The Philadelphia Flyers on Monday unveiled a team mascot for the first time in more than 40 years, and they did it by gifting and/or scarring the world with Gritty, a mashup of the Animal Muppet, the Phillie Phanatic and ... Jakub Voracek?
Reactions to the new rink-side creature, which the Flyers are calling a "talented but feisty" son of a bully who'd secretly been dwelling in the Wells Fargo Center for ages, were mixed, to say the least. And they had everything to do with his jarring appearance. The shaggy hair, impossible to separate from the shaggy beard. The bursting, rolling eyeballs. The whole "drugged-out monster" vibe.
It me. #Gritty pic.twitter.com/HfTMVtEAFy
— Gritty (@GrittyNHL) September 24, 2018
Join us in welcoming the newest member of the #Flyers Family, @GrittyNHL!!
— Philadelphia Flyers (@NHLFlyers) September 24, 2018
Learn more about Gritty: https://t.co/eQRwTtD54w pic.twitter.com/njHQO1824b
Flyers fans were assuredly split over the unveiling of Gritty, whose name fits perfectly in Philadelphia but whose looks align more with an indie "Sesame Street" character or a 1980s horror flick.
And yet, just a day into his reign as Flyers mascot, Gritty has swiftly taken over the Internet. Social media fads come and go, but Philly's quirky and nightmarish new pal has overtaken the meme game quicker than the Michael Jordan crying face, exploding across all sports as athletes, fans and media alike get used to his unforgettable stare:
Goodnight, internet. pic.twitter.com/gx2Pbxfcds
— Gritty (@GrittyNHL) September 25, 2018
GRITTY SLIPPED AND FELL pic.twitter.com/fryxN8cZGi
— Brian Coulter (@PhilaBCoulter) September 24, 2018
i regret to inform you things are not off to a great start for Gritty. pic.twitter.com/PuCuCuXPTY
— Autumnal Blinn (@NHLBlinn) September 25, 2018
Never thought I would be thankful for @MrMet until I saw this.https://t.co/SgvplnirzY
— Noah Syndergaard (@Noahsyndergaard) September 24, 2018
Good morning, Detroit! pic.twitter.com/QraOdtjDM6
— Detroit Free Press (@freep) September 25, 2018
Aaaaand Gritty just wiped out. ‘Twas a good run. pic.twitter.com/ELRovlAXID
— Dave Isaac (@davegisaac) September 24, 2018
sleep tight, gritty pic.twitter.com/bVvM1E8ZJW
— Josh Billinson (@jbillinson) September 25, 2018
“You want Gritty Gritty?” pic.twitter.com/YULdyhJoZI
— Couch Correspondent 🦅 (@notkerouac) September 24, 2018
Gritty is everything we dreamed he would be.
— Broad Street Hockey (@BroadStHockey) September 25, 2018
(via @orangeandsass) pic.twitter.com/2jZiRrLuR5
Gritty is a consensus builder and what the world needs right now. pic.twitter.com/g2H0zlf5CR
— Mike Beauvais (@MikeBeauvais) September 25, 2018
Sorry, I just had to make this meme. #Gritty pic.twitter.com/oydkNUyYBp
— Jake Elders (@Jake_Elders) September 25, 2018
Gritty, the source of all boos tonight. pic.twitter.com/BlYAsvTZEK
— #LetsGoFlyers (@LetsGoFlyera) September 25, 2018
Meth is one hell of a drug #gritty pic.twitter.com/qBRiI43YP5
— Rick Olivieri (@rickolivieri) September 24, 2018
mood. @gritty pic.twitter.com/uEuQ79nPXt
— r e e dS t r e e t s (@djREEDSTREETS) September 24, 2018