fashion show! 

http://www.the700level.com/baseball-philadelphia-phillies/news/Video-Jen-Utley-Shakes-It-with-the-Phill?blockID=726872

Rumble v. Burnie...a preview of the 2012 NBA champion?!

Happy NBA finals time!  The series between the Oklahoma City Thunder and the Miami Heat got off to a good start last night (yes, i am routing for the Thunder - love the young energy!). I'm sure while you were watching the game, you inevitably wondered - who are the mascots for these teams?? Let's take a look at the two mascots in the NBA finals...since we all know, having a good mascot may make the difference in who pulls off a Championship! right lebron? :)

    
Burnie, the Miami Heat Mascot
According to Wikipedia:
The Burnie suit is a full-body costume. The body is furry orange with orange feathers for hair. Burnie's "nose" is a green basketball. Burnie wears number 0 for the Heat, typically in a black uniform, although he's also worn the Heat's red and white jerseys during playoff promotions. During the 2012 NBA Playoffs, due to the "White Hot Playoffs" of the Miami Heat, Burnie changed his outfit. It is still the same suit, but instead of the normal coloring, it is colored all-white. Burnie also wears an all-white Miami Heat jersey, with the words having a black trim. He may also wear a white Miami Heat t-shirt sometimes. Burnie is also the only Jewish mascot in the league (btw - how do we know this? does he love matzo ball soup?)

Fun Fact about Burnie: he's been sued in federal court: Back in October of 1994, during an exhibition game in Puerto Rico, Burnie pulled Yvonne Gil Bonar de Rebollo onto the court by her legs. Unfortunately for the mascot, Gil Bonar de Rebollo was the wife of a local Supreme Court justice...and she wasn't amused. Burnie was charged with aggravated assault and battery, faced 20 years in jail, and was sued for $1 million for emotional distress. The Heat tried to settle out of court for $100,000 but Gil Bonar de Rebollo refused. She was eventually awarded $50,000 (despite repeated appeals).

      

   Rumble (Thunder Mascot).

On February 17, 2009, Rumble the Bison was introduced as the new Oklahoma City Thunder mascot during the halftime of a game against the New Orleans Hornets. Rumble was the winner of the 2008–2009 NBA Mascot of the Year.  According to his official backstory on NBA.com, Rumble is the subject of a Native America tale has been passed down for centuries which tells of a bison who was struck by lightning while saving his herd from a ferocious storm in the Arbuckle Mountains. The lightning transformed him into the anthropomorphic, super-powered bison known today as Rumble. When the Thunder arrived in Oklahoma City, he identified with them and joined the team.

Well, it's pretty clear to me that Rumble would beat out Burnie in any championship series!  No contest!  what do you think?  Do you think Burnie has a chance based on his criminal past?  Would Burnie "burn" the bison, or would Rumble lighting strike down the flame? 

The Phanatic in Court??

Just saw this article...what do you think? Do people assume risk of injury when playing with a mascot?  Do mascots have to be more gentle to fans?  Will the phanatic show up in court?  If you are a true phillies fan, would you ever sue the phanatic???? 

Phanatic sued by Abington woman over alleged pool horseplay

06/12/2012 1:12 PM

By Jason Nark
Daily News Staff Writer
Philadelphia Daily News

He's big, green and usually just a little goofy, but an Abington woman claims the Phillie Phanatic turned into the Incredible Hulk at the Jersey Shore when he tossed her in a hotel pool.
Suzanne Peirce claims she was attending her sister's wedding at The Golden Inn in Avalon on July 17, 2010 and was poolside with the Phanatic, who was "engaging in various antics" during a comic routine, according to a lawsuit filed last week in Common Pleas Court and first reported by Courthouse News,
The Phanatic suddenly picked up both Peirce and her lounge chair and tossed both into the pool, according to the suit.
Peirce claims she hurt just about everything in the incident, including suffering "severe and permanent injuries to her head, neck, back, body, arms and legs, bones, muscles, tendons, ligaments, nerves and tissues ..." and more. The pool did have water in it, attorney Aaron Denker said, though Peirce was tossed in the shallow end.
"The next day she really felt it and had a difficult time getting out bed and had a difficult time participating in the wedding," Denker said.
Since it was unclear who was actually in the Phanatic costume that day, Peirce is suing both Tom Burgoyne and Matt Mehler or any other unnamed individual who was portraying the Galápagos Islands native there, the complaint claims. The team and The Golden Inn are also named as defendants.
A Phillies spokeswoman said the team was aware of the lawsuit and declined to comment while a representative from The Golden Inn did not immediately return requests for comment.
Denker said the Phanatic was not a part of this particular wedding, though pictures on The Golden Inn's website show him posing with unnamed newlyweds. There's also a YouTube video of the Phanatic at the pool there, dancing with some women and playing in the sand with a kid.
The lawsuit does not mention specific dollar amounts, but claims Peirce has spent large sums of money on medicine and medical attention and has also suffered from "humiliation and loss of life's pleasures. “
Peirce, Denker said, is a Phillies fan.
This isn't the first time the Phanatic's been accused of being too fanatical: in 2010 the Daily News found he'd been sued at least three other times in the last decade, once for hugging someone too hard. In 2010, a woman attending a Reading Phillies game with her church group claimed he sat on her legs, making her arthritis act up and ultimately led to a knee replacement, a lawsuit alleged.
He's not the only mascot to get into legal trouble, though. In 2010, an Upper Darby woman sued Disney, claiming a Donald Duck mascot touched her breast, causing a “shock to her entire nervous system" along with flashbacks and digestive problems.

WING, CHEESE AND CELERY RACE!!!!!

When researching fun mascot races in sports, I came across this hilarious race which takes place during home games for the Buffalo Bison, the triple A affiliate of the NY Mets.  It is the  Wing, Cheese, Celery Race!!!!!!!! (Also referred to as the WCC race!) This unique mascot race began in 2011, and is back again in 2012, with a new participant (Atomic Wing).

Each race participant even has their own twitter page! but poor Celery, it still hasn't won a race yet...“A crunchy, awkward stride” and “Bad aerodynamic design” have all put the lanky Celery at a disadvantage against his smaller, more nimble foes.......LET CELERY WIN!!

Wing, Cheese, Celery Race - Win Totals

46 Chicken Wing Career Wins

3 Atomic Wing Career Wins

26 Bleu Cheese Career Wins

0 Celery Career Wins

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Here is the scouting report for the mascots!! The main entree. The Chicken Wing dominates the field with a BBQ style that's big, bold and quick. Has many different recipes for success, racing out to early leads or his classic comeback. Has a saucy demeanor and sometimes can get a little 'crispy' after losses. You can count on the Atomic Wing to really heat up a race. Might not always be on the menu, but when Atomic comes to play, you know it'll pack a punch and leave you sweatin'. A twist on the classic wing, Atomic is dangerous and fantastic all in one.                                          Bleu Cheese can absolutely smother the competition. With the mold of a champion, Bleu Cheese serves as a creamy rival to Chicken Wing. Uses a trademark spin to pull off upsets over the wings. Can sometimes "crumble" when winning.  The healthy option, Celery has a lean physique, but a stalky stride that hurts its speed. Celery can sometimes get big leads, only to fail in the 'crunch' Still looking for Win #1, Celery will also be good to the hearts of Bisons fans.

SO who would you pick to win?  Who is your favorite of the mascots?? If the Phillie Phanatic could chose to eat one of these mascots - which one would it be??  Should any more participants be added?  Maybe a Carrot??  or a Wet-Nap Towelette?!  YES!!!!

Meeting Teddy!! And pierogi mascots? they do exist!!

First of all, i had a great time at the Phillies-Nationals game yesterday, even though the Phillies lost. I did not complete my mission to meet Screech, the Nationals mascot, but I may have done one better.....I met Teddy, one of the Nationals' racing US Presidents!  He sure was tall!! and yes, Teddy is giving me a thumbs down because he did not like my Phanatic t-shirt!




While drinking beers and watching the game at the Red Loft Bar at the Nationals' stadium, I met a Pittsburgh Pirate's fan, who enlightened me about an interesting mascot story (once I mentioned mascot nation), in light of the fact that the Pittsburgh pirates are playing the Washington Nationals in a series next weekend....Well, turns out there are Pierogi Mascots!!!!!  YES!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! 

According to wikipedia, The Great Pierogi Race, is an American mascot race between innings during a Pittsburgh Pirates baseball game that features four contestants racing in giant pierogi costumes: Jalapeño Hannah (green hat), Cheese Chester (yellow), Sauerkraut Saul (red) and Oliver Onion (purple).



The pierogies travel once a year to Miller Park to take on the Milwaukee Brewers' racing sausages (the inspiration for the Pirates' version of the promotion) when the Pirates play the Brewers, as well as to Nationals Park to take on the Washington Nationals' racing U.S. Presidents when the Pirates play the Nationals. Conversely, both the Brewers and Nationals bring their respective characters to PNC Park when they play in Pittsburgh. 
here is a rare video of the Pierogies taking on the Presidents...


Hmmm...this story just made me hungry for dinner!! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8wpWwuBIauw&feature=youtube_gdata_player

Kentucky Derby Mascot!!!?? YES!!!!

Hmm...so I am sure every time this year when the Kentucky Derby rolls around, you sit in your big wide brimmed hat and sip a mint julep and think...does the Kentucky Derby have a mascot??  According to Wikipedia, Pegasus, the winged, divine horse, is the “Mascot of the Kentucky Derby Festival, a community celebration leading up to the Run for the Roses (aka: the Kentucky Derby) in Louisville, Kentucky, USA.”  WHO KNEW the Kentucky Derby had a mascot???!!! 

Well, you know now! 

Peggy Pegasus was a New Mascot created for 50th Derby Festival (in 2005).  There are few images of Peggy, and here she is below with Gus.  “Gus the Pegasus” was born as an official costumed mascot in 2000 for the Kentucky Derby.  Gus spends much of the year in hibernation, emerging each spring from a heavy slumber to entertain Derby Festival patrons with his playful antics and contagious enthusiasm. Happy Kentucky Derby....and wait until you read about the Preakness mascot :)

 

Phillitude vs. Natitude....

It's Phillies v. Nats weekend!  In addition to the ballclub's "Take Back The Park" initiative, Washington D.C. Mayor Vincent Gray has officially declared this Friday, Saturday and Sunday as "Natitude Weekend" in the nation's capital.   Natitude, you ask, what is that?  hmm...“It’s a young team, with an edge and attitude,” Nats COO Andy Feffer explained. “But now it’s different than the past: they’re talented, and they’ve got the skills to back it up. That kind of edge and attitude is Natitude.”

Well, the phillies have Phillitude!  Haha, take that, I can be creative too!  How does this fit in with mascot news...well, earlier this week The Nationals had a truck parked in front of Citizens Bank Park. Washington’s mascot Screech booted Phillies fans out of the back of the truck, which appeared to be for a one of their in-game videos at Nationals Park. ooooooohhhhhhhhhhh, that sure sounds like a lot of Natitude if you ask me. hmm...can't wait to see that on saturday when I head down to the game!

Here is Screech, who is very often confused with Swoop, mascot of the Philadelphia Eagles.  Can the Nats do anything original???
 
SCREECH                                           vs.     SWOOP     

    

Screech is the mascot of the Washington Nationals. He is a bald eagle that wears the home cap and jersey of the team. He was "hatched" on April 17, 2005 at the "Kids Opening Day" promotion at Robert F. Kennedy Memorial Stadium. A nine-year-old fourth grade student in Washington, Glenda Gutierrez, designed the mascot and won a contest sponsored by the team, explaining that it was "strong and eats almost everything." In 2009, the Nationals unveiled a redesigned Screech. The new costume, designed by Major League Baseball's design department made the mascot slimmer. The Nationals explained that the original design was of an eagle that was always intended to grow up one day. A Nationals official described him as "like a teenager now". 

This was baby screech - if you ask me, i like him a whole lot better!!!!

And while we are talking about Washington DC mascots, we can't forget about the Presidents....

Taking a page from Milwaukee's sausages, the Nationals showcase caricatures of Jefferson, Washington, Lincoln and Teddy Roosevelt running a daily race and schmoozing fans in the stands.
The Presidents Race is a promotional event held at every Washington Nationals home game at Nationals Park (and previously at RFK Stadium) during the fourth inning. The Presidents' Race features likenesses of four former Presidents of the United States, namely those found on Mount Rushmore: George Washington, Abraham Lincoln, Thomas Jefferson, and Theodore Roosevelt; their nicknames per the race graphics are George, Abe, Tom, and Teddy. The Presidents are dressed in period costumes and topped with giant foam caricature heads. Occasionally, they are dressed in Nationals jerseys with the number on the jersey reflecting what number president they were (1 for George, 3 for Tom, 16 for Abe, and 26 for Teddy.) Teddy has notoriously never won a single race as of yet.

LET'S GO TEDDY!!!  SHOW 'EM SOME NATITUDE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WHAT?!!!!! NO WAY MR MET IS #1 MASCOT?!!!!

Clearly the marketing firm who created this list of top mascots must be based in NY and are probably nerdy Mets fans. (well, actually they are based in Texas but do have a ny office).   A story that came out this week in Forbes dishes on how the Marketing Arm's Davie-Brown Index determined that Mr. Met edged the Phillie Phanatic for the top spot, like he did in 2009.  RIDICULOUS!  see the link to his article/fabricated survey results here. http://www.forbes.com/sites/tomvanriper/2012/04/30/americas-favorite-sports-mascots/

I do not agree with the results from this "Davie-Brown index", but since this is mascot news nonetheless (thanks to our contributing writer Katie W.) I felt I should share will my followers. I am outraged that Mr. Met would take a top spot in any mascot ranking, as there is NO QUESTION that the Phanatic deserves the #1 spot. Share your thoughts on the rankings below.

(Photo by Rob Carr/Getty Images)

The Mets Beat The Phillies…For Top Mascot in Sports

The marketing firm who made the decision says Mr. Met beat the Phillie Phanatic for the first time since 2009, and that Canadian Mascots are not part of the study. Here’s who they do have:

1. Mr. Met — New York Mets
2. Phillie Phanatic — Philadelphia Phillies
3. Benny the Bull — Chicago Bulls
4. Wally the Green Monster — Boston Red Sox
5. Racing Sausages — Milwaukee Brewers
6. The Gorilla — Phoenix Suns
7. Billy the Marlin — Florida Marlins
8. Coyote — San Antonio Spurs
10 (tie). Racing Presidents — Washington Nationals
10 (tie). Rocky — Denver Nuggets

Who do you think is the best mascot in sport? Offer your thoughts and comments below…

ps....an interesting excerpt from the Forbes mascot article....

• While Mr. Met is a favorite for his light-hearted humor, the more zany and aggressive mascots still carry plenty of influence. The Phillie Phanatic, who has won this poll in the past, places a solid second this year. And the Phanatic’s “mentor,” the San Diego Chicken, puts forth another strong showing at No. 4. Even though the Chicken now freelances, having cut formal ties with the Padres years ago, he remains one of the most recognizable and appealing mascots out there.

This raised several questions...who knew the phanatic had a mentor?  and who is the san diego chicken?!

well.....

The San Diego chicken is to pro sports mascots what Washington was to U.S. Presidents, or what Redenbacher was to popcorn. The Chicken is also one of the few mascots who wasn't birthed on a marketing director's dry-erase board: Way back in 1974, Ted Giannoulas was hired by a local rock radio station to bounce around at a zoo wearing a chicken suit; he started doing the same at Padres games shortly thereafter, and a legend was born. The initial pay? $2 an hour. The success of the Famous Chicken helped lead to mascots becoming widespread throughout professional sports, particularly Major League Baseball. The Chicken was named one of the 100 most powerful people in sports for the 20th century by The Sporting News.  Apparently, during the winter after the 1977 season, Dennis Lehman, who thought that the team needed a mascot similar to San Diego's Famous Chicken created the Phanatic. 

 

So thanks to the San Diego Chicken, the Phillies have the real #1 mascot in sports, despite what a silly poll may say :)

phanatic's bday and speak of the devil...

Ok, so two mascot stories today...

First of all, it is the Phillie Phanatic's birthday celebration on sunday. The Phanatic usually flies in a few of his close mascot buddies to party with him... Here is a photo from last year's birthday!  who are you excited to see at his birthday this year!? I personally like Kirby the Krimpet (who really hates being called a 'Twinkie') and the phanatic's mom, Phoebe! HAPPY BIRTHDAY PHANATIC!!!!






Second, the Philadelphia Flyers now know that their opponent will be the NJ Devils in the NHL 2012 Eastern Conference Semifinals. Here is a photo of the phanatic and the devil's mascot, cleverly named "NJ Devil"  from a couple of years ago. I sure hope the phanatic does not include the NJ Devil on his birthday invite list for this year!!!  Boooooo Devils!



Some info on the NJ Devil's mascot.....
The current mascot is "NJ Devil", a 7-foot (2.1 m) tall devil who plays into the myth of the Jersey Devil (The Jersey Devil is a legendary creature or cryptid said to inhabit the Pine Barrens of Southern New Jersey, United States.)  NJ Devil keeps the crowd excited, signs autographs, participates in entertainment during the intermissions, skates across the ice, throws t-shirts, and runs throughout the aisles of the arena to high five fans.

Prior to 1993, the NJ Devil's mascot was "Slapshot", a large Devils hockey puck that interacted with the fans. However, the man inside the costume resigned after he was accused of touching three women inappropriately while in costume. The lawsuit and all charges were dropped as nothing could be proven. However, to remove the stigma of the lawsuit, Slapshot was retired and has not returned since.

what do you think slapshot is doing now?  do you think the story about him is true???  Should the flyers hire him to beat up on the devil during the playoffs?  GO FLYERS!!!!

Wenlock and Mandeville, the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic mascots

ok, since i am bummed about the philadelphia sports losses last night, i thought i would write about something i saw on the news this morning. the anchors were talking about the 2012 Olympics in London and showing photos of London....but in the background there was something weird hopping up and down. The anchors laughed and they were trying to guess what it was....well, i have the answer....it was the Olympic mascots for 2012!!!  yay!!!  let me introduce them to you...





and what on earth are these mascots?  what is the story behind them??  well...


In the end they were neither animal, vegetable nor mineral. Nor, as some cynics had predicted, did they resemble white elephants.

Instead, Wenlock and Mandeville, the London 2012 Olympic and Paralympic mascots, elicited mostly baffled reactions as to just what they were at their unveiling today.

With a metallic finish, a single large eye made out of a camera lens, a London taxi light on their heads and the Olympic rings represented as friendship bracelets on their wrists, they resemble characters dreamed up for a Pixar animation.
But London 2012 organisers, for whom the launch of the mascots marks the start of a crucial period in which the games will become public property, pointed to the delighted reaction of a hall full of primary school children at today's launch as evidence that they would connect with their target audience.
"They remind you of aliens, which is really weird and cool," said 10-year-old Ali. "It reminds you of the Olympics, which is worldwide so it's something you'll want to remember forever," added 11-year-old Zanyab as they cavorted with life-size mascots for the cameras.
The pair are based on a short story by children's author Michael Morpurgo that tells how they were fashioned from droplets of the steel used to build the Olympic stadium. They will be crucial in raising funds and spreading messages about the games.
Wenlock, named after the Shropshire town of Much Wenlock that helped inspire Pierre de Coubertin to launch the modern Olympics, and Mandeville, inspired by the Buckinghamshire town of Stoke Mandeville, where the Paralympics were founded, will become very familiar in the next two years. The chairman of the London organising committee of the Olympic games (Locog), Lord Coe, said the mascots were aimed squarely at children and designed with the digital age in mind. He said they had the most positive reaction in workshops to road test them.
Among the designs rejected at the start of an open pitch process were anthropomorphic pigeons, an animated tea pot and a Big Ben with arms and legs.
Children will be encouraged to interact with the characters, inviting them via Facebook, Twitter and the web to visit their school and, said Coe, inspiring them to take up different sports.
"The story itself is very rooted in the nations and regions. Young people will be able to decide where they go, what sports they pick up. There is a real interactivity there, it is a language and a flexibility that is driven by young people," he said.
The pair were introduced in an animated film that followed their story from the Bolton steelworks where the frame of the Olympic stadium was made. They will become a range of up to 30 cuddly toys, including versions based on celebrities and sports stars, as well as adorning badges, T-shirts, mugs and more.
Organisers hope Wenlock and Mandeville will rank alongside the more fondly remembered mascots, such as Waldi the dachshund from the 1972 Munich games and Misha the bear from the 1980 Moscow Olympics – rather than the much maligned Izzy of Atlanta 1996. "The games have got a few stupendous assets – the mascot, tickets, the volunteers, the torch relay – and you have got to really use those to bring home your key messages," said Locog's chief executive, Paul Deighton.
"If you link them together you begin to have a really powerful story that people will respond to."
The unveiling of the bold London Olympics logo in 2007 was controversial, with many criticising its graffiti-like design. Organisers, who hired Wolff Olins at a cost of £400,000 to design it, stood firm, arguing that it was supremely adaptable and perfect for the digital age. But they were forced to withdraw a launch film after it emerged that it had the potential to trigger epileptic seizures.
The mascots, conceived by London design agency Iris and costing, said Deighton, just "a few thousand pounds", are an important staging post from a financial and marketing point of view. They will pour up to £15m into the coffers of the organising committee via dozens of licensing deals, part of an overall licensing target of £70m to £80m towards Locog's £2bn privately raised budget.
In 1984, the Los Angeles games ushered in the money-spinning Olympic era. The event was the first to use its Disney-designed mascot to raise funds, since when they have become a cash cow for organisers.
But the story behind the mascots is also designed to help make the Olympics relevant to the whole nation. That will be crucial if organisers are to maintain support for a project that is also costing the public £9.3bn, particularly as cuts in public services begin to bite.
After a spell of behind-the-scenes work devoted to raising £700m in sponsorship revenues, Locog is entering a more public phase when everything it does, from the unveiling of the mascot to its ticket pricing policy, will come under scrutiny.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2010/may/19/london-olympics-2012-mascot

so what do you think about these creatures?  are you excited to see them hopping around during the olympics in 100 days? 

FLYERS? MASCOT?

Ok, so i am officially on the Flyers' bandwagon after the knockout fights during the sunday afternoon game. Flyers lead the playoff series 3-0. I'm sure the question on everyone's mind is....do the Flyers have a mascot???   well....the answer is....they used to!

The Flyers debuted a short-lived skating mascot named Slapshot in 1976. It remains the only mascot in Flyers' team history. Slapshot lasted only one year, and there’s not much evidence of his/her existence (the Flyers told us that they had no pictures).  Today, the Washington Capitals use a mascot by the same name.





And in case you are wondering, the Flyers' opponents, the Pittsburgh Penquins, have a mascot! 


Iceburgh is the official mascot of the Pittsburgh Penguins franchise in the National Hockey League. Iceburgh debuted for the 1991-92 NHL Season. Iceburgh was known as "Icey" in the 1995 film Sudden Death starring Jean-Claude Van Damme, filmed at the Pittsburgh Civic Arena. In the movie, Iceburgh's costume was worn by one of the villains.  The name Iceburgh is a play on the word 'iceberg' and the name of the city of Pittsburgh. He usually wears a Penguins jersey with the number "00". The costume is almost identical to that of the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins' team mascot, "Tux." The only difference being that Iceburgh has an orange neck, and Tux's neck is red. Tux also wears hockey gloves and Iceburgh does not.

i hate the rally squirrel!!

for those of you who watched any of the 2011 phillies-cardinals NLDS series last year, you will surely remember the infamous rally squirrel! 
 



well, today we learn that the rally squirrel has made it on the cardinal's world series ring!  haha! 



click here for more on the squirrel story, and the ring....
http://sports.yahoo.com/blogs/mlb-big-league-stew/cardinals-put-rally-squirrel-world-series-ring-160249382.html


How is this related to mascots you ask?? The Cardinals marketing department has decided to make "Rally Squirrel" a mascot in 2012.   Two mascots are way better than one.  Smart thinking, bring on more mascots :)  

what is that in the the outfield??

ok, so this weekend,  Miami Marlins player finally hit a homerun in the new Marlins Park, which set the much-buzzed about "home run sculpture" into action for the first time. Second baseman Omar Infante was the player who seized the honors of hitting the first Marlins home run in ballpark history, launching a pitch from Houston's J.A. Happ over the left field fence in the second inning.

check out the link below.....what do you think??  fun, entertaining, horrific, cheesy, ugly, beautiful work of art? 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=esWB4wUoPwQ&feature=youtube_gdata_player

PAINT THE TOWN RED!!!

and yes....after my post last week about the red phanatic events around town, I could not resist and after sitting through a fashion show at Macy's ...i finally met the RED PHANATIC!!!  Thanks katie and mary for their stalking skills and fast footwork on way to the elevator :) haha!!



and for those of you who keep asking - "what is the red phanatic" - well....

One week before the Phillies had their 2006 opener, the Phanatic was "dyed" red as part of the team's week-long promotion to "Paint the Town Red". He was "dipped into a special paint" made by a team sponsor MAB Paints (now Sherwin-Williams) and changed from green to red. He returned to his regular color in time for the season opener for that year. This was repeated for the 2007 season, as he became red at a Philadelphia Fire Department station to help raise funds for smoke alarms in Philadelphia, raising over $4,000. "Paint the Town Red Week" has been repeated prior to the 2008, 2009, 2010 and 2011 seasons.

Happy BASEBALL 2012!!!

In honor of the 2012 baseball season kicking off today, I thought this article would get everyone in the mood!!! 

http://bleacherreport.com/articles/405555-top-10-bizarre-stupid-terrifying-and-uncomfortable-mascots-in-the-mlb

RED PHANATIC...YOUR CHANCE FOR A SIGHTING!!!

That's right - it is time for the Phillies "PAINT THE TOWN RED" campaign before opening day....and the city of Philadelphia gets a chance to see one of the most seclusive and endangered mascots ever created.....THE RED PHANATIC.....good luck trying to spot him around town....here is his schedule!!

http://mlb.mlb.com/phi/fan_forum/pttr_week.jsp

MASCOTS AND WALL STREET JOURNAL?!

Knights, Pirates, Trees Flock to Facebook

Mascots and Other Embodiments of Corporations Make a Comeback in Order to Tweet and Interact

By SUZANNE VRANICA

A new marketing campaign for StubHub, the ticket-resale website, stars a 25-foot-high animatronic talking tree with tickets as leaves. In commercials, the tree, known as the "Ticket Oak," lives in a suburban backyard and doles out tickets to neighbors.

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StubHub

StubHub's Ticket Oak, whose leaves are event tickets

It is quite a departure from StubHub's last ad campaign, which showed people dreaming about getting a ticket to a concert or a big game. But with the Ticket Oak character, StubHub hopes to make a splash on Facebook and other media.
StubHub, a unit of eBay Inc., EBAY -0.54%is just one of a number of marketers that have turned to characters—both live action and animated—to help sell their products in the past year. Hormel Foods Corp. HRL +0.03%now has a little cartoon knight named Sir Can A-Lot. Diageo DEO -0.64%PLC launched an ad campaign for its Captain Morgan rum last May that starred a live-action Captain character. It is the first time the character has appeared in TV ads, although the rum's label has long included a drawing of the pirate.

Progressive Corp.

Progressive's Flo chats up insurance shoppers.

Ad executives say consumers on Facebook are more likely to bond with a character than the traditional company page on the social-media website.
"Consumers are less likely to have a conversation with a logo or a PR guy on social media," said Jeff Charney, chief marketing officer for auto insurer Progressive Corp. PGR +0.13%Since 2008, Progressive's TV ads have centered on a perky sales clerk named Flo, who touts the insurer's rates. She now has 3.5 million fans on Facebook, where she posts comments about new Progressive products.
Characters also offer a softer way to sell a product, which is important on social media where executives fear that blatant selling or promotion can turn people off.
"You can put fairly bald product benefits into the mouth of a mascot and it doesn't come off as hard sell," said Parker Channon, partner at Duncan/Channon, a San Francisco ad firm that crafted the StubHub pitch.
The use of characters to personify corporate brands first became popular in the 1950s, when companies such as Kellogg Co. K +0.59%and Maytag introduced figures such as Tony the Tiger and the Maytag Repairman into their ads.

Kraft Foods

Mel, MilkBite's talking granola bar

Over the past decade the approach fell out of favor, particularly with younger creative executives who were eager to push ad strategies they considered more sophisticated. While it never disappeared altogether, the need to find ways to engage with consumers on Facebook or Twitter has given the concept a new impetus.
Kraft Foods Inc. KFT -0.40%recently began an ad push, crafted by ad firm Droga5, for MilkBite centered on Mel, a talking granola bar. The product's website is Mel's Facebook page where the mascot deals with his identity crisis: Unlike other granola bars, he is made partly of milk. In between, Mel reminds consumers to pick up some MilkBites.
Companies that have had success using ad characters including Geico Corp. with its popular talking Gecko and Procter & Gamble Co., PG -0.24%which saw sales of Old Spice body wash jump when the brand began featuring a comically loquacious, shirtless manly man. The character, played by Isaiah Mustafa, became wildly popular on Facebook, Twitter and YouTube.
Progressive says it has had year after year increases in policies sold since the Flo campaign started in 2008. Several months ago, the insurer introduced a new character, "the Messenger," meant to portray the typical insurance customer. The Messenger so far has accumulated about 14,600 fans on Facebook, where he posts about ways to save money.

Aflac Inc.

Aflac's quacking duck

Maintaining a character often requires hiring staffers dedicated to keeping the mascot relevant. For Captain Morgan, Diageo has a team of eight people at its New York ad firm, Anomaly, who devise the pirate's daily chatter topics on Facebook.
The agency hired a 26-year-old man, who has a background in comedy, to be the official voice of the Captain. He spouts off drink recipes; shares photos of the Captain at parties; and offers up weekend partying tips.
StubHub said it doesn't have a marketing budget to create a Twitter account for Ticket Oak so for now it is creating only a Facebook page for the character. "We are still looking at Twitter but it's a 24/7 medium that needs dedicated resources," says Michael Lattig, StubHub's head of brand.
Some older characters are learning new Internet tricks. Aflac Inc.'s AFL -0.74%well-known duck has been around for 12 years, but two years ago the duck got a Facebook page and started tweeting. The duck has 313,500 fans on Facebook and 14,537 followers on Twitter.
Even some aging mascots are getting a new lease on life, thanks to Facebook. Last year, P&G launched a Facebook page for Mr. Clean, a brand icon created in 1957. The muscular, tanned, bald character, who has long appeared in ads, has amassed almost 280,000 Facebook fans.

Enlarge Image

Procter & Gamble Co.

Mr. Clean was created in 1957.

"Our strategy has been not to put things like coupons and promotions" on Facebook, said Mark Renshaw, chief innovation officer at Leo Burnett, the Chicago ad firm that helped put Mr. Clean on the social-networking site. Burnett, a unit of Publicis Groupe SA, PUB.FR -0.62%has created many of most well-know ad icons including the Tony the Tiger, Jolly Green Giant and the Pillsbury Doughboy.
A recent post from Mr. Clean said: "It is the first day of spring, which means Spring Cleaning is just around the corner. Personally, I think Spring Cleaning should be a national holiday. Who's with me?" The post drew 72 comments and 774 "likes."

2012 NCAA FINAL FOUR MASCOTS!!!

Ok, so in honor of the 2012 Final Four game this weekend, see schedule below, I thought we should take a moment to check in on the mascots which will be busy cheering on their teams to the Championship!! Also, who do you think would win in the match up of mascots...

03/31	Kentucky	vs			Louisville	‎-6:09 PM (ET)
03/31	Kansas	vs			Ohio State	‎-8:49 PM (ET)

KENTUCKY

Wildcat Mascot - Scratch

The Wildcat mascot "Scratch" (in the left photo) originated during the 1976-77 academic year at UK. A few years later, he was joined by another Cat ("Blue" - the right photo) - walking on stilts - who made his appearance during UK's twin tower era of Melvin Turpin and Sam Bowie. Even today, the original mascot Blue is joined by Scratch, who's a more child-friendly mascot and serves as the host of UK's official Kids Club.
Today, both mascots attend each football and basketball game, several academic functions and generally serve as friendly ambassadors for the University.

VS.

LOUISVILLE

Cardinal Bird


The University of Louisville's mascot is a Cardinal. His official name is Cardinal Bird, but he is affectionately known to students as The "Bird." The Cardinal is the state bird of Kentucky, which gives the team statewide identification, and a sense of state pride. The Cardinal also provided the inspiration for the school's colors of red and black. The mascot is a rowdy presence at games, once even parachuting into the football stadium to make his entrance.

MATCH UP OUTCOME - I would have to take Scratch in this fight, although Bird's beak looks kind of scary!


KANSAS

BIG JAY (jersey #1) AND BABY JAY (Jersey # 1/2)!!



The origin of the Jayhawk is rooted in the historic struggles of Kansas settlers. The term "Jayhawk" was probably coined around 1848. Accounts of its use appeared from Illinois to Texas and in that year, a party of pioneers crossing what is now Nebraska, called themselves "The Jayhawkers of '49". The name combines two birds--the blue jay, a noisy, quarrelsome thing known to rob other nests, and the sparrow hawk, a quiet, stealthy hunter. The message here: Don't turn your back on this bird. How do you draw a Jayhawk? For years, that question stumped fans. Henry Maloy, a cartoonist for the student newspaper, drew a memorable version of the Jayhawk in 1912. He gave it shoes. Why? For kicking opponents, of course.
In the 1960s, the Jayhawk went 3-D when the KU Alumni Association provided a mascot costume. Welcome, Big Jay. In 1971, during half-time of Homecoming, a huge egg was hauled out to the 50-yard line, and fans witnessed the hatching of Big Jay's companion, Baby Jay.

if you are bored, you should check out Big Jay and Baby Jay's awesome website!!
http://www.kumascots.com/

VS.

OHIO STATE
Brutus Buckeye

Brutus Buckeye is the athletics mascot of The Ohio State University. Brutus is a student dressed in Buckeye colors with a headpiece resembling an Ohio Buckeye nut. Brutus has appeared since 1965, with periodic updates to design and wardrobe. As a member of the cheerleading team, Brutus Buckeye travels to many events around The Ohio State University and often makes appearances around Columbus.  Hmm....got me thinking, what is a buckeye Nut?? Well, the amazon.com product description cleared everything up....who knew amazon.com would teach us about mascots too???

Buckeye Nuts - Quarter Size - Twenty-Five Nuts

• Product Description
• These rich brown buckeye nuts have been thoroughly dried and are ready for use. They are clean and smooth with no cracks, squirrel bites or mold. Buckeyes can be made into necklaces and other jewelry items to show your support for Ohio State University. They can be used for crafts, party favors, wedding table centerpieces, holiday garlands and more. This listing is for twenty-five buckeye nuts that are quarter size or larger. The buckeye nut has a rich, mellow, warm-brown shell highlighted by a beige eye. They resemble the eye of a deer and get their name from the Indian word hetuck which means eye-of-a-buck. Ohio is known as the Buckeye State, the buckeye is the official state tree and Ohio residents are commonly known as Buckeyes. Folklore says that buckeyes bring good luck and prevent rheumatism, arthritis and headache. Many OSU fans wear buckeye jewelry to bring their team good luck. The buckeye is a relatively new symbol at OSU. During the 1920s the buckeye gradually assumed an unofficial role as a school symbol. The buckeye's five-fingered leaflets, along with the nut were adopted by the University as its official symbol in 1950. Today this stylized buckeye emblem assumes a prominent place at the base of the University's seal. The first buckeye leaf decals appeared on the helmets of the 1967 OSU football team and are still awarded to players today for execution of an exceptional play. In 1965 the Buckeye was named Ohio State's mascot by the OSU athletic council. The buckeye mascot was later named Brutus Buckeye in an all-campus naming contest. The Ohio buckeye was popularly accepted as the State's symbol during the late 1800s but was not formally adopted by the Ohio legislature as the State Tree until 1953 on Ohio's 150th anniversary of statehood. Buckeye's are poisonous and should not be eaten; they are for craft and decorative purposes only.

MATCH UP OUTCOME - no question that the Jays would crack the nut :)

What do you think, are my predictions correct based on the mascots, who will win the games this weekend??

Trivia Answer....

Hope you had some fun guessing the answers to Friday's trivia question....
Name the only four major league baseball teams that do not have an official mascot....and the answers are....







Some guesses that were wrong...


white sox have South Paw


Giants have mascot - Lou Seal