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Meet Blob, Philly’s new and mysterious USFL mascot

Receiving more than 65% of the votes, Blob will be the face of the Philadelphia Stars.

The Philadelphia Stars mascot, Blob.
The Philadelphia Stars mascot, Blob.Read more

No one could have predicted this. A majority of voters in a weeklong Twitter election opted to name Philadelphia’s newest mascot Blob. Not even “The Blob” — perhaps to avoid a copyright issue— just Blob. (It feels like Boaty McBoatface all over again.)

Receiving more than 65% of the votes, Blob will be the face of the Philadelphia Stars, the local team in the revamped United States Football League, which kicks off its season this weekend. Blob was unveiled along with the seven other USFL team mascots Monday. All teams held online polls to determine the names of their mascots.

» READ MORE: Philadelphia Stars coming back as part of the new USFL spring football league

What do we know about Blob? It could have been Cosmo, the runner-up in votes, or even an Astro; the Stars’ Twitter account described the red furball with what look like tiny horns and fangs as “out of this world”; it likes to dance.

A USFL representative had no additional information to offer.

Blob’s an upgrade from the previous mascots, which were also beyond description?

With few clues, your guess of what Blob is supposed to be is as good as ours. The name has some of us thinking it might be a nod to the 1958 Phoenixville-shot science-fiction film The Blob; a space devil is another possibility.

A more online audience might even find Blob shares some similarities with Chunky from Dan Vega’s Mega Money Quiz — a member of Tim Robinson’s deranged I Think You Should Leave universe.

Listen, we respect Blob’s decision to remain a mystery, but our phone lines are open when the mascot decides to share its story.

Before you write off Blob as Gritty’s less successful cousin just because it didn’t immediately go mega-viral, consider this: Despite not being an overnight obsession, the mascot carried these USFL mascots, with more than 12,600 voters weighing in on its name. Only two other teams broke 10,000 votes. The Michigan Panthers drew the second-largest electorate with 12,400 votes and the New Orleans Breakers received close to 10,700 responses.

» READ MORE: Philly has yet another weird mascot — and we don’t know what it is

The last time the USFL played was in the 1980s. That league, which is unrelated to this one, featured 12 teams and lasted only three seasons.

Viewers will be able to watch Blob at work Sunday at 4 p.m., when the Stars face the New Orleans Breakers.