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First of all please let me made it clear this character was never my own creation, it belongs to a football team san jose earthquake 2000 to 2002 mascot. I came across this mascot some years ago as people have thought it resemble alphaleo a lot. But it was not. I just find the design pretty cool especially the armor he wore, the fursuit was also well made. As i was nearing the end of 2012, i was thinking to do some art practice and so happens i remember this character and decided to give it a shot practicing my own style, not really as great as i originally plan it willl do fornow. Wrapping up the last for 2012 and look forward for more new challenge for 2013.
video clip here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiC-8CRTIGU
video clip here http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FiC-8CRTIGU
Category Artwork (Digital) / Fanart
Species Dog (Other)
Size 1152 x 1280px
File Size 180.3 kB
wolfboy1
This is an amazing piece of art! Great work!
Some great memories. I was Rikter's main performer before the team retired him in 2002.
An interesting bit of trivia: there's been at least two Furries who found fandom from finding Rikter's photos on Timduru's site.
Cryo's suit design was inspired by Rikter.
In 2004 the team introduced a different mascot. Unfortunately no one knows where the mascot costume is anymore, not even the team itself.
Some great memories. I was Rikter's main performer before the team retired him in 2002.
An interesting bit of trivia: there's been at least two Furries who found fandom from finding Rikter's photos on Timduru's site.
Cryo's suit design was inspired by Rikter.
In 2004 the team introduced a different mascot. Unfortunately no one knows where the mascot costume is anymore, not even the team itself.
Aww, thanks for the kind words. Yeah, I've been around, here and there.
I performed Rikter for the 2 seasons since his debut (2000-2001) and about 200 appearances. In early 2002 the Earthquakes got a new GM, very traditionalist, and they phased out Rikter. Under his tenure they had no mascot.
The Earthquakes were operated by the SJ Sharks management, so my wager is that Rikter is in SJ Sharkie's possession. I worked with him back in 1999 and he boasted about having a number of old defunct bay area mascots.
In 2004, another GM stepped in, and they brought in a new mascot, a fuzzy blue thing named Q:
http://yippee.critter.net/jc-Q.jpg
When I asked what happened to Rikter, my former manager said "He's gone to team archive. No you can't have him."
Fast forward to 2005 - the owner group moved the team to Houston to become the Dynamo. Almost the entire front office was let go, and I couldn't find anyone left to ask about Rikter. I later contacted the Dynamo mascot, he said they had no idea.
I've also contacted the design studio and they didn't know.
In 2008 the league granted San Jose another franchise, which inherited all the previous Earthquakes records and stuff. I asked them what they were doing about a mascot. They said they were bringing back Q, and they couldn't find Rikter. They did ask if I wanted to audition, I declined.
I performed Rikter for the 2 seasons since his debut (2000-2001) and about 200 appearances. In early 2002 the Earthquakes got a new GM, very traditionalist, and they phased out Rikter. Under his tenure they had no mascot.
The Earthquakes were operated by the SJ Sharks management, so my wager is that Rikter is in SJ Sharkie's possession. I worked with him back in 1999 and he boasted about having a number of old defunct bay area mascots.
In 2004, another GM stepped in, and they brought in a new mascot, a fuzzy blue thing named Q:
http://yippee.critter.net/jc-Q.jpg
When I asked what happened to Rikter, my former manager said "He's gone to team archive. No you can't have him."
Fast forward to 2005 - the owner group moved the team to Houston to become the Dynamo. Almost the entire front office was let go, and I couldn't find anyone left to ask about Rikter. I later contacted the Dynamo mascot, he said they had no idea.
I've also contacted the design studio and they didn't know.
In 2008 the league granted San Jose another franchise, which inherited all the previous Earthquakes records and stuff. I asked them what they were doing about a mascot. They said they were bringing back Q, and they couldn't find Rikter. They did ask if I wanted to audition, I declined.
YIPPEE!!
Somehow I never knew about Rikter until TODAY, and now I'm immediately super sad that he's gone! I was a big MLS fan back when the league started, and the San Jose Clash were my favorite team when they were still known as the Clash, but then I went to college and my time for watching and following sports got pushed to the back burner. It's only this year that I've really started following soccer again, helped by the fact that my hometown of Houston has a team now - the Houston Dynamo - which they didn't when MLS first started.
But of course the Houston Dynamo now WERE the San Jose Clash/Quakes back in the '90s/early 2000s. And Dynamo Diesel is cool, but today I find Rikter, and he was so much COOLER! And then I search FA for Rikter fan art, and I find this awesome piece, and then I read the comments and find out that you WERE Rikter!! Worlds colliding... my mind is blown, haha.
I've been very fortunate and blessed to participate in the professional mascot ranks in recent years, though what that will look like post-pandemic, nobody can yet say. But as a fellow furry... and a fellow mascot actor... and as a San Jose/Houston soccer fan... and now as Rikter fan, I just have to say, MUCH respect and admiration, sir. I've been at this for a long time, but you've been at it for even longer, so thank you for all you've done and for the inspiration. ^_^
Somehow I never knew about Rikter until TODAY, and now I'm immediately super sad that he's gone! I was a big MLS fan back when the league started, and the San Jose Clash were my favorite team when they were still known as the Clash, but then I went to college and my time for watching and following sports got pushed to the back burner. It's only this year that I've really started following soccer again, helped by the fact that my hometown of Houston has a team now - the Houston Dynamo - which they didn't when MLS first started.
But of course the Houston Dynamo now WERE the San Jose Clash/Quakes back in the '90s/early 2000s. And Dynamo Diesel is cool, but today I find Rikter, and he was so much COOLER! And then I search FA for Rikter fan art, and I find this awesome piece, and then I read the comments and find out that you WERE Rikter!! Worlds colliding... my mind is blown, haha.
I've been very fortunate and blessed to participate in the professional mascot ranks in recent years, though what that will look like post-pandemic, nobody can yet say. But as a fellow furry... and a fellow mascot actor... and as a San Jose/Houston soccer fan... and now as Rikter fan, I just have to say, MUCH respect and admiration, sir. I've been at this for a long time, but you've been at it for even longer, so thank you for all you've done and for the inspiration. ^_^
Wow! I thought you knew, or maybe just assumed people generally knew. Thanks for the kind words and all! I hope maybe to see y’all in action, such fun critters you mentioned at TFF.
If you haven’t seen the video Croc did, check it out:
https://youtu.be/XYyAUHsIu2c
If you haven’t seen the video Croc did, check it out:
https://youtu.be/XYyAUHsIu2c
Turns out that AC knew about Rikter, and she knew that you had all the best photos of him (like Peter Parker with all the best Spider-Man photos!), but she never put two and two together. Meanwhile I’ve been over here, buying early 2000s San Jose soccer cards this year, and having NO idea that they had the COOLEST mascot ever. Sci-fi furries are always my favorite characters (like Rocket & Star Fox), so I have no doubt that Rikter would have been my favorite sports mascot had I know about him in his day. ^_^
LOVE the video! You clearly did an incredible job of bringing the character to life. <3 It makes me eager to get back on the field again; I hope we get that chance when it’s safe to do so. But it also makes me sad that I’ll never get to see Rikter in person. ;_; In any event, thank you for being awesome!
LOVE the video! You clearly did an incredible job of bringing the character to life. <3 It makes me eager to get back on the field again; I hope we get that chance when it’s safe to do so. But it also makes me sad that I’ll never get to see Rikter in person. ;_; In any event, thank you for being awesome!
So let me get this straight. The San Jose Earthquakes replaced This cool dude with the bastard child of Cookie Monster and Elmo? Sometimes the decisions people make confuse me to no end.
Nice work. Love the pose.
Nice work. Love the pose.
Nice job Alphaleo on this!
Rikter the Cyberdog was the char. that inspired me to create my fursona and fursuit Cryo Cyberwolf. I took a elements of his design and added my own as well. I even was in negotiations for the creators of Rikter to make Cryo but the deal fell through when they no longer were accepting individual work orders and only focused on cooperate customers.
Rikter the Cyberdog was the char. that inspired me to create my fursona and fursuit Cryo Cyberwolf. I took a elements of his design and added my own as well. I even was in negotiations for the creators of Rikter to make Cryo but the deal fell through when they no longer were accepting individual work orders and only focused on cooperate customers.
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