Who could say no to this face? Seriously, who in college basketball would turn this guy away? When I had the wonderful opportunity to cover last year’s Final Four in Indianapolis, do you know who the star was in the media room on national title game night?
“You’re my boy Blue!” pictured above; all the journalists swooned over him. Now he’s doggie non grata for this year’s tourney.
According to Indy Fox 59:
their beloved mascot — Blue II — isn’t allowed to be at the game.
“He lives to go to Hinkle Fieldhouse. He lives for basketball games. It’s almost like what he was born to do,” said his owner Michael Kaltenmark, Butler’s director of web and marketing communications.
Fans will remember Blue was in his glory during last year’s Final Four Tournament at Lucas Oil Stadium. “It was cool to have him there and to add to the atmosphere in general,” Kaltenmark said, adding that Blue’s very appearance garnered a standing ovation from the crowd.
And people are not happy about this. Check out Blue II’s Twitter page, which has over 3,000 followers. There seems to be a grassroots movement against the NCAA and their Captain Bringdownesque policy here.