The Black Panther was almost on top of the list, but we wanted to step away from the old New Orleans Jazz field. God bless. AboutPressCopyrightContact. "imageUrl":"", I couldnt believe they allowed it. He told me via text i quit monday. I would jump on board with them and thats where it all started. archived form does not constitute a republication of the story. It was one of those things that Brenda would always be like, Jon, dont. Im like, No. All the other leagues copied it. You must be the same person in your house as you are outside of your house, the same person on the field or on the court as you are off the court and vice versa. It was just silly string. Email him at rohrbach_ben@yahoo.com or follow him on Twitter! We do not discuss individual personnel matters.. 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. Fuckin' hilarious. They let me learn all my skills for what I was doing. But then he got on a bull at the Days of 47 Rodeo. Back when I started and then all the way up through the 90s, we were fortunate enough to have two finals and they were amazing. For everybody out there, take that step and give it a shot. Your email address will not be published. Jazz Bear of the Utah Jazz poses for a portrait during media day at vivint.SmartHome Arena on September 26, 2022 in Salt Lake City, Utah. We appreciate the fans. Absey counted up 150 stitches or staples, 10 surgeries, and 27 torn ligaments or muscles over time. She goes, Jon, can you come in here? I got up and walked over. Hell have this played to his wife every night as we did with Andy Chudd. During a timeout, there were a few fans on the floor . We got to go.. Jazz Bear is the mascot for the Utah Jazz, a National Basketball Association (NBA) franchise based in Salt Lake City, Utah. Tell us about your philanthropic efforts. Being named Professional Mascot of the Year five times across all professional sports and being inducted into the Professional Mascot Hall of Fame gives us an inside glimpse into the insane creativity and intense courage required to be a world-class mascot and crazy entertainer. I almost died four times. Some guys in the cheaper suits look through the neck. Reply [deleted] . That is until the children. Well be forever grateful. He said he feared that people only liked him because he was the Jazz Bear, but now he realizes thats not so. 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. Dating back to his first year as the Jazz's mascot in 1994, Bear has given 15,000-plus hours of assistance in the community for more than 300 community organizations, raising over $1 million in the process. All betting content is intended for an audience ages 21+. The Mascot Assistant represents the Utah Jazz and the Utah Jazz Bear brand and must represent oneself in a professional manner as they interact with Jazz fans in the arena and community. I hated it. Two fans in attendance for Sunday's Game 4 stepped. That kid took a knee. He said he never feared anything he could control. Behind every successful husband is an astonished mother-in-law. As we wind down, give us an inside glimpse of what happens when you raise the money at the Mascot Bowl and what happens when we team up with the fire department. Information in the story may be outdated Then a couple of months later, theyre the ones who get to take the other kids Christmas shopping. You have that same reputation. That was all I was told. For the record, this mischievous mascot was born quite by accident. 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. In Utah, the Bountiful High Braves, a fictitious Native mascot, changed in April 2021 to the Redhawks after advocating efforts from Native American activists, including James Singer, a Salt Lake . 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. It was my wifes 40th birthday party. Is Jazz Bear the only Utah Jazz mascot? In 96, I started the conference. That 12-foot or 14-foot ladder didnt allow enough time for me to understand that I was going to unwind. Thank you very much for that. Jon: I was really fortunate with our team. A one-on-one interview with the Utah Jazz Bear about what it takes to create a successful mascot program. I thought he broke a rib. Thats about it. I grew up in avenues in Salt Lake City, Utah, Karl Malone built his house up there and its in my mothers neighborhood, down the street on the same street as my mom. "subscribe" It was tough. The Bear has suffered many injuries while performing, including tearing his bicep and rupturing a tendon in his calf. Jazz Bear was introduced to the league on November 4, 1994. I did stunts and I was one of the first mascots to start doing stunts. This man pulled up in this car. They said, What did he look like? Theyre describing this huge superstar kind, teddy bear. The Jazz Bear has been their mascot since 1994 and Jon Absey has been behind the costume since the beginning. Absey worked as the mascot for 24 years, but with the beginning of the 2018-2019 season he has been let go. All joking aside, though, Bear is in a class all his own. "The Jazz Bear will continue to be one of the most iconic mascots in . I jumped up on the bars, and then it was that aha! moment. Theres a difference between a costume and someone whos inside the costume that uses that vehicle or character to express who he is. Because Alan's actually playing a show at the Jazz's arena, Vivint Arena. Did you always have a natural sense of balance and body strength or did you develop that? In this YouTube video, the Utah Jazz Bear gets revenge on a Houston Rockets fan who poured beer on the mascot's head during a game. Being successful isnt about having a big bank account. "rewind" I was not a mean kid. Long-time Former Jazz Bear tells all https://t.co/maNuOwLk8Q, Mary Richards (@kslmrichards) January 15, 2020. minutes. Now he has much more time with his wife and three daughters. Stick through the . Until October 2018. "link":false, Your favorite teams, topics, and players all on your favorite mobile devices. The Jazz Bear unmasked Incidentally, he was also fired from his very first job as a mascot for the CBA for all those stunts he tried out. The Jazz Bear unmasked. Jon Absey wore the Jazz Bear suit well, there were nine of them for almost 25 years. Andy was with the big Mark Eaton and it was the same thing going to Walmart and doing the thing. When you do, youll find yourself at the top of your game despite lifes adversaries. It was fun to do an interview with the original Utah Jazz Bear, Jon Absey. Knowing that I had my trust in them and I trusted them to save my life and always tell me, That might not work. Who could replace him as Utah GOP state party chair, In dry West, farmers balk at idling land to save water, 27% of Utah students are chronically absent. We lived down the street and I wanted to welcome you to the neighborhood. To your point, Kay Malone invites my mother in, gives her a tour of her brand-new house, and takes her on a tour of the entire room that Karl built with plexiglass cases of every single member of the dream team with autographs, shoes, jersey, shorts, everything. and last updated 6:32 PM, Dec 05, 2013. The man behind Jazz Bear has been fired after a reported rift with the Utah Jazz. . There will be many more events and years to come if I have anything to do with it. We need to do something for the underserved.. Years later, theyre adults and coming to give back because of what it did for them. "subscribe":{ Out of respect for his character, which is separate from any employee ever associated with it, we have never discussed his identity. Absey had suited up as the Jazz Bear in more than 800 home games and won the 2017-18 NBA Mascot of the Year award this summer, his third time winning the award. I went, I get it! Youre in the Mascot Bowl, Mascot Hall of Fame, and YMCA Hall of Fame. She held on to me, we zipped in, and we hit the floor. Utah Governor Gary Herbert declared October 10, 2013 as "Jazz Bear Day" in recognition of his 20th season as the Utah Jazz' mascot. Abseys full conversation with Return to Real host Neil Anderson is available now. Yes, as far as the NBAMascots.com can find, Jazz Bear has been the one mascot for the Utah Jazz team. Whoever takes over Friday has big paws to fill. In the hundreds of games since, he has only increased the intensity of his stuntswhether he's flying down the concourse steps on a plastic sled or doing a handstand on top of a 20-foot ladder at. I went out and I was one of the first guys to bring a ladder on the court and get up on top of signs, and then guys started doing that. She was one of my dearest friends. In this Read more, Listen to the podcast here After serving in a church mission,Devaughn Velefelt inspired to return to football. After high school, two weeks after I graduated, I went to Minneapolis. He was originally designed to be a cartoon character, but the idea was scrapped in favor of a real-life mascot. Visualize this, a basketball arena, cement stairs, railings going down the side, people and me away from being taken out by a sledding mascot in a costume, looking out the window, whatever it looks like, and somehow navigating straight down the steps going in about 30, 20 or 50 miles an hour. "cover":{ 10. They called me and fired me because they thought I was going to kill somebody. Jon Absey has played Jazz Bear since the mascot's inception in 1994, but he was fired this week and is no longer with the organization, according to Utah media reports, which cited a rift. I was talking to him because we may be trying to do some stuff together and then the same with Rocky out in Denver. Thats the players we had back then. It was my training ground. It is not publicly known how much the person who plays Jazz Bear makes. I was fortunate to have something that we called the bear crew. I see them all the time through out a game. He thought he would retire from the Jazz. This is our ranking of the top five NBA mascots. Absey then worked more than 800 home games as the Jazz Bear. I was always so excited. Theres also that lesson that gets learned through doing this for these high school kids. }, The man behind Jazz Bear, the reigning Mascot of the Year, has been fired after almost a quarter-century with the team due to a rift with the organization, according to multiple reports out of Utah. Its like a full circle. "Pomp and circumstance were plentiful at Game 5, beginning with . Thats what youve always been able to do. 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. It twists down on your wrist. When I got out here and started doing the job, I felt more blessed that I had a job and a vehicle that could do so much. }, Where did you grow up? Yes. 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. His greatest gag, though, was leveling fans who ran onto the court and mercilessly attacking them the way bears are supposed to: He made out with referees and sprayed CO2 on ushers behinds. I was like, Im safe here. Honestly, I thought somebody was going to. You then have the Phoenix Gorilla and some of the other mascots in the league like Rocky, Crunch, Sacramento, Portland, and Indy, but theyre that mix where youre funny and athletic. I was told they were going in a different direction. I was 22. Lets go all the way back. The Jazz suffered their second straight loss to a team near the bottom of the standings thanks to a turnover-prone outing against the Thunder. The only thing thats changed is getting a salary. Build your customFanSided Daily email newsletter with news and analysis onUtah Jazz and all your favorite sports teams, TV shows, and more. 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. Honestly, how do I want to be remembered? Jon Absey wore the Jazz Bear suit well, there were nine of them for almost 25 years. When I put on the suit, a lot of fear went away, said Absey. Simply put,hes a bear about townin the best possible way. We had a star-studded dinner there at our favorite restaurant here in Utah, and you so graciously paused for a moment, and then I got to ask Thurl who you were. Were not talking a little six-foot. It was a little bit harder, but I could figure it out. I literally got on my toes and I didnt go. A team up in Winnipeg happened to be down scouting. 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. But he said he realized everyone could be just one management change from being let go. Welcome to #nbaallstar #utah. Teaches the inside look of a head of a mascot. window.FuseboxPlayerAPIKey = '736|Bt3uGzU4xc0sddXrD2L8BnN1FwLmic13Qk65z0pZRktxo58SWbNAcFgDsC3FYQ3MK0XyoUWYU7WUaQjG'; The other one was a brown bear because its native to the mountains. I chickened out. Jon Absey, who played Jazz Bear for almost a quarter-century, has reportedly been fired by the Utah Jazz. In a 2010 interview with the Deseret News, Absey said as a result of his performances he has bone spurs in both ankles, broke his big toe, tore his right calf, blew out his right knee, tore both hamstrings, had hernia and back surgeries, ripped tendons in two fingers, blew out both bursa sacs and required stitches. We do not discuss individual personnel matters.". Read my story below. He was probably best known for sledding down the stairs of Vivint Smart Home Arenas aisles and emptying a seemingly endless supply of Silly String onto opposing fans. Every successful superstar is someone on a team that is behind the scenes that make us look great. I was like, I got to get a bigger ladder. Thats when we pulled out the 25-footer. I have three guys that started when I started and they all quit when I left. She bakes a cake and goes to knock on the door. Usually, when Id get up there, I had time to take my head off, look and hook myself, and check my equipment. Im almost ready to tap out. Bears impact cannot be overstated. : The Utah Jazz mascot, Bear, performs during a time out of their game against the Denver Nuggets during Game Six of the Western Conference Quarterfinals of the 2010 NBA Playoffs at EnergySolutions Arena on April 30, 2010 in Salt Lake City, Utah. We admire you. I love you because everything you say and do is you mean and live it. { I looked and I saw this kid sliding across the floor and I was like, Hes going to start crying, but he got up, came running back over. Going back to what you were talking about with your mom, I remember back when we would be shopping, and sometimes, wed always go over. Why was Jon Absey fired from the Utah Jazz? He didnt try to be anyone else or act like someone else in the suit. Reading or replaying the story in its The university elected to honor the tribe with their nickname for the Utah football team and the rest of their athletics programs. I remember Gordon Hayward was there before I left and he said he didnt like the fans that close to the court. "featured":false }); I was like, I got to top this now. The next year I was like, Im going to do a handstand.. I went, I get it! A farm boy, Absey picked up that first mascot job at Morehouse State College for $25. Fortunately for us, it was all caught on tape. I am a better man, human being, father, and husband who have had a chance to hang out with you. I could plant seeds, but you can start rattling them off. I need to know that I can do this on my own, and to tell you the truth I love it more this way because now I get to talk to people and get to know people. Sure, the Utah Jazz Bear mascot may have gone a little too far, spraying silly string on a couple of Rockets fans and getting some sting in their beers, but he was spraying everyone. I . We do not discuss individual personnel matters.. "apple":{ According to Eric Woodyard of the Deseret News, a source said Absey was relieved of his role after a rift with the staff.. Jazz Bear is dead, long live Jazz Bear. Living here in Utah, it seemed like anytime there was a significant opportunity to touch kids lives or to raise money for a novel charity, the Jazz Bear would show up. They get to get out there and pull it off. I appreciate that. There are other guys that can look through their eyes, but theyre screened almost like your microphone, just those little holes, and then they have painted in their eyes. I said, If I dont share it and nobodys trying to copy it, one, I dont know if its good enough to that Im doing this. Follow the action on NBA scores, schedules, stats, news, Team and Player news. For his part, Absey told multiple local television outlets that he was not fired, but quit. I was fortunate that I had a good enough vision that if I could do something out of the suit, I could do it in the suit. window.addEventListener('loadFuseboxPlayer', function(e) { When I would get surgery because I hurt myself, theyd always say like, Its going to be hard to come back. They immediately all pointed at me. Jon Absey has played Jazz Bear since the mascots inception in 1994, but he was fired this week and is no longer with the organization, according to Utah media reports, which cited a rift with Jazz staff. I got a chance to interview him and go to Dallas and meet his mother, who was still alive and go to the mausoleum and pay tribute to the great Mickey Mantle. But there will be a new face inside the bear as the team hosts the defending NBA champion Golden State Warriors. He was 1 of the 3 highest-paid professional baseball players in the entire league. He thought he would retire from the Jazz. I remember he looked at me and hes like, Im not doing this again. We were both freezing, Im uncovered. I was a Forward Observer and I volunteered. It was so cool. Lets pull the curtain. In this episode, Jon Absey, the original NBA basketball Utah Jazz Bear, an extraordinary philanthropist, shares his life and fascinating journey in becoming a sports team mascot. 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. Absey is telling all in a new podcast called "Return to Real.". Spencer Lund January 14, 2014. Frank Zang, the spokesperson for the Utah Jazz, did not tell News4Utah why he was let go and said the man's identity has never been released, out of respect for the character. 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. On the way, I was talking to Bob Woolf. We always said, The Jazz Bear is here, and the Jazz Bear would show up, but I wanted everybody to know Jon Absey showed up who happened to be the Jazz Bear. Jazz Bear was introduced to the league on November 4, 1994. Like there are three different types of mascots, there are a whole bunch of different types of vision when it comes to a head. Free shipping. They moved everybody three rows back. Subscribe and listen free anywhere you listen to podcasts. Young basketball fans getting the opportunity to play musical chairs on TV with their favorite NBA mascot from the Utah Jazz sounds like a lovely promotional event. You come to the Jazz in 93. Whats amazing though, is for a while now, I had kids that weve taken shopping come and volunteer. At Salt City Hoops, we know that covering a team without any humor can be dreary. "url":"", TikTok. Did you learn that from your siblings beating the crap out of you going, Someday, Im going to never do this?. For You. I wanted to be able to entertain people without having to spend as much as it was back then to go to a game, and also now. fuseboxPlayer(e.detail).setConfig({ I remember Luke Larson, my assistant, I love him. Thank you, ladies and gentlemen. We wanted our own identity. Subscribe and listen free anywhere you listen to podcasts. When it was unraveling, it was the only thing holding us and I remember screaming halfway down when I realized we had spun and that the only thing keeping my hand in that loop with her on my side was me squeezing those two ropes together. Hear it this afternoon on @kslnewsradio. "title":"Power Players with Dan Clark", I was in the Army. 1 of 5 Perhaps the most glaringly obvious example of a team name being unrepresentative of its current home is the Utah Jazz. That was one of the moments where I was like, Im going to show him. I would grab people and haul him out on the court because it was like, This is what makes fans, fans, being able to interact and come on the court. Were coming off California Avenue and take that left on Redwood. I still stay in touch with all these guys and thats what I love is that were a tight brotherhood. I jumped up on the bars, and then it was that aha! moment. He needs all the help he can get, but Jon doesnt need any help. I would watch him do his backflips and Id say, Do it again, and if I could see it and visualize it, I could do it. Get informative articles and interesting stories delivered to your inbox weekly. Why the Phoenix Suns Gorilla arrived in the winter of 1980 isnt nearly as intriguing as what hes done since he arrived. Mark would always hang out and Brenda would walk over and say, This is the situation, and Mark would pull out a credit card and hed cover the $2,000 that we were short. It happened Monday as the Jazz claimed their fourth. Part time, paid position. The Little Giant, anytime I had an idea, they would build me a ladder because theyre the ones who built me the big sled from the upper bowl. The Jazz did not cite Absey by name, but did confirm his ouster, alerting media that a new mystery person will be inside the Jazz Bear costume when Utah hosts the Golden State Warriors in Fridays home opener. Following. A Utah Icon The Jazz Bear has been something of a cult icon in Utah for decades, leaving many Utah Jazz fans stunned. Our dear friend, Thurl Bailey, introduced us, and you were going in for your first of 462 and a half surgeries, if you remember that. I started a mascot conference because, in my head, I was like, Why is everybody so competitive? because nobody would talk or share ideas. The Bear's identity is safe at least for now. Join us as we welcome our special guest, Jon Absey, the former Utah Jazz Bear mascot. The extent of that rift is unclear, according to the Deseret News' Eric Woodyard, but Jon . Upload . Athletes should be approachable. How did you come up with that idea? The Utah Jazz began life as the New Orleans Jazz. (Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images). We all talk about the way our teams are either the team or a fan treating us, or this has happened, so we all stay in touch. I miss it. I moved out there with one of my best friends. If there was ever a conflict between a charity or a sponsor who needed me or something like that, Id always default to the charity. When we came out that night, we did it. Karene Reid Shares How His Family Taught Him Love, Sacrifice, Hard Work, Education And Loyalty, Micah Bernard Dives Into His Journey To Playing Football At The University Of Utah And What It Takes To Be Successful, Devaughn Vele Shares What Inspired Him To Serve A Church Mission And Return To Walk-On As An Eventual Football Star At The University Of Utah, Lander Barton Discusses The Transition From High School Athlete To Starting As A True Freshman In College, Braeden Daniels Shares How Hes Grown Both As A Football Player And A Person Since First Stepping Foot On Campus As A Freshman, Cole Bishop Shares Why He Committed To Playing At Utah Before Stepping Foot On Campus, Junior Tafuna Shares How His Polynesian Family Influence Helped Him Become An Award-Winning Defensive Lineman On And Off The Football Field, Solomon Enis Shares How His Father Helped Guide Him To Success By Focusing On His Mindset And Preparation Both On And Off The Field, RJ Hubert Shares How His Competitive Mindset Helps Him Succeed Both On And Off The Field, Dalton Kincaid Dives Into Who He Is Off The Football Field. [6][7], "The Bear facts: The Utah Jazz 16-year mascot, Bear, balances life of court jester, charity king", "Utah Governor Declares October 10 as the Utah Jazz Bear 20th Anniversary Day", "Reports: Jazz fire Bear performer after 24 seasons", "Utah Jazz fire longtime employee who played team's Jazz Bear mascot", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Jazz_Bear&oldid=1100250002, This page was last edited on 24 July 2022, at 23:38. Check out this Cleveland Cavaliers fan mixing it up with the mascot of the Utah Jazz.