Nuggets mascot in trouble after unscheduled Republican conference appearance

It has been said that mascots and politics make for strange bedfellows. 

Okay, maybe that hasn't been said before, but it certainly rang true this week when Denver Nuggets mascot Rocky made an unexpected appearance at a Republican rally. 

The Nuggets mascot was seen at the Colorado Republican Party rally on Monday at Heritage High School. Several top Colorado GOP players were in attendance, including 2012 presidential candidate Mitt Romney. 

Rocky reportedly did not clear the appearance with his bosses, according to The Denver Post. Nuggets marketing manager Graham Wincott said the incident was "an unsanctioned, unpaid appearance that we had no knowledge of. As a sports team, we want to be apolitical. Two things we never touch on are politics and religion."

The Colorado GOP tweeted out a photo of Rocky at the event, which has since been deleted. 

Colorado Republican Party chairman Ryan Call wrote the following in an email to the Post on Tuesday: 

I was surprised and pleased to see Rocky before the rally yesterday, and understand he was there at the invitation and as a guest of a long-time supporter of Mitt Romney and Bob Beauprez. Although he did not play a role in the formal program, it was terrific to see him interacting with Nuggets fans and putting smiles on the faces of people in the gathering crowd before the rally started. I'm sure everyone understands that his appearance in no way implies an endorsement by the Denver Nuggets of any candidate or party. Nuggets fans also understand that even Rocky has First Amendment rights and the Colorado Republican Party stands with him.

According to Wincott, Rocky's appearance "wasn't something we were expecting or wanting." He also said that the matter was being handled internally.