For as long as they have existed, mascots of pro sports teams have served a couple simple purposes. First, they must entertain the crowd and keep them having a good time and keep them in the seats when the game drags on. Second, they must make an attempt to get inside the head of the opposition. Some mascots are better at this than others. On Tuesday night in Denver, Rocky, the mascot for the Denver Nuggets, may have tapped a nerve of Russell Westbrook of the Oklahoma City Thunder.
Rocky was wearing an oh-so-comical “I’m with stupid” t-shirt, with an arrow pointing to whoever happened to be standing next to him. Obviously, at one point, Rocky found himself standing right next to his arch nemesis, Russell Westbrook. Westbrook had something to say to Rocky, which prompted a cranekick from the Denver mascot.
The feud between Westbrook and Rocky apparently can be traced back to 2013 when Westbrook interfered with Rocky’s half-court shooting exhibition. After Westbrook intercepted a half-court shot by Rocky, the staredown set off the NBA’s newest rivalry in full force.
Oh, it was on.
Players have been having fun with mascots of opposing teams for ages. Not a summer seems to go by when a Phillies opponent doesn’t steal the keys to the Phillie Phanatic’s ATV. And remember, the Phanatic has been physically assaulted by Tommy Lasorda. And Russell Simon once assaulted a mascot sausage. Even the famous San Diego Chicken has not been without his enemies.
Fortunately the rivalry between Westbrook and Rocky hasn’t reached that level of animosity… yet.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ezOFU4KOYbo
