Llamas go on the llam in Arizona, the sports world takes notice
A pair of llamas got lloose Thursday in Sun City, a retirement community west of Phoenix, dashing in and out of traffic to the amusement of TV viewers and the Twitter-verse.
And as you'll see below, the social media fun lasted long after the daring duo was taken into custody.
The llamas -- one white, the other black and a bit smaller -- demonstrated some nimble moves in eluding numerous attempts by law enforcement officials and bystanders to capture them before eventually being apprehended -- the black one via lasso.
Among those following their exploits were the Arizona Cardinals, who tried to stake their claim on the elusive free agents.
The #AZCardinals have agreed to one-year deals with the #llamasontheloose. Each llama will earn 2,340 lbs of hay. Steve Keim does it again.
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) February 26, 2015
@Colts Our #llamasontheloose have a no-trade clause. We'll send you a few cases of salsa for Andrew Luck's beard. These llamas need to eat!
— Arizona Cardinals (@AZCardinals) February 26, 2015
The Cardinals weren't the only ones paying attention.
After all, Phoenix is the place where Horacio Llamas made history as a center for the Suns.
“@Suns: Llamas? Did someone say Llamas? pic.twitter.com/SNwYkoMGSk” That's Me!! Lol. Thanx everybody.
— Horacio llamas (@Becerro_llamas) February 26, 2015
Phoenix's other pro sports franchises weren't completely lleft (ahem) out of the frivolity, however.
Do the llamas have a Twitter yet? #LlamasOnTheLoose
— Daniel Hudson (@DHuddy41) February 26, 2015
No #LlamasOnTheLoose here. Just making hot dogs our way for a new @CircleKArizona feature at Chase Field. pic.twitter.com/HYj8dJ2zgJ
— Arizona Diamondbacks (@Dbacks) February 26, 2015
The new alternate jerseys are really something. "@ryanclassic: pic.twitter.com/d7dFBCbwT5”
— Five For Howling (@Five4Howling) February 26, 2015
Hey! Ever hear "The Llama Song"? Well here you go.
Long after the excitement was over and the city of Phoenix once again could rest easy, the llamas were still the talk of the world. Well, them and that "OMG! What color is it?" dress which quickly became the 'Net's next fad.
HALF: @Suns leading Thunder, 53-48. Llamas happy. https://t.co/Bd5xurHdXn
— NBA on TNT (@NBAonTNT) February 27, 2015
“@Cowboysfan36: @mw55 Just look up #dressgate see the dress everyone is talking about. No! I don't care. Did you see those sweet llamas?
— Michael Waltrip (@mw55) February 27, 2015
LeBron having 22 points midway through the second quarter has us like... #Llamas #CavsWarriors pic.twitter.com/mH7qCk2IXt
— Cleveland Cavaliers (@cavs) February 27, 2015
A lieutenant with the Maricopa County Sheriff's Office, speaking to azcentral.com, said the llamas escaped from a trailer outside an assisted living facility. A llama rancher had brought them to the facility to visit with an ex-llama rancher as a form of animal therapy. There were three llamas in the trailer, but only two ran.
