BennyTheBull Posts -- FanHouse

The Mascot Violence Epidemic

Chicago Bulls mascot Benny the Bull has been accused of intentionally firing his T-shirt gun at two Boston Celtics players, accusations that the Bulls vehemently deny. We'll let the investigation into Benny's conduct run its course before we pass judgment on that particular incident, but Benny has been in the center of controversy before:

Incidents in which mascots are the victims and/or perpetrators of violence are a serious and growing problem in the world of sports, and a problem that must be brought to an end.

Below we look at some of the worst incidents of mascot violence in recent sports history.

Chicago Claims Benny the Bull Is Innocent

Yesterday everyone had a bunch of fun with the story that Benny the Bull shot Kevin Garnett and James Posey in the back with a t-shirt gun, but the Bulls claim the two Celtics players are embellishing the story. From KC Johnson's blog in the Chicago Tribune:

Officials said a game-day employee called an IncrediBull tripped as he squeezed the trigger, the shirt then bounced off the ground and slid into the Celtics' team huddle. Bulls personnel apologized to the Celtics for the mishap and also alerted game officials to what happened.

Whatever happened took place in an arena with roughly 10 television camera trained on the court, correct? Surely somebody caught something on tape -- can't we let YouTube settle this for us? One thing is for sure, though, and that's Benny's history of on-court violence certainly doesn't help his case.

Benny the Bull Aims His T-Shirt Gun at Celtics KG and James Posey

That's a picture of the Chicago Bulls' mascot, Benny the Bull, holding the smoking gun from his latest run-in with trouble. Last night during the team's loss to Boston, Benny blasted Kevin Garnett and James Posey in the back with t-shirts, resulting in some understandably angry Celtics.

... the Chicago mascot shot T-shirts out of a T-shirt gun that hit them in the back. The incident happened when Garnett and Posey were walking to the bench during a timeout with 2:49 remaining. Garnett and Posey gave Bennie the Bull a glare, and, said Garnett, "We exchanged words."

"I felt threatened," said Posey, who is considered a villain among Bulls fans for his tough fouls when he played for Miami, and was booed every time he touched the ball last night. "They already don't like me here already.

"Two T-shirts were thrown at me and KG. I don't feel safe. The T-shirts were fired out of that gun or whatever.

"I feel a little sore in one spot. I might have to get treatment ... Let's see how the league handles this."

While I doubt the t-shirts caused enough harm for Posey to actually require "treatment," it is ridiculous that a mascot would be messing with opposing players like that. But as I mentioned, this isn't the first time that Benny has run afoul of the law.

In 2006, Benny was charged with attacking an off-duty police officer by punching a sheriff's deputy who was working at an outdoor festival. And after seeing Benny appear on a recent episode of the Jerry Springer show, I can only come to the conclusion that this is one seriously messed up Bull, and one that should probably be kept as far away from NBA players as possible.

[via Michael Rand at the Star Tribune]

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