How a Science Communication Project Resulted in Professional Sports Teams Using the Term Neuroequifinality
Before November 2025, I had a knee problem but it was manageable. I could Leukotape it, I could manage the swelling to some degree, and I knew when I could stop activity before I made it worse. I had a lateral release and (what the surgeon at the time told me) MPFL repair in 2018 due to recurrent dislocations, patella alta, and patellar tilt in my right knee. Unfortunately, the lateral release failed and by September 2024 my knee began dislocating medially which was unfortunately, not caught until I had a TTO in February 2026,
Thanksgiving 2025 I had plans to go the Ravens-Bengal game but the week before my kneecap moved so much I had severe instability and we couldn’t go. I couldn’t go to my best friends wedding. I had just finished data collection for my dissertation a few weeks prior and was procrastinating writing up the results and discussion. Suffice to say, I was bored and needed a project to keep me going. And then I saw someone post on YouTube how he contacted all professional sports teams to ask for merch.
It occurred to me, my dissertation defense was coming up and I have 4 committee members. They are wonderful and I appreciate every single one of them, but I wondered, what about a fifth member whose jobs was to support me under any and all circumstances? Where could I find one of those? And then it hit me… mascots. That is their entire job! So I did what anyone in my position would do – I wrote to every single sports teams and invited their mascot to join my committee.
This was one of the most expansive and fun endeavors I’ve ever undertaken in my life, including my dissertation. This is a living document and I will be updating it so keep an eye out!
The Project
I could have opted to simply write letters, but someone like me who has been on the couch since November 2025 and could no longer do anything fun (including walk my dogs) was not going to do the standard thing.
What did I do? Well, I bought pink envelopes and addressed every single team I could find using calligraphy. I then crafted custom invitations for each and every team mascot.
Of course NFL got footballs, that’s appropriate and makes sense. I also made sure the colors matched the team.
NBA got basketballs. Again, this felt obvious.
And following the now familiar pattern, MLB got baseballs.
However, I was pressed on what to send NHL. I couldn’t do a puck because it would just look like a black oval and no amount of contouring or cuts would change that. So I thought about this, the way a scientist would, and imagined what else is notable about hockey players. And then the revelation came to, they lose their teeth. And so the NHL got these committee appointment cards.
But again… I am very thorough and I couldn’t just appoint them to the committee. So I gave them invitations to both the defense and my graduation, of course.
I did research every single mascot and I had my favorites, that’s par for the course. Some resonated with me deeply in ways I cannot articulate but they have a certain je ne sais quoi.
Major and Minor League Baseball Teams
The very first team to respond was the New York Yankees!
National Football League
I must be upfront here, the first two teams I wrote to were the Buffalo Bills and Minnesota Vikings — neither team responded to me. This is really sad because I LOVE the Bills and my boyfriend grew up in Minneapolis so is a Vikings fan by default.
The first team that sent me anything was the Detroit Lions! They sent me a broken pin, which I will assume was an accident.
The Green Bay Packers response nearly shattered my boyfriend. In part because the Vikings failed to answer the phone, and in part because everyone knows about Green Bay vs Vikings rivalry.
National Basketball Association
To date, the only team that has responded to me was the Sacramento Kings. I adore the Hello Kitty keychain they sent me and it lives on my bag now.
National Hockey League
The NHL absolutely blew my mind in all the best ways. I will hold off on elaborating here until after D-day (defense day).
Major League Soccer
When I tell you how much I did not know I was going to become obsessed with this league, I need you to believe that I am being truthful with every fiber in my being.
Thank you to the New England Revolution who dressed me in Slyde’s gear and for Slyde’s response!
And of course thank you to Charlotte FC for Sir Minty figurine and the actual backpack of amazing goodies! My boyfriend moved the package before I could get photos, but they are coming and will be added.
Then came Minnesota United FC, who granted me the title of Vibes Ambassador and gave me and my boyfriend matching scarves and a loon! Yes, I have my own loon now and he has watched me do my work.
Beyond Project Mascot
Now, I will admit something. I did not stop with sports teams because I was so excited about wrapping data collection and having a defense date set, so I contacted corporations. I didn’t contact everyone but I did contact a few of my absolute favorites! Because this is retrospective and I didn’t keep detailed enough logs for the first time in my life, I will not be showing responses in order but hang tight because I was amazed!
This one was done because my mom has an insane crush on him. My whole life I had been hearing about how my late father resembles Harrison Ford, so much so that I actively avoided watching Star Wars.
