OT: All-Purpose Expos Return Speculation Topic -- Part Deux

[LeHab]

That picture reminded me of the mascot before Youppi (~1978).

The head was like a baseball covered in aluminum foil, believe it was called Msr. Baseball. It was really bad.

Seem to remember it was scaring kids, that's when they went to the Muppets people who designed Youppi, thankfully.

Never knew there was a mascot before Youppi!

Souki (Montreal Expos)

So glad Youppi! was created.

 

[Chili]

Never knew there was a mascot before Youppi!

Souki (Montreal Expos)

So glad Youppi! was created.

Saw the pictures of Souki but what I remember was slightly different and I am sure because I was standing directly beside him one game. Was either 1977 or 1978 and the head was an aluminum colored baseball. Can't find a picture, I just remember it was unpopular and didn't last long. Youppi was an instant hit.

 

[LeHab]

Saw the pictures of Souki but what I remember was slightly different and I am sure because I was standing directly beside him one game. Was either 1977 or 1978 and the head was an aluminum colored baseball. Can't find a picture, I just remember it was unpopular and didn't last long. Youppi was an instant hit.

Might be this version?

 

[Chili]

Might be this version?

That could be it, not sure. I was standing directly behind him one game and it looked like the head (a baseball) had been covered with aluminum foil. I believe it was called Monsieur Baseball which may have become Souki.


Edit: from this link: Souki (Montreal Expos)

The Expos' Mr. Met, called Souki, had odd antennas sticking out the sides of his head. He looked like something from outer space and the kids were afraid of him. During a game in late fall, a father attacked Souki after his child was afraid of him (and after a loss).

The description above is what I remember (i.e. the antennas sticking out of the head, outer space look).

 

[DaBadGuy7]

Rays are still in on split-season plan with Montreal:

 

[Tighthead]

I still feel like this is posturing/politicking, maybe to negotiate breaking the lease.

No reasonable sports fan believes this is sustainable, and Bronfman wants all the way in.

The whole thing doesn’t pass the smell test to me, and Manfred seems like a smart big picture guy.

 

[Runner77]

I never cease to be amazed about how much is posted about the Expos on this site and not necessarily on this forum:

​

Fernand Lapierre playing that song ... man, it oozes Expos baseball.

I'm wondering, were the Expos the only team playing it? Was it written specifically for them?

 

[Runner77]

More ...

and

https://www.cbc.ca/player/play/2199041193

 

[Kimota]

Might be this version?

OMG we have got to bring this character back! All the balls make it worth it.

 

[Runner77]

I imagine this might have been a Blue Jays promo but am not sure. Why would it say "1999"? Souki only lasted one season, he was the Expos first mascot and he came to the scene in 1978.

The version in the gif looks like it was reconstructed for a publicity stunt.

Couldn't find a Souki version with antennas.

The story about Souki scaring off kids is corroborated by other sites.

One site says that after Souki has scared a child, a furious father attacked the mascot and punched it over a row of seats. Its head took most of the impact and soon after, the Expos stopped using the mascot.

Mascot Flashback: Souki of the Montreal Expos

 

[NORiculous]

If the expos come back but this means losing one of the Impact or Alouettes. You guys still want them back?

Can Montréal support 4 professional teams (+1 in laval)?

A split 50/50 expos team is probably the best solution for Montreal, IMO.

 

[Runner77]

A 50/50 split would never work.

I don't think the Expos would mean the end of other pro franchises in the city. The Expos would be working out of a cookie cutter stadium a lot smaller than the Big O. If the Impact or Alouettes folded, it wouldn't be because of the Expos but because their product will have fallen out of favor with the market. We'll never see any major pro sport coming to the city if it were contingent on protecting existing sports franchises.

 

[BLONG7]

A 50/50 split would never work.

I don't think the Expos would mean the end of other pro franchises in the city. The Expos would be working out of a cookie cutter stadium a lot smaller than the Big O. If the Impact or Alouettes folded, it wouldn't be because of the Expos but because their product will have fallen out of favor with the market. We'll never see any major pro sport coming to the city if it were contingent on protecting existing sports franchises.

Has there been anything more recent with the Bronfman crowd? Seems farther away now than before? If I remember they did purchase land down around Peel Basin?

 

[RC51]

I don't want ANY baseball in Montreal until MLB has full salary cap. right now the top 5 teams can outspend everyone. Giving out 250 million to a single player is nuts. oh yes in us dollar also. The new expose would become a farm team for the BIG guy all over again. NOT ONE DIME until a full on salary cap. Same as hockey.

 

[Runner77]

Has there been anything more recent with the Bronfman crowd? Seems farther away now than before? If I remember they did purchase land down around Peel Basin?

Not that I've seen. Still the Tampa thing, someone will end up caving, current situation in Tampa is unsustainable.

 

[Cobra Commander]

Shorten the season and make the horrible playoff format much bigger. Should be a 16 team format like NBA and NHL. 8 best teams from National, 8 best teams from American. You can even do first 3 rounds best of 5 and World Series best of 7.

 

[Scintillating10]

I voted yes but will be tainted. Certainly not the same

 

[peate]

Shorten the season and make the horrible playoff format much bigger. Should be a 16 team format like NBA and NHL. 16 best teams from National, 16 best teams from American. You can even do first 3 rounds best of 5 and World Series best of 7.

8 best teams maybe?

 

[Cobra Commander]

8 best teams maybe?

Meh.. such a long and boring season.. I would cure that with a shortened season and a big playoff format.

Right now 10 teams make the playoffs, 5 from A and 5 from N, should be 16 imo, 8 from each.

 

[peate]

Meh.. such a long and boring season.. I would cure that with a shortened season and a big playoff format.

Right now 10 teams make the playoffs, 5 from A and 5 from N, should be 16 imo, 8 from each.

8 from each league, not 16 as you wrote before? That would include almost all teams.

 

[Cobra Commander]

8 from each league, not 16 as you wrote before? That would include almost all teams.

No 16 total, 8 from each conference/league just like NBA and NHL.

sorry I just saw that typo, fixed it.

 

[JianYang]

I don't want ANY baseball in Montreal until MLB has full salary cap. right now the top 5 teams can outspend everyone. Giving out 250 million to a single player is nuts. oh yes in us dollar also. The new expose would become a farm team for the BIG guy all over again. NOT ONE DIME until a full on salary cap. Same as hockey.

I am guessing that you are concerned about the lack of even playing feild, but their system has produced more champions than even the nhl.

Since the hard cap era in the nhl, MLB has had 11 different teams winning the world series, including KC who are not typically big spenders. The nhl has 10.

 

[LeHab]

Bump for HoF announcement today. Go Larry Go!

If he makes it I'm sure Rockies cap will be on but regardless hope he makes it.

 

[Le Tricolore]

Bump for HoF announcement today. Go Larry Go!

If he makes it I'm sure Rockies cap will be on but regardless hope he makes it.

Zero doubt he'd be going in as a Rockies' player. He had way more success there than he did in Montreal. I'm looking forward to the announcement in a few hours though!

 

[Pompeius Magnus]

https://www.tsn.ca/larry-walker-tweets-thanks-for-baseball-hall-of-fame-support-1.1430799

The man himself isn't all too optimistic he'll be getting in today, FWIW.