Spirit the Hawk Wanted Some Face Time, Too

Yet another Epic Fail for the staff at Phillips Arena: “In a scene not likely to be repeated anytime soon, the Hawks’ official mascot took over the floor at Philips Arena at the start of the Hawks’ playoff game against the Miami Heat. Spirit the Hawk, a bird from Zoo Atlanta, ignored his usual pre-game flight path in favor of a leisurely stroll around the arena that included stops in the stands, a trip to the top of the Jumbotron high over the center of court and finally a perch atop the camera on the shot clock above the basket in front of the Hawks’ bench. Spirit made a couple of trips back and forth to that final perch before the game officials stopped play with 8:48 to play in the first quarter to allow its handler, John Elmore, to retrieve the bird.”