The Hook Up!

This week has been pretty fruitful for me. For whatever reason, I’ve been getting the hook up! It all started on Monday when the department secretary for Political Science, Linda Cooley, brought me a bunch of new toys and a ton gourmet treats from Three Dog Bakery. I thought I had died and gone to heaven. I don’t know what I did, but it was awesome! Linda’s a big fan. Thanks Linda!

One of the toys Linda brought me was a stuffed polar bear. It was by far my favorite toy of the lot. I pretty much destroyed it all week. Check out the pictures and video…

Then on Wednesday, my good friend Arni Sribhen of IndyCar Series fame, hooked me up with some IndyCar swag, including a leash and a jersey. They’re perfect for this time of year…May in Indianapolis and the Indianapolis 500.



Naturally, I’m rooting for 2003 Butler graduate, Ed Carpenter…driver of the No. 20 Menards/Vision Racing Dallara/Honda/Firestone. Go Bulldogs!

On Thursday I went to the ground breaking ceremony for the new pharmacy building on campus. We were under a tent for the event, but it rained steadily all day and during the event so I got a little wet on that venture.

Later in the day I got to visit with the senior class at their champagne toast and class picture. That was a lot of fun and I enjoyed being in their class picture, primarilly because this is the first class that I've seen all the way through at Butler. In other words, they were freshmen when I was a freshman, so it was sentimental for me.

Unfortunately, graduation means that one of my best friends, Kirby, is going to be leaving. His mom, Jessica Butler, graduates tomorrow and she is moving back home to Minnesota, so that means Kirby won't be around anymore. That makes me very sad!

I guess that's kind of what graduation is all about...picking up and moving on. (Someone should have told my dad that because he graduated from Butler in 2002 and he's still there!) Sometimes graduation means leaving family and friends and going out in the world to practice what you've learned, but knowing that still doesn't make it any easier to say goodbye to my friend Kirby.

Tomorrow I get to go to commencement exercises at Hinkle Fieldhouse to see the class of 2008 graduate. I actually will play a special role in tomorrow's graduation ceremony, but I don't want to give away the surprise just yet, so I'll have to post sometime after with a recap of the events.

For now, I'm going to rest up and get ready for the big day.


Blue II

Blue II...A Giant?

Somebody get my super agent, Ari Gold, on the phone because it's NFL draft day and it appears that the fans are clammoring for my gridiron services.

Evidently the World Champion New York Football Giants are in need of some help at the free safety position and some of their fans think I could fill that role. It's true. Check out this blog site, second paragraph which reads:

"Safety is by far the biggest need for the Giants this year. Neither James Butler nor Michael Johnson is going to cut it at free safety. I would feel more comfortable with Don Johnson or the Butler Bulldogs’ mascot at safety"

That's right, you would feel more comfortable with me at safety, even if my only previous football experience is running the Butler Bulldogs on the field at each home game.

Clearly my reputation of a tenacious defender preceeds me in New York. Hey Mara and Tisch, I prefer jersey No. 2!

Before I sign off to go watch the draft myself, I did want to send out a couple of belated birthday wishes. My apologies to Rachael Stephens Burt and Arni Sribhen for not mentioning their birthday on April 24th.

Happy Belated Birthday Rachael!

Happy Belated Birthday Arni!

Blue II

Chuck Norris Had a Son and His Name is A.J. Graves

"Section 20, Row AA, Seat 4" writes, "Dear Blue, Why doesn't A.J. Graves like you?"

Dear, Sec. 20, Row AA, Seat 4, I assume you are referring to the fact that A.J. doesn't pet me during the announcement of starting lineups before home games.

Well, for those who haven't been keeping score at home, I'll back up and set the scene.

Since I arrived as mascot in 2004, I've started a few traditions of my own. Before basketball games, I make my way out to the court to greet the starters when the starting lineups are announced over the public address system.

From there, the players took it upon themselves to give me a pat on the head, and after all of the starters are announced, I run back across the court to the north Dawg Pound where Jake Skierkowski and members of the "Pound" are waiting for me with an oversized rawhide bone.

For the last year or two, every starting member of the basketball team makes a point to give me a pat on the head as they are introduced. Even new freshman starter Matt Howard caught on quickly. But for whatever reason, senior gaurd A.J. Graves has never shown me any love.

While it has never really bothered me, it sure seems to have the Butler faithful up in arms. Every game I attend, fans go on and on about how if A.J. would pet me, they'd feel better, or his shooting slump would end, yadda, yadda, yadda.

I guess people think I'm good luck. And I supposeI can't argue with them. Afterall, I was the one lucky English Bulldog in the world selected to be Butler University's mascot. I'd say that's pretty lucky.

I've had students tell me that giving me a pat before an exam brought them good results, and plenty of fans at the game say that their visit to Hinkle Fieldhouse isn't complete without seeing me.

In fact, there's one guy that swears by a game day good luck rub for me. His name is Arni Sribhen and while he's a Texas Tech grad, Arni is now a converted Bulldog fan and season ticket holder. Arni works with my dad in the IndyCar Series and if you follow viral internet campaigns, you may remember seeing Arni last summer in his role as the "Indy Insider." He's a pretty funny guy. You can watch his video blogs here: http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=indycars

Anyway, Arni says, "Butler is 13-0 when I get to play with Blue at halftime. They are 16-1 when I’m in the house… (No halftime pet vs. Notre Dame, Indiana and Purdue at Conseco and SIU at Hinkle). "

Maybe the entire Bulldog squad is feeding off of my perceived "luck." Since my first season on the job in 2004-05 and on through January 12, 2008, in games that I have been in attendance the men's basketball team record is 41-7. Overall the men's basketball team is 78-36 since I first started.

Okay, I digress, back to Mr. Graves. Last year I was with my dad and we ran into graduated Bulldogs, Brandon Crone, Brian Ligon and A.J., at the HRC. Brandon and Brian gave me a warm welcome and some attention, but A.J. just kind of hung back.

Then, Brandon and Brian started to give A.J. a hard time about it, but he just played it cool and just said something like "it's not that I don't like Blue, I just don't really do dogs." That or said he just didn't want to pet me. I can't remember exactly anymore, but regardless, it doesn't matter. I respect that.

How can I not? I mean, after all A.J. has done to lead our team to victory, he could tease me with Milk Bones and I wouldn't care. We're talking about the same A.J. Graves that has a laundry list of achievements that makes the Mitchell Report look like a children's book.

If he doesn't want to pet me, then I'm not mad at it. Just keep doing what you're doing, A.J.! In the meantime, I think A.J.'s getting covered up enough by all of those double team defensive schemes from our foes in the Horizon League, so let's lay off of him a bit. Shall we?

And with all of that said, I'll leave you with this, courtesy of http://www.ajgravesfacts.com/...

"If A.J. Graves can't find a basketball he just dribbles a cow until it turns into a leather ball. "