GOLD

As a proud BADGER, I can only say YES! This should put Marquette back in the dark ages. Who wants to go to a university with no identity? The following is an e-mail rant by an office colleague and MU alum - needless to say, he was not pleased with the decision. I think it says it all:

DATE: 5/5/2005
SUBJECT: it is not a golden day

To Whom it May Concern (or if you just feel like picking on us MU alumni):

Marquette Gold. WTF?

This has got to be some sort of a sick joke. No clear thinking person would consciously think this is acceptable. 38-0 vote by the trustees? Let me be the first to scream BULLSHIT! from the top of the mountain. I cannot believe the vote went that way. Unless they drugged all of the trustees or have each of them in compromising photos with farm animals.

Yesterday afternnon I had this sick feeling in the pit of my stomach that they were going to figure out a way to screw this up even worse. What could be worse than Golden Eagles you say? Gold. That's worse. I can't even think of anything worse than that. Even Marquette Shit would be a step up. At least it would be funny, in a corprophagic way.

Holy crap. Gold. It swirls through my head like a bad gin hangover.

Ok, I understand the politically correct, spineless, gutless, nutless wonders that are in charge of way too much at that fine institution of learning on Wisconsin Ave. couldn't bring themselves to reinstate Warriors. A proud name. With a proud tradition. And supposedly offensive to some hypersensitive types. Whatever.

But Gold? Oh, for Christ's sake. If you couldn't use Warriors, let's go all the way back. Bring back Hilltoppers. Bring back the damn goat. Everybody loves retro anyway. At least that name means something. People can connect with it. But Gold? What the hell does that connect with? The Great Milwaukee Gold Rush of 1856? Ranks right upthere with California Gold Rush of '49, or the Klondike. What stupidity.

Gold. I think I'm gonna puke.

If you had to find a "third way" let's really be creative - let's go with Avalanche. Pay homage to one of the finest drinking establishments that ever graced the Marquette campus and succumbed way too early to the wrecking ball in the mid-'90's. That has history. That IS tradition. 50¢ Red, White, & Blues. Throw your empty bottles against the wall. Da 'Lanche Mug Club. Naked beer slides. Couldn't you just picture next year's cagers wearing uniforms that proudly say "Da 'Lanche"? We could have a bum for the mascot. Who can forget the Avalanche's advertising - "You get your degree at Marquette, but you get your education at Da 'Lanche". Almost Shakespearean. Mitch and Steve - the brothers Lechter - would be proud. Once again they'd see the name of their famous institution in lights. Preferably neon, of course.

But Gold? I'm starting to feel homicidal.

Screw the administration. Boycott any Gold merchandise. Buy, beg or steal anything that says Warriors. Perhaps some enterprising soul can start printing T-shirts and sweatshirts and hats with the Warriors logo. Trademark or copyright infringement be damned. Bring back the old Warriors chants and shout them at the games. Have some students dress up like Willy Wampum and dance in the seats. They can give us Gold, but we don't have to take it. We're Warriors, dammit.

Unbelieveable. Gold.

Later,

Nels
I used to be a proud MU alumnus...