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

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/!

In the Spolight

An anonymous reader asked, "Blue, I think you are adorable!! I'm sure with a job like yours you get invited to do all kinds of things... What have been some of your most exciting moments in the spotlight??"

Great question! The first few years on the job haven't been dull, I can assure you, but most of my time in the "spotlight" has been of the local variety. Although, I'm looking to make my big break this March in San Antionio, Texas for the Men's NCAA Final Four. Coach Stevens, members of the basketball team, if you're reading this, see what you can do to help me out. Okay?

Just thinking back off the top of my furry head, some of the obvious things that come to mind are my appearances at Butler sporting events. Whether it's leading the football team onto the field (pictured), greeting the starters on the basketball court, doing my "tricks" during a timeout at center court (pictured), or serving as the halftime entertainment at a soccer match where I displayed my own soccer tecniques, those are all great instances where I steal the show.

Of course, there's more than athletic events, there's also the performing arts. I've been a part of the limelight at several events such as YMCA Geneva Stunts, YMCA Spring Sing and JCFA's REJOICE! where the students sang "Blue Christmas" and I came out on stage riding a sleigh with Santa Claus. (picture below by Claire Corbin Photography)

I also make appearances at university/campus events for University Advancment, Admissions, Student Affairs, and much more. I've been used in class presentations, atttended press conferences, and black tie galas (pictured). At the press conference to announce the hiring of Butler Athletic Director, Barry Collier, I let out a loud bark during the middle of that event. I'm not sure what came over me, I just felt like letting the media and attendees know that I approved of the hire.

Oh yeah, and there's Butler's Homecoming activities too, where last year I hosted the "Family Fun Fest," and the annual "Bulldog Beauty Contest presented by the Ovid Butler Society," as well as had my own Corvette in the parade.

I've also been known to be a bit of a media hound too. From TV, to radio, to newspapers, to magazines, to the internet, I'm blowing up! It's not uncommon to see my mug on the local Indy major network affliates when they cover Butler basketball highlights after a game.

I can remember one time Dave Calabro of WTHR NBC Channel 13 (and Butler grad) was doing a live shot from Hinkle Fieldhouse before a home game. He wanted to get me on camera, so going to a break, he rolled a basketball (one of my favorite things) on the floor for me to attack. I didn't disappoint. It was so funny that he featured it on his "Check It Out" spot in the 11 p.m. broadcast. Guess you had to be there.

This past month I did get some national TV exposure as well as I made a couple of appearances on ESPN's SportsCenter.

This season and last you can hear me on the radio broadcasts of the men's home basketball games. Those can be heard at WXNT AM 1430. That's me barking for the Ovid Butler Society and Bulldog Club commercials.

I've also made two or three appearances in Indianapolis Montly, with my most recent coming in the Feb. 2008 issue, page 100. No issues of Dog Fancy yet or Time's Dog of the Year yet, though.

I've been in the newspaper quite a few times including this past Sunday's edition of the Indianapolis Star. I also make appearances in Butler's student produced paper, The Butler Collegian.

Okay, that's all I can think of right now, but now that I think about it, I need to renegotiate my contract! That's a lot of stuff I've done in just under four years. My stock is hot, baby! Get Ari Gold (pictured) on the line, I need some representation!

I'm sure there's more that I've done, times I've been the center of attention, instances where I stole the show, etc., I just can't think of them. If your reading this and something comes to mind that I didn't cover, then use the "comments" section to share.