Today we have a special guest, Jon Absey, the original Jazz Bear for 25 years. We're excited to have him on the show and hear his stories and insights about the Utah Jazz. We started off by asking Jon how he got into being a mascot. He explained that when he started, there were very few mascots and most were animals like bulldogs and horses. Jon stumbled into the role by accident and shut many doors before the opportunity to become the Jazz Bear presented itself. He joked that it was destiny and that he was meant to be a mascot. As we continued our conversation, we wanted to explore who Jon was, who the Jazz were to him, and what the bear brought to him as a person. Jon shared his experiences coaching gymnastics in Fargo and how that led him to become the Jazz Bear. We were amazed by his journey and how he transitioned from being a coach to a mascot. We also discussed the impact of the Jazz on Jon's life and how much the team meant to him. Jon was clearly passionate about the Jazz and his role as the bear. It was inspiring to hear his stories and see how much he loved what he did. Overall, it was an amazing experience to have Jon on the show. We learned so much about the history of the Jazz and the importance of mascots in sports. This is part 1 of 2. Tune in next week to hear about how the breakup between Jon and the Jazz went. Follow us on Twitter here Follow us on Instagram here Follow us on Facebook here Watch us on YouTube here Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices