Lets go back to sledding the stairs. Its like a full circle. There are big heavy funny mascots like the Phillie Phanatic. I started getting those calls and I never thought people would want me to come out so much because I made such a mess all the time when Id show up. Showcased by his countless hours of community and public service, and his incredible respect and standing as an important citizen of Utah who has won eight Mascot Leadership Awards. Follow the action on NBA scores, schedules, stats, news, Team and Player news. Dec 16, 2013, 05:10 PM EST. "position":"bottom", I was done with the military and still going to school. Not for everybody, but for some. I remember hitting the ground, and just running. I remember Luke Larson, my assistant, I love him. archived form does not constitute a republication of the story. When I started with the Shop With Bear, it used to be Bill Childs. About 120. Jimbo, by virtue of being recently featured in the Deseret News, is now the world's most famous Utah-based basketball mailbag artist. That was my push. I thought it would be fun. Why didnt you take me? 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. He is the original Jazz Bear. 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. I put it on, I walk like I walk. This is also why the logo features an encircled "U" with . "featured":false Rules dont change or anything. I miss the fans, but honestly, theres a part of me that enjoys being home on the weekends, he said. In those days, Mickey Mantle won the Triple Crown in 1956 and the Yankees wanted to trade him because he was getting paid too much money. My success is watching my children grow up, concluded Absey. That's because the Utah Jazz fired Absey this week due to reasons that include ongoing disputes with management, according to multiple sources. A Utah Icon The Jazz Bear has been something of a cult icon in Utah for decades, leaving many Utah Jazz fans stunned. Thats why I started liking college because theyre out there playing for the love of the game. 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. There was another time when I was zip-lining in and I was coming out of a spotlight stand about 80 feet in the air. As I said, I loved being able to play and have fun and push the envelope, but the charity side of things is what motivated me and what started making the job worthwhile. Last question, Jon. Or, perhaps it was because he heard how great the winters in Phoenix are. Jazz Bear is the mascot for the Utah Jazz, a National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise based in Salt Lake City, Utah. He didnt try to be anyone else or act like someone else in the suit. I would jump on board with them and thats where it all started. The Black Panther was almost on top of the list, but we wanted to step away from the old New Orleans Jazz field. I remember the principal leaning out the window. Mascot Bowl started strictly because I always wanted to do something that was very family-friendly and that any family could afford. 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 thought I was either going to kill myself or. 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. His name is Jim Johnston. Out of respect for his character, which is separate from any employee ever associated with it, we have never discussed his identity. }, }, Lets go all the way back. Mascot Team 2005 Clutch: Houston Rockets: 2006 Jazz Bear: Utah Jazz: 2007 Hugo the Hornet: New Orleans Hornets: 2008 Jazz Bear (2) Utah Jazz 2009 Rumble the Bison: Oklahoma City Thunder: 2010 Bango: Milwaukee Bucks: 2011 Grizz: Memphis Grizzlies: 2012 Crunch the Wolf: Minnesota Timberwolves: 2013 Clutch (2) Houston Rockets 2014 The Coyote Utah Governor Gary Herbert declared October 10, 2013 as 'Jazz Bear Day' in recognition of his 20th season as the Utah Jazz' mascot . 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. Why the Phoenix Suns Gorilla arrived in the winter of 1980 isnt nearly as intriguing as what hes done since he arrived. They taught me to be a little tough. I was like, Thatd be great, because I was a poor college kid making $25 a game. People like you and Andy Chudd were a huge part of that. Utah Jazz: Did Donovan Mitchell just tease his signature kicks? There was a Winnipeg Thunder and those guys had brought me up to Winnipeg to mascot for the summer, but unlike Fargo, they had no rules. Is it more of a professional association? I was told they were going in a different direction. Well be forever grateful. 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. The three years you were a junior in high school, you almost killed the whole faculty? I have three guys that started when I started and they all quit when I left. Thankfully, the team let me do that. He thought he would retire from the Jazz. 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. Thats so wrong. I said, If theres a conflict between a charity event, sponsor event, or paid event, I want to do the charity event. I was doing about 325 appearances a year, and they were 99% charity. There could be ten new Jazz Bears in that same suit, and there will never be another Jon Absey, so thank you. Jazz Bear was introduced to the league on November 4, 1994. Is Jazz Bear the only Utah Jazz mascot? At the beginning of the season, the Utah Jazz were second to last. The event was put together for kids who participated in the Utah Department of TransportationsSpring Walk N Win program. POLAR PLUNGE.Watch the latest video from Jazz Bear (@utahjazzbear). They arent above anybody just because they get a bigger paycheck. Following. Jazz forward Rudy Gay powered through two Oklahoma City defenders for a second-quarter layup as Utah fights back against the Thunder. I was fortunate to go to Sacred Heart High School in East Grand Forks. The Jazz Bear was the third of three mascots to dunk over future President Trump in the video. You have your athletic mascots like Thunder from Golden State back when he was dunking and stuff and Lucky from Boston. }); Welcome to the show. Yes, on the top. I wouldnt be able to call you and say, Dan, how are you doing? You reply back. He said he never feared anything he could control. Jazz Bear first appeared in 1989 as part of a marketing campaign for the team. Jazz Bear is the official mascot of the National Basketball Association's Utah Jazz team. 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. Here, we will focus on the top 10 most popular sports mascots. Yes, as far as the NBAMascots.com can find, Jazz Bear has been the one mascot for the Utah Jazz team. I remember when Greg Ostertag came to the team, his son was running up to me and I didnt see him and I kneed him so hard and he went flying. Youre probably going to die if you do that. I trusted those guys. TikTok. Im not out of the military yet, but out of basic training and all this stuff. There were a number of times when he would show me how to throw a full-off on a tramp. Jazz Bear was introduced to the league on November 4, 1994. 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. I was like, Game on. I worked so hard and I literally got my splits back and I still think I did it better than before. It was tough. Youre going to agree with me on this, but to me, being successful isnt about having a big bank account. It was my training ground. I put it on, I walk like I walk. For his part, Absey told multiple local television outlets that he was not fired, but quit. Whoever takes over Friday has big paws to fill. "file":"https://feeds.podetize.com/ep/E5G7SBm06/media", . I remember Stephen and Minnie going out one night and they had asked Greg Foster if hed wanted to come over for dinner. We admire you. 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. Living here in Utah, I am so proud to have on my show a gentleman by the name of Jon Absey. When you have an opportunity, never doubt yourself. 506.6K Followers. 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? I was told they were going in a different direction. 2023 Bonneville International. The Bear's identity is safe at least for now. I was out doing appearances a lot of times to supplement my income. I had a dancer from the Winnipeg Thunder that was not strapped in or anything was holding onto me, and Im holding onto her. Were you always an extraordinary natural gymnast? NBA Mascot: When sports teams started glorifying their players, they put a bigger wedge between the fans and the players. "url":"https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/id1573990224", 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. SALT LAKE CITY, Utah - 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. With his 18 years of experience as the Jazz Bear, Jon has entertained millions of fans and brought joy to . Fuckin' hilarious. The message of this show is a simple reminder, we become the average of the five people we associate with the most, which means you need to find a mascot in your life, but more importantly, if you were a mascot, you must be the same offstage as your onstage. There you have it. Will work a combination of: 45 games (includes pre-season), additional playoff games, rehearsals as needed and select outside . Most significantly, Jon proves why being a mascot has nothing to do with the suit. We always say, A prophet is not a prophet if a man is not a prophet in his own country, but you are. Email him at rohrbach_ben@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! Hear it this afternoon on @kslnewsradio. [4] The Bear has suffered many injuries while performing, including tearing his bicep and rupturing a tendon in his calf. "style":"regular", It was just silly string. You need to work hard and challenge yourself. "cover":{ Why the mascot for the Utah Jazz is a bear.and why is name is simply just "Bear".still baffles me. 3532. Thats the players we had back then. By subscribing, you acknowledge and agree to KSL.com's, Reports: Jazz fire Bear performer after 24 seasons, Carson Jorgensen not running for reelection. Jan 12, 2012, 10:55 AM EST. I chickened out. "url":"https://overcast.fm/itunes1573990224/power-players-with-dan-clark", Because Alan's actually playing a show at the Jazz's arena, Vivint Arena. }); Jon Absey, the original Utah Jazz Bear, shares his journey from farm boy to becoming a world-class mascot. I wrapped my hand in, we do the practice, but I did it off a ladder that was probably fourteen feet. All joking aside, though, Bear is in a class all his own.