Here’s the story behind the Revolution’s own Nutsy the squirrel

Generally speaking, fans didn’t like my proposal to make Nutsy the Squirrel the official mascot of the New England Revolution. I was even threatened by the incumbent mascot.

The noble fight continues, however, and I can now offer the full story of Nutsy.

You see, Nutsy had a medical condition and needed special care. He was taken in by Judy Withington, a volunteer at the New England Wildlife Center. Judy’s love for animals was rivaled by her love of soccer. In fact, her dedication to growing the sport in Massachusetts earned her a spot in the Massachusetts Youth Soccer Association Hall of Fame.

She was also a Revs fan and had season tickets since the club’s inception. Though Judy passed away in 2011, her seats are still owned and used by family.

Judy did house Joe Germanese and later provided board for Amaechi Igwe. These acts of kindness got her a unique gift: a picture of Nutsy that was signed by the entire Revs team.

You might be against making Nutsy the mascot of the Revolution, but you have to admit that this is a pretty cool story.

Perhaps Nutsy can be the sideline support for Revs II.