LOCAL Houston | The City Guide MARCH 2015 | Page 43

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HOUSTON’S FURRIEST MASCOTS
CLUTCH (Rockets), TORO (Texans), DIESEL (Dynamo) + ORBIT (Astros)
THERE’S NO SUCH THING AS AN OFFSEASON FOR MASCOTS. And we
quickly learned there is no such thing as a normal day in
the life of Houston’s favorite and furriest mascots. It’s been
eight years since we last sat down with Clutch, Orbit ,
Toro and Diesel, so we decided to meet them at the gym
for a quick sweat sesh…
NOVEMBER 2007

HOW FAST CAN YOU RUN A MILE?

Clutch: 7:30.
Toro: Fast enough.
Diesel: How fast can you make a spicy
maple tea bread, provolone, brie, basil
pesto sandwich?
Orbit: I don’t like running.

HOW MUCH CAN YOU BENCH?

Clutch: Only 185.
Toro: How much does a defensive tackle weigh?
Diesel: Orbit after he eats a lunar ton.
Orbit: A lunar ton – it’s funny because it’s space.

HOW LONG HAVE YOU BEEN WITH THE TEAM?

Clutch: 20 years.
Toro: 14 years.
Diesel: 7 years and 10 months.
Orbit: I was around from 1990–1999, but took
a 13-year sabbatical back in space.
I’m back for good, and entering my third
year back.

WHAT DO YOU EAT WHEN YOU’RE CARB-LOADING?

Clutch: Delicious steak. Sorry, Toro!
Toro: BBQ chicken and stadium food.
Definitely not beef!
Diesel: Spicy maple tea bread, with brie cheese,
a slice of provolone topped with two
pounds of basil pesto…and steak.
Orbit: I’d crush some hotdogs. And moon pies.

WHAT DO YOU DO TO STAY IN SHAPE?

Clutch: Run and box.
Toro: Swing and rappel from the top rope of
NRG Stadium.
Diesel: Stay away from steamrollers.
Orbit: Round IS a shape.

WHO IS YOUR FAVORITE WORKOUT BUDDY
ON YOUR TEAM?

Clutch: D-Mo – that guy is a beast. And I mean
a real beast like me!
Toro: JJ Watt – since JJ and I have somewhat the
same physique, we work out together.
Diesel: Brad Davis, because he is the only one
left on the team that hasn’t asked me
what I say.
Orbit: Altuve – we just give each other
piggyback rides to train.

FAVORITE PLACE TO RUN IN HOUSTON?

Clutch: Memorial Park.
Toro: With our fans at the Running of the
Bulls event.
Diesel: 29.751332 latitude, -95.352623
longitude.
Orbit: The stairs at Minute Maid Park.

By Jayme Lamm
Photography by Sofia van der Dys

march 15 | L O C A L 43