Cardinals to hand out squirrel-themed rally towels tonight for Game 3 (video)

Even though Busch Stadium’s Rally Squirrel has been captured and relocated to a park (that’s the squirrel version of a retirement home), his legend lives on. Major League Baseball and Fox have made a promotional video starring the tiny furred gate crasher, complete with stirring sound track and slow motion squirrel dashing action. Of course the squirrel’s attorney, an owl, is currently negotiating residuals, and a tiny check from MLB should be forthcoming. Enjoy:

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I found this over at The 700 Level, where more than one commenter seems to be blaming the squirrel for the team’s playoff fail. Sample:

F- the squirrels
4:03 pm Oct 12, 2011
I’m not braking for any squirrels for the remainder of the off season.
Posted by Joe

Sad, really. It seems that Phillies fans have invented a new word: scapesquirrel. It’s like Orioles fans in 1996, when 12-year-old Jeffrey Maier interfered with a ball hit into the stands resulting in a home run for the Yankees in Game 1 of the ALCS. Baltimore fans cried bitter tears that day, blaming a kid for their team’s own shortcomings. And now Phillies fans are crying the tears of a squirrel, when they should be stuffing and mounting Charlie Manuel and Ryan Howard.

What’s next: The Eagles blaming their 1-4 record on bad karma from dogs?

Meanwhile, the Cardinals are planning to hand out squirrel-themed Rally Towels tonight for Game 3 against the Brewers, and will also have “stuffed Rally Squirrels” available for $5 at the Busch Stadium team store. Also available: “Got Squirrel?” T-shirts and additional rally towels.

“I think it’s good. The fans are having fun,” said La Russa, the Cardinals’ buttoned-up manager. “And I really believe that. This is not old-school, and I know I am in many ways, but I think there’s so much attention and pressure on the players that sometimes they don’t show their happiness.”

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Cards rally fans with squirrel towels [ESPN]