Here’s your photo of an NBA D League mascot on the roof of a casino for today

Usually when one wakes up pantsless on the roof of a casino, it indicates that the bachelor party was an awesome success. But in this case, Bruno Bighorn is just trying to raise money for charity, plus get some new fans for the NBA D League Reno Bighorns. Here’s Bruno on the valet parking roof of the Atlantis Casino in Reno, signaling via flag code that he’s freezing his a** off. Late February in Reno means it’s cold, and there’s likely to be snow … the Donner Party passed through here before getting stuck a few miles up the mountain, after all.

Bruno has been on the roof since last Tuesday, Feb. 15. His goal was to stay on the roof until he sold 1,000 Bighorns tickets, with the proceeds going to the Autism Coalition of Nevada. Nine days in, he’s only sold about 410. One would think that people entering a casino would have a few extra bucks for a bighorn sheep on the roof raising money for charity, but apparently not. They’re noticing Bruno, and waving and taking pictures, but the cash is reserved for Pai Gow Poker.

“The goal was 1,000 tickets in 10 days, and unfortunately we’ve fallen short,” said Bighorns spokesman Mike Reynolds to me by phone. “So Bruno is coming off the roof on Thursday at noon. It’s cold up there, and his costume looks warm but it really isn’t.”

Bruno is four stories up, on the valet parking roof facing the main casino strip. People drive by and honk, and several newspaper and TV reporters have been by to do stories. But it’s tough to be a promotional Bighorn Sheep in this economy. People just aren’t opening their wallets like Bruno had hoped.

The Bighorns team, though, is thriving.

“Attendance is up 14 percent this year, and we’re averaging about 2,500 fans per game,” Reynolds said. “And the team is doing well. Right now we’re in the fifth playoff spot, and have a seven-game winning streak.”

The Bighorns, in their third season, feature Danny Green (North Carolina) and Salim Stoudamire (Arizona).

While on the roof, Bruno lives in a tent, and spends half the day in his costume shilling for tickets, and the other half out of the costume, relaxing. He has not been off the roof for nine days.

ME: “Does he have a TV?”

REYNOLDS: “No, no TV.”

ME: “Can I talk with him? Does he have a cell phone?”

REYNOLDS: “No, he doesn’t have a cell phone either.”

One wonders what Bruno did to be punished like this. It must have been something awful.

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Bighorn’s Bruno rallies Reno residents’ support [Daily Sparks Tribune]