Birthday and Basketball Lingerings

My birthday may have been last Thursday, but the benefits just keep on coming. Gifts and cards keep trickling in and all of the new toys, bones and treats around the office kept me quite busy today.

More thank you's go to Chris Carlson and her kitties, Champ, Ella, and Mirand Shook...I appreciate the cards and gifts!

Today started off well for a Monday. On my walk into the office I enjoyed the spring air and temperatures as well as the stinch of the fresh mulch recently spread around campus. We quickly made our way to Atherton Union to begin the day for a meet and greet with 15 international students. I think they were all from Taiwan, but now I cannot remember.

Today was their first official day on campus so I got to be one of the first to welcome them to the Butler Bulldog family. They took lots of pictures and gave me plenty of love.

After a lunch-time visit to the HRC while my dad worked out, we got to go to Robertson Hall for the Office of Admission's Junior Preview Day. I was there to greet high school juniors and their families, but I was more interested in the rice krispie treats and cookies that were being served.

After that, I spent the afternoon playing with my new toys, barking for no good reason and taking naps.

The fun all came to an end tonight though with the thunderstorms rolled into Indianapolis. I was sound asleep in the living room when the first flash of lighthing and rumble of thunder awakened me. I quickly located my parents and began to shake in fear, before finally retreating to my cage to hide from storms.

My parents try to comfort me and tell me that they won't let the storms hurt me, but if they are in such control, then why don't they just turn off the storms all together? I don't get it. Regardless, I'm not looking forward to making a trip back outside before bed to relieve myself.

Before I do brave the weather to take care of business, I wanted to let everyone know that in spite of the basketball season being over, a couple of our beloved Bulldogs will be in action one more time this weekend.

Seniors A.J. Graves and Mike Green be heading to San Antonio, Texas, to participate in special events surrounding the NCAA Final Four. Graves will be entered in the 3-Point Championship, while Green has been selected to play in the college All-Star Game.

For TV times and more information, click here: http://butlersports.cstv.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/033108aac.html

Good luck, A.J. and Mike! We're all pulling for you guys.

Blue II

Happy Birthday to Me!

Well, another birthday has come and gone and after four years, I’m now 28 years old. It’s true. Do the math. This is the one time that my dad and I will be the same age. In just a month or two, I’ll surpass him.

I must say that this has been the best birthday I’ve ever had since this was the first time that a university-wide party has been thrown in my honor. For my first birthday, we had a staff party down in the basement of Jordan Hall amongst the University Advancement staff and some friends, but since then, nothing formal has really been done until now. That first birthday part was fun…maybe a little too much fun….hence the video on www.youtube.com/butlerblue2 of me throwing up part of the cake I got. Oops. Too much of a good thing, I guess.

Thanks to the Butler University Student Foundation (BUSF) with some assistance from the Student Government Association (SGA), the first-ever Blue II Birthday Party was held on campus for all students, faculty and staff to join in. I’m biased, but I think it was a raving success! I didn’t even regurgitate anything this year either!

The party was from 11-1 and setup in Starbuck’s just off the bookstore in the one and only, Atherton Union. By 10:55 a.m. there was a line and I had not even made a grand entrance yet. By 12:30 p.m., all 480 cookies and 240 cupcakes were consumed. Luckily, SGA came in with back up supplying soda and other giveaways.

Congratulations to Nolan Yeakley for winning the “Guess Blue II’s Weight” contest. Nolan’s name was drawn from all the entries that correctly guessed my weight at 60 lbs. If you had your picture taken with me on the staff’s digital camera, please email jmjones@butler.edu to obtain a copy of that file.

I think there was a line the entire time for guests to get their picture with me. Many of them found out the hard way that if they are holding a cookie while trying to get their picture with me, I’m going to try and eat it. I am a dog, who acts on instinct, after all.

As advertised, there was a oversized card for guests to sign and there was the “pin the tail on the dawg” game as well. Here’s a little video for reference of all of the aforementioned: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=svezCbvhonw

I also want to thank Stephanie Smith who brought me several gifts the other day, my best friend Kirby who brought me a basketball, Olivia who got me a bone, Anabelle who made me a card, everyone else that stopped by the party and/or got me a gift, and BUSF, SGA, and the Office of Alumni and Parent Programs for throwing me a party. You’ve all kept me very spoiled!

It means a lot to be appreciated like that. Everyone should be so lucky, at least once in their life. As far as dogs go, I’m one of the luckiest and it’s something I don’t take for granted, so I thanks to everyone for making a big to-do over my date of birth.

Also, I want to give a big shout-out to my Shih Tzu cousin, Murphy, in Columbus, Ohio who shares the same birthday with me…happy birthday Prince Murphy Alouicious!

In other news, the University of Tennessee Volunteers lost to the Louisville Cardinals last night in the NCAA tournament. You may remember the Volunteers knocked out the Bulldogs last Sunday in overtime. The Cards destroyed the Vols 79-60! Dude, they lost by 19 points…I want another shot at the title. Way to represent. (That’s sarcasm.)

Granted, the Cards are good, but are they that much better than Tennessee? I wouldn’t think so. I sure would like to see how the Bulldogs would fair against them. Oh well, it’s a moot point now.

What can I say? I’m still a bitter Bulldog after last Sunday’s defeat.

Thanks again to everyone for the great birthday! Let’s do it again next year. Have a great weekend, watch the IndyCar Series race on ESPN2 on Saturday night at 8:30 p.m. (EST) and be sure to stop and smell the roses…I always do!

Blue II

A Tough Loss, Tomorrow's Leaders and the Former First Daughter

Unfortunately, the Butler University men’s basketball season came to a close yesterday afternoon as our Bulldogs were defeated in overtime by the University of Tennessee in the second round of the NCAA Tournament by a score of 76-71. It most assuredly wasn’t our best showing on the court this season, but one thing is for certain, like true Bulldogs, our team never gave up…they fought tooth and nail to the bitter end, an end that came all to quickly for this mascot.

In spite of the tough loss, the boys had an incredible season totaling a school-record 30-wins and only four losses, including a Great Alaska Shootout Title, Horizon League regular season and tournament championships and the team’s highest ever national ranking of 8th.

Thus, this team made me, Butler Blue II, the most decorated Butler mascot in school history with regard to men’s basketball. Not only did I witness our first 30-win season, but that added to my overall record of 92 and 39 since the 2004-05 season. Of the games that I've actually attended, I am 49-8 and in the NCAA Tournament I have a record of 3-2.

In appreciation of the team’s efforts, I was present at their arrival back to campus on Sunday night outside of Gate 1 at Hinkle Fieldhouse. It was a bit of a somber affair, but the students in attendance did their best to let the team know just how proud of them we were. Like so many of our teams in the last several years, they made us proud to be Bulldogs and they helped to put our school on the map.

For a video of their return, visit BlueTube at: www.YouTube.com/butlerblue2.

The hangover of defeat was heavy on the hearts of those on campus on Monday. There was just no way around the sadness so I retreated to my cage on Monday morning to sleep it off. I just wasn't ready to see the season end and I guess David Letterman wasn't either: http://sports.aol.com/fanhouse/2008/03/25/david-letterman-thinks-butler-deserves-another-chance-against-te/

Monday night was bath time as I had to get prepared for my big day today. I started off the morning with a trip to Pine Tree Elementary School in Avon, Ind. There my dad and I visited eight classes between kindergarten and third grade. We read books to over 250 kids and handed out my READ posters and bookmarks to the teachers and students.

Actually, I let my dad handle the book reading while I took care of the "looking good" part. We make a great team.

After that it was back to campus to rest up for my next big visit with former “First Daughter,” Chelsea Clinton and actor Sean Astin, better known as “Rudy, ” or "Mikey" from The Goonies or son of Patty Duke. Take your pick.

Both were on the campaign trail, stumping for Democratic Presidential hopeful, Hillary Clinton. Keep in mind, I don't do politics, so I could care less about their background, their beliefs, policies, experience, etc. I just ask that people register to vote and then do so on election day.

Sean was really excited to see me, saying something like "This dog is awesome!" But for as much as Sean was impressed, I'm not so sure Chelsea was all that awestruck. Perhaps she's still partial to Buddy, the former First Dog, God rest his soul.



We all posed for a quick photo-op before Sean introduced Chelsea in front of a packed Starbucks cafe in Atherton Union.



Tomorrow I get to visit with more of "tomorrow's leaders" only this time on Butler's campus as those young students participating in the College Mentors for Kids! program will be coming to campus.

Of course, Thursday is my fourth birthday and the Butler University Student Foundation is inviting all students, faculty, and staff to Starbucks from 11 a.m.-1 p.m. to celebrate my big day. There will be free cupcakes and treats, pin-the-tail-on-the-dawg, and other fun games and prizes.

I'm not sure all of that is necessary, but I'm happy to oblige.

I'll report back after the big birthday bash with a full commentary on the event and the day itself. Here's to hoping I get something good present or two!

Blue II