MAY-DAY, MAY-DAY!

So the month of May has come and gone and my dad completely failed at updating my blog. He claimed to be too busy to post anything…said he was occupied with end of fiscal year activities at Butler University, a little race called the Indianapolis 500 and everything leading up to it, as well as chauffeuring me all around town for appearances. I can’t speak for the first two, but can attest to the latter. I was quite busy this past month my self and seeing as how I don’t book my own appearances, drive or do any of that stuff, I guess I should cut him some slack.

My month of May was primarily characterized by elementary school visits and I did quite a few. I’d show up, let my dad read one of Paul Brown’s Chowder books (pictures books about a bulldog named, Chowder), hand out bookmarks and posters with my likeness on it, answer questions about me, let the students pet me and last, but not least, perform my repertoire of tricks. I did this at such places as…

-Pine Tree Elementary – Avon, Ind.
-White Lick Elementary – Brownsburg, Ind. (My good friends in Ms. Butler's class!)
-Forest Dale Elementary – Carmel, Ind.
-Jeremiah Gray-Edison Elementary – Indianapolis, Ind.

And some photos…

I also got to visit Congregation Beth-El Zedeck where I attended their kindergarten graduation and accepted a check from Lily Farber in memory of her father and Butler grad, William Farber who passed away in February. It was an emotional gathering, but one that I was honored to be a part of for sure. My sincere appreciation to Congregation Beth-El Zedeck and its students for their student giving program and their support of Butler University.

I also got to be a part of Butler University’s ButlerRising Campaign Finale at Indiana Roof Ballroom, downtown Indianapolis. Yeah, big time! Seriously, how many dogs do you know attending formal events in ballrooms in downtown Indianapolis? Yeah, I’m kind of a big deal.

The event was spectacular and it was a great way to end Butler’s most successful fundraising campaign which saw nearly $154 million in gifts from more than 20,000 donors!!!! Another sincere thank you goes out to all of those who have contributed to Butler in the last six years to make this possible. Bravo!

So all of that, and of course a lot more, pretty much made up my month of May, but if you took all of that times ten, I’m still not sure it would explain the volume of activity my dad was involved in. Still no excuse for not keeping my blog up to date, but what can I do?

June has started a bit slow, but that’s summer around Butler’s campus. Sure, there’s summer school in session, but I miss all those young whipper-snappers running around. But I did make a new friend this week. One of our student workers in the development office brought his new 12-week old bassett hound puppy in for a visit. His name is Gustavo and he’s a happy-go-lucky little guy. Unfortunately my dad wasn’t around to shoot any pics or video, so this little mobile phone pic is all I’ve got at the moment. Hopefully Gus can come back soon so that we can get some video for your viewing pleasure.

Well, that’s about all I know at the moment. The dog days of summer are on their way which means I’ll be trying to find ways to beat the heat (read kiddie pool), but until then I’ll be enjoying some good old fashioned playing in the yard, or the campus mall.

I’ll try and make sure my dad blogs about it early and often! Until then, make sure you check me out on Twitter. Simply visit www.Twitter.com/ButlerBlue2 and you can read about what I’m up too even if my dad says he’s too busy write up a blog.

Bow wow,

Blue II

Family Fun

Whether it’s been my Butler family or my immediate human family, it just seems that this spring has been filled with family fun for me.

Of course, this past weekend was the celebration of the Christian holiday, Easter, so I’m sure that I wasn’t the only one getting in some quality time with the family. My parents and I loaded up and headed to Wabash, Ind. to see both sets of grandparents.

Of course, my young cousins (read nieces and nephews to my parents) were in attendance at these family gatherings so their playtime was also my playtime. That also means that I got to share in their Easter egg hunts, romps in the yard, rough-housing sessions and even a little dance-off. The videos are below and all featured on BlueTube. Enjoy!









I've also made a new friend to add to my extended family. His full name is Wilberforce, but we just call him Wilber for short. He's a 10-week-old English Bulldog puppy adopted by fellow Butler grads, Noelle and Daniel Pulliam.

I got to go over to Wilber's house last week, meet him and have a fun play date. I showed him the ropes a bit, taught him how to be a man and gave him some tips as to what to watch for growing up. He's a great little dude and I look forward to future get-togethers with him. Below is a video of our time together...



Even though the basketball seasons have come and gone, I’ve still been very active on campus. My Butler family has been requesting my presence quite frequently as well. From greeting prospective students and their families at early registration events to making class visits, I’ve been a busy bulldog.

Like I do every semester, I made my visits to Dr. Steven Vibbert’s public relations classes. I absolutely love Dr. Vibbert and visiting his classes so this is always a highlight for me. So much so that when my dad says his name, my ears go back and when he gives the command, I drag him through Jordan Hall, out the door, to the Fairbanks Building and directly to Dr. V’s classroom.

Dr. Vibbert is the only professor that habitually invites me to his classes so he and I have a special bond. Here’s a pic of me with some of his class members…


We also had some first graders on campus this week from IPS School No. 91. They were visiting some of our faculty and students from the College of Education. So I stopped by to see them just in time to get a look at their great bulldog drawings.

Here’s a shot of me with those kids, some of their mentors and their great bulldog drawings.

In other news, I got a promotion the other week. It’s true! Well, sort of anyway. I’m no longer just the official mascot of Butler University, but now I’m also an official building supervisor for the HRC! Yep, since I’m at the HRC so much, hanging out behind the control desk while my dad works out or teaches a fitness class, the HRC staff got me a belated birthday gift which made me a building supervisor.

It’s my very own HRC building supervisor bandana to wear around the joint. I sort of had an all-access pass anyway, but not it’s official. Special thanks to my friends at the HRC for the great gift!

Finally, the big buzz on campus recently has been a new contest featured in the campus newspaper, The Butler Collegian. It’s a photo caption contest that the Collegian staff started last week and the picture they chose to kick things off is of me laying a big smooch on my dad at a football game.

I didn’t think anything of it, but my dad just can’t seem to live it down. I’ve included a picture below, but this is a full color, half page spread of me planting a big wet kiss on my dad’s face. Consider it sweet revenge on my dad for making me do things that I don’t want to do. Ha ha ha ha! Good stuff.

Well, that’s about all from me at the moment. Thanks for reading and don’t forget to keep up with me on a daily basis via Twitter (www.twitter.com/butlerblue2) and on Blue2TV.

Woof!

Blue II

Extreme Makeover: Blue II Edition

Just a quick post today to show off a little video that my good buddies at CMC Media Group put together of myself and P.I.C., Hink, at the ABC Extreme Makeover Home Edition video shoot held at Hinkle Fieldhouse on Wednesday.

Many thanks to the kind fellas at CMC Media Group for doing this! You guys are good in my book!

Anyway, the video is below. I think it will give you a bit of a glimpse of the atmosphere on Wednesday night in Hinkle, and set the scene a little bit better than my poor story telling and weak photography. Enjoy...



A quick mention of congratulations to Butler men's head basketball coach, Brad Stevens, who was deservedly awarded a contract extension this week. He's scheduled to be at Butler now until 2014-15. In his first two years as head coach of the Bulldogs, he boasts an impressive 56-10 record. To put that into perspective, only North Carolina's Bill Guthridge (58-14 from 1997-99), had more victories in his first two years. (The credit to David Woods of The Indianapolis Star for that stat.)

This weekend is the opening weekend of the IndyCar Series 2009 season with a race in St. Petersburg, Fla. Why does that concern me? Well, my dad is there for one, but also because fellow Bulldog and 2003 Butler grad Ed Carpenter will once again be in the field behind the wheel of the No. 20 Menards/Vision Racing machine. Check him out on Sunday at 2:30 p.m. (ET) on VERSUS!

As for me this weekend, I'll be heading back up to Wabash, Ind. with my mom to visit the grandparents. I'm seeing a four-wheeler or tractor ride in my future!

I hope you enjoy the spring weekend as well!

Blue II

Welcoming an 'Extreme Makeover' after Mourning the Loss of a Friend

If you live in Indianapolis, then surely by now that you’ve heard that ABC’s Extreme Makeover Home Edition is in town helping the McFarland family by partnering with Estridge to build them a new home and by constructing a community center on Indy’s east side.

Well, Butler University got involved with the project yesterday as we hosted the show’s design team, production crew and several adoring fans inside Hinkle Fieldhouse for a special video shoot to let the McFarland family know that not only do they get a new house, but their mortgage is paid in full!

Myself and my P.I.C. (partner-in-crime), Hink, were on hand to welcome the crowd, meet the designers and production crew and just have a good time. Here are some shots from the evening featuring me with designers Ty Pennington, Michael Moloney, Paige Hemmis and Paul DiMeo.

For the rest of the photos, check out http://www.facebook.com/album.php?aid=72132&id=23981937738&l=de697d51d2

The show airs weekly on Sundays on your local ABC affiliate at 8/7 central. This specific episode will air on May 17th, but don’t look for me as I don’t think that I actually made it into any of the filming.

The ABC Extreme Makeover Home Edition was a good distraction for me this week as I’ve been mourning the passing of my first canine friend, Gabe, an Golden Retriever.

Gabe was the childhood dog of my dad’s good buddy and colleague, Uncle Kyle. I came home as a puppy on May 20, 2004. That next weekend was the Indianapolis 500 and so, Gabe and his parents took me in for the day so my parents could go enjoy the race. I was just a pup at the time and Gabe was a season veteran. He showed me the ropes and we were buddies ever since.

Gabe experienced a pinched nerve on Monday and was unable to use his back legs after that. That meant he could get up, walk, or do anything that a normal dog could do, so after 13 great years, Gabe went to doggy heaven on Tuesday morning. Rest in peace, Gabe! I’ll miss you!

Blue II

Birthday Boy, Blue II

Happy birthday to me! That’s right, today, March 27, is the big day and this year happens to mark the fifth year of me roaming this earth. Unfortunately, that also means that I’ve hit the age of 35 (5X7), by this date next year I’ll be 42, and I’ve officially reached middle age as the English Bulldog’s lifespan is just 8-10 years.

Ah well, such is life. I’m just going to enjoy it one day at a time, which is really like seven days for me. Oh, it’s so depressing. I must think happy thoughts, which isn’t hard to do on a day like this when I got to go to campus and all my friends (read: students, faculty and staff) threw parties for me!

Yep, it’s been a busy birthday for me. Paying no attention to my birthday wish to sleep-in, my dad got me up early so he could work out at the HRC (rec center) before work. It’s beats staying at home, but seriously, let a lazy dog sleep!

Once we got in to work, we had just enough time to get settled in before heading over to an early registration event for incoming freshman and their parents. My role at that event is to greet people and pose for pictures. Since my dad got me up so early, there weren’t too many pictures that I had my eyes open for, nor was I standing in too many of them. Sorry about that.

After that I inhaled the breakfast that I neglected to eat to start the day and got a visit from my friend and colleague Linda Cooley who brought me four new toys and some delicious gourmet doggy treats in honor of my big day! Thanks Linda! Here’s a video of me receiving the gifts that Linda brought me…

I didn’t get too much time to play with my new toys as I had to head over to Atherton Student Union for my very own birthday party! The kind students with the Butler University Student Foundation (BUSF) hold a party in my honor each year and it’s fantastic. The entire campus community is invited and many of them stop by for a free cookie or cupcake, soda, the opportunity to get a picture with me and a chance to sign my birthday card. It’s so cool!

My friend Dave Furst, Sports Director at WRTV-6, the ABC affiliate in town, made sure a news camera was on hand to record the event as well so look for it on RTV-6 news this evening! Thanks Dave!

Lots of students came, I took countless pictures, salivated over cupcakes that I couldn’t have, and just had more fun than should be allowed for a bulldog. Thank you BUSF and Butler for the great party! Needless to say, I’m one tired pooch…

That’s what you get when you’re a celebrity, I suppose. To finish out the day, I think I’ll nap some more and my dad says that we’ve got to make a stop over at the Vision Racing shop too. Fine by me, I love field trips! I also particularly like to visit my buddies at Vision Racing.

Hey, be sure to check out my YouTube channel, “BlueTube” for more great videos. I have lots of four-legged visitors this month (Bella the Beagle, Pepper, Xena and Xander) and a lot of our escapades are captured on film and featured on www.YouTube.com/ButlerBlue2, so check it out.
Thanks to everyone for the well wishes, presents, prizes, treats, pats on the head, and love on my special day! I’m not just the luckiest mascot in the world, but the luckiest dog as well. Thank you!

…and many more!

Blue II

A Bittersweet March Madness

First, I offer my hearty congratulations to the Butler Bulldog women's basketball team which held tough in the waning moments of the first-round WNIT match-up at Duquesne last night to win on running layup by Candace Jones! With just three seconds remaining in the game, Candance cashed in two points to bring the Bulldogs from behind to win by one (59-58) in what was the team's first post-season victory in more than a decade!

The Lady Bulldogs will move on to the second round of the tournament on Monday (March 23) to face host Marquette at 8:00 p.m. ET (7:00 p.m. CT). Go Dawgs!

Given the victory by the women last evening, all was not lost regarding the day and the thrill that is "March Madness!" However, a Bulldog couldn't help but feel bittersweet when going to bed last night as our men's team put forth a valiant effort, but came up short against the LSU Tigers in Greensboro, North Carolina to open up the men's basketball NCAA Tournament.

After a slow start, our beloved Bulldogs came roaring back and made us all proud and even lead the game with just minutes remaining. But LSU was not to be denied as they shot "lights out" and made a sprint to the finish. The final score was 75-71 and while we may have lost the game, it wasn't for a lack of effort. Our Bulldogs played well, but our hats off to the LSU Tigers...well played!

I guess that fact that President Barack Obama picked us to win in his bracket wasn't enough to make the difference in the game yesterday. But really, the guy missed like five games in his bracket yesterday! Yeah, five in the opening day. Ouch. Let's hope he's better at running the country than picking winners in an NCAA Tourney bracket!

The good news is that the same Bulldog team you saw yesterday returns to the bench next season and will be joined by a strong cast of recruits! The future is never guaranteed, but I like the plan that is in place!

And, if its of any additional consolation, we did make the "Top-10" list of mascots in this year's NCAA Tournament! Here's a link to the story: http://www.ajc.com/sports/content/sports/stories/2009/03/20/obama_ncaa_bracket.html

We came in at No. 9 in the rankings determined by PetSide.com.

Speaking of pets, here's a "dog ate it" story for you from CNN that I think you'll enjoy. Every heard the old saying, "money doesn't grow on trees?" Well, perhaps money grows within dogs! Check this out...



Now that's what you call, "dirty money!"

Okay, enough with the bad jokes, I'm out of here.

Tomorrow I'll be appearing at the 17th annual Bulldog Jog held over at the HRC at 8 a.m. so I hope to see some of you runner types there. Otherwise, enjoy the first weekend of the spring season!

Woof,

Blue II

The Face of March Madness

Ok, well "The Face of March Madness" title might be a little presumptuous, but for Indianapolis and central Indiana, I might as well be as my mug is front and center on the front page of today's Indianapolis Star!

Joining me in the cover shot are Butler athletic director, Barry Collier; head men's basketball coach, Brad Stevens; my mascot counterpart, Hink; Butler's 20th president, Dr. Bobby Fong. The headline reads "THE BUTLER WAY" and the following article includes an analysis of Butler's campus-wide winning philosophy as interpreted by David Woods.

Log on to www.indystar.com/butler to check it out and to read additional Butler coverage by Mr. Woods and Curt Cavin. Good stuff!

And if you've yet to see the front page of The Star today, or you don't live in the area, then here it is in all of it's glory...

Today's the big day, game day, so let's talk a little Butler hoops for a minute. Remember, the No. 9 Bulldogs open up NCAA Tourney play today on CBS at 12:20 p.m. from Greensboro, North Carolina versus the No. 8 seeded Tigers of LSU. It's been a highly touted game with college basketball analysts and experts teetering on the outcome.

With the experts and public opinion in question regarding just who will be victorious in the Butler/LSU match-up today, perhaps we should just put all of that aside and pay attention to one man's picks, our Commander and Chief, Barack Obama.

I'm not one to be politcial, but the guy is the President of the United States of America and he did pick Butler over LSU. Two things come to mind here. 1.) President Obama has some of the best intel in the world at his disposal and; 2.) If anyone has the power to "fix" the outcome of a game, I would think it would be this guy.

Ultimately, depending on how you voted in the fall will determine whether you think Obama's backing is a good or bad thing, but I'm a dog and I don't vote, so whatever. I'll take the support!

The Butler men's basketball team arent' the only Dawgs in action on the hardwood today, as the Butler women make an appearance in post-season play this evening in the WNIT at Duquesne.

The women tip at 7 p.m. (EST) in what will be their first appearance in the post season since 1998. A win tonight would give them their 20th win of the season!

Good luck to all of my Dawgs today!

If you know how to work the Twitter, or just like seeing my Twitter updates on my blog, then be sure to follow me all day today as I "tweet" updates regarding the games from my spot on campus. And for the upteenth time, no, I am not at the games because the NCAA does not allow live mascots at their tournament sites. Their loss.

For some additional coverage of Butler hoops besides the usual suspects:

• http://www.butlersports.com/

• www.indystar.com/butler

Also check out http://horizonleaguenetwork.blogspot.com/ for some great behind the scenes coverage!

Eventhough today is all about Butler hoops, I did want to leave you with a couple of other blogs that I've been following that highlight some of the amazing talents, efforts and abilities of Butler students and faculty.

The first blog revolves around some of Butler's Media Arts students and their creative work. The blog is designed to showcase the student's work that they complete for class assignments. Just have a look and checkout some of their stuff. It's some pretty impressionable work!

• http://www.butlercreative.blogspot.com/

The second blog is written by Butler College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences professor, Mike Roscoe and revolves around his life as a medic with the US Military while stationed in Iraq and his attempt at serving his country and his students all at the same time. It's a humbling story of courage, discipline, honor and pride. Keep up the great work, Mike!

• http://www.buprofessor.blogspot.com/

Whether you went to Butler, sent kids to Butler, had relatives attend Butler, work at Butler, once worked at Butler, just like bulldogs, the color blue, or whatever, it doesn't matter. We're all Butler Family today, so lets pull together and get ourselves a couple of victories in post-season play this afternoon!

Go Dawgs!


Blue II