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Burnie is the mascot of the Miami Heat, the NBA basketball team. Burnie is a rough, anthropomorphic depiction of the fireball featured on the team's logo.
The Burnie costume is a full-body suit. The body is orange fur, with orange feathers for hair. The "nose" is a green basketball. Burnie wears number 0 (or 00) for the Heat, typically in a black uniform, although he has also worn the Heat's red and white jerseys during playoff promotions. He also sometimes wears a white team T-shirt.
During the 2012 NBA Playoffs, in accord with the team's "White Hot Playoffs" theme, Burnie's costume temporarily changed to an all-white version of the same suit, with black trim around the jersey's text.
On June 10, 2023 Mixed martial artist Conor McGregor appeared at Game Four of the 2023 NBA Finals in Miami, Florida, to promote his pain relief spray in a planned skit with Burnie. McGregor proceeded to punch the man wearing the mascot costume once and then again when the man was on the ground, and subsequently the man was treated in a hospital emergency room. Most of the crowd in attendance booed McGregor for his actions. [1] [2] On June 13, three days after the incident, McGregor clarified that "it was a skit," and that "and all is well" between the two. [3] [4]
Burnie was sued in 1994 during an exhibition game in Puerto Rico. Burnie selected a woman from the audience, dragged her by the feet, and danced on the court with her during a time-out. The woman turned out to be the wife of a federal judge. The woman pulled away from Burnie and fell. Burnie faced 20 years in jail after being charged with aggravated assault and battery. Burnie was also sued prior for US$1 million due to the emotional distress the woman went through. The media ridiculed the case, and she appeared several times on late-night television. The case was settled for $50,000. [5]
Burnie's hijinks also led to another lawsuit in March 2015 and March 2017. On both occasions, people were injured by Burnie while he was performing. The same lawyer represented the two clients on the two occasions and both cases were settled. Both agreements remain confidential. [6]
The Boston Celtics are an American professional basketball team based in Boston. The Celtics compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference. Founded in 1946 as one of the league's original eight teams, the Celtics play their home games at TD Garden, a shared arena with the NHL's Boston Bruins. The Celtics are regarded as one of the most successful teams in NBA history and hold the records for most NBA championships won, with 18, and most recorded wins of any NBA franchise.
The Miami Heat are an American professional basketball team based in Miami. The Heat compete in the National Basketball Association (NBA) as a member of the Southeast Division of the Eastern Conference. The club plays its home games at Kaseya Center, and has won three NBA championships.
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Liebeck v. McDonald's Restaurants, also known as the McDonald's coffee case and the hot coffee lawsuit, was a highly publicized 1994 product liability lawsuit in the United States against the McDonald's restaurant chain.
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Alonzo Harding Mourning Jr. is an American former professional basketball player who has served as vice president of player programs and development for the Miami Heat since June 2009. Mourning played most of his 15-year National Basketball Association (NBA) career for the Heat.
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Udonis Johneal Haslem is an American former professional basketball player who is currently the Vice President of Basketball Development for the Miami Heat, where he spent his entire 20-year career in the National Basketball Association (NBA). Haslem played college basketball for the Florida Gators, where he was a key member of four NCAA tournament teams. Haslem began his professional career in France with Chalon-sur-Saône and then signed with his hometown Miami Heat in 2003, becoming the longest-tenured player in franchise history. Haslem also won three NBA championships with the Heat.
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Donald T. Sterling is an American attorney and businessman who was the owner of the San Diego/Los Angeles Clippers professional basketball franchise of the National Basketball Association (NBA) from 1981 to 2014.
Cocky is the costumed mascot of the University of South Carolina athletics teams. He represents a cartoon version of a gamecock. Cocky has won several mascot national championships. In 2019, for the 150th anniversary of college football, Sports Illustrated selected him as one of the greatest mascots in college football history.
Conor Anthony McGregor is an Irish professional mixed martial artist, professional boxer, businessman, and actor. He is a former Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) Featherweight and Lightweight Champion, becoming the first UFC fighter to hold UFC championships in two weight classes simultaneously. He is also a former simultaneous Cage Warriors Featherweight and Lightweight Champion.
The 2020 NBA Finals was the championship series of the National Basketball Association's (NBA) 2019–20 season and conclusion of the season's playoffs. In this best-of-seven playoff series, the Western Conference champion Los Angeles Lakers defeated the Eastern Conference champion Miami Heat, 4–2, winning their first NBA championship in ten years and their 17th title overall in franchise history. The Lakers' LeBron James was named the NBA Finals Most Valuable Player (MVP) for the fourth time in his career. He became the first player in league history to be named Finals MVP with three different franchises and along with teammate Danny Green, jointly the third players to win the NBA Finals with three different teams. Lakers president Jeanie Buss became the first female controlling owner to guide her team to an NBA title.
The 2022–23 Miami Heat season was the 35th season for the franchise in the National Basketball Association (NBA). On April 7, the Heat clinched the title in the Southeast Division with a win over the Philadelphia 76ers.
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