Christopher Borrelli: Benny the Bull has been to China, topped a Forbes list and been arrested. But that's only part of his story.

CHICAGO - First of all, before I get too far into this, Benny the Bull, the longtime clown prince of the Chicago Bulls, was not available to comment for this story.

I asked, of course. I asked often.

This is a profile of Benny, arguably the most popular mascot in professional sports, and, now at 50, one of the oldest mascots in organized sports. This is the story of how Benny was created, how he has evolved. Yet the Bulls front office would not allow Benny to speak to me. To be fair, Benny can't speak; he also can't moo or growl or sing.

Benny the Bull, as the Bulls explained quite earnestly, is "entirely nonverbal."

Which creates a problem for a profile because, though you might not realize, behind his canisters of Silly String and swatches of red fur, Benny is a fascinating creature.

Benny accompanied Richard M. Daley to China. Benny has been sued and Benny has been ejected from games. Benny has topped the Forbes list of the most popular sports mascots and Benny has been arrested at the Taste of Chicago. Off the court, the people who played Benny didn't get health insurance from the Bulls until the Jordan era (or a 401K plan for even longer). One owned a deli in Skokie, another was an evangelical Christian.

Have you lived as much as Benny has?

Benny has gone from a sideshow attraction to - after yet another pitiful Bulls season - the main attraction.

Being unable to speak to Benny, however, questions may go unanswered. Such as, does Benny ever feel like he's carrying the Bulls on his shoulders? Does Benny think he gets paid enough to hug it out with drunks? Does Benny believe in a god? Where does Benny go after games? What does Benny really want out of life? And - who is Benny?

Actually, that last one, I know. I know who Benny has been since he was