Bring Me Home for 2010, But Without All of the Mess!

The Butler Blue II Calendar is back by popular demand and you can pick up your copy of the 2010 version today, in the Butler University bookstore and for the bargain basement price of just $5!

This fine piece also makes for a great stocking stuffer or gift for friends and family of all ages this holiday season.


It's been since my first year on the job that we've done a Blue II calendar, which we shot in 2004 and released for 2005. We finally created yet another because of the relentless requests from my admireres to do another. So the 2010 Blue II Calendar is for all of you who insisted that I do another 12-month spread. Now do me a favor and put your money where your mouth is...it's for a good cause after all!

Of course, I've got to thank my sponsors and friends for making this calendar possible, but a special thanks goes to Butler University photographer Brent Smith for taking all of those great pictures. I need to thank Claire Corbin of Claire Corbin Photography for letting us use my picture with jolly ol' St. Nick and a picture of me in a a festive hat as displayed in the December spread.

My sincere appreciation goes to Butler University designer Jackie Bilskie who designed this calendar and put together each spread. She did a great job in a short amount of time and I think you'll enjoy her work.

There was a great team effort, charicteristic of us Butler folk, to make this calendar and make it available for sale in the university bookstore. My thanks to all involved and I certainly hope you enjoy it all year long.

Outside of the making and release of this calendar, I've been enjoying some much deserved time off, if I do say so myself. My parents took off for California last week to support the men's basketball team in action at Anaheim, California's 76 Classic. So while they've been soaking up the sun and warmth of southern California, I've been residing in Wabash, Ind. with my grandparents and enjoying the Thanksgiving holiday, extra sleep and some good old fashioned rest and relaxation.

It's probably a good thing that I've taken some time away because this first weekend in December provides another triple-header on campus. On Dec. 5th, our Pioneer Football League champion Bulldogs will host the Gridiron Classic in the Butler Bowl at noon. Then at 2 p.m. our women's basketball team hosts Miami of Ohio in Hinkle Fieldhouse at 2 p.m., followed by the men's team's game at 7 p.m. versus Valparaiso.

I'm certainly going to need all of this rest in order to be able to get through that long day! I hope you'll join me on campus for those three great games...it will be the perfect opportunity for you to pick up a copy or two of my 2010 calendar as well!

Go Dawgs!

Blue II

Thanks Vets!

First of all, I already know, I've become terrible at this blog thing. You don't have to tell me. My only excuse is, Butler is becoming so successful at everything which makes me in higher demand and thus, I just don't have as much time to sit down and write. (That's sort of true.)

But lets be honest, if you're not following me on Twitter, then you're lost anyway, so do yourself a favor and make sure you're checking my "tweets" on a daily basis: www.twitter/com/butlerblue2.

So today, Nov. 11, 2009 is Veteran's Day. After reading the title of this blog you probably thought I was thanking my veterinarians and while they are great people (Thanks Drs. Phillips, Galore and Rowley), today I'm aiming my sincere appreciation to those military veterans who serve and have served our great nation.

A friend of mine sent me a link to a blog called Mental Floss which hosted several videos of soldiers coming home to their "best friends" after their tour of duty. It was moving and something I couldn't help but share with my readership.

Here it is: http://www.mentalfloss.com/blogs/archives/40324

So on behalf of the entire dog population, let me just say that we too appreciate our veterans' efforts to keep us safe and to serve the land in which we live.

Coincidentally enough, earlier this week I had the opportunity to meet some of Butler University's cadets from the ROTC program. We met up for a photoshoot in preparation for my 2010 Calendar (on sale in the bookstore soon) as I wanted to feature them for the ever-patriotic month of July spread.

We had a good time and I applaud them for their work to not just earn a great education, but to support their country at the same time. It's my honor to feature them in my calendar.

Well, that's about all I have time for at the moment. I've got to get back to my busy schedule of athletic events, guest appearances, and whatever other requests come my way. Make sure you follow along via my Twitter updates!

Otherwise, I hope to see many of you on Saturday as our men's basketball team starts their regular season by hosting Davidson at Hinkle Fieldhouse at 2 p.m.

Go Dawgs, Go USA!

Blue II

Bulldog Beauty Contest Recap & Fall Update - 2009

So I figure I owe my readership a recap of the Bulldog Beauty Contest, especially now that it’s been almost two weeks since the event has come and gone. I would have done an immediate follow-up, but my old man, also my designated keyboard specialist, decided to be gone all last week and didn’t have time to get to my blog, or so was his excuse. (He took a little trip via semi to Miami, Fla. You can read all about it here: http://www.visionracing.com/news/index.cfm?cid=24003)

So I’m behind on the blog, but that’s nothing new. I am getting to be quite the busy bulldog these days so a late blog is unfortunately becoming the norm.

How about that Bulldog Beauty Contest?! 2009 was undoubtedly our best contest to date as we had a record 87 dogs pre-register and 93 dogs participate (believe it or not, we finished in one hour!).

A hearty congratulations goes out to this year’s category winners, including our overall winner and “Best in Show” for the second consecutive year, Mr. Hugo Casey, owned by Butler alumna, Kearsten Casey of South Bend, Ind.

Hugo earned the honor of “Best Butler Spirit” by wearing a No. 54 Matt Howard basketball jersey, wristbands, Dawg Pound cap, basketball necklace/medallion, etc. in order to advance to the final round and win his second “Best in Show” title. He was handsomely rewarded for his efforts with a year’s supply of Holistic Select dog food courtesy of Eagle Pack Pet Food, WellPet and our good friends at City Dogs Grocery. That’s more than a $600 value for Hugo!

Not only that, but later on in the day, Hugo caught up with his likeness, Mr. Matt Howard himself and the pair got their picture together. All I can say is the resemblance is uncanny…brothers from different mothers.

In addition to Hugo, here are a few more of my favorite contestants from this year's competition:




For more contest pictures, please visit this nice photo album put together by our good friend Rick Miller of New Palestine, Ind.: http://www.flickr.com/photos/20471995@N08/sets/72157622517775354/

I’ve got to offer up my sincere appreciation to our expert panel of judges which grew to seven members strong this year to accommodate for our two celebrities, Paul Poteet and Tom Davis of WRTV-6, Indianapolis’ local ABC-TV affiliate. Paul and Tom had a good time at the event, shot some footage and even had a couple of contestants in the studio on Monday morning, Oct. 5th, to recap the event.

Joining Paul and Tom at the judges table was Kim Netherland of City Dogs Grocery, Dr. AJ Stump and Kathy Dearing of the Ovid Butler Society Executive Committee, Thom Burleson of the Alumni Board, and Jonathan Spear of the Butler University Student Foundation.

Backing them up was a great group of volunteers made up of my colleagues and Butler staff, and of course, a record crowd that filled all five sets of bleachers and more.

Finally, a BIG thanks goes to our sponsors that made this event possible…City Dogs Grocery, WellPet, Eagle Pack Pet Food, the Ovid Butler Society Executive Committee, Woodland Animal Hospital, VCA Animal Hospitals, Susan Smith, Dr. Kurt and Julia Phillips, and Dr. Deborah Rowley. They deserve all of the credit! Thank you!

Also, Butler student Alyson Ahrns put togther a nice video recap of the event for the Butler Beat that you can watch right here:


While Homecoming weekend is always a great time to reunite with friends, family and your alma mater, it has also served as a quasi kick-off to a wonderful fall season on campus. In case you didn’t know, it’s a great time to be a Butler Bulldog…and I’m not just talking about the cooler weather.

The men’s football team is the only undefeated NCAA Division I football team left in the state of Indiana with a 5-0 record; most recently winning in dramatic fashion at Homecoming with a last second field goal over San Diego. Combine that with the fact that men’s soccer is 8-1-1 and ranked no. 18 in the latest Soccer America poll, our men’s cross country program is ranked No. 20 in the nation and basketball practice starts TODAY and I’m more than excited about being THE Butler Bulldog.

Of course, with all of that means that my social calendar is filling up for the fall…between athletic contests, student events, alumni events, school visits, photo shoots and whatever else people can think up, I’m booked solid. It’s a tough life, but somebody’s gotta do it.

I’ll just try and be better about updating you with my engagements and events as they happen, as opposed to waiting weeks in between blog posts. Of course, you can always keep closer tabs on me through my Twitter feed (www.Twitter.com/ButlerBlue2), which is updated much more frequently and features exclusive photos.

On the docket is a full-plate Saturday for this ol’ pooch. We’ll get started bright, early and bushy-tailed at Hinkle Fieldhouse to welcome a very select few guests who signed up early to witness one of the first practices for the top-15 ranked men’s basketball team. Then after practice head coach Brad Stevens will address the group and share his outlook on the season and our incredibly tough schedule. This event is being put on by the Central Indiana Alumni Chapter is our own version of “Midnight Madness,” only much more subdued and with less fanfare…The Butler Way.

After that I’ll head outside to hit up the tailgating festivities in preparation for the men’s football game at 1 p.m. versus Valparaiso. I planning on cruising by the Butler Football Class of 1959 tailgate and the Butler faculty and staff tailgate, but I’m open to hanging out with anyone who is out there filling the crisp fall air with warm Butler spirit. And maybe while my dad isn’t looking you could slip me a little something from the food table! Shhh, it will be our secret.

And hey, in case you missed it, you'll probably get to see me on TV a bit more often this winter as our athletic department has struck a new TV deal with Indy's local MyINDY-TV, Channel 23, which will broadcast 13 LIVE game telecasts from historic Hinkle Fieldhouse as well as on the road! Combine that with the eight games scheduled for ESPN, the one on BTN, the other on FSN and we have a chance to have 26 of our 28 regular season games played on TV! You could be seeing a lot of me in your living room this winter!

Alright, that should be plenty of Butler Blue II scoop for now, but before I sign off, I did want to let you know that progress continues to be made on my 2010 calendar. So hopefully we can get it sent to print and on the Butler bookstore shelves in time for the holiday season!

Woof!

Blue II

Butler University Homecoming 2009: A Dog's Eye View

It’s finally here, it’s homecoming 2009! Much like Christmas day, a birthday, first day of summer vacation, or any other highly anticipated day or event, homecoming week is one of the highlights of my job as mascot. I just love how the campus always comes alive with energy amongst a beautiful fall backdrop. And just as there are great events, activities and offerings, there’s even better reunions, renewed relationships and just people connecting with each other, their alma mater and/or this great university. Homecoming certainly is a special time.

As you could imagine, as mascot, I’m quite busy come homecoming week, although, I’ve spent Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday doing a lot of resting up by emphasizing a routine of lounging around the office and sleeping in anticipation for the hustle and bustle that is Thursday, Friday and Saturday of homecoming. Butler President, Dr. Bobby Fong only thinks he’s busy this weekend…he should see my social calendar!

On Thursday I have just a couple of appearances including my annual photograph with the Butler University Board of Trustees…nothing like getting a little face time with the “Top Dawgs!” And while they may have the reins to this place, I think they know who really calls the shots…why else would they put me front and center in their picture?

Thursday is a fairly light day, all things considered, but in addition to the trustee photograph, I’ve got an interview about the annual Bulldog Beauty Contest and an appearance at the dedication ceremony and grand opening of the new College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences building on campus.

Before I get started on my homecoming responsibilities on Friday, I’ve got a little personal business to tend to with the annual “Blessing of the Animals” service put on by our neighbor, the Christian Theological Seminary. The ceremony is held in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi’s love for all creatures and its officially celebrated on Oct. 4th, but CTS holds their service a couple of days early so that it’s during the week. That’s Friday, Oct. 2 at 1 p.m. in the CTS courtyard if you are interested in attending. I rather enjoy the event and frankly, I’ll take a good blessing anytime I can get it!

After that, it’s back to campus and back to work. There’s a women’s soccer match at 4:30 p.m. versus defending Horizon League champions Milwaukee in the Butler Bowl that’s also an opportunity to support a very special cause…Breast Cancer Awareness Day. Come out and support the Butler women's soccer team as it hosts its Breast Cancer Awareness Day.

All fans are encouraged to wear pink in support of breast cancer awareness and the first 150 students in attendance will be able to attend a halftime tailgate, with each student getting a free hot dog, chips and a drink.

Friday's women’s soccer festivities will begin with a ceremonial pregame coin flip featuring Butler women's basketball coach Beth Couture, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last spring. Couture, who has won 363 games in her career - including 105 at Butler - is set to have her cancer treatments completed in time to lead the Bulldog basketball team this season. The women's soccer team will also be wearing pink warm-ups. Also at halftime, the Bulldogs will honor Joy (Aschenbrener) Sweeney (1995-98), who was inducted into the Butler University Athletic Hall of Fame last spring.

I might just have to trade in my blue jersey for a pink shirt on Friday afternoon. I’m not one for pink, my name is “Blue” after all, but I am one for a good cause so I’ll see what I can do.

Back across campus at 5 p.m. I have an open house to attend in the Fairbanks Building for the School of Journalism and then it’s off campus I go to the home of our resident IndyCar driver and 2003 Butler grad, Ed Carpenter, as I’ve been contracted to do an appearance for his daughter’s birthday party. I don’t normally do that sort of thing, but it’s a special friend and a special request, so I make exceptions.

After the birthday party, I’m headed home to host my grandparents who are coming into town and staying at my place. I’ll also use that time at home to rest up and get ready for a big Saturday on campus. Meanwhile, I’ll send my dad back to Butler in my stead to attend the President’s Dinner…formal dinners aren’t really my thing…that whole begging for food at the side of the table is considered faux pas, I guess.

On Saturday I can be found all over campus, whether riding in a Corvette for the parade, running the undefeated football team on to the field for their match against San Diego, showing my face at the young alumni Barktoberfest event, cruising the Butler Bowl parking lot for some handouts/table scraps at the tailgates or attending the volleyball game in the evening at Hinkle Fieldhouse. It’s sure to be a busy, but fun day.

And while all of that is well and good, perhaps there’s one event that I’m most looking forward to…an event that makes Butler’s homecoming different than any other homecoming. That event of course would be the annual Bulldog Beauty Contest!


You saw my post last month about the contest and it appears that my predictions were true as once again this year we are set to have our best competition to date! We have 74 dogs pre-registered for the event as of 9 a.m. on Oct. 1st and that’s a new record. Last year we had a total of 75 dogs show up, including walk-ups, so we are certain to exceed that come this Saturday, Oct. 3rd at 10 a.m. !

Keep in mind this event is free and open to the public, so whether you have a bulldog to compete with or not, you definitely want to attend…and bring a camera! Who knew a bulldog beauty contest would be such the spectator sport?! We’ll have increased seating this year (five sets of bleachers) for your viewing pleasure as well.

Held on the main mall, just south of Norris Plaza, these 74+ dogs (mostly bulldogs) will parade on a stage and catwalk and compete for the honor of being named the top dog in one of the following categories.

-Cutest Bulldog
-Meanest-Looking Bulldog
-Best Dressed Bulldog
-Best Dog Trick*
-Most Butler Spirit*
-Best Wannabe Bulldog*
-Oldest Bulldog
-Youngest Bulldog

-Best in Show*

Categories ending with an asterisk are the only categories open for non-bulldogs.

Keep in mind the “Best in Show” this year walks away with the grand prize of one year’s supply of dog food provided by Eagle Pack Holistic Select Pet Food, WellPet, and City Dogs Grocery! That’s a more than $600 value! Other category winners will take home prizes from City Dogs Grocery and all participants will receive a pack of Holistic Select Treats from Eagle Pack, WellPet and City Dogs Grocery. (a full list of sponsors is listed on the image below)

Oh, and we’ve increased our panel of judges this year from five to seven to include a couple of celebrities and our good friends at Indianapolis’ ABC affiliate WRTV-6…morning weatherman and traffic reporter, Paul Poteet and Tom Davis.

Why Paul and Tom? Well, we thought they might be able to help us on the weather and traffic Saturday morning, but even more than that, we know these guys like to have a good time. Just visit http://www.paulpoteet.com/ and their “Off the Cuff” videos for proof.

I hope to see you on Saturday morning for our Bulldog Beauty Contest…trust me, you don’t want to miss this event! If you can’t make it, then hop online as I’m going to try and do a live twitter-cast of the event either at www.twitter.com/butlerblue2 and/or www.twitter.com/butleru.

So that’s what my Homecoming weekend looks like, but of course, that’s just a highlight of events during Butler’s homecoming weekend…at least the ones that I’m involved with anyway. So for a complete listing, visit www.butler.edu/homecoming and take a look at the complete schedule of activities this weekend.

And if you can’t make it back, I’ll be tweeting my homecoming adventures at www.twitter.com/ButlerBlue2, so feel free to log on often for status reports and pictures!

Here’s to a great homecoming weekend, filled with victories, reunions, good times and great weather!

Go Dawgs!

Blue II

More Laughing at My Expense

It appears that my little blooper with fellow Butler University mascot, Hink, is getting quite the laughs and the number of views on YouTube (BlueTube) is growing, so that's good, I guess. If you missed it, just scroll down to my previous blog entry and enjoy. And for those of you that have seen it and had a good laugh, well then, you are welcome.

Let me see if I can offer up another chuckle thanks to some pictures of the incident provided by university photographer, Brent Smith. Before turning his lens to the actual football players running onto the pitch, Brent was able to capture a couple of frames of Hink and I just before we went down.

As you analyze the photos, you'll see that my dad can see this mishap coming a mile away, that I might actually be enjoying run-in with Hink, and that Hink is maintaining the same stoic look that he's always sporting...


I can only imagine what the photos would have looked like had Brent got us making our decent to the turf. Oh well, at least we have the video to sustain us and our comedic ventures.

Also, as promised, below are photos produced by Brent and his handy camera, from my fall photoshoot last week. You'll see my dad and his very white feet getting me all set up and positioned next to that fine array of fall-like objects...it's at those moments that I wonder if I have it better or worse than most dogs. Oh well, it goes with the territory.


Speaking of territory, those photos were actually shot on another dog's domain, and that dog would be the young Geeves Rodgers. The "Rodgers" is of course, that of Nick Rodgers fame....a fine Butler student athlete as a member of our men's basketball team. His mom Sheryl is on staff at the university and invited us to her home to use her props for the shot. That meant I got to meet Geeves, who is, shall we say, timid. That's okay, he's still finding his way.


Alright, that's enough for today. It's another wet day in Central Indiana and that's perfect sleeping weather for bulldogs, so I must not be interrupted any longer. It's back to napping!

Blue II

A Laugh at My Expense

Once again I must begin by apologizing for the duration between blog entries. And once again you can blame my dad, who has been traveling on behalf of the university, been sick, and whom also has been citing a lack of material to blog about.

Frankly, I find all of that to be nothing more than a list of weak excuses, but what could I do? Well, I did about the only thing I could do and provide him with a little “material” to blog about. Of course, it wasn’t really my intention, as you’ll be able to see, but it worked, so it was worth.

So over the past two or three weeks I’ve been busy with work as usual, Butler sporting events, student events, Staff Assembly meetings, a sorority function as well as a fall photo shoot (pictures coming soon). Of course, all of this you can see and follow along with on Twitter, including photos at www.twitpic.com/photos/butlerblue2.

Otherwise, maybe you’ve seen me featured in a handful of pieces over the last week or so, including the new Homecoming poster, the Butler Basketball season ticket promo wrap for The Indianapolis Star (pictured) and the season ticket TV advertisement (below).

And if that weren’t enough, I’ve got it on good authority that a Butler Blue II 2010 Calendar will be on sale in the Butler Bookstore later this fall! I’ll keep you posted on that project, but it goes without saying that a calendar of yours truly makes a great stocking stuffer!

Now, that’s all well and good, but I’ve left you in suspense long enough. It’s time to bring on the laughs. Let me just preface this next video clip by saying that it is hilarious. Sure, it came at my expense, but if we can’t laugh at ourselves every now and again then life just isn’t worth living.

So here’s a clip that was shot by my mom with her iPhone and it is of my dad and I running the Butler Bulldogs football team onto the field for their third game of the season and rout of Hanover. This is the standard routine for us and we do it at all of the football games. In fact, it’s one of my favorite jobs as mascot, only this time things didn’t go quite as planned.

This time, just as I was making my move to take the team onto the gridiron, my Butler Bulldog mascot counterpart, Hink, also made his attack and well, the rest is history. Add in a dramatic feature like a collective gasp from the crowd and somehow capture it all on video and voila, you’ve got yourself a nice entry for America’s Funniest Home Videos!

Anyway, here, it’s time you just watched this thing for yourself and had a hearty laugh…

Needless to say, we’ll be working out that little scenario before Homecoming. So I hope this video provides a good lesson, and that lesson, besides properly timing up pregame activities, is to not take ourselves so seriously and to be willing to have a good laugh at our own expense.

I can’t be mad at anyone…in the heat of the moment I’m not one to notice much of my surroundings and Hink is not one known for his great vision so something like this was bound to happen. What can you do but dust yourself off and have a good laugh?

Pretty good way to start off the week, huh? Feel free to send that to a friend that needs a little lift. It should do the trick!

Blue II

With a Little Help from My Friends

In my five short years on this fine earth, I’ve been blessed from the start and quite fortunate to have received some help all along the way. Think about it, as a puppy I was selected to be THE Butler Bulldog by my breeders and Godparents, Frank and Jeane King of Kong King Kennels in Lizton, Ind. It was the Kings who then donated me to Butler University as a gift in-kind, if you will.

So here I am, a dog of fine stock; championship lineage to be honest, and while the Kings could get a nice chunk of change at fair market dollar for me, they instead decide I’d make a fine mascot and a great gift for Butler. Hindsight may be 20/20, but they just couldn’t have been more correct, if I do say so myself.

Then you’ve got my parents, who were gracious enough to welcome me into their home and completely change up their lifestyle to accommodate my needs and crazy schedule. And then on to the people I work with everyday who allow me to hang out in their workspace and do my thing. I’ve also got those great people who have been willing to watch and care for me when my parents head out of town, including grandparents, other family, friends, colleagues, etc.

And speaking of care, I’ve been lucky to receive some great care since 2004. Thanks to Dr. Kurt Phillips and his wife Julia, both 1992 Butler graduates, they and the folks at Woodland Animal Hospital have kept me healthy and fit.

Did you know, Dr. Phillips is kind enough to send Bulldog Beauty Contest invitation postcards to all of his bulldog patients? To quantify that for you, Dr. Phillips bulldog patients include 180 households representing a total of 296 bulldogs!!!! It’s no wonder that Dr. Phillips is one of the best when it comes to bulldog care.

And when it comes to my eyes and the procedure that I’ve had as a result of to my entropion and dystechia conditions, Dr. Deborah Rowley of VCA Animal Hospitals has not just hooked me up, but has really kept me seeing clearly…which is kind of important, I think.

So where am I going with all of this other than to give some much-deserved attention to those who’ve had my back over the last five years? Well, a pair of my partners have taken it upon themselves to send even more love my way, and it appears to me that they know full well that the way to my heart is through my tummy!

A couple of years ago, I was introduced to Susan Smith of City Dogs Grocery (currently located at 49th & College) and Susan being the kind lady that she is, got me fixed up with the Eagle Pack Pet Foods, Inc. group and together they’ve been able to provide a partial food sponsorship with their great tasting and nutrient-packed Holistic Select brand.

Recently Eagle Pack Pet Foods, Inc. changed hands and is now owned by Well Pet, who suggests that not only are they not changing the recipe that Eagle Pack has honed over the years, but they are increasing their support behind the product.


And they’ve done right by me from the get-go! Thanks to Susan’s advocacy on my behalf, Well Pet has come forward to now provide me with a full food sponsorship! That’s right, free Eagle Pack Holistic Select dog food each and every month!

But that’s not all! City Dogs Grocery and Well Pet are teaming up to once again provide each and every one of our participants in the 2009 Bulldog Beauty Contest (Oct. 3, 2009) a complimentary sample bag of Holistic Select dog treats, AND (drum roll please) they have also stepped up to provide this year’s contest winner, the “Best in Show” with a complimentary year’s supply (a 30 lb. bag/month for 12 months) of Eagle Pack Holistic Select premium dog food! That’s more than a $600 value! Boom!


I think that means the legitimacy of our little contest just went up a couple notches…nice!

So, there you have it. Behind every good mascot is a host of great sponsors and partners who’ve got their back, and I’m no exception. Big ups to all of my dear friends, family and partners and a special thanks to Susan Smith, City Dogs Grocery, Well Pet, Eagle Pack and Holistic Select for all of your much needed and appreciated support!

One lucky dog,

Blue II

P.S. Plans and arrangements for the 2009 Bulldog Beauty Contest are progressing nicely. 2009 already boasts better prizes and more spectator seating. Now we'll just see if we can beat our record of 75 participating dogs which was set last year! The category winner sashes were received in the mail today and the specially designed contestant bib numbers should be arriving soon. It's all coming together! Don't forget to sign up your bully or wannabe bulldog by e-mailing me at blue2@butler.edu.

Wanted: A Nice Home for Two Young Bullies

Hey friends, chances are if you read my blog then you must have some interest in bulldogs and maybe just enough to welcome one or even two of them into your home. Or, perhaps you know someone that would like to have a bully of their own.

Well, if so, I've got a pair of great bullies that are looking for a nice home and loving owners. Their names are Frank and Chopper, they are 15 week old English Bulldogs in the care of Doug and Mindy Welks of Mugsy's Bulldogs.

Doug and Mindy are good friends of mine...their bulldog, Mojo, won the "Meanest Looking Bulldog" category in last year's Bulldog Beauty Contest.

Well one of their other bulldogs, Rocky, delivered her third and last litter on May 19, 2009. She had eight beautiful pups and now Frank and Chopper remain.

According to Doug, they are both sweet little boys. Frank has a more laid back personality and likes to sit on the couch with Doug and Mindy, and watch TV. Whereas, Chopper is more adventurous and a little more rambunctious, but they are both well-behaved and playful.

Their mother, Rocky, loves to play with them, and because they've been with her longer, she's corrected their bad "puppy behaviors."

Doug and Mindy have been fortunate to find good, loving homes for their other siblings, and now they just want to find loving homes for these guys too.

Rest assured Doug, Mindy and Rocky have given them good care, along with my vet and Butler grad, Dr. Kurt Phillips of Woodland Animal Hospital. That's crucial in selecting a bulldog puppy and these guys are well on their way to a happy and healthy life.

So to check out their photos and to contact Doug and Mindy, please visit http://www.mugsybulldogs.com/

Thanks!

Blue II

Tweets & Cleats

*SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT: My friend and fellow mascot, Hink, and I are hosting a "tweet-up" on Thursday, Sept. 3rd at noon for the Butler community. We'll be posted up on the patio outside of Starbucks along with the men's soccer team. So stop by to see us...hope you can make it! (Check out my Bubble Tweet for more info: http://bbltwt.com/fk36k )

So with the school back in session for the year at Butler University, that also means our student athletes are back to work and our fall sports are back in action, AND this all means that your's truly has been hard at work as well.

On Monday evening I made my way over to Hinkle Fieldhouse to welcome all of our student athletes back to campus as they attended a dinner and convocation that was put on by the athletic department staff. Our own Butler Bulldog alumnus and now Lilly executive, Chris Miskel, gave the keynote address.

Tuesday evening found me back on the northside of campus, only this time in the Butler Bowl as I watched the lady Bulldogs take on the Jaguar's of IUPUI in a soccer match. (A picture of my poor balding father and I at the match below.)



It was a wonderful day to be at the Bowl and while the women dropped the match 1-0, it was still great to support my fellow Bulldogs and enjoy the beautiful weather.


Speaking of which, there are many fall sports contests on the schedule now and through the autumn and I hope that you'll make a point to come out and support the Dawgs. Start with the first home football game this Saturday at the Butler Bowl.


Our Dawgs will take to the gridiron at 1 p.m. for a bout with Albion and you know that I'll be there to lead my boys out of the tunnel for the big game!


And in sticking with the theme of great weather and Butler sports, how about a "tweet-up?" As you may have read at the top of this blog (click the bubble tweet link), I'm hosting a "tweet-up" along with my good friend Hink (www.twitter.com/HinktheBUDog) and we'll be outside of Starbucks on campus at noon on Thursday, Sept. 3rd, to greet the students and join the men's soccer team in a little give-away.

So what’s a “tweetup?,” you're probably asking. It’s actually a gathering of those with accounts on Twitter.com (“tweeple,” if you will) but this time I’m opening the gathering up to anyone who just wants to come and see their mascots and meet the men's soccer team.

So it doesn’t matter if you have a Twitter account or not…I just want everyone to feel free to stop by the patio at noon, Thursday, Sept. 3 to give me a pat on the head, say “hey” to my friend Hink, the other bulldog mascot, get some free stuff, etc.

Besides, at this point a "tweet-up" is just another excuse for me to get outside and do something besides relieve myself. With weather this good lately, you can't let it get by you!

Oh, and if you don't do the Twitter thing yet, you should! Even if you "don't get it" or do not feel like you would have anything to contribute, I still think it's worth creating your own account and building a list of people and entities to follow like myself, Hink, Butler University (@butleru) and other celebrities and friends. It's a great tool to communicate with and/or just to use to be "in the know!" And if you are on Twitter now, or decide to join, please follow me at www.Twitter.com/ButlerBlue2. Just click my profile to check it out. I dare you!

Okay, so what did we learn today? The weather is great, Butler sports are even better, "tweet-ups" are meet-ups for people on Twitter, and that Twitter is so easy even a dog can do it!

Hope to see you at my "tweet-up" and/or a Butler sporting event soon!


Blue II


P.S. For the scoop on Butler Athletics, including schedules, scores, rosters, ticket info, etc., visit http://www.butlersports.com/!

Announcing the 9th Annual Butler University Bulldog Beauty Contest

As the host bulldog, it is my pleasure to announce the 9th Annual Butler University Bulldog Beauty Contest presented by the Ovid Butler Society, which will occur during Butler's Homecoming activities on Saturday, Oct. 3, 2009.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/butlerblue2/3878221405/

All bulldogs, wannabe bulldogs and their owners are welcome to attend the 9th annual Bulldog Beauty Contest presented by the Ovid Butler Society, but signining up is necessary...all of that information is below.

So last year was our best Bulldog Beauty Contest to date. Not only did we have a record turnout of dogs (OVER 75 DOGS!), but we also had a record crowd on hand an just an all-around great event. Well, we're bound and determined to make 2009 our best contest year to date!

In addition to the great prizes, goodies and other fun stuff we had last year, we are going to have even more of all of that as well as more spectator seating, a pair of celebrity judges in WRTV-6's Paul Poteet and Tom Davis and much more! You won't want to miss this!

I also suggest you visit a little photo album of last year's contest created by my friend, Mr. Rick Miller. It will give you a good taste of how this event goes...to the dogs!

http://www.flickr.com/photos/20471995@N08/sets/72157608395935893/

Here are all of the pertinent details:
(http://www.flickr.com/photos/butlerblue2/3878221231/in/photostream/)

Date: Saturday, October 3, 2009
Time: 10:00am - 11:00am
Location: Butler University Campus Mall

Contestants R.S.V.P. to Michael Kaltenmark`02 at mkaltenm@butler.edu, blue2@butler.edu or 317-940-9672; or Sue Curtis `81 at scurtis@butler.edu, (317) 940-9469.

Notes: Dogs will be judged on various categories such as cutest bulldog, meanest bulldog, best dressed bulldog, best dog trick, best wannabe bulldog, most Butler spirit, oldest bulldog, youngest bulldog and best in show. We’ll also have a fine array of prizes thanks to our sponsors listed below.

Presenting Sponsors: Ovid Butler Society, Woodland Animal Hospital and Pet Lodge, VCA Animal Hospitals, City Dogs Grocery, Eagle Pack Pet Foods, Inc. and Dr. Kurt `92 and Julia Phillips `92, Dr. Deborah Rowley, and Susan Smith.

Also, it is my pleasure to dedicate this year's contest to my dear friend and former judge, the late Bob Dearing '57. For more on "Bulldog Bob," just read my blog post dedicated to him: http://butlerblue2.blogspot.com/2008/11/in-memory-of-true-bulldog.html

So here's to some great weather and great attendance on the morning of October, 3, 2009! I hope to see you there!

Before I sign off today, I want to share with you a little poster that the university made up to send to area elementary schools when they request something for their classroom or when I personally go on a school visit. Pretty cool, huh?!

Alright, I'm signing off for the afternoon. I've got to rest up before I head over to the Butler Bowl for a women's soccer game at 5 p.m. Great day to be outside...Go Dawgs!

Blue II

What I Did Last Summer - The Summer Essay

(This blog post contains no images…for photos and video, please visit the following websites: http://www.twitpic.com/photos/butlerblue2 and www.youtube.com/butlerblue2.)

It’s late August (the last day in fact) and while, in my opinion, we should all still all be out hitting up bodies of water, golf course, outdoor amphitheatres, race tracks, or rolling on two wheels, enjoying a round of catch in the front yard, enjoying an afternoon nap in front of a fan and/or all of the other fruits of summer, instead we’re all hustling back to the halls and walls that hold us over the cold, dry winter months. We’re back to the rooms that hold as much knowledge and learning as they do daydreams and germs, but it’s the obligatory rite of passage in our lives as we know it, yes, it’s back to school time.

For my elementary, middle and high school counterparts, you’ve most likely done your settling in and by now there’s a good chance that your desk is already a mess, your locker stinks and you and classmates have worn the fresh wax of those hard terrazzo floors. We collegiate types like to put the return to campus off a bit more, like it should be (and much like I did my blog to this summer); and so the Butler Bulldogs returned to campus for the first day of class, last Wednesday, Aug. 26th.

At Butler, like most college campuses I would assume, the return to school is less dreaded than say at the secondary level. I wouldn’t know, I didn’t go to high school as I was a bit of a prodigy…going straight to college and all. But my parents went and they usually just groan when it’s referenced. But college on the other hand, now that’s some of the best days of your life and so why wouldn’t 18-23 year-olds want to leave their parents behind each summer to start a new season of fraternization and studies?

Combine that anticipated return to campus with a faculty and staff at Butler that’s a-buzz with the news that we’ve moved up in the U.S. News & World Report rankings AND our freshman class looks to be one of the best to ever step foot on campus!

Butler received its highest ranking ever of second in the 2010 U.S. News & World Report America’s Best Colleges. It is also Butler’s 21st consecutive year being among the top 10 in this category. For all of the scoop, head here: http://www.butler.edu/absolutenm/templates/?a=1256&z=22

And as for the freshman, well, we welcomed 958 freshmen when school began last Wednesday with a class slightly larger than the enrollment target of 915. The students making up Butler’s class of 2013 boast strong high school academic achievements and an average GPA of 3.74 (on a 4.0 scale). Eight are National Merit Scholars (up from 4 last year); one student is a National Achievement Scholar. Fifty-six of them were valedictorians; 19 were salutatorians. Twenty-nine are Lilly Scholars. More stats here: http://www.butler.edu/absolutenm/templates/?a=1252&z=22

So anyway, about my blog…um, yeah, well, you see, once I found out this past spring that Butler’s president, Dr. Bobby Fong was taking something called a “sabbatical” for the next three months, which involved him not coming to campus, leaving the country and putting someone else in charge, I said to heck with it. I figured that while Dr. Fong may run the campus, I own this place so if he can take some time off, then I can too.

Unfortunately, the guy I come to work with everyday, my dad, yeah well he doesn’t get these so-called “sabbaticals,” (I called him a fool for not working that one out in his contract.) so we still had to report to campus every day. That being the case I had to find at least something I could take a sabbatical from and so I chose the blog (and the web cam and Facebook).

I still came to work every day, I still tweeted on my Twitter.com account regularly (@ButlerBlue2) and posted a couple videos to my BlueTube (YouTube.com) channel, but that was about it. Otherwise, I laid low when it came to the new media and self promotion. However, while I may have not been on the computer much (and neither should you have been…it’s summer after all!) it wasn’t like I was leading a completely sedentary lifestyle. In fact, I did some pretty cool things and so to tell you all about it, I’m going to write a little back to school summer essay. I’m sure you know what I’m referencing and maybe have even had to write one or two of them in your lifetime.

Yep, it’s the “Here’s What I Did Last Summer” essay, by Butler Blue II. Have fun grading, errr, reading it.

June

The month of June was rather uneventful, and perhaps the most noteworthy item of the month was settling in to an empty campus. Late May and June always bring the promise of a fun summer and the harsh reality that it’s going to be a lonely campus. I like the summertime and I also enjoy the peaceful collegiate atmosphere that only summer can bring to a college campus, but I’d be lying if I didn’t say that I preferred the hustle and bustle of the students shuffling to class.

Otherwise, my month of June was filled with appearances for the Office of Admission, photo opportunities with young campers on campus for everything from sports camps, music camps and even writing workshops. I also had a couple of extended stays at my grandparents’ houses which were pretty fun too.


July

The seventh month of the year might have been one of the best for me so far this year and most certainly marked the highlights of my summer.

I’ll start with the pinnacle of my summer which was a fine purchase by my parents known as the Tail Wagon by Burley. The best way to explain this thing is like having my own chariot to ride in which my parents can either hook up to their bicycles and tow or push like a stroller. And trust me, when you’re a heavy bulldog with little short legs and a general difficulty breathing, this is the best way to go for a “walk.”

In fact, there’s only two things wrong with the Burley Tail Wagon…1.) I don’t get to ride it near enough and; 2.) my parents didn’t buy it for me sooner. Now, I’m not sponsored by Burley or anything, but that’s a gig I wouldn’t mind either. Hint, hint. Hey Burley people, if you need a spokesdog or even just some happy pooch to grace your product packaging, then hit me up!

The month of July was cool too. And by cool, I mean as in temperature. In fact, it was something like the second coolest July on record in Indianapolis and while that didn’t sit well with some, it was certainly quite welcome by me. Think about it, I’m stuck wearing this fur coat no matter the weather conditions!

So with the cool weather and a new toy in the Burley Tail Wagon, you would have thought that would have been beating the pavement at every opportunity. Well, I did get out quite bit, but only when I could pull my dad away from watching Lance Armstrong peddle the Tour de France on VERSUS-TV or put down a book he picked up called “The Art of Racing in the Rain,” by Garth Stein. It’s a book about dogs, and auto racing, two of my dad’s favorite things, and top that off with the fact that the book is written from a dog’s perspective, much like my blog, and he was hooked on every word.

On top of that, July 20 marked the 40th anniversary that famed astronaut Neil Armstrong and colleagues Buzz Aldrin and Michael Collins crewed the first mission (Apollo 11) involving a lunar landing. My dad is a big space geek as well, so of course he was all about commemorating that event by watching and reading the media coverage.

So I spent a lot of time on the couch with my dad watching rockets, bicycles and reading about racecars which was all just fuel on my own burning fire of desire to test the limits of my Burley Tail Wagon.

I suppose that with all of the good that July brought there’s bound to be a little bad as well. The bad came in the form of broken glass. Long story short, my mom was driving our family’s new Honda Ridgeline and I was on the backseats, chilling out in my seat cover/hammock. And by “chilling out,” I mean I was fast asleep. While cruising along the highway, suddenly, and with no warning, our sunroof just exploded. No, it did not crack, we did not hit a bump, it just exploded. Shards of glass were everywhere as it covered me, my mom, and both the interior and exterior of the truck. Thankfully everyone was fine and after I was able to get vacuumed off later that evening, I was good to go. Unfortunately the folks at American Honda did not deem the failure of the glass to be a warrantable occurrence (I find that to be leaning on the side of unethical.) so they didn’t pick up the tab for the damage. The didn’t even spilt the bill, so my parents were truckless and a little lighter in the pocketbook for much of July, but that’s life I suppose.

Don’t get me wrong, I think Honda makes a wonderful product, but I pinned them as one to stand by their product just a bit more than they actually did. After all, while there are known cases of sunroofs exploding in their vehicles, it does appear to be rare and often times caused by a manufacturer defect. But I’m just a dog, so what do I know?

July also saw a couple of our Butler Bulldog student athletes bring home some new hardware in the form of gold medals! Yep, our own men’s basketball players, Gordon Hayward and Shelvin Mack won gold medals on behalf of the USA in the FIBA U19 World Championship in July. Not only that, but the pair were the talk of the team and represented Butler quite well. Read all about it: http://collegebasketball.rivals.com/content.asp?CID=967621


August

I was worried that with all the highlights brought about by July would leave August an absolute bore. But the “dog days of summer” did not disappoint either. In fact, August got started with a bang as 2003 Butler University grad and Vision Racing driver Ed Carpenter put on an impressive display of driving in the IndyCar Series’ race at Kentucky Speedway on August 1st.

Ed put on the drive of his young career by charging from a 14th starting spot all the way up to lead the race for 34 laps and eventually battle with Ryan Briscoe of Team Penske in an exciting ten lap duel which ended in Ed taking second by just 0.0162 of a second! It was Ed’s best finish and most laps led in an IndyCar event. Of course, my dad works part-time for the team so I have a vested interest in all of it, even outside of Ed being a Butler Bulldog. I was proud of all involved.

Summer Etcetera

The promise of another academic year and the students returning to campus is definitely something that I look forward to in August. The return of the students brings a buzz back to campus that even I can sense and pick up on; adding a pep to my step. My social calendar picks up immediately and my desire and need for attention is met by students who adore me, and/or miss their own doggie that they left at home.

Of course, there were other noteworthy summer highlights as well and include the usual activities like swimming in my kiddie pool, trips to my grandparents’ houses, frequent visits to local ice cream shops and outdoor dining facilities like Boogie Burger, Greek’s Pizzeria and Yats, which are all in the Broadripple area.

Summertime is also the anniversary of my annual health checkup and vaccinations. So I went to visit my pal and Butler grad, Dr. Kurt Phillips of Woodland Animal Hospital in Carmel, Ind. Dr. Phillips gave me a clean bill of health, but was a bit concerned about my propensity to walk gingerly from time to time, specially as I tend to stiffen up after a hard play or romp. While I’m only five years old, I am now considered to be middle-aged and VERY active for a bulldog, so he thought it might be wise to put me on some arthritis medication as a preventative measure.

Not only do I like taking the arthritis medication each day as my parents cover it with peanut butter to get me to swallow it, but it actually works too. A month or so after taking the stuff, I’m feeling like a young pup again! So I’ve got that going for me, which is nice.

So that was my summer, or at least that was my summer as summarized in essay form. I hope you enjoyed it.

Stay tuned to the blog as now that school is back in session, I’ll be more diligent about updating it early and often. Also, don’t forget to follow my Twitter feed as well: www.Twitter.com/ButlerBlue2 as I’m updating that on a regular basis and including photos as well.

Here’s to summer days gone by and now a great 2009-10 academic and athletic year on the campus of Butler University. So far so good!

Blue II

P.S. For pictures and video of my summer adventures, head to http://www.twitpic.com/photos/butlerblue2 and www.youtube.com/butlerblue2. Sorry, this post was already long enough without the imagery, so I just decided you can go check it out on your own.

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