# Gritty is a Special Kind of Social Media Phenomenon

- Link: https://chatterblast.com/blog/gritty-is-a-special-kind-of-social-media-phenomenon/
- Published: 2018-09-26T19:11:39-04:00
- Author: chatterblastteam

Mondays are typically the most hectic day of the work week. This was no exception
for the **Philadelphia Flyers** who had everyone stop dead in their tracks with 
the introduction of their new mascot, **Gritty**.

> It me. [#Gritty](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gritty?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
> [pic.twitter.com/HfTMVtEAFy](https://t.co/HfTMVtEAFy)
> — Gritty (@GrittyNHL) [September 24, 2018](https://twitter.com/GrittyNHL/status/1044244470806523905?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

Umm… ok.

Twitter’s instant reaction to the big reveal of this… thing… was one that most of
us would have expected:

https://twitter.com/abbygraeff/status/1044247885104250881

>  [pic.twitter.com/YzNeJh1JGe](https://t.co/YzNeJh1JGe)
> — Philadelphia Police Department (@PhillyPolice) [September 24, 2018](https://twitter.com/PhillyPolice/status/1044282420516855809?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> What… are you?
> — James Mirtle (@mirtle) [September 24, 2018](https://twitter.com/mirtle/status/1044246269214941185?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

People were horrified.

And, of course, in true Philly Twitter fashion, the memes were quick to follow:

https://twitter.com/Joey_BnnB/status/1044360247173959680

[[

[[

> Coming soon to a rink near you [#GrittySzn](https://twitter.com/hashtag/GrittySzn?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
> [#Gritty](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gritty?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [pic.twitter.com/g5qDM6y0Xv](https://t.co/g5qDM6y0Xv)
> — Kyle Klosinski (@KlosinskiKyle) [September 24, 2018](https://twitter.com/KlosinskiKyle/status/1044255772618760192?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

After getting roasted on Twitter for the entire afternoon, Gritty was ready to step
away from the noise on social and focus on some hockey as the Flyers got ready to
take on the Bruins for a preseason game.

But…

[[

[[

While handling the t-shirt cannon (a classic mascot responsibility), Gritty ate 
it on the ice – thus causing a second wave of social media buzz. In that moment,
it seemed like all hope would be lost. How can you come back from getting roasted
on social media all day and making a fool of yourself on ice all night?

Well… in a city that loves an underdog, this underdog mascot started to feel some
of that classic Brotherly Love.

https://twitter.com/Mikelennial/status/1044415139959787520

https://twitter.com/RealMikeBradley/status/1044366902850727936

> Wait, I think I love Gritty now. [https://t.co/TA28Y2t5QL](https://t.co/TA28Y2t5QL)
> — Taryn Hatcher (@TarynNBCS) [September 24, 2018](https://twitter.com/TarynNBCS/status/1044261325394890753?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> [pic.twitter.com/NfsT5JsVrY](https://t.co/NfsT5JsVrY)
> — Matt Dennis (@matty_ice720) [September 25, 2018](https://twitter.com/matty_ice720/status/1044405362810671104?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> SIMPLY PUT
> NOTHING HAS BROUGHT ME AS MUCH JOY AS GRITTY
> I LOVE U GRITTY!!!!! [pic.twitter.com/tDAV5PV6hi](https://t.co/tDAV5PV6hi)
> — Eliza Cossio (@elizacossio) [September 25, 2018](https://twitter.com/elizacossio/status/1044645962306785280?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

Gritty pulled a dramatic and unprecedented 180 – in the hearts of not only Philadelphians
but the entire nation. He found himself on Good Morning America and numerous other
national publications.

> [#Gritty](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Gritty?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) 'answers'
> questions on [@GMA](https://twitter.com/GMA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw) [https://t.co/6DovmZwLP8](https://t.co/6DovmZwLP8)
> [pic.twitter.com/JEcVtiRtUO](https://t.co/JEcVtiRtUO)
> — Action News on 6abc (@6abc) [September 25, 2018](https://twitter.com/6abc/status/1044612764864581632?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> It's Gritty's world now. [https://t.co/NnwMV5oJJ5](https://t.co/NnwMV5oJJ5) [pic.twitter.com/ICQSFeTATN](https://t.co/ICQSFeTATN)
> — Deadspin (@Deadspin) [September 26, 2018](https://twitter.com/Deadspin/status/1044740361535524864?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

> Is the new [#Flyers](https://twitter.com/hashtag/Flyers?src=hash&ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
> mascot, Gritty, good or just terrifying? [https://t.co/zwNifZMl6s](https://t.co/zwNifZMl6s)
> — The Ringer (@ringer) [September 26, 2018](https://twitter.com/ringer/status/1044763887852228609?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)

In less than 24 hours, we witnessed a unique social media phenomenon: Gritty went
from a repulsive and frightening orange knock off of the Phillie Phanatic to a beloved
champion of the underdog in all of us.

There are few teams in even fewer cities that could have pulled off what Gritty 
and the Flyers did this week. Fresh off the heels of the Eagles’ recent Super Bowl
win (as an underdog, by the way), the local attitude of “[_no one likes us, we don’t care_](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-fHDgvwFYp8)”
has never been louder and prouder.

With that attitude comes a sense of camaraderie – one on which Gritty was able to
effectively capitalize. Philly is at a point in which you can’t just trot out some
cutesy new character and expect it to be immediately loved. No – it needs to be 
representative of _us_. You need to be a little ugly, have a little bit of an edge,
make the occasional ass out of yourself, and – most importantly – pay your dues 
as an underdog that no one likes.

Incredibly, Gritty and the Flyers were able to check all of those boxes over the
course of a day. With social media being the driving force in telling that story.
Kudos.

Gritty forever.