A fish called splendor? He's certainly something. The new-look Miami Marlins unveiled a fresh -- and at first glance, alarming -- new paint job for beloved mascot Billy the Marlin Wednesday, daring to mess with perfection.
(Unlike most any other Marlin, Billy is actually recognized by most Americans, coming in 8th in a 2010 poll of the nation's favorite mascots. Of course, maybe that's because he's food, and America is fat. First place was won by a free-range chicken, and now we're really hungry.)
Whatever his je ne sais quois, it's now a little more fiesta, fiesta. Not only have Billy's airbrushed teal areas turned a darker shade of blue, but his dorsal fin is a rainbow mohawk of orange, yellow, and blue. There's even a red-orange stripe on his prominent bill, and his pants are a striped poly wonder.
“The new look of Billy perfectly complements the new look of the Miami Marlins,” according to Sean Flynn, the Marlins' senior vice president of marketing. “By utilizing the same color scheme, which represents Miami and its diverse cultural and geographical mix, we are confident fans will embrace Billy’s new style.”
New Billy's already growing on us, thanks in part to Miami's DJ Jubilee pointing out that he now "looks like 80% of the dudes walking around Miami." We sure can pick pants!
Let us know what you think about Billy new look, and keep an eye out for his official debut as the Marlins head to Japan to visit U.S. troops overseas from December 1 to 15.