the next event, hurdles, Izzy beats Spartan despite Martin raising the height of the hurdles for Izzy. Izzy earns the ring of excellence after giving it his all. Animosity grows from the haters of Izzy, and the sky of Torch World becomes filled with dark clouds. Koroibos is at a loss of how to guide Izzy through this, as the final competition, a 1v1 basketball game, begins. Izzy cannot bring himself to compete against Spartan again after hearing the hate and sorrow from the crowd. He says, “No trip to the Games is worth this,” and walks off the court. In his effort to bring peace, the Ring of Brotherhood appears above him. One of the Elders is reminded that the Olympics are meant to bring people of all walks of life together for the betterment of society. The storm clouds clear away, and the Elders announce that they have found a new spirit and understanding of the values of the Olympics. The Elders grant Izzy permission to try out for the Games on Earth, and the stadium rejoices. Martin and Spartan attempt to flee, but Spartan’s mother (one of the Elders) looks like she is about to scold the two. Izzy turns into a basketball out of pure joy, then hugs his parents and Koroibos. Media ridicule Despite continued efforts to evolve his look, Izzy proved very unpopular; a range of nicknames appeared in media outlets, such as "The Sperm in Sneakers." Busch Gardens Williamsburg, a theme park in Williamsburg, Virginia, named a new Wild Mouse roller coaster after the mascot, but the name has since been changed. A popular joke that circulated in Atlanta around the end of the 1996 games stated that the blue line painted on Peachtree Road (which actually designated the route for the Olympic Marathon) was "Izzy's ass being dragged out of town." Izzy was referenced in "The Old Man and the 'C' Student", an episode of The Simpsons. It was not referred to as Izzy, though, rather being referred to as "the Atlanta Whatsit". Video games Izzy served as the player's character in a video game titled Izzy's Quest for the Olympic Rings, released in 1995 by U.S. Gold for the Super NES and Genesis platforms. An adventure game entitled Izzy's Adventure was released for PC in 1996. References External links photograph of Izzy, on a mascot manufacturer website. A site devoted to