The Blue Coats’ new mascot is the best thing since Mr. Celery

It’s unlikely that, when The Wilmington Blue Coats’ new horse-headed, human-bodied mascot was designed, anybody in the room was thinking about 2018 social commentary horror film Sorry to Bother You.

But still, we’re going to come out and say it: Coaty – the team’s newly unveiled mascot – is a wonderfully terrifying blue equisapien. Coaty, whose finest feature might just be the Delaware-shaped spot on his forehead, is easily the best thing to happen in our local mascot world since Mr. Celery, and we are very much here for that.

Based on the horse Caesar Rodney rode in his historic July 1, 1776 “Midnight race to Independence,” Coaty’s name came from the suggestions of over 1,000 Delaware children in after school programs.

(The historic horse’s actual name, if it is known, could not be immediately be found via a Google search).

All of the participating kids received tickets to a Blue Coats home game at the new 76ers Fieldhouse, which officially opened on Wednesday. For the venue’s inauguration, the Coats faced the Memphis Hustle, but lost 106-110.

The blue equisapien made his 76ers Fieldhouse debut at the same game. In his spare time, Coaty serves as ambassador of the Blue Coats’ reading program.

Learn more about the glorious Coaty here:

For those of you interested in getting a glimpse of Coaty, the Blue Coats will be playing a string of home games through January 30, before traveling to Arizona and Texas for a couple of games. Peep the full Blue Coats schedule.