Crimson rip-off

As Mike Davis and our team trudge through their series of away games, they're greeted on each court by wild and vocal crowds, edging up to the floor, some even directly behind the Hoosier bench. Purdue's "Gene pool" and Michigan State's "Izzone" act as deadly sixth men, chanting insults and doing their best to make us feel unwelcome. \nThe Hoosiers? Yes, we do our fair share of trash talking, but we lack a certain unity, a certain mob mania. Without the advantage other universities have wielded, placing student seats as close as possible to the action, the IU home court doesn't instill quite enough fear in the hearts of opposing point guards. Now they are scared, but that won't cut it. We want them to be terrified.\nFrankly, we need a gimmick.\nWe do NOT, however, need a rip off.\nWalking into T.I.S., one can see the newest attempt at creating solidarity amongst the fans. For $9.99 you can buy your very own "Crimson Crazies" T-shirt, making you not only a fan, but a joke.\nI don't think we need to elaborate on how blatantly stolen that idea is. Duke's Cameron Crazies have been a major name in fan-insanity since the 70s. They've been featured on the cover of Sports Illustrated and have Web pages upon Web pages dedicated to them. \nTo add insult to injury, it's an idea taken from DUKE! They're a team that probably all coaches dream about destroying at the last second in a tournament game. The last thing one wants to do is pay them lip service.\nWhat does this say about IU? Do we still find Duke so superior in spirit and talent that we must make them our template for creating the ideal basketball success story?\nYes, the Cameron Crazies are a force to be reckoned with. It's impressive and inspiring that not only are they recognized as an offensive force, -- I hear that current estimates say they're good for about 20 points -- but that they come out for women's as well as the men's games.\nStill, do we have to suckle upon their laurels?\nIU has just as much history and verve as any other university out there. It's a shame that we have yet to mobilize the presence necessary to gain press coverage and T-shirt status.\nI say it's time to build our own mob, more frightening than the Raider Nation, more annoying than the Cheeseheads, and more inspiring than the Crazies -- a horde of loyalists who will comb the Gene Pool right over.\nIt's time to join the Red Army.\nThere will be no negotiating, no diplomatic solutions. Let's issue a preemptive strike on anyone who dares to shout "alcoholic" at our front man and bring our spirit down. \nDon your red and white camouflage -- but please leave the hammers and sickles at home. Come March, we go to war. We've got a new General now, and he doesn't need chairs. \nHe's got reinforcements.