I'm a bit of a snob when it comes to sports team mascots. I'll get to why in a bit.
I admitted yesterday that I'm not a big fan of the Phillie Phanatic, currently at the epicenter of a hissing match between the Phillies and the original designers of the giant, green furry creature that has been delighting kids since 1977.
Bonnie Erickson and Wayde Harrison, who were proteges of Muppets master Jim Henson and ran his renowned Creature Shop, came up with the design of the goofy creature.
Now the couple are locked in an ugly copyright dispute with the team. The Phillies filed suit last summer, alleging the couple Erickson and Harrison were threatening to terminate the team's rights to the Phanatic, essentially making him a free agent. They wanted the team to renegotiate the 1984 agreement.
The Phillies countered with the argument that the Phanatic has evolved into something far beyond what the duo designed. They're probably right - and wrong.
They probably should just come to a settlement.
Instead, the Phillies tried to do an end-around - no easy task for the clunky, 6-foot-plus creature.
On Sunday they rolled out the 'new' Phanatic, which looks pretty much like the old one, with some new starry eyes, a blue tail, "flightless feathers" (can anyone tell me what that is?), a larger posterior (what, the old one wasn't large enough?) blue socks and red shoes.
Eat your heart out, Gritty.
Fans kind of rolled their eyes. Not the original designers. They accused the team of "an affront to our intellectual property rights and to Phillies fans everywhere" with their redesign of their creation. In a statement, Harrison and Erickson accused the Phillies "of a lack of good faith in negotiating for an extension of hte copyright assignment.
"The 'business decision' by the Phillies ro roll out this new Phanatic is a transparent attempt to dey us our rights under the Copyright Act."
The deal with the Phillies expires June 15. The Phillies are not talking. Probably a good call.
They are looking at a PR disaster. Their "tweaking" of the Phanatic looks like a clumsy way to skirt the copyright deal.
Has the Phanatic evolved into something of its own lovable character? Undoubtedly, mostly due to the tremendous efforts of the creature's human pals who have donned the outfit.
The team would be wise to simply settle this and return the Phanatic to its original - and proper - glory.
But pardon me if I sniff dismissively every time I hear someone refer to the Phanatic as the world's greatest sports mascot.
Excuse me? I happen to be a proud graduate of the University of Colorado, the home of none other than 'Ralphie.'
No, that is not a human dressed up like a buffalo. That is a real, live buffalo that leads the team onto Folsom Field on Saturdays in the fall, sometimes dragging his team of student handlers with him.
When it comes to sports mascots, Ralphie stands alone.
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