My Raider Romp

Remember the Wright State Raider that was lurking near my cage yesterday? (See post below for visual.) Yeah, he got dealt with...

Here's hoping my fellow Bulldogs do likewise on Thursday evening (9 p.m. EST) at Hinkle Fieldhouse.

By the way, no actual Wright State Raiders were physically harmed in the making of this film. All harm was inflicted figuratively.

And yes, Wright State considers the "Raider" to be a wolf. I don't get it either. Perhaps the Wright State Mangy Dingos would be more descript. They actually changed from a red-bearded Viking to a wolf. The wolf is now known as "Rowdy Raider."

Here's a picture of WSU's current (middle) and former mascots...

I see why they switched from the crazy-eyed Viking. That thing is sure to scare all small children. I believe that to be what a suspect sketch artist would draw if you said the criminal resembled the off-spring off a Keebler Elf and one of Willy Wonka's Ump-Lumpas. (Sorry, that's the best I could come up with this close to bed time.)

Regardless, somewhere Wilbur, Orville and Ovid are sitting around a table, smoking pipes, wearing distinguished suits and asking each other who came up with "Bulldogs" and "Raiders."

Oh well, at least WSU's "guy in a suit" actually resemlbes their mascot...which is more than we can say for a certain school in Des Moines, Iowa. (For visual, see post below...again.)

Enough about the Raiders, let's just settle this on the court Thursday night.

In case you missed it, I was featured in Sports Illustrated.com's photo account from the Bulter/Drake game this past Saturday.

The picture taken by John Biever can be seen here: http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/multimedia/photo_gallery/0802/campus.superfans.feb26/content.5.html

Also, mad props to A.J. Graves and Drew Streicher for being named to the 2008 ESPN The Magazine Academic All-America University Division Men's Basketball Team, chosen by CoSIDA (College Sports Information Directors of America). The two Butler student-athletes were among 15 players chosen to the honor squad, and Butler was the lone university to have more than one player selected!

Nice work fellas...not only can you challenge opponents in a game of hoops, but you also can dominate in the occasional standardized test-off. Clearly old "Dawgs" can learn new tricks!

Blue II

Tread Lightly Young Raider

I hate to dwell too much on the men's basketball team, especially when there are so many other great student athletes on campus, not to mention so many other great students who don't even play a sport.

However, this time of year, it's inevitable...especially given the success of our team and the fact that their games are a big part of my life.

Well, the Butler men's squad took one on the chin against the Drake University Bulldogs on Saturday evening. It was Bulldogs versus Bulldogs in a dog fight that would make even the likes of Michael Vick blush. It was indeed a hard fought game and while Drake gave us all we wanted, perhaps it was our own mistakes that cost us the victory. Or maybe we had some help too. (Yeah, I said it.) You decide...

More game pictures by Brad Ward at: http://www.flickr.com/photos/bradjward/sets/72157603974817341/

Oh well, if we had to lose, I suppose there's no shame in losing to our own kind. I'd rather go down to a fellow Bulldog than some joke of a mascot.

Speaking of mascots, I almost had the last laugh against "Spike," the Drake Bulldog, on Saturday night. This embarrasing representation of the breed nearly left part of his leg in Hinkle Fieldhouse courtesy of my teeth! Hey what would you do if that deranged looking Eastern Grey squirrel came charging you and your mom in the stands?

Turns out he was just rallying his fellow Drake fans, but I thought he meant blood. Luckily my mom pulled me off just in time. Sorry Spike!

Congrats to Drake and good luck in the NCAA tournament.

Left dispirited from the loss, I can't help but consume myself with the thought of cleansing my palate from defeat's bitter taste. What's the best way to overcome defeat? Through victory, of course!

Next victim: The Wright State Raiders. Remember, they took us down by one point earlier in the season at their place. Combine our angst from Saturday with our loss to them earlier in the season and this could get ugly.

I even saw a Raider lurking around my den earlier this morning. I will share his fate with you later in the week.


The game is scheduled for this Thursday at 9 p.m. (EST) and will be aired on ESPNU. It's also Young Alumni Night at Hinkle Fieldhouse. I will be there and I hope you will be too!

After all, you just might end up on camera! That's right, Kelly of The Indianapolis Star will be following me around to shoot more video for my profile. She hung out with me around the office and at home on Friday afternoon and is coming back for some game footage on Thursday. The profile should be featured online sometime during the NCAA tournament, next month.

Well, as The Bangles once said, "it's just another manic monday," and I've got work to do...and so do you!

So have a great week and I'll report back soon.

Blue II

P.S. If you are a runner and are in the Indianapolis area, then you need to get yourself signed up for BUSF's 16th annual Bulldog Jog! Originally held during Homecoming weekend, will take place on Saturday, March 1 on the Butler campus. Proceeds from the 5K run/walk will benefit the Butler University Student Foundation Book Scholarship. Visit here for details to sign up: http://www.butler.edu/alumni/index.aspx?pg=4393

Front Page News...and second, and third pages too

This week's issue of The Butler Collegian, Est. 1886 (Vol. 122, Issue 16) has arrived on campus and just by looking at it, you would think it was the National Enquirer and I was Britney Spears!

I mean, I was all over that thing. You can find a nice color picture of me on the front page, along with large pictures of me on pages two AND three! Not to mention, there's an article about me and the blog on page two by Butler student and managing editor, Bob Hermon. The headline reads, "Butler Blue II rolls onto Internet with new blog." Nice!

Props to The Butler Collegian staff for the article and the face time. I suppose it's fitting that I am a staple in the school/student newspaper. Not just because I am the mascot, but it is The Collegian, after all, that is essentially responsible for me being here. Well, in a round-about sort of way.

According to http://www.butlersports.com/ and the university archives, prior to 1919, Butler's athletic teams were known as the "Christians". But numerous losses in the 1919 football season caused Butler's followers to grow weary of the nickname. During the week leading up to Butler's game with the heated rival Franklin "Baptists", Butler Collegian editor Alex Cavins and his staff, which included cartoonist George Dickson, decided something "hot" must be conceived for the school's weekly pep session.

About that time, the mascot of a Butler fraternity..... a bulldog named Shimmy (you couldn't shake him), wandered into the Collegian office. The idea was born. The next school paper came out with a big page-one cartoon showing Shimmy the bulldog, labeled "Butler", taking a bite out of the pants seat of a figure labeled John the Baptist. The caption was: "Bring on That Platter, Salome!" (Butler lost the game to Franklin, 14-0, but the name "Bulldogs stuck).

And what do ya know? It's another Paul Harvey (pictured) moment on the The Life and Times of Butler Blue II..."and know you know.......(long pause).......the rest of the story."

By the way, I'm guessing it's never good to reference a bulldog eating the head of a prominent Biblical figure served on a platter by the person who is considered to be responsible for that revered person's death. Uh, I'm guessing that's why we lost the game. Something to keep in mind, Collegian editors...let's stay away from the negative Biblical references come March...okay?

Anyway, back to the article...Dawg Pound president and senior, Loren Snyder was quoted in the story. He said about my blog, "It's pretty entertaining sometimes. It's just funny to imagine Blue II saying those things."

Oh yeah, Loren?! What's so funny? Next time I see you, I'll say them to your face! Then we'll see who's laughing! (just kidding)

Loren went on to ask, "What does Blue plan on doing with that huge bone every time he takes it off the court?"

That information is confidential and top secret. So much so that I don't know what I'm going to do with it. It's a big bone. It looks cool. I want it. It's kind of like going to the Dollar Store and walking out with stuff you'll never use or need. It was a dollar and it looked cool. 'Nuff said.

Finally, Loren says that his daughter and English Bulldog, Bella, has become "less demanding" since our first date and that he'd like for us to give it another shot. We'll see, Loren. We'll see.

Wow, look at the time! I had better get to my afternoon nap.

Until next time...

Blue II

Uncle Ovid Wants You...

…to vote for me!

While you’re online voting for Mike Green for the Bob Cousy Award, direct that index finger to make another couple of clicks to vote for yours truly.

That’s right, after watching Meaty of MTV's Rob & Big fame land his mug on Dick Van Patten’s brand of dog food on season three, episode four (“Meaty Goes to Hollywood”), I figured, why can’t I break into the product endorsement scene?

Enter Bissell’s MVP competition. You know?! The vacuum company. Anyway, they are having this contest where people can enter their pets to be featured on the box of their new Pet Hair Eraser vacuum package. I just went ahead and logged on and entered myself.

The contest winners are selected through online voting, so Uncle Ovid (Ovid Butler (pictured) wants you to get out and vote for me! Click here to view my submission and to vote.

You know I am looking good and should be on that vacuum box! You see my face on a vacuum box and you know right away the thing is good. People be in the store looking at vacuums and then see my face and be like…

Dude: Hey honey, let’s get this one!
Lady: Why, you know something about Bissell?
Dude: No, but it’s got this cool bulldog on it…it has to suck!

(and by suck, I mean in a good way, because that’s what vacuums do…they suck, literally)

Lady: Okay, if you think that’s the best one then get it.

Sold. Everybody wins. What’s not to like about that?

You could put my face on brochure selling ocean front property in Arizona and it would sell. That’s not cocky, it’s just cute.

Okay, there was maybe just a little bit of trash talk in all of that, but still. If my ability to use this face to score treats is any indication, then get me on the gravy train of endorsements…be bringing in checks so big it would make Tiger Woods, Peyton Manning and Michael Jordan look like chump change.

Hey, a dog can dream can’t he?

Regardless, get out there on the world wide web and vote for me and Mike Green; a couple of Bulldogs who need your support!

Enough about that, you get the idea. I've got a couple "day in the life" updates for everybody as yesterday was a busy day.

I had two appearances to make yesterday. One was for the annual Grad Finale where seniors go and to the Reilly Room on campus to get their cap and gown, graduation tickets, make a gift to the senior class fund, etc. That was cool. It's always bittersweet to go to the event b/c I know that I'm not going to get to see that group of students very much anymore, but I'm happy to know that they will soon enter society and represent Butler well.

At the same time, I had to stop in over at an event put on by some business students who created their own business plan, secured the funding, and started the business; all for a class project! They had the unveiling of their product yesterday which essentially, in a nutshell, is a photo booth. The business is called Strike a Pose and their website is located at http://www.strikeaposeindy.com/. Check it out.

After all of that, it was off to home where we cheered the Bulldogs on to victory over the Valpo Crusaiders 71-68 in a thriller of a game! Although, I had to sit out part of the game in my cage when the storms rolled through town. I'm not a huge fan of thunder and lighting.

In all, it was a successful day. Living the dream, baby!

Now go vote already!

Blue II

P.S. Be sure to watch all five clips from that episode of Rob & Big which can be viewed online here: http://www.mtv.com/overdrive/?id=1580197&vid=206200 If you don’t laugh, see a doctor immediately.