While the Seattle Thunderbirds are in the middle of a playoff run, we caught up recently with one of the more visible yet underrated pieces of the success puzzle, the TBirds mascot Cool Bird. In this TBird Tidbits exclusive interview, we talk about his youth, his alternating ability to skate, his past relationships and how he gets along with other mascots.

TBirdTidbits: Cool Bird, thank you for this wonderful opportunity to talk to you. I think I speak for a lot of people when I say there are a lot of questions we have had over the years that we never really get the chance to ask. I am definitely looking forward to this. First off, let’s talk about the day you were born. You hatched out of an egg at KeyArena and then tried to fly down to the ice. It didn’t work out as well as you expected it, I don’t think. How did it feel making such an infamous debut in front of 11000 people that night?

Cool Bird: *hands over eyes, shaking head back and forth*

TT: Completely understandable. And I think you may be correct, it endeared you to the crowd even more than if you had just floated gracefully down to the ice. Moving on, you participate in a lot of mascot games. Is there one mascot you play with that you enjoy more than the others?

CB: *puts thumbs in ears and waves hands*

TT: The Mariner Moose is pretty funny, you’re right. And he’s also had his share of accidents, too, so you guys have that in common. Is there anyone you are not a big fan of?

CB: *does Chicken Dance*

TT: Wait, are you talking about the original Tom-a-Hawk or the newer one?

CB: *makes big circles around his eyes*

TT: Makes sense. Anyone else?

CB: *gets out pillow and lays down on interview table*

TT: Yeah, but the Everett fans seem to like him. Going back to your past, I seem to remember there being a Mrs Cool Bird. Whatever happened to her?

CB: *head hangs down and then makes money motion with fingers*

TT: Well, she certainly wasn’t the only one that thought there was a better life in Oklahoma City. Sorry to hear that, though.

CB: *hugs me*

TT: You have many talents: t-shirt throwing, t-shirt shooting, t-shirt tossing. You used to skate around on the ice before games and you don’t seem to do that anymore. In fact, it seems like you didn’t know how, learned, and then stopped doing it. Why was that?

CB: *blank stare*

TT: Cool Bird, I’m not making that up. You used to be able to skate.

CB: *shrugs shoulders*

TT: Fine, moving on. Is there anything you’d like to tell the fans that are reading this?

CB: *scratches chin in thought, makes beating motion over heart and then throws arms up in giant “Y” shape*

TT: We all love you, too. Thank you for doing this interview with us!

CB: *pats me on the head and hands me a t-shirt*

TT: Oh, thank you? We’ll see you soon at ShoWare, Cool Bird, for the next playoff game. Take care and happy April Fools Day!