Butler University Homecoming 2009: A Dog's Eye View

It’s finally here, it’s homecoming 2009! Much like Christmas day, a birthday, first day of summer vacation, or any other highly anticipated day or event, homecoming week is one of the highlights of my job as mascot. I just love how the campus always comes alive with energy amongst a beautiful fall backdrop. And just as there are great events, activities and offerings, there’s even better reunions, renewed relationships and just people connecting with each other, their alma mater and/or this great university. Homecoming certainly is a special time.

As you could imagine, as mascot, I’m quite busy come homecoming week, although, I’ve spent Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday doing a lot of resting up by emphasizing a routine of lounging around the office and sleeping in anticipation for the hustle and bustle that is Thursday, Friday and Saturday of homecoming. Butler President, Dr. Bobby Fong only thinks he’s busy this weekend…he should see my social calendar!

On Thursday I have just a couple of appearances including my annual photograph with the Butler University Board of Trustees…nothing like getting a little face time with the “Top Dawgs!” And while they may have the reins to this place, I think they know who really calls the shots…why else would they put me front and center in their picture?

Thursday is a fairly light day, all things considered, but in addition to the trustee photograph, I’ve got an interview about the annual Bulldog Beauty Contest and an appearance at the dedication ceremony and grand opening of the new College of Pharmacy and Health Sciences building on campus.

Before I get started on my homecoming responsibilities on Friday, I’ve got a little personal business to tend to with the annual “Blessing of the Animals” service put on by our neighbor, the Christian Theological Seminary. The ceremony is held in remembrance of St. Francis of Assisi’s love for all creatures and its officially celebrated on Oct. 4th, but CTS holds their service a couple of days early so that it’s during the week. That’s Friday, Oct. 2 at 1 p.m. in the CTS courtyard if you are interested in attending. I rather enjoy the event and frankly, I’ll take a good blessing anytime I can get it!

After that, it’s back to campus and back to work. There’s a women’s soccer match at 4:30 p.m. versus defending Horizon League champions Milwaukee in the Butler Bowl that’s also an opportunity to support a very special cause…Breast Cancer Awareness Day. Come out and support the Butler women's soccer team as it hosts its Breast Cancer Awareness Day.

All fans are encouraged to wear pink in support of breast cancer awareness and the first 150 students in attendance will be able to attend a halftime tailgate, with each student getting a free hot dog, chips and a drink.

Friday's women’s soccer festivities will begin with a ceremonial pregame coin flip featuring Butler women's basketball coach Beth Couture, who was diagnosed with breast cancer last spring. Couture, who has won 363 games in her career - including 105 at Butler - is set to have her cancer treatments completed in time to lead the Bulldog basketball team this season. The women's soccer team will also be wearing pink warm-ups. Also at halftime, the Bulldogs will honor Joy (Aschenbrener) Sweeney (1995-98), who was inducted into the Butler University Athletic Hall of Fame last spring.

I might just have to trade in my blue jersey for a pink shirt on Friday afternoon. I’m not one for pink, my name is “Blue” after all, but I am one for a good cause so I’ll see what I can do.

Back across campus at 5 p.m. I have an open house to attend in the Fairbanks Building for the School of Journalism and then it’s off campus I go to the home of our resident IndyCar driver and 2003 Butler grad, Ed Carpenter, as I’ve been contracted to do an appearance for his daughter’s birthday party. I don’t normally do that sort of thing, but it’s a special friend and a special request, so I make exceptions.

After the birthday party, I’m headed home to host my grandparents who are coming into town and staying at my place. I’ll also use that time at home to rest up and get ready for a big Saturday on campus. Meanwhile, I’ll send my dad back to Butler in my stead to attend the President’s Dinner…formal dinners aren’t really my thing…that whole begging for food at the side of the table is considered faux pas, I guess.

On Saturday I can be found all over campus, whether riding in a Corvette for the parade, running the undefeated football team on to the field for their match against San Diego, showing my face at the young alumni Barktoberfest event, cruising the Butler Bowl parking lot for some handouts/table scraps at the tailgates or attending the volleyball game in the evening at Hinkle Fieldhouse. It’s sure to be a busy, but fun day.

And while all of that is well and good, perhaps there’s one event that I’m most looking forward to…an event that makes Butler’s homecoming different than any other homecoming. That event of course would be the annual Bulldog Beauty Contest!


You saw my post last month about the contest and it appears that my predictions were true as once again this year we are set to have our best competition to date! We have 74 dogs pre-registered for the event as of 9 a.m. on Oct. 1st and that’s a new record. Last year we had a total of 75 dogs show up, including walk-ups, so we are certain to exceed that come this Saturday, Oct. 3rd at 10 a.m. !

Keep in mind this event is free and open to the public, so whether you have a bulldog to compete with or not, you definitely want to attend…and bring a camera! Who knew a bulldog beauty contest would be such the spectator sport?! We’ll have increased seating this year (five sets of bleachers) for your viewing pleasure as well.

Held on the main mall, just south of Norris Plaza, these 74+ dogs (mostly bulldogs) will parade on a stage and catwalk and compete for the honor of being named the top dog in one of the following categories.

-Cutest Bulldog
-Meanest-Looking Bulldog
-Best Dressed Bulldog
-Best Dog Trick*
-Most Butler Spirit*
-Best Wannabe Bulldog*
-Oldest Bulldog
-Youngest Bulldog

-Best in Show*

Categories ending with an asterisk are the only categories open for non-bulldogs.

Keep in mind the “Best in Show” this year walks away with the grand prize of one year’s supply of dog food provided by Eagle Pack Holistic Select Pet Food, WellPet, and City Dogs Grocery! That’s a more than $600 value! Other category winners will take home prizes from City Dogs Grocery and all participants will receive a pack of Holistic Select Treats from Eagle Pack, WellPet and City Dogs Grocery. (a full list of sponsors is listed on the image below)

Oh, and we’ve increased our panel of judges this year from five to seven to include a couple of celebrities and our good friends at Indianapolis’ ABC affiliate WRTV-6…morning weatherman and traffic reporter, Paul Poteet and Tom Davis.

Why Paul and Tom? Well, we thought they might be able to help us on the weather and traffic Saturday morning, but even more than that, we know these guys like to have a good time. Just visit http://www.paulpoteet.com/ and their “Off the Cuff” videos for proof.

I hope to see you on Saturday morning for our Bulldog Beauty Contest…trust me, you don’t want to miss this event! If you can’t make it, then hop online as I’m going to try and do a live twitter-cast of the event either at www.twitter.com/butlerblue2 and/or www.twitter.com/butleru.

So that’s what my Homecoming weekend looks like, but of course, that’s just a highlight of events during Butler’s homecoming weekend…at least the ones that I’m involved with anyway. So for a complete listing, visit www.butler.edu/homecoming and take a look at the complete schedule of activities this weekend.

And if you can’t make it back, I’ll be tweeting my homecoming adventures at www.twitter.com/ButlerBlue2, so feel free to log on often for status reports and pictures!

Here’s to a great homecoming weekend, filled with victories, reunions, good times and great weather!

Go Dawgs!

Blue II

Summertime BLUEs

Summertime BLUEs was just a play on words. Get it? It’s summertime, my name is Blue, there’s the famous song “Summertime Blues,” and I needed a title for this thing. Anyway, my dad thought it was a good idea. Sometimes I just do things to humor him.

It’s not really the blues that I have, but just a bit of frustration. Why, you ask. (I’m assuming you would ask, anyway.) Well, it all stemmed from a stroll down the front hallway of my favorite campus building, Hinkle Fieldhouse.

If you’ve ever been to Hinkle Fieldhouse (and if you haven’t ever been, then you should make a point to do that some day) then you know that the hallways feature very large team pictures of the various sports, etc., for the given academic year. I’ve been fortunate to be featured in some of those pictures and I hope to be again soon as I’m always up for that sort of thing.

Well I noticed that this year’s cheerleading picture was up, but something about it was amiss. Front and center there happened to be a live English Bulldog, and while the face staring back shared a resemblance, it didn’t quite appear to be my likeness.

I couldn’t believe my eyes! If I had opposable thumbs, I would have given them a rub. Instead I stood their panting, speechless. I couldn’t even bark or muster a growl. I had to look back at my dad just to a.) confirm what I was seeing and b.) make sure I hadn’t been replaced!

But there it was and there it is, for all eyes to see for one whole year…another bulldog other than myself posing with the squad. It was “impermissibull,” “inexcusabull,” and “intolerabull!” How dare another bulldog try and impersonate the official mascot! I mean, the very thought of it sounds absurd.

But it happened and I’m not going to name any names or call anyone out. I just hope steps are taken so it doesn’t happen again. I mean, I know I sleep a lot and have a busy schedule, but university requests, including photo-ops, take priority and I’ll do whatever I can, within reason, to make myself available.

Sure, my feelings are hurt, but at the end of the day, something like this just makes Butler look silly. I mean, otherwise, what would be the point of even having me around in the first place? You think that the University of Georgia would allow me or any other English Bulldog to fill in for UGA? I don’t think so. It’s UGA, or nothing. Of course, we’re talking about the mascot that has an air conditioned dog house and a personal golf cart.

Regardless, you get the idea. Clip Art bulldogs and generics are for places like Brandywine Elementary School, no offense. Well, that and Ferris State University. Yeah, I said it.

Sure, technically Butler and I represent the entire breed, but I’m not willing to share duties or the spotlight unless it’s at Homecoming and we’re holding the Bulldog Beauty Contest. (Shameless plug for my dad…sign up now! October 25th. www.butler.edu/homecoming).

Believe it or not, this isn’t the first time that this has happened. The last two times our men’s basketball team has made it to the NCAA men’s basketball tournament Sweet 16, the Horizon League has created some really great posters (see below) in honor of the achievement and has even had them placed in USA Today! Unfortunately, they did not use Blue I or myself in those instances. Again, we’re available and images of our likeness are on file with the Office of University Relations.


They are actually really cool posters, I just wish myself and my predecessor would have been a part of them, but enough about all of that. After all, there’s nothing I can do about any of it now, so I’ve moved on with my summer and have been enjoying every bit of it.

I do apologize for not posting on the blog for some time, but my dad’s been busy and as you know, I’m at the mercy of his fingers. For my parents, there’s been work, home projects, parties, IndyCar races and camping. That means I’ve been busy with work, sleep, running around in the yard and frequent trips to Wabash, Ind. to stay with the grandparents.

A couple Saturday’s ago I even got the green light to play in the sprinkler! It was everything I remembered and more. I couldn’t get enough.

If you’ve checked out my YouTube site recently then you’ve probably already seen the videos, but if not, I’ve included one below.

Speaking of refreshing, beat the heat, activities, I also got to enjoy my very own popsicle the other day as well! Thanks to the Office of Admission and their BU 101 family picnic, I was not only able to take part in the festivities and meet our prospective students and families, but I also got to get in on the frozen treat cooler. I needed it as the temperatures were into the 90s that day. My dad picked out a purple popsicle and then arranged for a couple of ladies to feed it to me. I thought I had died and gone to a very warm heaven!

At Butler, besides bulldog imposters and hot picnics, it’s just been much of the usual. Random stuffed animal destruction (see below), naps, camp photo-ops (see below), appearances and trips to the HRC fill my days. It won’t be long now until all of the students return and campus really comes to life again. I’ve noticed many of the student athletes already on campus preparing for their seasons, including some of our newest members of the men’s basketball team. They’re looking pretty good!


Okay, that’s probably plenty for now, so wrap this up I’d like to give a shout-out to Napoleon, a fellow bulldog in Michigan who saved several kittens from drowning in a lake. You can read all about it here: http://www.kutv.com/content/news/topnews/story.aspx?content_id=18c2a21e-2294-4480-af61-c45fdd059ece. Nice work, Napoleon!

Would the real Blue II please stand up,

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. "