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It was one of those things that Brenda would always be like, Jon, dont. Im like, No. Mark started doing handstands. Game in and game out, year in and year out, unbelievable. I didnt have to see through a screen. There were a number of times where I went a little outside the box and he went to battle, and he knew that, in order for the character to keep creating and growing, it needed to push those bounds. The Jazz suffered their second straight loss to a team near the bottom of the standings thanks to a turnover-prone outing against the Thunder. Everything you need to know to plan your 2023 Rose Bowl trip in Pasadena, California. "title":"Power Players with Dan Clark", "coverDisplay":false, Here, we will focus on the top 10 most popular sports mascots. Ben Rohrbach is a writer for Yahoo Sports. We have no respect, no credibility, and please download and share this episode as a simple reminder that Jon Absey is exactly the same in person as he is in that suit. A one-on-one interview with the Utah Jazz Bear about what it takes to create a successful mascot program. During the Utah Jazz's recent match against the Huston Rockets, the Jazz's mascot, which is creatively named the Jazz Bear, shot silly string at fans during the half-time interval. Were here for you to Its all about me. The Jazz Bear has been their mascot since 1994 and Jon Absey has been behind the costume since the beginning. My only thought was, Im not letting her die. I dont care what happens to me because of the stupid decision that we decided because were doing Phantom of the Opera. People like you and Andy Chudd were a huge part of that. Years later, theyre adults and coming to give back because of what it did for them. There were crazy moments. It was like a playland. Wed be in the front and Id look from the fire truck all the way down Redwood and we were like 30th south and you could see the last vehicle turn in the corner because we had nine buses, like eight fire trucks, all these cop cars, a whole bunch of vehicles in tow. He was originally designed to be a cartoon character, but the idea was scrapped in favor of a real-life mascot. It was a little bit harder, but I could figure it out. The three years you were a junior in high school, you almost killed the whole faculty? Thank you for that intro. Full disclosure: I kind of want to drive like an ape now. You then have the Phoenix Gorilla and some of the other mascots in the league like Rocky, Crunch, Sacramento, Portland, and Indy, but theyre that mix where youre funny and athletic. Read my story below. He was probably best known for sledding down the stairs of Vivint Smart Home Arenas aisles and emptying a seemingly endless supply of Silly String onto opposing fans. One thing led to another, and he was asked to try out to be the Jazz mascot in the early 1990s. Even though Ive been gone for a while, Im still in touch with everybody. We had a star-studded dinner there at our favorite restaurant here in Utah, and you so graciously paused for a moment, and then I got to ask Thurl who you were. It twists down on your wrist. Absey worked as the mascot for 24 years, but with the beginning of the 2018-2019 season he has been let go. I chickened out. Incidentally, he was also fired from his very first job as a mascot for the CBA for all those stunts he tried out. "description": "", Being successful isnt about having a big bank account. I thought he broke a rib. Thats about it. I remember one time we were over by like $5,600. Utah Jazz '17-18 review: Donovan Mitchell. Get the latest Utah sports news delivered to your inbox. MINNEAPOLIS, MN - JANUARY 12: Jazz Bear, mascot for the Utah Jazz rubs a fans head during the game between the Minnesota Timberwolves and the New York Knicks on January 12, 2018 at the Target Center in Minneapolis, Minnesota. Thats what made you the Mascot of the Year five times and the mascot forever more. At Salt City Hoops, we know that covering a team without any humor can be dreary. Players didnt write me those checks like it was. Its interesting as Jon retired as our Jazz Bear and a new person took over the costume, you realize that its more than a costume. Jazz Bear is the mascot for the Utah Jazz, a National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Give us the inside scoop of the Mascot Bowl. You started mascotting in 93, and thats not when you came to the Jazz and was way before when you did everything else? Absey is telling all in a new podcast called Return to Real. Its the first time hes spoken about his time in the costume since his firing. Most significantly, Jon proves why being a mascot has nothing to do with the suit. How do you navigate yourself through this little teeny window? Its about knowing that what youre doing is on the right path. ] I loved it so much. Utah Jazz Fall To Oklahoma City Thunder In Turnover-Prone Outing, New Utah Jazz Guard Kris Dunn Is Causing Problems In OKC, Utah Jazz Forward Rudy Gay With Strong Drive Against Oklahoma City Thunder, Utah Jazz Center Walker Kessler Starts Hot In Oklahoma City, Antoine Davis Falls Short In Bid To Break Pete Maravichs Scoring Mark, Ryan Smith: I Want Jazz Fans To Watch Games In Any Format, Notable Moments From The Utah Jazz Season So Far, Everything You Need to Know to Watch the 2022 World Cup. I loved always pushing myself because I felt as if the day that I stopped pushing myself and I was not excited to try and do something new was the day that I got to hang it up. Your California Privacy Rights/Privacy Policy. It was like, Im going to do a one-armed handstand. The one-armed handstand happened and nobody copied it. He is the original Jazz Bear. THE UTAH JAZZ MASOT MUST BE STOPPED 389,289 views Feb 20, 2018 3K Dislike Share Shots Up 3.86K subscribers NBA Mascots Funny Moments | NBA Mascots Savage Moments | NBA mascots | | Savage NBA. Its moments like that you realize these high school kids are getting to see what reality is. I dont want to get into a rut. I remember that happened with the ladder. }, This is back when you could stand on the side of the court and the players would talk to you, I remember one time seeing Adam Keefe up in the stands talking to people. Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onUtah Jazz and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. Bleacher Creatures Utah Jazz Bear 10" Mascot Plush Figure. "title":"Jon Absey shares his journey to become an NBA mascot as the original Utah Jazz Bear", All picks and predictions are suggestions only. You said something very intriguing about the difference between professional athletes nowadays and the days of old. I ended up out on the third-floor ledge and chilling out because in my head, I was like, Im bored. I was so ADHD. Theres something as well to this more than taking kids Christmas shopping. Everybody could see that Jazz Bear and not just wonder what this amazing human being must be like, but now you get a chance to see the stud muffin hunk of burning love that was inside that suit. The Utah Jazz have fired Jon Absey, who portrayed the team's Jazz Bear mascot for 24 years. The man behind Jazz Bear, the reigning Mascot of the Year, has been fired after almost a quarter-century with the team due to a rift with the organization, according to multiple reports out of Utah. Lets go back to sledding the stairs. Check out this Cleveland Cavaliers fan mixing it up with the mascot of the Utah Jazz. I put it on, I walk like I walk. Reply [deleted] . Im not a fan of a team that I dont know anybody on it. I hated it. I went, I get it! Do you remember Roxanne? Before, he says, he hid under a mask. As we wind down, give us an inside glimpse of what happens when you raise the money at the Mascot Bowl and what happens when we team up with the fire department. He was the best & always willing to drop by with a confetti cannon. He jumped through rings of fire, played fireworks-filled pianos and rode Karl Malones motorcycle onto the arena floor. How tall was the ladder? My success is watching my children grow up, concluded Absey. When I hit Winnipeg, I remember I rappelled in and straddled two beams, and when Thunderstruck started, I would jump in the air, put my feet together, and zip in quick on a rope, and I got up there late. The Utah Jazz have an iconic mascot. That was one of the moments where I was like, Im going to show him. I would grab people and haul him out on the court because it was like, This is what makes fans, fans, being able to interact and come on the court. Absey is telling all in a new podcast called "Return to Real.". In 96, I started the conference. That was my push. The man behind Jazz Bear, the reigning Mascot of the Year, has been fired after almost a quarter-century with the team due to "a rift" with the organization, according to multiple reports out of Utah. When I got out here and started doing the job, I felt more blessed that I had a job and a vehicle that could do so much. I was going through school and I was coaching over at a gym. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. Whoever takes over Friday has big paws to fill. Stick through the . When I would submit my stuff, Luke would always say, Why do you keep showing them the stuff youre doing? I know this pushed me and Im glad I did it because it worked. Before, I would show up, meet people, and Id go, but I never felt so connected as I do now with people, with children and their parents, because now I get to talk to them and see them. Utah Jazz: Top six matchups to look forward to in 2018-19, Three reasons the Utah Jazz perfectly exemplify what's right with the NBA, Former Middleweight Champ Jermain Taylor Arrested on Domestic Battery Charge, Utah Jazz: Five reasons to look forward to the 2018-19 season, Utah Jazz: One goal for every Jazzman in 2018-19. He also does a lot of charity work. Email him at rohrbach_ben@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! In this Read more. Full disclosure: I kind of want to drive like an ape now. Who is the individual when you go to a sporting event and you see this mascot perform, engage the audience, and cheer on that home crowd to give us the home field or home court advantage? Im like, No, I cant do it. I grew up in avenues in Salt Lake City, Utah, Karl Malone built his house up there and its in my mothers neighborhood, down the street on the same street as my mom. Of course its fake. : The Utah Jazz mascot, Bear, performs during a time out of their game against the Denver Nuggets during Game Six of the Western Conference Quarterfinals of the 2010 NBA Playoffs at EnergySolutions Arena on April 30, 2010 in Salt Lake City, Utah. In a 2010 interview with the Deseret News, Absey said as a result of his performances he has bone spurs in both ankles, broke his big toe, tore his right calf, blew out his right knee, tore both hamstrings, had hernia and back surgeries, ripped tendons in two fingers, blew out both bursa sacs and required stitches. NBA Mascot: Getting the Utah Jazz Bear character going is a group effort. Jon shares his inspiring story of taking advantage of opportunities and the challenges of balancing family and work and living a purpose-driven life. I love seeing them be humbled by these kids. Jazz Bear was introduced to the league on November 4, 1994. NBA Mascot: When kids are involved in charities, they see how everything comes together. God bless you. I just hope that when Im done, I can be happy knowing that maybe I did change the lives of some children through the charity work that weve done.. All advice, including picks and predictions, is based on individual commentators opinions and not that of Minute Media or its related brands. Hes covered in snow. It's the first time he's spoken about his time in the . I know what I was doing was on the right path. We need to do something for the underserved.. The Bear first debuted by. We honor you. "url":"https://feeds.podetize.com/rss/QVnbs-974Q", It was my wifes 40th birthday party. The mascot has proven to be so popular in the city that he even has a day named after him. or superseded by additional information. Shes just a good old girl. We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. The 50-year-old Absey won the 2017-18 Mascot of the Year award as Jazz Bear, marking the fifth time he garnered the honor in his career. It was awesome. They were like the grandparents of the cage. [4] The Bear has suffered many injuries while performing, including tearing his bicep and rupturing a tendon in his calf. Jazz Bear has been named Mascot of the Year 5 times, and has won 8 Mascot Leadership Awards. Free shipping. Let me guess you also think the cop was in on it or he was a fake cop. Until October 2018. I started in 93. Why the mascot for the Utah Jazz is a bear.and why is name is simply just "Bear".still baffles me. And as the Utah Jazz mascot, Jazz Bear, showed Sunday night during Game 4, it doesn't stop just because the players aren't out there. That is a testimony to what guys they were. archived form does not constitute a republication of the story. When I left, I had nine guys that worked with me on game night. It was a rock-climbing thing. The Utah Jazz have fired Jon Absey, who portrayed the team's Jazz Bear mascot for 24 years. Coming from a farm, I dont know if its those types of values, but if you can, you help others out. 5 Rocky the Mountain Lion Denver Nuggets. The NBAs longest-tenured mascot, he performed in more than 800 games, winning Mascot of the Year honors five times, including last season, when he also captured Leadership and Best Video awards at the NBA Mascot Conference, per The Salt Lake Tribune. My success is watching my children grow up, concluded Absey. They get to get out there and pull it off. In the hundreds of games since, he has only increased the intensity of his stuntswhether he's flying down the concourse steps on a plastic sled or doing a handstand on top of a 20-foot ladder at. I would jump on board with them and thats where it all started. About 120. Information in the story may be outdated When asked to lean the cake over to give the crowd a better view, the bear tilted it over a little too much, sending the baked good hurling down several feet to . When she passed away, I cried so hard. I got a chance to interview him and go to Dallas and meet his mother, who was still alive and go to the mausoleum and pay tribute to the great Mickey Mantle. The Phillie Phanatic is one and its not a cheap suit, but thats technically where it goes because it limits your ability a lot. Antoine Davis finished four points shy of surpassing Pete Maravich as the NCAA career scoring leader, scoring 22 vs. Youngstown State. I read a lot of speeches for celebrities and I got a call from Danny Mantle, one of the four sons of the famous Mickey Mantle. Hopefully, when I pass, I have a full church and then I know that I was successful. How long does it take us to respond once we go into the gym and push ourselves, tear down our muscles, and work on our cardio? I jumped up on the bars, and then it was that aha! moment. I thought it would be fun. The mascot, named Jazz Bear, showed off his talents on the water, doing some impressive waterskiing and wakeboarding in full costume, all to the bangin' lyrics from good ol' Alan himself. I went, I get it! A judge Monday ordered that the name of the Utah Jazz mascot be revealed to the plaintiff and attorneys in a lawsuit but said they must keep the identity of The Bear confidential. Sponsored. The Utah Jazz Bear is not your typical, cuddly charm. According to the Provo Daily Herald, there are currently more than 350 active walking groups using theWalking School Bus app across the state. It is a bull that is blue. This man pulled up in this car. They said, What did he look like? Theyre describing this huge superstar kind, teddy bear. "featured":false Jon: I was really fortunate with our team. We slid all the way across the cement. They arent above anybody just because they get a bigger paycheck. If it wasnt for his trust in letting me be the bear, as he said, Listen, Im going to give you enough rope to hang yourself. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for Bleacher Creatures Milwaukee Bucks Bango 10" Mascot Plush Figure - Signed at the best online prices at eBay! Thankfully, I got out here because if you go back before that, when I did tryouts out here, they had a three-team tryout with Sacramento, Seattle, and Utah. I had a dancer from the Winnipeg Thunder that was not strapped in or anything was holding onto me, and Im holding onto her. Wiki User. He needs all the help he can get, but Jon doesnt need any help. TicketSupply.com is not directly affiliated with any sports event venues, box offices, or any Utah Jazz tickets. The Jazz Bear was the third of three mascots to dunk over future President Trump in the video. Thats what I loved about my job. Thats the players we had back then. The only thing I had is I had a nose that dropped my lower peripheral. Were you always an extraordinary natural gymnast? I did stunts and I was one of the first mascots to start doing stunts. A tetchy Cleveland Cavaliers fan was left red-faced after being handed a good, old-fashioned ass-whooping by the mascot of rival team Utah Jazz when he suffered a severe sense-of-humour. He can still do the splits at age 52. Jazz Bear first appeared in 1989 as part of a marketing campaign for the team. Theyre there every game and they put a lot of effort and energy into making the bear what it was. For his part, Absey told multiple local television outlets that he was not fired, but quit. Whats amazing though, is for a while now, I had kids that weve taken shopping come and volunteer. "overcast":{ Dating back to his first year as the Jazz's mascot in 1994, Bear has given 15,000-plus hours of assistance in the community for more than 300 community organizations, raising over $1 million in the process. People think they have to give someone a bonus to increase performance and yet your experiences know when you have service before yourself, you elevate everyone around you. But then he got on a bull at the Days of 47 Rodeo. ], Hes in the Mascot Hall of Fame, but more importantly, hes a husband, a father, and a philanthropist. Out of respect for his character, which is separate from any employee ever associated with it, we have never discussed his identity. It was such a different time. We do not discuss individual personnel matters.. The Bear has suffered many injuries while performing, including tearing his bicep and rupturing a tendon in his calf." We appreciate the blood, sweat, and tears that have gone into being the. Jazz Bear is the club's mascot. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. "That was scary," Mitchell said after Utah's 106-102 victory . His name was Mark and he would teach me after hours and stuff. "subscribe":{ I was talking to a season ticket holder sitting down the front, and he commented, Theyre raising our ticket prices. I remember this little girl was over by the candy bar section and she grabbed a candy bar and she looked up at the two kids that were with her and shes like, Am I done? Im like, No, you got way more money to spend, because we always try and give the kids each $100. Do you see like 180 degrees? I put it on, I walk like I walk. window.addEventListener('loadFuseboxPlayer', function(e) { She got on the phone and came over and it was Kay Malone on the phone. He said he feared that people only liked him because he was the Jazz Bear, but now he realizes thats not so. We got to go.. I would watch him do his backflips and Id say, Do it again, and if I could see it and visualize it, I could do it. 2023 Minute Media - All Rights Reserved. They immediately all pointed at me. I remember there was this voice in my head that was screaming, Dont go. I remember the audio kicked in Thunderstruck. The Bear has suffered many injuries while performing, including tearing his bicep and rupturing a tendon in his calf. The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. Jazz Bear will continue to be one of the most iconic mascots in the NBA, said Jazz spokesman Frank Zang. He was the old Phoenix Gorilla. Find the best Plush for your project. There are three types of mascots. Young basketball fans getting the opportunity to play musical chairs on TV with their favorite NBA mascot from the Utah Jazz sounds like a lovely promotional event. Despite this, the Utah Jazz opted to bust it out over the weekend, inviting some lucky children down into the spotlight to compete against Jazz Bear, the team's long-running mascot. That kid took a knee. But thats the scaredest Ive ever been, he laughed. If I look back over the years of being Bear, Im definitely grateful for having a job like this, as well as blessed that Im able to take a character and give back to the community and the fans who have given so much to us, Absey said in that interview. Abseys full conversation with Return to Real host Neil Anderson is available now. It was like, What could I do that would be fun that I want to do? I was like, Lets sled from the upper bowl. I called Little Giant. Andy was with the big Mark Eaton and it was the same thing going to Walmart and doing the thing. For everybody out there, take that step and give it a shot. Thats what youve always been able to do. During the Utah's game against Cleveland on Tuesday night, the Jazz mascot (creatively named mascot "Bear") was delivering a birthday cake to a lucky fan. Take us back to the day when the buses would show up and the fire department had their lights and sirens go on. I am a better man, human being, father, and husband who have had a chance to hang out with you. Thurl was there to sing to her. All joking aside, though, Bear is in a class all his own. A metaphor for life. Im like, Why didnt you call me? Why couldnt I be your bodyguard? I got smart when I got to the Jazz as I started putting two sleds together and put a wood board in the middle of them so that it was more solid. When they get done and the stuff that you can hear them talking about, its nice to know that hopefully, they learned something from this. "imageUrl":"", One thing led to another, and he was asked to try out to be the Jazz mascot in the early 1990s. Im almost ready to tap out. Those were two real bad moments. They will watch the old videos of your amazing antics, your bravery, your courageousness, and your borderline brain damage as you climb these 95-foot towers and repel from the ceiling, and hug the lonely fan that needed a little bit of love that day. I dont care about appearances. I remember running up the wall another time and putting two big holes in it, but they were patient with me. Phoenix Suns/Mascots Absey created the Jazz Bear character and costume, and worked more than 800 home games over 24 seasons. Tell us about your philanthropic efforts. We always say, A prophet is not a prophet if a man is not a prophet in his own country, but you are. Living here in Utah, I am so proud to have on my show a gentleman by the name of Jon Absey. Thats when I realized I got a great guardian angel. Im always tearing pages out of my book when I watch you because I love how you have allowed me to be part of your life and everybody else to be part of your life and how you give back to the communities, so thank you. Its like a full circle. [1] I remember going up and looking down and I looked over at Luke and said, Luke, this might be a really bad idea, and he was like, Im glad youre doing it. We jumped on and it was such a fast, fun ride, though. When it was unraveling, it was the only thing holding us and I remember screaming halfway down when I realized we had spun and that the only thing keeping my hand in that loop with her on my side was me squeezing those two ropes together. As were coming in, I remember everything in me to hold us and we hit the floor. I was fortunate that I had a good enough vision that if I could do something out of the suit, I could do it in the suit. Upload . While Absey won't don the costume, the Jazz confirmed that Jazz Bear will be present when they host the Golden State Warriors on Friday night. She goes, Jon, can you come in here? I got up and walked over. AboutPressCopyrightContact. Thank you very much for that. I would love to see it go back to where a fan could get an autograph or talk to a player. Yes, as far as the NBAMascots.com can find, Jazz Bear has been the one mascot for the Utah . The other cool thing is that when these kids get out in their buses and wed have nine buses full of kids and their volunteers that would go with them, Elden Farnsworth would load up the Sorenson Center with firetrucks. For more information, please read our Legal Disclaimer. What happened is sports teams started glorifying these guys so much and paying them such big amounts of money, and then what they did was they put a bigger wedge between the fans and the players. I miss it. "tracks":[ Im going to do it. To me, its a tradition and Im a big tradition guy. "We wont disclose his identity" says the boss of Jon Asbey, the identity of the Utah Jazz Bear . I was getting it through Karl Malone, John Stockton, all those guys would write me checks and they would cover it. Green and other Brown men had felt a need for a definite symbol for Brown. "label":"Spotify" Yes, on the top. For the benefit of our tribe, what were some of the most famous antics that you are still known for no other mascot does? I named off a bunch and I wanted to make sure that I was doing my own path to success here and hopefully make it successful. Did you learn that from your siblings beating the crap out of you going, Someday, Im going to never do this?. With his 18 years of experience as the Jazz Bear, Jon has entertained millions of fans and brought joy to . They played for the right reasons. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. Absey did handstands on a 23-foot tall ladder, rappeled from the ceiling, and slid down the stairs. I started sledding down the stairs back then and bungee jumping out of the ceiling. He said he never feared anything he could control. Thankfully for American Gold Gymnastics, theyre the ones who lent their facility for me to learn and train. I was talking to him because we may be trying to do some stuff together and then the same with Rocky out in Denver. It happened Monday as the Jazz claimed their fourth. . So by your logic the kiss cams are fake also? Jon Absey Welcome to the show. (#utahjazz Bear lives on w/new mystery person in the suit) pic.twitter.com/4jlF6ftx1y. 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