: 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. Absey was in uniform as Jazz Bear for the mascots introduction, rappelling from the rafters on Nov. 1, 1994, in a move now banned by the NBA, according to the Deseret News. I went, I get it! But he can still do the splits at age 52. I wanted to get off the farm and see what the big city was. I was out doing appearances a lot of times to supplement my income. Two fans in attendance for Sunday's Game 4 stepped. This man pulled up in this car. They said, What did he look like? Theyre describing this huge superstar kind, teddy bear. Absey is telling all in a new podcast called "Return to Real.". 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. I remember running up the wall another time and putting two big holes in it, but they were patient with me. The Fargo Fever, which was a CBA team back in the day before the D league and stuff, came over and asked if there was anybody there that would want to be a mascot. She grabbed me by the ear and held me all the way down to the office. ] Thats what made you the Mascot of the Year five times and the mascot forever more. Utah Jazz '17-18 review: Donovan Mitchell. Her name was Sister Basil, and I love her. Jazz Bear is dead, long live Jazz Bear. Utah Jazz mascot Jazz Bear excites the crowd during a break in play between the Utah Jazz and Sacramento Kings on March 13, 2016 at Sleep Train Arena. Jazz Bear was introduced to the league on November 4, 1994. Required fields are marked *. Weve had Andy Chudd describe what the money is used for the other part of the Job Absey charitable conglomerate, but talk to us about the origins of the Mascot Bowl. They taught me to be a little tough. I was like, I got to get a bigger ladder. Thats when we pulled out the 25-footer. Out of respect for his character, which is separate from any employee ever associated with it, we have never discussed his identity. The Utah Jazz began life as the New Orleans Jazz. 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. That era changed. Give us an inside glimpse of when you think that shift occurred and where it occurred from, Im so grateful to be a professional athlete. Teach us about that concept and maybe pay tribute to the great Mark Eaton, who participated with you in a little bit of a way. { 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. Rules dont change or anything. "url":"https://tunein.com/podcasts/Media--Entertainment-Podcasts/Power-Players-with-Dan-Clark-p1464878/", He is the original Jazz Bear. When you do, youll find yourself at the top of your game despite lifes adversaries. They built me this enormous ramp from the upper bowl all the way down to the floor. It was my wifes 40th birthday party. There were a number of times when he would show me how to throw a full-off on a tramp. Mark Eaton, the name and a man that we all miss. Because Alan's actually playing a show at the Jazz's arena, Vivint Arena. I wrapped my hand in, we do the practice, but I did it off a ladder that was probably fourteen feet. Utah Jazz (@utahjazz) January 26, 2019 Fans then cheered wildly as the proud mascot strolled off the court with the big catch. Did you always have a natural sense of balance and body strength or did you develop that? Phoenix Suns/Mascots Thats what I loved about my job. I thought it would be fun. She got on the phone and came over and it was Kay Malone on the phone. ], 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. }); Jon Absey, the original Utah Jazz Bear, shares his journey from farm boy to becoming a world-class mascot. All rights reserved. Did you learn that from your siblings beating the crap out of you going, Someday, Im going to never do this?. But thats the scaredest Ive ever been, he laughed. Lets go back to sledding the stairs. It was awesome. With his 18 years of experience as the Jazz Bear, Jon has entertained millions of fans and brought joy to . 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. Theres a big difference. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. "label":"Overcast" All picks and predictions are suggestions only. God bless. The exhibition also included Indiana Pacers mascot Boomer, and now-defunct Seattle SuperSonics mascot Squatch. Theres a difference between a costume and someone whos inside the costume that uses that vehicle or character to express who he is. When you have X number of games in a week as a professional mascot, where do you have time to strengthen your muscles? The content on this site is for entertainment and educational purposes only. It was three years as a sophomore and two years as a genius. It was one of those things that Brenda would always be like, Jon, dont. Im like, No. I started sledding down the stairs back then and bungee jumping out of the ceiling. Last question, Jon. "featured":false I was always so excited. Find the best Plush for your project. However, on October 19, 2018 it was reported that Jon Absey, who had performed as the Jazz Bear for twenty-four years, had been fired for unknown reasons. Absey counted up 150 stitches or staples, 10 surgeries, and 27 torn ligaments or muscles over time. It was fun to do an interview with the original Utah Jazz Bear, Jon Absey. I left my head on and it felt funny. 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. Thats where it all started as just an idea to raise money to be able to take kids shopping. Jazz Bear is the mascot for the Utah Jazz, a National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Incidentally, he was also fired from his very first job as a mascot for the CBA for all those stunts he tried out. He was the best & always willing to drop by with a confetti cannon. Fuckin' hilarious. Until October 2018. 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. I was a Forward Observer and I volunteered. The Utah Jazz have fired Jon Absey, who portrayed the team's Jazz Bear mascot for 24 years. Sad to hear the man inside the Bear suit is moving on. The event was put together for kids who participated in the Utah Department of TransportationsSpring Walk N Win program. Who could replace him as Utah GOP state party chair, In dry West, farmers balk at idling land to save water, 27% of Utah students are chronically absent. }, We always say, A prophet is not a prophet if a man is not a prophet in his own country, but you are. I was getting it through Karl Malone, John Stockton, all those guys would write me checks and they would cover it. Antoine Davis finished four points shy of surpassing Pete Maravich as the NCAA career scoring leader, scoring 22 vs. Youngstown State. He has been inducted into the YMCA Hall of Fame, the Utah Summer Games Hall of Fame, and the Mascot Hall of Fame. Utah Governor Gary Herbert declared October 10, 2013 as 'Jazz Bear Day' in recognition of his 20th season as the Utah Jazz' mascot . I just did the stuff that everybody thinks about doing, but cant, he said. Sponsored. No. Jazz Bear is the official mascot of the National Basketball Association's Utah Jazz team. The Mascot Assistant represents the Utah Jazz and the Utah Jazz Bear brand and must represent oneself in a professional manner as they interact with Jazz fans in the arena and community. 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. Absey was inducted into the Mascot Hall of Fame in 2006. You werent above anybody because you got a bigger paycheck. That was great. The Bear, as the mascot of Brown University, had its beginning when Theodore Francis Green 1887, a member of the building committee for Rockefeller Hall, placed the head of a real Brown bear above the arch that was the central feature of the trophy room in time for the opening of the new student union in January 1904. A team up in Winnipeg happened to be down scouting. It was climbing trees and the warehouse, getting on top of the barn, jumping on a tractor, and tearing off in the field. Thats why I like a lot of these minor league sports teams like the Warriors here and Utah Grizzlies, those are players that they want to elevate, but they still understand that its those fans in the seats that are making us have the ability to play and hopefully get to their goal. }, Or, perhaps it was because he heard how great the winters in Phoenix are. }, Before, he said, he hid under a mask. Hes covered in snow. 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. But then he got on a bull at the Days of 47 Rodeo. 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. }, We all talk about the way our teams are either the team or a fan treating us, or this has happened, so we all stay in touch. When theyre involved, they get to see all the planning and stuff come together. The man behind Jazz Bear has been fired after a reported rift with the Utah Jazz. "file":"https://feeds.podetize.com/ep/E5G7SBm06/media", There were crazy moments. I was like, Nothing is going to stop me., One time, this big snow storm was happening, Santa Claus, I cant say his name, he always showed up and ride in the bucket with me. That somebody is looking out for me. Number one in the hearts and souls of every Utah Jazz fan who ever lived and will continue to live. 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. Now, its such a different culture. After high school, two weeks after I graduated, I went to Minneapolis. I literally got on my toes and I didnt go. 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. Youve let so many other people in your life. I went out and I was one of the first guys to bring a ladder on the court and get up on top of signs, and then guys started doing that. I got a big ladder and Rocky got a big ladder. Sure, the Utah Jazz Bear mascot may have gone a little too far, spraying silly string on a couple of Rockets fans and getting some sting in their beers, but he was spraying everyone. I would love to see it go back to where a fan could get an autograph or talk to a player. Whoever takes over Friday has big paws to fill. 3532. You have no credibility. 506.6K Followers. I remember there was this voice in my head that was screaming, Dont go. I remember the audio kicked in Thunderstruck. His community initiative, Bear Hugs for Kids, is at the forefront of efforts to improve life for a myriad of people throughout the intermountain region. Grand Harrison called me a couple of weeks after. Usually, when Id get up there, I had time to take my head off, look and hook myself, and check my equipment. I used one of those when I started in Fargo. 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. }, I appreciate that. Jazz Bear made his official debut during the 1990-91 NBA season. NBA Mascot: The Mascot Bowl is family-friendly, and any family can afford it. She ran over to join the group to dance and I collapsed on the floor. It was in the Winnipeg Jets Arena. They immediately all pointed at me. Spencer Lund January 14, 2014. "apple":{ Im zipping in with one hand wrapped in what was called the lanyard that would slide on the cable. I started a mascot conference, a few years into when I had started mascotting. 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. It was so cool. "url":"https://overcast.fm/itunes1573990224/power-players-with-dan-clark", In this episode, Jon Absey, the original NBA basketball Utah Jazz Bear, an extraordinary philanthropist, shares his life and fascinating journey in becoming a sports team mascot. Utah Jazz owner Ryan Smith said his goal for the team's next broadcast deal is to create the easiest viewing experience for fans. Jon Absey wore the Jazz Bear suit well, there were nine of them for almost 25 years. How old were you when you joined the military? Two, once somebody does it, I want to be able to do something else. We offer the Bleacher Creatures Utah Jazz Bear Mascot 8" Kuricha Sitting Plush for $22.99 with free shipping available. "link":false, I dont want to get into a rut. I remember that happened with the ladder. For everybody out there, something that you did, Dan, is you have the people like the old players and how everybody was so nice. Jon Absey has played Jazz Bear since the mascot's inception in 1994, but he wasfired this week and is no longer with the organization, according to Utah media reports, which citeda rift with Jazz staff. All the other leagues copied it. He also does a lot of charity work. 1 of 5 Perhaps the most glaringly obvious example of a team name being unrepresentative of its current home is the Utah Jazz. Jazz Bear has been named Mascot of the Year 5 times, and has won 8 Mascot Leadership Awards. And then listen to the full conversation in this link! This answer is: Give us the inside scoop of the Mascot Bowl. Like there are three different types of mascots, there are a whole bunch of different types of vision when it comes to a head. I was told they were going in a different direction. Sign up today for the KSL Sports newsletter. Find out where and when to watch the upcoming games and final match for the 2022 World Cup in Qatar, including where to find live updates. I remember he looked at me and hes like, Im not doing this again. We were both freezing, Im uncovered. Is it more of a professional association? He is the original Jazz Bear. 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. That is a testimony to what guys they were. 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. Utah Jazz newcomer guard Kris Dunn continues to make a contribution despite his limited time with the team. I hated it. Mark would always hang out and Brenda would walk over and say, This is the situation, and Mark would pull out a credit card and hed cover the $2,000 that we were short. Over time, the job took a toll. In August, Jazz Bear was named the NBA's Mascot of the Year for the third time since the league started handing out the honor in 2005. You've never seeing NBA mascots on TV before or the jumbo tron? 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. I see them all the time through out a game. After spraying two Rockets fans with silly string in between quarters of a game last week, one of the fans reacted by dumping . And he can interact with the kids as himself now. minutes. (#utahjazz Bear lives on w/new mystery person in the suit) pic.twitter.com/4jlF6ftx1y. Youre probably going to die if you do that. I trusted those guys. We do not discuss individual personnel matters.". A couple of months later, theyre the ones who get to take these kids Christmas shopping. 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. Stick through the . Being named Professional Mascot of the Year five times across all professional sports and being inducted into the Professional Mascot Hall of Fame gives us an inside glimpse into the insane creativity and intense courage required to be a world-class mascot and crazy entertainer. He thought he would retire from the Jazz. Thats why I started liking college because theyre out there playing for the love of the game. I was fortunate to go to Sacred Heart High School in East Grand Forks. Describe what happened there. Bleacher Creatures Milwaukee Bucks Bango Mascot 8" Kuricha Sitting Plush. Hes like, Did you take a job with the other teams? I was like, No. He goes, What are you going to do? I said, I dont know. He goes, Why dont you come out here? He talked to me like I was then. Jazz Bear will continue to be one of the most iconic mascots in the NBA, said Jazz spokesman Frank Zang. I grew up with older brothers and sisters and how much they beat me up helped. "google":{ 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. Im like, Why didnt you call me? Why couldnt I be your bodyguard? Of course, this is just one of a litany of community efforts Bear is involved in. The only thing thats changed is getting a salary. I miss the fans, but honestly, theres a part of me that enjoys being home on the weekends, he said. How do you navigate yourself through this little teeny window? Incidentally, he was also fired from his very first job as a mascot for the CBA for all those stunts he tried out. Those were two real bad moments. "cover":{ Why the Phoenix Suns Gorilla arrived in the winter of 1980 isnt nearly as intriguing as what hes done since he arrived. This archived news story is available When I left, I had nine guys that worked with me on game night. 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. I almost missed out on being out here. 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. When you think about it, these athletes are playing the kids games. Thats where I wanted to be, but then I realized thats a big group. 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. How tall was the ladder? The Jazz Bear has been their mascot since 1994 and Jon Absey has been behind the costume since the beginning. "label":"RSS" [5], On October 19, 2018, it was reported that Jon Absey, who had performed as the Jazz Bear for twenty-four years, had been fired for unknown reasons. Dick Butkus, the guys that are from Meyer that I grew up idolizing, played for the love of the game and had a second career or another job in the off-season so they could pay their bills. She was one of my dearest friends. It twists down on your wrist. Frank Zang, the spokesperson for the Utah Jazz, did not tell News4Utah why he was let go and said the man's identity has never been released, out of respect for the character. I was told they were going in a different direction. It was my training ground. 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. NBA Mascot: Getting the Utah Jazz Bear character going is a group effort. The thing that I was fortunate about is my eyes and I got it from the Phoenix Gorilla. Its all good i needed to move on anyway All the best J.A. There are other guys that can look through their eyes, but theyre screened almost like your microphone, just those little holes, and then they have painted in their eyes. "position":"bottom", When we came out that night, we did it. "They thought I was either going to kill myself or. At your age, youre still so fit and so strong. "Pomp and circumstance were plentiful at Game 5, beginning with . Apparently, Houston Rockets fans don't appreciate silly string in their beer. Is Jazz Bear the only Utah Jazz mascot? Absey worked as the mascot for 24 years, but with the beginning of the 2018-2019 season he has been let go. There will be many more events and years to come if I have anything to do with it. SALT LAKE CITY The man most basketball fans knew as the Jazz Bear for more than two decades is talking about his time in the suit, and why he was fired.
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