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The New England Revolution's hashtag (#NERevs) was trending in Boston after Saturday's game against the Columbus Crew, but it wasn't for the reason you'd expect.
In the 74th minute, a man donning a Revolution jersey and a horse mask was captured by a television camera. "Horse Guy" instantly became the talk of social media. Some fans blamed the half-man, half-horse for the Revolution's losing streak while others called for him to become a Designated Player.
Lol at Mr. Horse Dude in the #NEvCLB game! @MLS pic.twitter.com/HKBN2oRCxI
— Kevin Boringot (@kbog2829) July 27, 2014
Horse Guy, who preferred to remain anonymous, is a longtime Revolution fan that regularly attends games with his dad and siblings. After appearing on the big screen with homemade signs, he decided to take a more humorous approach to getting the attention of the camera. Thus, Horse Guy was born.
"I had seen people with horse masks running around, and I thought it'd be fun to have one for random occasions," Horse Guy explained in an exclusive interview. "I decided to bring it one day to a Revs game after my friend, the Zebra head, told me he was showing up with his head. We got on the big screen the first game, and we came back the next game with a sign. The rest is history."
The man behind Horse Guy was surprised by the attention that he got after appearing on television. The costume was initially meant to provide people with a quick laugh. The chatter on social media, however, led to an article on MLS's official website and now The Bent Musket.
While the attention was unexpected, Horse Guy is happy to serve as a distraction from the Revolution's eight-game losing streak. In fact, Horse Guy is expected to become a regular attendee for home games.
When asked about becoming an unofficial mascot for the Revs, Horse Guy said that he'd rather take a more subtle role in regards to supporting the team. Although you won't see him passing out t-shirts or playing in the halftime mascot game, fans can rest assure that Horse Guy will be rooting on the boys in blue.
"As for being a mascot, I'd rather stay in my seats and be the silent guardian," Horse Guy said humbly. "The mascot that the Revs might not ever see."