Monday, May 13, 2002
Gettin' buzzed
From the Page 2 mailbag
What's up with Hugo and the Charlotte faithful?
We weren't sure what was going on with the Hornets mascot, so we asked you to tell us what's going on in this week's Mystery Photo.
Below are the best caption suggestions from the more than 600 e-mails we received.
"Next item in our 'Moving Fund Auction,' a team flag. We'll start the bids at $1. Do I hear $1?"
Ben Newton
Plantation, Fla.
"Gimme a G! G! Gimme an O! O! Gimme a N! N! Gimme an E! E! What does that spell? Hornets!"
Brendan Davies
Atlanta
"Well, this is as about as close to a white flag as I could find ..."
Michael Thompson
Seattle
"I'm too sexy for my stinger, too sexy for my flag, too sexy!"
Christoph Niedermann
Chapel Hill, N.C.
Looks like he is trying a little too hard for that WNBA Sting job ...
Adam
Phoenix
Back of the flag reads: "Will be an annoying mascot for food or gas money."
Eric Goldberg
Vashon, Wash.
Muggsy Bogues wanted one last chance to take the court in Charlotte.
Bob Ferrante
Tallahassee
Meanwhile, Grandmama is somewhere rolling in her grave ..
.
Pax
Medford, Mass.
Hugo leads the way as looters run rampant through the Hive, though it appears the looters have already made off with half of the squad on the bench and the majority of those in attendance.
Christo
University Park, Pa.
The stands are nearly empty for the Hornets' "Take Your Legitimate Children to Work" day.
Steve
Minneapolis
A man of his word, Charlotte's mayor makes good on his promise that, "the day this team leaves my city, I'll dress up as a hornet in tights."
Ryan Lockman
Erdenheim, Pa.
The mascot is on the run to catch the UPS truck at the back gate. Apparently, he forgot to pack that large flag ...
Matt
Flint, Mich.
Live from Charlotte ... one night only!!! Kenny G, with special guests Hugo and, you guessed it ... Frank Stallone.
Craig
Charlotte, N.C.
After a 1-15 season, the Carolina Panthers scouting staff is impressed with the speed of Hugo the Hornet. No other scouts were allowed to the private workout.
Kodwo Wilson
London, Ontario
Stealing an idea from his cousin Youppi! and the Montreal Expos, Hugo fires up the crowd on their most popular promotion -- "Sit next to an empty seat night."
Mike Etter
Washington, Mo.
"All right! I got the flag! Now ... grab the rest of the beer and off to Mardi Gras we go! Suckers!"
Scott
South Plainfield, N.J.
"I wonder if anybody would notice me if I wasn't wearing any pants ... wait a minute."
Wade
Colorado Springs, Colo.
After a night out on Bourbon Street and a couple of wrong turns, Hugo the Hornet winds up at a USBL Carolina Wasps game.
Andrew Crane
Green Bay, Wis.
"To think just a couple of months ago I was the Football Coach for Notre Dame, for five whole minutes."
Paul Garvey
Brigantine, N.J.
"The E! True Hollywood Story: Matt Doherty." From respectable coach at Notre Dame, to joke at UNC, to the mascot who chased an entire NBA franchise away from North Carolina ... hear the sad tale of his rise and fall from basketball glory, told by the man himself from his new home at a Motel 6 in Reno, Nevada.
Eddie Alonzo
Alexandria, Va.
Moments later, Hugo the Hornet would end up sprawled on the court, the butt end of his banner jammed deep into his abdomen. Authorities remain uncertain whether to term the unfortunate incident an accident or ritual seppuku.
Blas Barragan
Los Angeles
"Sons of Charlotte, I am Hugo the Mascot!!! ...
"... and dying in your beds many years from now, would you be willing to trade all the days from this day to that for one chance, just one chance to come back here and tell the league that they may take our team, but they'll never take our freedom?"
Joel Snyderman
Ann Arbor, Mich.
After realizing they did not have enough fans to have each one hold a letter to spell out Hornets, they decided to go with the flag option.
Cory Gasaway
San Diego
"People will come, Hugo. People will most definitely come. They will come for reasons they can't even imagine."
Turtle
Grand Rapids, Mich.
Here we see Hugo's reaction upon hearing he will be moved to New Orleans as well. Sadly, these insects have a keen sense of smell and Hugo has never been to New Orleans.
E. Reilly
Chicago
"This one time, at a Hornets game ... I was marching and marching and nobody was there, but I just kept on marching and it was soooo funny."
Danny Cook
Clarksville,Tenn.
"Come on, everyone! Gimme an H! Gimme an O! ... Awww, hell, gimme a new job."
Craig Ericson
Ambler, Pa.
And here is the real caption from The Associated Press: Charlotte Hornets mascot 'Hugo' leads the players onto the court in front of a very small crowd before the start of Game 3 of the Eastern Conference semifinals against the New Jersey Nets at the Charlotte Coliseum in Charlotte, N.C., Thursday May 9, 2002. NBA owners approved the Hornets' move to New Orleans on Friday, assuring that the team's 13-year era in Charlotte is about to come to an end. (AP Photo/Chuck Burton)
