I always thought the Blue Jay was an oddly weak choice of an animal for a team mascot - versus the...

I always thought the Blue Jay was an oddly weak choice of an animal for a team mascot - versus the more typically powerful animals like bears, large cats or even eagles.

Mind you I always had benignly good feelings towards blue jays, who were colourful and welcome birds in our garden growing up in Ottawa.

So I was interested in reading the article below to find out that blue jays are more aggressive and wilier animals than I'd realized, and also ones that have been surprisingly maligned.

After 25 years as a Jays fan, this gives me much more respect for their choice as the team mascot.

http://www.audubonmagazine.org/articles/birds/slings-and-arrows-why-birders-love-hate-blue-jays

4 months ago jabalong 22 comments 4 recs |

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thats pretty cool man, thanks for that.

by boltspeedman on Jan 21, 2012 2:44 AM EST reply actions

Visiting my folks house some years back

I witnessed a Blue Jay attack and chase a squirrel around their backyard for having the audacity of trying to eat out of “his” birdfeeder. Quite a sight.

by Psychotoad on Jan 21, 2012 9:44 AM EST reply actions

ooh

pretty birdie

His 2011 wRC+ is 26

by Pikachu on Jan 21, 2012 10:08 AM EST reply actions

btw

why would you post a picture of a blue jay being shot (to death, I’d assume). That’s not nice :(

His 2011 wRC+ is 26

by Pikachu on Jan 21, 2012 4:22 PM EST up reply actions

it took the arrows and is still alive

its a tough bird !!!!!!!11

+1 is only good if you actually rec the post

by Bowling_Guy25 on Jan 21, 2012 4:52 PM EST up reply actions

probably because it didn't take it to the knee

His 2011 wRC+ is 26

by Pikachu on Jan 21, 2012 5:09 PM EST up reply actions 2 recs

NSFW.

"We are all agreed that your theory is crazy. The question that divides us is whether it is crazy enough to have a chance of being correct."
- Niels Bohr

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by Frag on Jan 21, 2012 5:13 PM EST up reply actions 1 recs

cmon

it was totally appropriate, the bird is actually being shot with arrows.

His 2011 wRC+ is 26

by Pikachu on Jan 21, 2012 5:38 PM EST up reply actions

yeah

but none to the knee. You lose three Internet points, and a cookie.

"We are all agreed that your theory is crazy. The question that divides us is whether it is crazy enough to have a chance of being correct."
- Niels Bohr

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by Frag on Jan 21, 2012 5:42 PM EST up reply actions

His 2011 wRC+ is 26

by Pikachu on Jan 21, 2012 5:48 PM EST up reply actions

The picture is from the article

That’s the whole point of the article that the blue jay has been much maligned over time.

by jabalong on Jan 22, 2012 1:57 AM EST up reply actions

Blue jays

Are underrated badasses in the animal kingdom.

"We are all agreed that your theory is crazy. The question that divides us is whether it is crazy enough to have a chance of being correct."
- Niels Bohr

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by Frag on Jan 21, 2012 11:44 AM EST reply actions 1 recs

I always thought the Blue Jay was an oddly weak choice of an animal for a team mascot

Labatt chose Blue Jays because they hoped the team would coloquially be identified as the Blues rather than the Jays – which would have been a perfect marketing tie-in for Labatt’s beer

by MjwW on Jan 21, 2012 4:08 PM EST reply actions

I knew the whole connection between Labatt (who were great owners), the team name and the once ubiquitous Labatt Blue marketing connection.

Hadn’t heard though that anyone hoped the Blues would catch on as a nickname for the Jays. Interesting if true, and all the more appalling how the team try to strike “blue” from its identity.

Glad its back, as I’ve yet to see a black and silver Jay in my garden. :P

by jabalong on Jan 22, 2012 2:02 AM EST up reply actions

Doing a little reading, it seems more than Labatt hoping for Blues to stick as a nickname, there may have been some thought to formally naming the team the Toronto Blues, before opting for Blue Jays.

by jabalong on Jan 22, 2012 7:44 PM EST up reply actions

Was this made in 1992 by some Atlanta Braves fans?

…seems like that’s where this came from.

by BrownMagician on Jan 22, 2012 4:26 AM EST reply actions 2 recs

Or in 1993 by some Phillies fans

"We are all agreed that your theory is crazy. The question that divides us is whether it is crazy enough to have a chance of being correct."
- Niels Bohr

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by Frag on Jan 22, 2012 10:58 AM EST up reply actions

Even though the Phillies were known as the "Blue Jays" briefly in the 60s

Follow me @Minor_Leaguer

by Minor Leaguer on Jan 22, 2012 3:24 PM EST up reply actions

I didn’t know that the Phillies were briefly the Philadelphia Blue Jays, though apparently it was for the 1943 and 1944 seasons according to Baseball Reference:

After purchasing the Philadelphia Phillies, new owner Bob Carpenter thought he could rebrand the perennial losers in Philadelphia by renaming the club. Before the 1943 season, he held a contest to rename the club. The winner received $100 and season tickets. After two seasons going 64-90 and 61-92, Carpenter returned the Phillies name to the club.

by jabalong on Jan 22, 2012 7:37 PM EST up reply actions

So in a roundabout way

The Blue Jays both won and lost the 1993 World Series!
Joe Carter v. Mitch Williams was a zero sum Blue Jay game!

by MjwW on Jan 22, 2012 7:57 PM EST up reply actions

It was a win-win situation if you are a blue jay

"We are all agreed that your theory is crazy. The question that divides us is whether it is crazy enough to have a chance of being correct."
- Niels Bohr

Sorry, unauthorized hotlinking of copyrighted material not permitted.

by Frag on Jan 22, 2012 11:27 PM EST up reply actions