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CEDAR CITY, Utah (AP) -- When Southern Utah's opponents shoot free throws in the second half, the Thunderbirds have five players on the court and a bonus bird situated behind the basket.
A goose puppet has been a staple behind the backboard, controlled by Southern Utah fan Dennis Gregz.
Gregz said he found the puppet at a flea market in New Mexico and has been bringing it to Centrum Arena for almost five years now.
"I thought, 'Man, I've got to have this thing. It'll be a good prank,"' Gregz said.
And almost everyone agrees. The opponents, however, may not see the humor in it.
In Southern Utah's 73-60 win over Western Illinois on Thursday, the Leathernecks made all six of their free throws in the first half. When the teams switched sides for the second half and the Leathernecks had to face the goose, they missed four of 17 from the line.
"He's awesome," Southern Utah forward Orlando Griego said.
Gregz is known as "the goose guy" by Southern Utah fans and students.
"I think he adds a lot to the game," Thunderbirds athletic director Ken Beazer said. "You hear the crowd as soon as he comes in shouting, 'There's the goose guy! There's the goose guy!"'
Gregz recently retired from the federal Bureau of Land Management. He has been living in Cedar City for 10 years and began bringing the goose to the games about five years ago. Gregz said opposing coaches have grown to hate him, which he notes proudly.
"You've got to transcend yourself to do this thing," he said. "You've got to be a little quirky."
------ Information from: The Spectrum, http://www.thespectrum.com
(Copyright 2008 by The Associated Press. All Rights Reserved.) APTV-01-04-08 1538MST
