Secret Files: World Cup Mascot - slide 1

March 4, 2011 - Rejected World Cup mascot ideas

Almost everyone agrees the World Cup mascot, Stumpy, is pretty lukewarm at best. It conjures up all the excitement of a Gavin Larsen maiden over, has the charisma and magnetism of a fourth umpire, and will be fondly remembered in times to come in exactly the same manner as Alan Igglesden. (Who? See what we mean?) But why such a dull, uninspired mascot? Our investigations (we got our hands on the presentation made by the ad agency to the ICC) reveal that they had no choice. Don't believe us? Take a look for yourself.

  • Fun, frolic and Ashes Pashes
    Fan Following: Day 4 at Adelaide was a reversion to the grinding-out cricket that makes Test matches real tests of patience and skill
  • The nuisance of cyber banter
    The Long Handle: First there was knuckle-biting stupidity. Then there were attempts to defend it
  • Proteas in pink
    Fan Following: The South Africans brought a big splash of colour and zing to the Wanderers
  • Teething troubles at the new-look Adelaide Oval
    Fan Following: The new Adelaide Oval is so good, it should be on your bucket list. But if the weather is going to stay this way, bring a jacket.
  • Press conferences? Spare us
    The Long Handle: Enough of young men in baseball caps boringly answering questions that shouldn't have been asked
  • A cricket ground's song
    Christian Ryan: What makes a special cricket place special? At Adelaide Oval, part of it is that going to the cricket is about not having to watch the cricket
  • It's a draw!
    ESPNcricinfo XI: After Darren Bravo's superb effort in Dunedin, a look at some other famous match-saving innings in Tests
  • 'I used to sledge while batting'
    An Aussie who played for England, Martin McCague remembers how the press reacted to his selection
  • Chasing the ball Sobers pasted
    Review: What happened to the inanimate victim of Garry Sobers' famously brutal assault in Swansea in 1968? A new book tries to discover its whereabouts
  • A near riot at Adelaide Oval
    Rewind: At the lowest point of the Bodyline series, mounted police were needed to prevent a riot in the third Test
Gallery Index x Exit fullscreen
|    March 4, 2011   Rejected World Cup mascot ideas