Random thoughts while wondering why the Chicago Cubs chose a solitary figure as its mascot and whether this will be the team’s biggest offseason move:
* So the Cubs introduced Clark as the team’s mascot Monday. He is a cubby bear. And his hibernation for winning a World Series starts exactly when?
* Not being a marketing person or anything approaching a business genius, you humble correspondent believes the team could have offered up a trio of mascots. In addition to Clark, what about Addison and Sheffield? That way there are two more mascots to roam the stands, visit hospitals, scalp tickets. Or whatever mascots do — which is mostly appeal to little kids. In which case, at what point do people start reporting parents for exposing children to the aforementioned Clark?
* For the pessimists in Cubdom, there could be a fourth mascot: Unbearable. Which pretty much describes the wait for the franchise’s first World Series crown since 1908 and its first World Series appearance since 1945.
* From Cubs senior director of marketing director Alison Miller: “The Cubs are thrilled to welcome Clark as the team’s official mascot. Clark is a young, friendly Cub who can’t wait to interact with our other young Cubs fans. He’ll be a welcoming presence for families at Wrigley Field and an excellent ambassador for the team in the community.” The best ambassador — in case the team’s upper management has forgotten — is winning. And, yes, creating a mascot is so much easier than that.
* The big news from the Chicago Bulls (the small news being they lost Monday 102-88 to the Washington Wizards at the United Center and therefore lost a chance to reach .500) is injured guard Derrick Rose is off crutches and expected to start traveling with the team soon. News like that almost rivals the Cubs naming their first mascot in modern times.
* Speaking of the Wizards, thank you to reader Craig Nolden for pointing out a Monday mistake of calling them the Capitals. The correction was made thanks to his input. And he was correct about a Bulls-Capitals contest sounding more exciting than one against the Wizards.
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