Kicker: Silver lining?

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MARY REICHARD, HOST: As the Paralympics continue in Milan and Cortina, two small mascots are turning into big collectibles.

Fans crowd Olympic fan zones hoping to meet the cartoon weasels representing the Games.

The animals appear on mugs, T-shirts, and pins.

But the hardest item to find is the plush toy. Fans say they sell out immediately.

AUDIO: We’ve tried to get plushies. I think the only way to get them is to actually win a medal. But they are very hard to find.

Right, medalists did receive the mascots during the medal ceremony.

But when the Canadian men’s and women’s hockey teams took silver, (evil laughter) cameras caught players accepting the plushies with visible disgust.

The moment quickly became an online meme.

So if you are still trying to find one of those mascots, maybe check the locker rooms of the runners-up.

It’s The World and Everything in It.

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