The Mascot Violence Epidemic

Chicago Bulls mascot Benny the Bull has been accused of intentionally firing his T-shirt gun at two Boston Celtics players, accusations that the Bulls vehemently deny. We'll let the investigation into Benny's conduct run its course before we pass judgment on that particular incident, but Benny has been in the center of controversy before:

Incidents in which mascots are the victims and/or perpetrators of violence are a serious and growing problem in the world of sports, and a problem that must be brought to an end.

Below we look at some of the worst incidents of mascot violence in recent sports history.

Kansas City Chiefs mascot KC Wolf:

When a fan ran onto the field at Arrowhead Stadium, security was ready to apprehend him. But it was the finishing splash from KC Wolf that ensured the offender wouldn't get away. Other NFL mascots later engaged in a roundtable discussion about KC's actions.

Tampa Bay Lightning mascot Thunderbug:

For the most part those beach-goers seemed to welcome Thunderbug's presence, but the little girl at the end appeared to be truly terrified. Mascots are great at scaring kids.

San Francisco Giants mascot Lou Seal:

When Lou goes after you with silly string, just play along. Take it from Buster Bluth: You don't want to mess with a Lou Seal, a Lucille or a loose seal.

IUPUI moascot Jawz the Jaguar, Oral Roberts mascot Eli the Eagle:

Jawz won the fight; Oral Roberts won the game.

Houston Cougar, Oregon Duck:

What took so long for those Houston cheerleaders to come to the defense of their fallen mascot?

Seattle Mariners' Mariner Moose:

That near-collision with Red Sox outfielder Coco Crisp (who has a name that sounds like it should be a mascot's) came on a day when the Mariners had an incentive to take him out: He had two doubles, scored two runs and made a diving catch in the outfield, but he said afterward, "I believe avoiding that moose was the most athletic thing I did all day today."

Cleveland Indians' Slider:

That might be the best head butt I've ever seen -- and I grew up watching WWF in the '80s.

And finally, the human faces behind the mascot costumes:

Yes, inside those suits they're real people with real feelings. Maybe some cheerleaders will remember that the next time they think it's funny to pick up a mascot and ram him crotch-first into a goalpost.