The Photos From Gritty’s Trial Are Wild

Everyone’s worst nightmare came true the other day when Flyers America’s mascot Gritty was accused of punching a 13-year-old kid in the back.

According to the Philadelphia Inquirer:

The Flyers had invited Greenwell and his 13-year-old son to get a photo and some face time with the fuzzy, googly-eyed mascot, all part of an exclusive event for season ticket-holders. But after waiting in line for about an hour behind dozens of fans to get to Gritty, something shocking happened, according to Greenwell.

Gritty punched Brandon in the back, Greenwell claims.

In Greenwell’s telling, Brandon playfully patted the mascot on the head after the photo was taken. As Brandon walked away, Gritty got out of his chair, “took a running start,” and “punched my son as hard as he could,” Greenwell said Wednesday.

Look, not to victim shame here, but this is more on the parents than it is the mascot. I mean, what did you expect? The mascot’s name isn’t Softie. I would expect him to take no less than “a running start” when punching your son “as hard as he could.” That’s true grit. In fact, I’ll double down and just chalk this up in the ‘parents blaming the teacher’ generation.

Plus, have you hung around a 13-year-old lately? In my opinion, they all deserve to be punched in the back with a running start by an overly hairy mascot.

In the court of public opinion, am I taking Gritty’s side? You’re damn right I am. He’s arguably the greatest mascot in sports, and he’s one of the newest too. Did he punch that kid? Probably. Hell, he may have taken his wallet too. Should he be punished for it? No. He’s a freaking mascot.

Mascots live by different rules than the rest of us. If you pie some random person in the face at a sporting event, you’ll probably be arrested for assault, but if a mascot does it, it’s hilarious. Ever de-pantsed someone in public? No, because you’ll become a red dot on a Google map. But if a mascot does it, again, it’s hilarious. If you shot someone with a cannon, you’re probably going to jail for life for homicide. But if a mascot shoots someone with a cannon, as long as there’s a t-shirt or a hot dog inside, it’s freaking awesome! Mascots can (and should) be able to do whatever the hell they want.

Hell, the Penguins mascot, Iceburgh, nearly killed Jean Claude Van Damme, and no one batted an eye. Why? Because a mascot attempting murder is hilarious!

Unfortunately, regardless of my opinions, Gritty does have to pay the piper, and we’ve obtained exclusive images from his trial.

There’s no telling where Gritty goes from here or what the verdict will be, but I hope he makes it out ok.

I just hope years down the road he doesn’t get arrested again for trying to steal back memorabilia from some guy in a Vegas hotel.