Name: What I've learned as an NBA mascot | Rob Wicall | TEDxSanAntonio
Uploaded: 2018-07-23T10:19:12.000Z
Duration: 10 min 19 s
Description: Thousands of YouTube videos with English-Chinese subtitles! Now you can learn to understand native speakers, expand your vocabulary, and improve your pronunciation...

Translator: Mirjana Čutura Reviewer: Peter van de Ven

I want to get started by answering some questions

I used to get asked when I was the Coyote.

First of all - yes, it was a full time job.

You know, I feel like I have one of the best jobs imaginable.

I had the opportunity to entertain others for a living.

And entertaining others really just translates to making other people happy.

And one of the first life lessons I learned from wearing fur for a living

is making other people happy makes me happy.

I remember a couple of years ago. Preseason game.

Towards the end of the third quarter, I'm working the crowd,

She looks to be mentally disabled in some way.

And she's yelling for Tim Duncan, who's sitting on the bench.

I know Tim is never going to look over to her and wave.

If he did it for her, he'd have to do it for everybody.

And then fans around her start getting involved, right?

(In Texan accent) "Hey, Tim! Look over here!"

Now I start waving like I'm trying to get Tim's attention.

Then I get the crowd around us to yell "Tim."

All I'm doing is creating a bigger moment.

And once that's maximized, the entire corner is now involved in this.

make my way back through the crowd, get behind the basket.

Tim Duncan stands up and walks out onto the court,

which, by the way, I'm not supposed to do.

definitely not to meet a player during a game,

Tim reaches down; he hugs her, messes with her for a little bit.

and I thrust my fist in the air in victory.

They just got to come along with me  as I made a little girl happy,

You don't need a Coyote suit and a court to make somebody happy.

You all can do it in your everyday lives.

I got to be pretty good at making moments by wearing fur for a living.

Just think like I did when I was the Coyote.

In my opinion, there're two ways to mascot.

There's a mascot that takes the noise sign.

has no idea whether the crowd ever reacted or not.

Or - there's a more authentic way to mascot.

Take that noise sign out and hold it up to the crowd.

And if they don't cheer, you let them know you expect better.

You let them know you're listening to them.

You're authentic in your relationship with them.

pivotal moment, I want to say less than a minute left,

"Come on! A little bit harder. Let me hear you."

They've given up; they're sitting on their hands.

Subtitles ListPlay Video

What I've learned as an NBA mascot | Rob Wicall | TEDxSanAntonio

authentic

opportunity

matter

deliberately