Gossip

Can the iPhone bring home the iBacon? Get the "Saints" iPig!

Baseball team Saints (Minnesota) shamelessly climbed on the iBandwagon "in an effort to beat Apple to the punch" by announcing its plans to compete with the iPhone, releasing the much less-hyped iPig.

St Paul bloggers managed to get a shot of the iPig [left].

The Saints, known for its four-legged swine mascot that delivers baseballs to the umpire (2007’s Version 15.0 is named Garrison Squeallor), "have developed an actual pig that executes all functions of the new iPhone," says the club's press release today.

Here's the official explanation for the confusion between phone and porker:

For centuries, the pig has been used for food, worshipped in some cultures as a god-like figure, and more recently, developed into a baseball delivery system. However, advances in its development have stalled in recent years. The revolutionary iPig turns the animal into an all-purpose technological marvel.

The iPig will function traditionally as a pig, but will allow the user to listen to a complete library of his or her favorite music at the touch of a button. With speakers mounted on either chop, sound quality will be exceptional, surpassing that of the iPhone. The music shuffler fits into a pouch near the spare ribs that is fully customizable, providing the myriad fashion and accessory alternatives. Want to call all of your friends? The iPig also functions as a quad-band smartphone that can be transported easily and used around the world, all the while maintaining complete wireless functionality.

“This is the most anticipated pig since Porky,” said Saints General Manager/Executive Vice President Derek Sharrer . “Taking on a major player like Apple is daunting, but our sense is that Apple has exposed a niche that these pigs fill. Our critics will say there’s no market for trying to reinvent the pig. We’ll see.”

The iPigs will retail for $299, half the cost of an 8 GB iPhone. Analysts have complimented the iPig on being extremely user-friendly, loving and adorable. The iPig is extremely well-trained and won’t run all over the place, staying within a few feet of its owner at all times. Plus, it’s virtually impossible to misplace the iPig.

The release of the new iPig is Thursday, June 28, one day before Apple’s iPhone. While AT&T stores will close Friday for an hour and a half prior to prepare for the launch, the Saints offices will close for five minutes Thursday in a similar move.

The Saints biggest concern may be consumer demand for the iPig. To date, the Saints have produced exactly one pig available for retail sale Thursday.

The Saints are no strangers to risk-taking with their promotions, such as 2004’s Randy Moss hood ornament giveaway and 2002’s Bud Selig Tie Night, following a one-of-a-kind deadlock in that year’s All-Star Game. Industry analysts agree that the iPig represents the biggest risk to date for one of ’s best known sports organizations.

“I understand taking on Major League Baseball and the NFL of their own turfs – that kind of stuff is in the pocket for the Saints…but Apple Computer? This is insane. If they pull it off, it will be the technology story of the 21st Century,” said Brandon Cuthbert of cNet, a leading technology industry trade publication.

Industry analysts aren’t the only ones buzzing about the revolutionary iPig. Saints attendance, while is usually at or near capacity, has recently seen an influx of people at games in hopes of getting the first look at the iPig.

Several analysts have pointed to design shortcomings in the iPig including a touch-screen that may occasionally induce an “oink”, and the daily clean-up needed to maintain the product.

“At least with our product, the user doesn’t have to slop the thing twice a day,” said an Apple spokesperson speaking on the condition of anonymity.
Garrison Squeallor (pictured) served as the model for the first iPig. Past Saints mascots have included Bud Squealig, Hammy Davis, Jr., Kevin Bacon and Notorious P.I.G. (a.k.a. Piggy Smalls).

"Be first in line to see or purchase the iPig Thursday, June 28 as the Saints take on the Pensacola Pelicans at 7:05 p.m. For more information or to purchase tickets contact the Saints at 651-644-6659 or online at saintsbaseball.com.

To order the iPig, contact the Saints or visit www.saintsipig.com.