The reaction to the Flyers' new mascot, Gritty, shows that perhaps the club "didn't really think this thing through," according to Ken Campbell of THE HOCKEY NEWS. The team yesterday introduced Gritty to "great fanfare, producing a video where he skates out from behind a bunch of bright lights, then jiggles his massive belly around while his Cookie Monster eyes bulge out of his head." It "certainly wasn’t the worst mascot debut of all-time," but the "general notion is that the Flyers swung and missed on this one" (THEHOCKEYNEWS.com, 9/24). In Boston, Nik Decosta-Klipa writes it "may be the most frightening thing to come to sporting arenas since the original Pierre the Pelican." The mascot "immediately drew comparisons on Twitter to Animal from 'The Muppets,' Cookie Monster from 'Sesame Street'" and Dodgers 3B Justin Turner (BOSTON GLOBE, 9/25). In Philadelphia, Stephanie Farr noted fans "also likened Gritty to ZZ Top, Gossamer from Looney Tunes, and every Flyers player who's ever had a ginger beard" (PHILLY.com, 9/24).
SCARING THE KIDS? The AP noted Twitter users "created memes with Gritty taking the place of horror-movie villains and splicing his head onto other disturbing images" (AP, 9/24). CBSSPORTS.com's Pete Blackburn wrote under the header, "New Philadelphia Flyers Mascot 'Gritty' Is Pure, Unadulterated Nightmare Fuel" (CBSSPORTS.com, 9/24). In New Jersey, Dave Isaac notes multiple Flyers "mentioned those piercing eyes were enough to give a young child nightmares" (COURIERPOSTONLINE.com, 9/24). NBCSPORTS.com's Adam Gretz wrote the "best part" about Gritty is his "googly eyes." Gretz: "More mascots need googly eyes. All mascots should have googly eyes" (NBCSPORTS.com, 9/24). YAHOO SPORTS' Stan Temming wrote Gritty is a "classic case of something being so bad that it's good." He is "such a whiff that he actually might be a home run" (SPORTS.YAHOO.com, 9/24).
MAKING THE ROUNDS: Gritty made an appearance on ABC’s “GMA” this morning alongside his handler, Andrea Helfrich, from inside Wells Fargo Center. Helfrich said if Gritty “could talk he would say, ‘Bring it on,’” to his critics. When asked what Gritty was, Helfrich said, “He is a fuzzy, orange creature.” Co-host Lara Spencer said to Gritty, “Don’t listen to any of those haters. You’re fabulous just the way you are” (“GMA,” ABC, 9/25). NBC’s Hoda Kotb said Gritty is a "new sensation in the sports world this morning." NBC’s Carson Daly said the “reaction was swift” to the Flyers introducing Gritty, as people were "equal parts intrigued and horrified by the questionable character." Daly: "Social media users can't decide whether Gritty is creepy or cute" ("Today," NBC, 9/25). Comedy Central’s Roy Wood Jr. said Gritty “looks like a Muppet that got kicked off of ‘Sesame Street’ for doing meth” (“The Daily Show,” Comedy Central, 9/24).
