Butler’s mascot receives star treatment in Houston this week

Even though Butler's mascot was barred from the arena for the school's first four NCAA tournament games this year, his Final Four accommodations in Houston more than make up for that snub.

Not only will Blue II be courtside for Saturday's matchup between Butler and VCU, the 7-year-old English bulldog is also being treated like royalty in the 48 hours leading up to tip-off.

He got spa treatment in Indianapolis on Thursday, including a hair washing and nail treatment. He lay on the floor in the main cabin on a special chartered Southwest flight to Houston for Butler fans. And he's the guest of honor at Houston's Intercontinental Hotel, with his own plush bed, a chewable bone, doggy bowls of food and water with his name on them, and even a special cocktail named after him at the hotel bar.

According to Fox59 in Indianapolis, the bar staff at the Intercontinental has created a "Blue II Martini" with vodka, fresh lemon juice, blue curacao and fresh blueberries. Proceeds from the martini this weekend go to the Society for Prevention of Cruelty to Animals in Houston.

"We're used to welcoming heads of state," the Intercontinental's John Oakley told Fox59. "We've welcomed presidents to our hotel. It's not often we get a mascot, so it gave our team a chance to treat him like a celebrity."

Blue has always been somewhat of a campus hero at Butler, but the bulldog's fame has mushroomed with every NCAA tournament upset�the school's basketball program has pulled off the past two years. He has more than 4,500 twitter followers. His blog and YouTube clips are getting hits at a record-setting pace. He has been featured by local and national media, from the Indianapolis Star to CBS's "Early Show" to the pregame show for Saturday's national semifinal.

At a school with returning Final Four heroes Matt Howard, Shelvin Mack and Ronald Nored, and one of the most sought-after coaches in America in Brad Stevens, Blue II is as big a celebrity as any of them.

It's only fitting he's getting star treatment in Houston.

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