Eric Mcmahon, who plays team mascot Grizz, to take medical leave while undergoing treatment for Hodgkin’s Lymphoma

Memphis, December 19, 2007 – Eric McMahon, who is team mascot Grizz, has been diagnosed with Hodgkin’s Lymphoma and will take an immediate leave of absence to undergo treatment. The team will not replace Eric during his absence, and as a result Grizz will not be appearing at any games or be making any community appearances while he undergoes treatment. (more)

Our thoughts and prayers go out to our friend Eric McMahon.  Eric is an up and coming mascot in the NBA whose best days are still to come.

While this is a possibly unprecedented move by the team to go public with his name and vacate the character for a time, I think it is the right move.  On a personal level it shows support and loyalty to the performer at a time when it will mean a great deal to him.  It also creates support, awareness and depth for the character.

As a general rule I really dislike having multiple performers in one character.  It merely highlights it’s a person in a costume when your ultimate goal is create a character, one that is the same every night.  Filling the costume at this time with someone else belittles the character and Eric’s unique skills and time developing Grizz.

In general telling people the person inside the costume is out of action is in direct conflict with creating a character were people suspend reality that it’s a person in a costume.  However in this instance I think the ends justify the means, and in the long run will be a wise decision for the Grizzlies, Grizz and Eric.

The team is also connecting Eric’s recovery with a local hospital with a newly created Friends of Grizz program.  “The Grizzlies Den Team Store at FedExForum will begin selling Friends of Grizz wristbands.  Proceeds from sales of the wristbands will go to St. Jude Children’s Research Hospital.”

Look for the community of NBA mascots to pull together in a show of support for Eric, who is widely respected and admired.

-Cudo