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