I’ve never actually met a person who told me they were a professional mascot, but that’s probably just part of the code. Mascots are everywhere, and they’re all over the NBA in particular. I’d offer the rough estimate that there are 30 mascots in total, but I know for a fact there are actually more than that. The Cleveland Cavaliers, as one example, had two mascots last year for some reason.
But for however many mascots there are, there’s only one each year who can stroll into the bar and impress girls by telling them he won the 2011 NBA Mascot Stunt of the Year Award – assuming said girls didn’t already know that. There’s also only one mascot who can say he won the annual NBA Mascot Leadership Award too, but that’s probably too confusing to explain based on the political nature of the voting associated with that one.
Stunt of the Year is pretty straight-forward though, and it serves as the proverbial top spot that all mascots are air-gunning for. This year that spot belongs to Bango the Buck. Actually both of those awards do.
This breaking news according to the Journal Sentinal:
“At a conference recently held in Milwaukee, Bango won a pair of awards – for the 2011 NBA mascot stunt of the year and the 2011 NBA mascot leadership award. The stunt honored was his rollerblade back-flip dunk during the Bucks’ home opener in October. Bango earlier was named the NBA’s mascot of the year for 2010, during a conference last summer in Miami. The Bucks announced that Bango has made more than 80 appearances since May 1 as the franchise has tried to accent its community involvement.”
And I believe this is the dunk below that propelled Bango to the pinnacle of the mascot profession:
http://youtube.com/watch?v=
AkJe-fZd_hg[/youtube]
So congrats on the awards Bango, and way to be a leader too. I’m not even going to nit-pick and mention that the ball kinda bounced around in the cylinder a couple times before making it’s way through the net either. Heckuva job getting up there bud, looking forward to seeing you top that one next season whenever this lockout ends.
In other NBA mascot news, Grizz from the Memphis Grizzlies brought home 2011 Mascot of the Year Award that Bango won last year, so big ups to Grizz too. Hopefully the guy who played Stuff for the Magic that was fired earlier this year can use both Bango and Grizz as an inspiration get himself back on the court next season too.
YouTube: LORENZORup24
Photo: onmilwaukee.com
