04/19/24
January 19, 2012
SportsFilter: The Thursday Huddle:
A place to discuss the sports stories that aren't making news, share links that aren't quite front-page material, and diagram plays on your hand. Remember to count to five Mississippi before commenting in anger.
You can't make this stuff up (via Deadspin) -- Bruins fan tackles Lightning mascot after vicious Silly String attack.
posted by wfrazerjr at 11:35 AM on January 19, 2012
SPARKLES ARE THE DEVIL'S WORK!! CLEARLY A TOOL OF THE WEST COAST LIBERAL MAFIA THAT HATES REAL AMERICA!!
posted by billsaysthis at 12:12 PM on January 19, 2012
Silly String stains clothes and Thunderbug shot him directly in the eye with it also. It seems a little shitty for the mascot to do that, walk off and then gesture for the fan's ejection.
posted by rcade at 12:23 PM on January 19, 2012
A school board in Utah is saying that if you choose "Cougar" as your school mascot, you'll offend middle-aged women.
posted by NerfballPro at 01:46 PM on January 19, 2012
Taylor Hall, 2 days after being stepped on by a teammate during the pregame skate.
posted by tommybiden at 02:29 PM on January 19, 2012
Beckham re-signs with LA Galaxy on a two-year deal.
posted by etagloh at 03:03 PM on January 19, 2012
Taylor Hall, 2 days after being stepped on by a teammate during the pregame skate.
It reminds me of Borje Salming's similar injury and scar from over 25 years ago:
posted by grum@work at 03:15 PM on January 19, 2012
Silly String stains clothes and Thunderbug shot him directly in the eye with it also. It seems a little shitty for the mascot to do that, walk off and then gesture for the fan's ejection.
Unless you have a frame-by-frame breakdown of the footage, I'd like to know how you can determine it him in the eye. Around the eye? Yes. In the eye? Inconclusive.
Given the gesticulating and what appeared to be swearing on the way out, I'm guessing this guy wasn't a Lady Byng contender to start with.
posted by wfrazerjr at 03:29 PM on January 19, 2012
It's not serious enough for the Zapruder treatment. I just think as mascot pranks go, spraying Silly String directly in a visiting fan's face and all over his clothes is ill-advised. If a fan did that, he'd probably be tossed.
posted by rcade at 03:56 PM on January 19, 2012
Mascots are annoying and should stick to entertaining children. I've seen mascots at minor league baseball games get their big heads knocked off (literally) because they insist on bugging adults who want no part of it (and are a few beers in). Some are a bit over the top.
posted by dyams at 04:02 PM on January 19, 2012
So, just to be clear:
1) Mascot sprays fan with feather-light material.
2) Fan physically assaults mascot, knocking him to ground.
3) Fan then swears at and gives finger to all other fans around him.
4) Mascot bad.
Got it.
posted by wfrazerjr at 04:12 PM on January 19, 2012
Gary Carter's fight with cancer takes turn for the worse
posted by tommybiden at 04:13 PM on January 19, 2012
1) Mascots for a team are OK, if your fan base is so shallow that the game is not entertainment enough for them.
2) Mascots in the stands interacting with fans without the fan's permission are bad. If you want to hug the cute kid with the home jersey on, get his dad's (or mom's) permission first, but don't even make faces at someone with an opponent's jersey on. You don't know how many of your arena's high-priced beers he has had.
3) Spraying any substance on anyone is stupid. I know silly string won't stain, but it is a pain in the ass to remove. If the substance does get sprayed into someones eye, or even close, it can cause harm. The natural reaction to any substance on your face is to wipe it off, which puts it on your hand, and if you then touch your eye, it can sting.
4) Fans who start swinging at anyone for any reason are not too bright. If you have a problem with the actions of a mascot, yell at the management. If they have a brain, they will not be insensitive to your complaint (unless they are as stupid as their mascot).
On another subject: Keep on fighting, Gary Carter. Our thoughts are with you.
posted by Howard_T at 05:09 PM on January 19, 2012
Here's another copy of the video. Show me where he flipped anybody off, Frazer.
I obviously think it was wrong for the fan to tackle the mascot. That goes without saying.
I talked about the mascot's actions because they're more debatable. Like Dyams, I think it's dumb for them to fuck with visiting fans.
Anyone else not know Silly String is flammable?
posted by rcade at 05:36 PM on January 19, 2012
P.s. Contrary to appearances, the fan was allowed to return to his seat and no more fan/mascot violence took place.
posted by rcade at 05:51 PM on January 19, 2012
I hate the Bruins, but even I think that mascot was way off base in spraying him with silly string, especially in his face like that.
Just because you are wearing a goofy costume, it doesn't give you the right to be a dick. Spraying someone in the face with any substance is a dick move, and you can't expect people to sit there and take it calmly.
posted by grum@work at 09:32 PM on January 19, 2012
Spraying someone in the face with any substance is a dick move ...
Literally.
posted by rcade at 10:28 PM on January 19, 2012
Now that I've delivered a screed about mascots, I find that the Bruins have one called "Blades" (how original). Can't find a picture to laugh at, but if they take their cue from the Red Sox, it won't be pretty. I thought the Bruins were immune to this sort of thing, but sadly they aren't. Alas.
I will say this about the Boston mascots. Pat Patriot stays on the sidelines or behind the end zones and leads cheers. No going near the stands for him, but with that gigantic head, it would be a struggle to move around. Lucky, the Celtics' mascot, goes near the stands but does not directly interact with individual fans. He does back flips in the aisles and stands behind the opponent's basket during free throw attempts leading the crowd in waving, but that's it. The less said about Wally, the Green Monster at Fenway the better.
posted by Howard_T at 10:44 PM on January 19, 2012
I guess I sympathize with mascots because I once had to wear a plush animal costume on the job. On skis, no less.
posted by lil_brown_bat at 11:30 AM on January 20, 2012
I was Skeletor once at the State Fair of Texas, accompanied by He-Man and an exceptionally attractive Barbie who didn't have to wear a giant rubber suit. I was forbidden to gesture menacingly or talk, which gave me no opportunity to practice villainy or persuade Barbie to join me at Skull Mountain.
Lots of children like to punch Skeletor.
posted by rcade at 12:16 PM on January 20, 2012
No overt Barbie persuasion should have been necessary. The armor loin cloth and Green Giant wedgie briefs should have gotten the job done.
posted by beaverboard at 02:13 PM on January 20, 2012
Lots of children like to punch Skeletor.
Too bad for you he doesn't sport a sweet furry codpiece like his archrival. Although your loin cloth should have at least allowed for the boys to air out sufficiently.
posted by tahoemoj at 03:02 PM on January 20, 2012
Punching Skeletor: The Tragic Tale of Rogers Cadenhead
posted by yerfatma at 04:39 PM on January 20, 2012
I thought "Punching Skeletor" was the story of a Sun Valley, Nevada resident who had a penchant for striking his meth-addled wife.
posted by tahoemoj at 05:33 PM on January 20, 2012
The Packers lost their playoff game because Megan told Casey to put sparkles on her nail polish.