November Mascot of the Month

CURRENT MASCOT POSITION: "Mr TV Tiger", Thames Valley Tigers, 'Dairylea Dunkers' League professional Basketball, Britain

HOW LONG? 8 years .

HISTORY OF MASCOTTING: 8 years in total, 4 years with the Tigers, formerly "Megaman" for Manchester Giants BB team, plus American football. A regular Basketball season is around 25 home games, so I've performed at around 200 games, including representing Britain at the Eurobowl American Football Final in Stuttgart Germany. At the 1998 British Cheerleading Championships I came second in the Mascot Division.

HOW DID YOU GET INTERESTED IN MASCOTTING: I got talked into it after bringing the Cheerleaders to games, and I guess no-one else was crazy enough to act their shoe size in public dressed in a mascot suit!

YOUR INSPIRATION? Dan Meers, former "K.C. Wolf" at Kansas City Chiefs.

FAVORITE MEMORY AS A MASCOT: Leaving the building after a game with my giant holdall some very young children came up to me and and said "..You're the man who does the Tiger, aren't you?...", I replied "No, but I'll tell you a secret.... Shhhh! Mr Tiger's asleep in this bag...". I opened the holdall a fraction so they could see a striped ear. "Wow!" they whispered, and tip-toed off. Always keep the personna intact !

WORST EXPERIENCE: The first outing of Manchester Giants 'Megaman' was, of necessity, the day the suit arrived. There was no opportunity to 'test drive' it. It was an 11 piece 'Incredible Hulk' in a basketball uniform, thick foam rubber muscles, lycra skin, and simply huge feet with 1/2 inch rubber soles. Leading the Players out onto Court at a full run It quickly became apparent that the feet acted like scuba diving flippers, trying to tuck under and send me sprawling with a host of really BIG guys running up right behind! A few moments of sheer panic with arms flailing, but luckily I somehow kept my feet, attempting to make out this was all part of the intended 'act' !!!

FAVORITE SKIT: Walking the 'tightrope' along painted lines on Court, like there was a 100 foot drop below.

WHAT'S YOUR TRADEMARK?? The Tiger walk, plus a special wave that fans all like join in with. Unlike most mascots I have the natural waistline for the job!

WORDS OF ADVICE TO THOSE ASPIRING TO BE A MASCOT OR TO THOSE NOVICES OUT THERE: Never talk, communicate in mime. Always stay in character, never let the public see with any part of the suit removed. Be a role model of good sportsmanship and always perform in good taste - your biggest fans are the kids. Be exaggerated and keep moving with energy and enthusiasm.

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