Oly Fan Survey: Mascots

[baron-pierreIV]

The rest are either too Disney

Well, they're supposed to be mascots. Cobi is the mascot equivalent of the broken-glass London 2012 logo.

[olympiaki-agones]

I think Cobi was fine within the abstract and surrealist concept of Catalonian art coming from Gaudí, Dalí, Miró just to mention a few in those Games. About Neve and Glitz were awful, but I liked Aster though.

[Sir Rols]

I don't think they ever came up a name for the stupid Leopard that everybody not named Vladimir Putin hated.

Well, that's it. It's obviously Vlad the Snow Leopard.

It's creepy, they even look alike.

[thatsnotmypuppy]

I voted for Vancouver but in protest - my vote is for Muk Muk ad Muk Muk only.

[olympian]

Mukmuk!!!

I voted for Misha but i like Vancouver, Vucko, the Snowlets and the SLC trio.

[mr.bernham]

I hope Rio's mascot is better than this one:

[Sir Rols]

It's the one eye. Who in their right mind could think that a single staring spooky eye is going to be appealing?

But they were quite good fun in and around the venues nevertheless, and they were used well in other ways (I loved the painted W&Ms around London):

Yeah, they only really became cute to me when they came out in their range of outfits - bobbies and beefeaters and punks and so. That's when they started becoming collectable, and even I started thinking, whistfully zipping through the Stratford Olympic Store for the umpteenth time, if I should pick me up a set of the custumed figurines.... I resisted.

[Rob2012]

I hope Rio's mascot is better than this one:

That is amazing. Why hadn't I seen it before now?!

[mr.bernham]

That is amazing. Why hadn't I seen it before now?!

I found it looking for concept art on Rios.

[mattygs]

I don't know if it was official (I have doubts that it was), but towards the end of Sochi they started referring to the polar bear in some of the coverage as Mishka - before, it seemed they were all just "un-named mascots".

The tv broadcast we had here in New Zealand (may have been a generic OB commentary as it included Brits, Kiwis and Aussies) mentioned in the closing the mascots were Strelka (Hare), Barsik (Leopard) and Polus (Polar Bear).

I've struggled to find reference to this online, but found this here that seems to confirm it. I guess it was something mainly done for the Russian population.

http://www.411.spb.ru/images/Sochi%20Olympic%20Symbols.pdf

[reindeer]

Sorry if I have misunderstood something but surely you guys must know that in Russia bears are generally called Mischa or Mishka.

[mr.bernham]

Sorry if I have misunderstood something but surely you guys must know that in Russia bears are generally called Mischa or Mishka.

I did not, thanks for pointing that out...Russia's creative points just went down by 20 in my book.

[Tatsh]

The snowlets are more original than the rest, for this reason i voted them.

And for honorable mention: Misha, Magique, Cobi and Kristin&Hakon.

pd: What the hell with Neve and Blitz

[reindeer]

I did not, thanks for pointing that out...Russia's creative points just went down by 20 in my book.

I don't know why you should feel like that. Bear is such an iconic part of the Russian, and the whole boreal forest zone's folklore, that there's bound to be different ways and subtle expressions to call it. As Mischa and Mishka are also diminutive forms for a male name, I find them perfectly good names for a mascot bear. Inventing something totally different would feel IMO even a bit forced, although I must state that I don't claim to be any expert of Russian culture.

[baron-pierreIV]

I don't know why you should feel like that. Bear is such an iconic part of the Russian, and the whole boreal forest zone's folklore, that there's bound to be different ways and subtle expressions to call it. As Mischa and Mishka are also diminutive forms for a male name, I find them perfectly good names for a mascot bear. Inventing something totally different would feel IMO even a bit forced, although I must state that I don't claim to be any expert of Russian culture.

I guess Vladie would've been uhmmm...over-kill?

[Alexjc]

Have a soft spot for Sam the eagle 1984. My first Olympics experience of note. Disappointed that he didn't come back for 1996...Instead we got Izzy, what the fk was that?..truly the worst, down there with the games themselves.