Tampa Bay Lightning Fire Mascot

The Tampa Bay Lightning mascot (Thunderbug) was fired after spraying silly string on a Boston Bruin fan and being tackled by the fan.  After watching this video, I found it more humorous than harmful.  I don't know the exact rules regarding mascot conduct and exactly what a mascot can/cannot do, but the Bruin fan was out of line.  Sporting events are meant to provide entertainment, which is why mascots even exist in the first place, to provide fan entertainment.  Last time I checked, silly string was not a harmful object.  Some fans, however, do take sporting events to another level. 
By the looks of the video, this Bruin fan doesn't like being messed with (as evident by tackling the mascot).  This was an altercation between and a fan and a mascot, nothing more.  The mascot should not have been fired for doing what it was supposed to do: provide fan entertainment.  Mascots cannot predict the reaction of fans or how sensitive a fan may be.  Certainly the mascot could have chosen to do something differently with the silly string, for example, spraying a Lightning fan with it. 
In the end, I am disappointed with the Lightning organizations decision to fire the mascot.  The mascot was trying to have some fun and, more importantly, no one was hurt.  Let's hope that mascots from around the country learn from Thunderbug's mistake; don't spray silly string on opposing fans.

http://deadspin.com/5879391/tampa-bay-lightning-fire-mascot-who-was-tackled-by-boston-fan