Massillon's "Obie" mascot gone for good?

• GoChiefs

  

  MASSILLON —After 41 years of guarding the sideline, tackling footballs and working on his roar, Obie — Massillon’s live tiger mascot — could be sidelined for good.
  
  “It would be a shame if we got rid of Obie,” said Bob Hollender, a member of the Tiger Booster Club and a 29-year veteran of the Obie Crew. “This tradition has gone on for 41 years now. Forty-one years. There will be a lot of unhappy people in Massillon if we can’t get a new baby Obie.”
  
  This fall, Gov. Ted Strickland plans to sign an executive order that could prevent any future live tiger mascots in Massillon. The new law would be the result of an agreement reached recently with the Humane Society of the United States and organizations representing the care of livestock and agriculture in Ohio.
  
  The rules are designed to protect the welfare of animals by stepping up the standards of care and, while they focus on livestock and poultry, one component does ban the sale and purchase of exotic animals or keeping those animals as pets.
  
  “The purpose of the agreement,” said Wayne Pacelle, president and chief executive officer of the Humane Society, “is to stop the flow of dangerous, wild animals in the pet trade for keeping by people ill-equipped to care for them ...”

  http://www.cantonrep.com/news/x41629380/Final-roar-Rule-threatens-Massillon-mascot
• WebFire

  Can't they find a tiger owner that they could set up a deal with to bring him to the games?
• ManO'War

  

  They need to go after the Michael Vicks of the world and leave Massillon alone.
  
  Typical political BS.
• coyotes22

  

  WebFire;421118 wrote:Can't they find a tiger owner that they could set up a deal with to bring him to the games?

  
  We have one. It is a farm in Perry that has exotic animals, and is where we have been getting the tigers from. After the season, the tiger is then sent to a zoo in the country. Many go to the San Diego zoo in California. While in Massillon, the tigers are treated as a member of the city, and in some cases the tigers live better than most in the city. It is always well taken care of, and we have food drives at most home games to help feed Obie.
  
  My dad told me about this the other day, as it was ran in the Massillon paper last week. PETA has tried to come after us several times, and the cases always get thrown out, bc we take such good care of the tigers while in our care. This is stupid.
  
  Aren't bulldogs exotic animals too, maybe McKinley should have to get rid of their mutts on the sidelines also!!! People always trying to hold Massillon down!!!!!!!!!
• GoChiefs

  

  coyotes22;421155 wrote: maybe McKinley should have to get rid of their mutts on the sidelines also!!!

  
  You leave the McKinley fans out of this!!!
• THE4RINGZ

  

  I saw a Bulldog bite a Tiger in the ass last fall
• Strapping Young Lad

  

  Animals such as tigers are shown to be stressed when living in captivity. So, just b/c you see the animal as living better than some people, it doesn't mean the animal is happy or that it is good for the animal. For some it is very unnatural.
• GoChiefs

  

  Strapping Young Lad;421253 wrote:Animals such as tigers are shown to be stressed when living in captivity.

  
  For the most part, that's not the case with animals that are born in captivity, that are pampered from their birth.
• Gardens35

  Doesn't Washington HS also have some Panthers and Bears.....
• FairwoodKing

  I remember many years ago when I was band announcer for the Big Red Band. We played at Massillon. Instead of putting me in the press box like all other stadiums did, the Massillon people had me use a standing microphone on about the 30 yard line. Obie was on the 25 yard line unattended. The whole time I announced, he never stopped growling at me. He looked at me very hungrily. I was concerned as to how secure that cage was. I was glad to get the announcements over with so I could get the hell out of there!
• skank

  

  I've worked with one of the handlers for the past 17 yrs. Here's how it works. There were always three guys on the 'Obie Crew', (until recently, some hangers on started to....well, hang on, they want the glory, but they don't want to do any of the work that goes along with taking care of the Tiger). The three main guys however, work their butts off, from about 2 weeks before the season starts, until the Tigers exit the playoffs, although we, or anybody else with a live mascot, are not allowed to display it during the playoffs, we keep the Tiger until OUR season is over.
  
  EVERY morning....Not just on game days, or when they feel like it....EVERY morning, Mon-Sun, one of the guys show up at the stadium to feed, walk, play with, clean up after and what ever else the Tiger. The second guy does the same in the afternoon, and the third the same in the evening. My buddy does his shift in the evening, so I've been down there with him alot since I live 2 minutes from the stadium, and I've seen the way these guys take care of this Tiger....And it is second to none, these guys care about this Tiger and it shows.
• skank

  

  FairwoodKing;421565 wrote:I remember many years ago when I was band announcer for the Big Red Band. We played at Massillon. Instead of putting me in the press box like all other stadiums did, the Massillon people had me use a standing microphone on about the 30 yard line. Obie was on the 25 yard line unattended. The whole time I announced, he never stopped growling at me. He looked at me very hungrily. I was concerned as to how secure that cage was. I was glad to get the announcements over with so I could get the hell out of there!

  
  Funny story, During McK week, the 'Obie Crew' takes Obie ALL OVER, schools, nursing homes, hospitals, etc....About 4 years ago, wherever they were, there was a McKinley fan there, and despite repeated warnings, this McK fan stuck his finger in the cage and Obie drew some blood. Well, after numerous people got involved, we were not allowed to have Obie at the game. (The game was AT McKinley), (Also, keep in mind that at the beginning of the season, Obie is about the size of a....maybe a little bigger than a full grown Beagle, but by the end of the season much larger than a full grown rottweiler). Anyway, Our Booster Club and the 'Obie Crew' themselves, got in contact with people from all over the country, and presto....within about 4 days....brand new Obie. When the 'Obie Crew' tried to pull into Fawcett the cop at the gate tried to give them a little grief, but after one of the guys said that the first obie was still back in Massillon and if the cop didn't believe him, he'd take him back and show him, the cop let them in.
• Darkon

  

  FairwoodKing;421565 wrote:I remember many years ago when I was band announcer for the Big Red Band. We played at Massillon. Instead of putting me in the press box like all other stadiums did, the Massillon people had me use a standing microphone on about the 30 yard line. Obie was on the 25 yard line unattended. The whole time I announced, he never stopped growling at me. He looked at me very hungrily. I was concerned as to how secure that cage was. I was glad to get the announcements over with so I could get the hell out of there!

  
  Thats funny.
  I would be a little concerned also.
• ZWICK 4 PREZ

  

  FairwoodKing;421565 wrote:I remember many years ago when I was band announcer for the Big Red Band. We played at Massillon. Instead of putting me in the press box like all other stadiums did, the Massillon people had me use a standing microphone on about the 30 yard line. Obie was on the 25 yard line unattended. The whole time I announced, he never stopped growling at me. He looked at me very hungrily. I was concerned as to how secure that cage was. I was glad to get the announcements over with so I could get the hell out of there!

  
  Obie just doesn't like band announcers. We should have warned you.
• skank

  

  I haven't read it yet, but I guess in the Independent (Massillon's paper), today, The bill was signed, but with an exemption for HS and College mascots. So....if what I was told is true, Obie should be around for a long long time. Stump Hill Farm on the other hand, I don't know. Massillon may have to look into another source for it's Tigers.
• coyotes22

  

  skank;423825 wrote:I haven't read it yet, but I guess in the Independent (Massillon's paper), today, The bill was signed, but with an exemption for HS and College mascots. So....if what I was told is true, Obie should be around for a long long time. Stump Hill Farm on the other hand, I don't know. Massillon may have to look into another source for it's Tigers.

  They already have found one,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,, a source close to the booster club, told me
• skank

  

  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=t5GwdJNsZmw
  
  This one is pretty cool, it shows a Tigers natural instincts despite being born in captivity.
  
  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hX8PjlX8KJY
• coyotes22

  

  hey chiefie!! you can change the title of the thread now, we are keeping OBIE!!!!!!
• Tiernan

  At least Obie has a leg up on most of the rest of Massillon's fans...he has a job!
• skank

  

  Tiernan;428940 wrote:At least Obie has a leg up on most of the rest of Massillon's fans...he has a job!

  
  
  Moron alert.
• skank

  

  Tiernan;428940 wrote:At least Obie has a leg up on most of the rest of Massillon's fans...he has a job!

  
  Why the ill feelings toward Massillon? Did they kick your teams anus that bad? Did someone from here steal your girlfriend? Your mom? What? Fill us in.
• coyotes22

  

  ^^^ He said anus!!! BAHAHAHA
• Tiernan

  skank;429211 wrote:Why the ill feelings toward Massillon? Did they kick your teams anus that bad? Did someone from here steal your girlfriend? Your mom? What? Fill us in.

  
  I love it Skank...a cross over slam from another thread...and to answer your question... "yes" my ex-wife and all her neanderthal relatives live in the Can-Mass-Orr triplex and I basically hate the entire stinkin' area.
• krazie45

  

  Gov. Strickland sure isn't helping his campaign here.....there's a lot of Massillon supporters!
• skank

  

  Tiernan;429762 wrote:I love it Skank...a cross over slam from another thread...and to answer your question... "yes" my ex-wife and all her neanderthal relatives live in the Can-Mass-Orr triplex and I basically hate the entire stinkin' area.

  
  And there we have it. Hahahaha.