Thanks to the GORILLA….

Don’t you always wonder who is under that mascot suit at your favorite teams’ game? Who that crazy man or woman is jumping around, getting the fans pumped up and poking fun at some poor soul in the front row? Who it is doing those crazy flips, hilarious skits and out of control behavior? Well, we happen to know the Gorilla!

Yes, you heard me right. Thanks to the Gorilla, we got free tickets to the Suns vs. Jazz game last Friday. The official mascot of the Phoenix Suns called Austin and asked if he wanted two tickets to last Friday’s game. Of course! Lower Bowl! Watch Shaq! Be out on a FREE date! Sounds like a no brainer?! Well, you’re probably wondering why the Gorilla called Austin. Here’s their story….

Back in our Provo days Austin worked as a manager at a Physical Therapy Clinic and hired a young man. The two became quick friends and secretly, this young man confided in Austin that he was one of the BYU Cougar mascots. He invited Austin and I to go with him late one night and a few other friends over to the good ol’ Smith Fieldhouse where they practice their trampoline slam dunks for the basketball games. We thought it sounded like a lot of fun so we went. It was a blast! Obviously this young man was a way better dunker then the rest of us, but we still had a great time jumping on the trampoline, trying our best to make a super cool dunk, and landing on the mats without hurting ourselves. It made it way more fun to go the basketball games and anywhere else the Cougar hung out. We felt like we sorta had an undercover celebrity status. We knew who the Cougar was, but we were under strict confidence.

Austin and this young man worked together for a few more years until a job opportunity came up for the young man with the Phoenix Suns. He flew to AZ, tried out, and is now the official mascot for our favorite basketball team!

We were so excited to go to the game on Friday. We called a babysitter for Dax, strapped Wyatt into my sling (which is still by the way the best shower gift EVER) and headed to the arena. Wyatt slept the entire time; the fans surrounding us didn’t even know a baby was with us! Our seats were perfect, on the lower bowl diagonal from the Suns bench. I had never seen Shaq play before, he was taller and thinner than I expected, and even though the Suns lost in the end, it was a really great game! The best part? Cheering on the Gorilla, knowing who was underneath that suit! We had him and his wife over Sunday night for dinner and we now know so much confidential stuff it’s crazy!!

I’d tell you all about…then I’d have to kill ya! My lips are sealed!!!