| Breezy Point Resort and many of its guests got
"crunched" when the Minnesota Timberwolves' popular mascot came to Breezy to
shoot a new video for his game-time performances. Crunch and the Timberwolves'
television production company quietly arranged a two-day schedule with the resort as a
shooting location for the "What I Did on My Summer Vacation" video production.
But word of his appearance rushed through the resort, and soon the wolf-clad mascot was
the focus of attention for resort employees and guests, particularly children.
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| Crunch takes his customary stance with Dave Spizzo,
owner-operator of Big Wave Dave's Jet Ski Rental at Breezy Point Resort. Crunch was on the
resort to make a promotional video for his game-time performances. |
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He was hard to miss, as he tested just about every resort amenity that
one would experience during a summer vacation: golf, jet skis, pontoons, horses, water
skis, swimming, hot-tubing, fishing, tennis, shopping. All during the peak hours of two
afternoons when the mercury hit the mid-80s.
Following a loosely
written script, Crunch was even photographed driving through the resort's gates, arising
from a bed in an upper loft unit, and stumbling down the stairs to an outer deck for an
early morning yawn into the afternoon sun.
Locked out of the unit accidentally, he entertained a gathering audience from a
second-floor deck while the video producer, Paul Loomis of Juntunen Media Group, went for
another set of keys from the front desk.
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| Locked out of his unit, where he shot a sleeping scene,
Crunch entertains a groups of passersby from his second-floor perch. |
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Through it all, Crunch spoofed with adults and brought smiles -- even a
few tears -- to both young and old.
"I love to make people laugh," says the man under the $4,000 costume,
who vigorously guards his true identity. "I'm the guy who turned being the class
clown into a profession."
A native of southern Illinois, Crunch and his real-life mate are parents of three
children and residents of a Twin Cities' suburb. He is about to begin his third season
with the team, following a two-year stint as "Hoops," mascot for the Washington
Bullets, and two years as "Slam," mascot for the Continental Basketball
Association team in Rapid City.
"I'm called the team's 'good luck charm' because I came the year we signed
(Stephan) Marbury," he said. "The 'Wolves have been winners ever since."
Crunch is the unofficial goodwill ambassador for the team,
making more than 400 public appearances each year, not including regular season and
playoff home games. He was on the team of mascots who performed at last year's NBA
All-Star Game.
"I like being known as Crunch," he said, "and my real name is
unimportant. It would only take away from the mystique of the character." Sort of
like Santa Claus? an interviewer asked. "Santa Claus IS Santa Claus, isn't he?"
Crunch giggled.
If you attend the Timberwolves' games, you'll see bits and pieces of the video on
Target Center's large television screens during Crunch's half-time and timeout
performances. Excerpts may also be used in the team's television marketing and promotion
strategy, Crunch said. |