Alright, alright, let’s talk about this here… whatchamacallit… Memphis mascot thing. You know, those fuzzy critters and goofy characters what run around at them basketball games and such.
Now, I ain’t no city slicker, but even I know a thing or two about these mascots. Folks love ’em, kids go crazy for ’em, and I reckon they bring a whole heap of fun to the games. Take that Grizz fella, for example.
He’s the main man, or rather, the main bear, for the Memphis Grizzlies basketball team. Been around for donkey’s years, they say. Started way back when the team was up in some place called Vancouver. Can you believe that? A bear in Vancouver! Then they packed up their bags and brought him down here to Memphis. That was back in… oh, I don’t rightly remember, maybe twenty years ago, give or take.
- He’s a big fluffy fella, that Grizz.
- Always dancin’ and jumpin’ around, makin’ folks laugh.
- He even won some kinda award, “Mascot of the Year” they called it. Imagine that! A bear winnin’ an award!
Now, some folks might say it’s just a silly job, dressin’ up in a big furry suit and all. But I tell you what, it takes a special kind of person to be a good mascot. You gotta have energy, gotta be fun-lovin’, and you gotta be able to put a smile on folks’ faces, even when your team’s losin’ somethin’ fierce. And that Grizz fella, he’s got all that and more.
And it ain’t just the Grizzlies what got a mascot, no sir. Them Memphis Tigers, they got one too. Well, three actually, all tigers. Called ’em TOM, I hear. Been around since the seventies, they say. Big ol’ cats, just like the real thing, only… you know… not so real. Not so likely to eat ya for supper neither. These TOM fellas are all about school spirit, gettin’ them college kids all riled up for the games.
Then there’s that… Rockey the somethin’ Redbird, I think they call him. Plays for the baseball team, I reckon. Don’t know much about him, but I seen him around town sometimes. Another one of them fellers what likes to have a good time and make folks happy.
Memphis mascots, they’re more than just costumes and silly dances. They’re part of the whole shebang, part of what makes goin’ to a game so special. They bring folks together, they make us laugh, and they remind us that sometimes, it’s okay to just have a little fun. It’s a good thing, I tell ya. A real good thing.
You see, these mascots, they ain’t just for the young’uns neither. Old folks like me, we get a kick outta seein’ them too. Reminds us of when we was young and didn’t have a care in the world. Makes us forget about our aches and pains for a little while. And that’s worth somethin’, I tell ya. That’s worth a whole heck of a lot.
So, next time you’re at a game in Memphis, keep an eye out for them mascots. Give ‘em a wave, give ‘em a cheer. They work hard to keep us entertained, and they deserve a little appreciation. They’re part of what makes Memphis, well, Memphis. Ya know, fun and friendly like. That’s what I think, anyways.
And that’s all I gotta say about that. These Memphis mascots, they’re good folks, or good critters, or whatever you wanna call ‘em. They bring a little bit of joy to the world, and that’s somethin’ we could all use a little more of these days.
Tags: [Memphis Grizzlies Mascot, Grizz, Memphis Tigers Mascot, TOM, Rockey the Rockin’ Redbird, NBA Mascot, Memphis Sports, Mascot of the Year]
