If you told me a few years ago that I’d be writing about a 7ft tall, fluffy chaos machine with an unhealthy obsession with Philly cheesesteaks, I’d have thought you mad. Alas it’s 2021 and Gritty, the official mascot for the NHL Philadelphia Flyers, is here to stay.
How did this orange nightmare come to be? Gritty’s story began at the 2016 NHL All-Star Game, when the Flyers’ marketing department realized that having a mascot was an excellent way to engage younger fans. Their previous mascot, Slapshot, only lasted one season in the 70’s and had not been particularly popular. The Flyers commissioned Bryan Allen of Flyland Designs to dream up a new character which “you’d high-five but not hug.” In September of 2018, Gritty was officially announced as the new Flyers’ mascot.
Allow me to state the obvious, Gritty is hands-down the best mascot in the NHL. In fact, he’s the best mascot in any US sports league. Don’t believe me? Here is a recap of the top ten Gritty moments from the last three years:
10. Nominating himself for Time Person of the Year
Following his 2018 debut, Gritty made waves across the USA and was featured on late night TV and national news. When the 2018 Time Person of the Year public poll was published, Gritty threw his hat in the ring via a front cover mock-up complete with his catchphrase – “it me.” Strangely enough, Gritty lost out to journalists who were targeted in violent attacks and subject to criminal charges whilst fighting for free and fair press worldwide.
9. Anytime he had a sign
Gritty doesn’t speak, but he is known for getting his point across through a creative collection of signs. It’s hard to pinpoint our favorite. First there was the time when a fan reached out on Twitter to request that Gritty save his budding romantic relationship.
Instead, Gritty encouraged them to split. Then there was the time that Gritty taunted Bruin’s winger Brad Marchand for his shocking 2020 shootout attempt. Finally there was the time when Gritty implied that P. K. Subban’s fiance, former alpine ski racer Lindsey Vonn, should leave the Devil’s defenseman for him. If Subban saw the sign, he chose to ignore it.
8. Streaking across the Lincoln Financial Field
The February 2019 Flyers vs Penguins game started in somewhat normal fashion with Gritty flying in from the rafters wearing a light-up suit. Standard stuff. Then things took a turn for the worse when Gritty stripped off his traditional hockey attire and streaked the length of the arena, avoiding security along the way. The stunt caused controversy with other league mascots complaining about an apparent relaxing of the rules – traditionally during the Stadium Series, mascots are banned from being anywhere near the rink. Still, Gritty’s streaking and subsequent ejection from the stadium was pretty great. Kudos.
7. Appearing on Queer Eye
In a promotional mini-episode of Netflix’s Queer Eye, Gritty received a visit from the Fab 5. After being nominated by Phillie Phanatic, the Fab 5 set out to take Gritty from “orange fluffy mess to game day best.” The eight minute short saw Gritty spend time with each of the show’s stars, working on his appearance, clothing, locker space, diet and confidence.
6. The Wrecking Ball Entrance
Gritty was introduced to the world during the 2018 preseason, but it was the home opener against the Sharks where he made his official debut. To the tune of Miley Cyrus’ “Wrecking Ball,” Gritty swung in from the rafters, hanging upside down and waving to fans. Truly iconic.
5. Receiving votes in the US elections
In the free and fair democratic elections of the United States, each and every American has the right to write in their preferred candidate. When Trump and Biden went head to head last fall, they probably didn’t anticipate losing votes to the Flyers’ mascot. Nevertheless, one voter in Philadelphia thought Gritty was the best candidate. The single presidential vote wasn’t a great result for the mascot, who had previously received 57 votes in the 2019 race for the Mayorship. Fans have also opted to vote for Gritty for Pennsylvania Attorney General, State Treasurer and the United States Senate.
