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Thanks for posting, great read.
I thought this was fun.
Gotta love the Coyote.
I agree, Bruce would be a great mascot.
http://www.mysanantonio.com/salife/c...a.38b69f6.html
Claudia Zapata: For Spurs, there's fit and then there's Coyote fit
Who's the fittest member of the San Antonio Spurs? Sure, Tony Parker is lightning fast, Manu Ginobili super-agile and Bruce Bowen a defensive dream. But only number 2!, "the best in the business," can walk across the court on his hands, ride a unicycle and rappel from the ceiling of the AT&T Center, all while wearing a furry coat with a big head and floppy ears.
Behind the scenes, the Coyote, the beloved Spurs mascot known for his thrilling stunts and laughter-inducing antics, works like a dog to stay in game shape. I can't reveal his name, but after a recent chat, I can share a little about the fitness and fuel required to fill his size-15 paws.
The mascot diet: Playing Coyote "keeps you skinny because you sweat a lot," the mascot reveals. He has no idea what the costume weighs but says it's really more hot than heavy. On one recent game day, Coyote weighed himself before and after the game. "I was shocked to see I had lost 7 pounds," he says. "It'll take 24 hours after a game to get my weight back up."
Maintaining ideal body weight during the NBA season is actually one of the job's biggest challenges. While working as a backup for Tim Derk, the Spurs' former Coyote, the reigning mascot says he weighed 190 pounds with less than 10 percent body fat. Last month, he weighed in at 170, and is working to regain the lost weight.
Double duty: Despite the sweat, work isn't necessarily a workout, Coyote says. "It's not like my heart rate is at a constant 140 beats per minute or I'm building any muscle," he says of being in costume. "It's just exhausting; it kills a lot of the gas in the tank. The tough part is waking up the day after and getting a workout in too."
The erratic Spurs schedule also affects his exercise routine. "The summertime is when I'm in my best shape, at my fittest and strongest. Then when the season starts, I slowly start depleting, and by the end of the season, I'm at my skinniest and worst shape," he says. "It's hard to keep a steady workout regimen when you have four games a week plus appearances."
Rest is crucial on game days, but ideally, Coyote says he likes to run, bike, swim and do strength training, doing each about twice a week.
Iron dog: If you're participating in November's Rock 'n' Roll Marathon San Antonio, you might be running alongside the Coyote. He says it'll be his first 26.2-mile race. He's also training for a Half Ironman (1.2-mile swim, 56-mile bike ride and 13.1-mile run) before year's end. Since dog paddling just won't cut it, he says his biggest personal challenge will be the swimming portion of the race. "I've always been a runner, but I'm not a swimmer," he says.
Pain in the neck: When you're toting a big head around, there is one body part that does get a workout. "When the season starts, my neck will get sore, and by the end of the season, I'll develop a big, strong neck. Chicks dig that, you know," Coyote says with a laugh.
Doggy treats and eats: Getting enough fuel for the gas tank is a job requirement, Coyote says. A typical game day is "calorie-heavy" and includes a large lunch, a carb-heavy pre-game dinner where "I absolutely stuff myself" and a post-game meal. He'll drink up to a half dozen Gatorades during a game and eat a 250-calorie sports bar at halftime. And to try to recoup lost weight and prevent further weight loss, Coyote also slurps one or two 900-calorie shakes a day.
Tricks of the trade: Coyote arrives at the arena three to four hours before game time to rehearse, which usually incorporates dribbling, shooting and hand-walking. While it's old hat by now, riding a unicycle initially posed the biggest challenge. "I could juggle and walk on my hands, but it took me about three months to learn to ride the unicycle."
Suitable sub: So which Spurs player would make the best Coyote? "Bruce Bowen," Coyote says without hesitation. "He's just sweet. I saw him interacting with kids the other day, and told him if he wasn't a basketball player, he'd be a mascot."
All in the family: Bruce isn't the only one. A single father of a 4-year old, Coyote says his son, who has already made one game debut as Coyote Junior, may someday apply for Dad's job. "We were talking about airplanes the other day, and I told him maybe he could be a pilot when he grows up," he said. The response: "Naah, I'm gonna be a mascot."
Thanks for posting, great read.
For those who don't know, the writer (Claudia Zapata) is Sean Elliott's wife. (No relevance, just thought I'd let you know.)
I've always joked with my family that someday I was going to be the Coyote....but um, just reading this article wore me out!
Thanks for the info Kori, I didn't know she was Sean's wife.
I'll have to go search and see what else she's written. I like her style.
Now I know why I wasn't familiar with her name...She's a health and fitness writer!
Oh...She's beautiful too.
Link to some of her other columns:
http://www.mysanantonio.com/salife/c...toryindex.html
Wow. That's a tough job. He's the best.
coyote is a beast!
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If Bruce retires look for the Coyote to add the corner three to his repetoire of trick shots.Suitable sub: So which Spurs player would make the best Coyote? "Bruce Bowen," Coyote says without hesitation. "He's just sweet. I saw him interacting with kids the other day, and told him if he wasn't a basketball player, he'd be a mascot."
The best was when the Coyote did radio ads for a bank.
The Coyote is a bit of a horn dog. He always seems to have his paws all over the ladies in the at&t.
Zapata is hot, but not Akiko hot.
Coyote is the greatest!
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