I 'R' U

The Scarlet Knights of Rutgers University have a lot to be proud of this year, which is a unique feeling for a school that hasn’t won a national championship since 1949 – and for fencing at that. Their women’s basketball team was thrust into the national spotlight for their run to the national championship and for their unshakable poise after shock-jock Don Imus called the squad a bunch of “nappy headed hoes.” Even more impressive was the perennially unremarkable football team, which fought to win their first bowl game since, oh, the beginning of recorded history or so. \nNot surprisingly, Rutgers’ home state of New Jersey – known for its limitless sucking – is feeling shown-up by their students. The university’s success was the last straw for a state that hosts two professional football teams, the New York Giants and the New York Jets, both of which refuse to admit that they have anything to do with Jersey. Like most of Jersey’s residents, Rutgers previously felt no need to advertise their affiliation with miles of petroleum refineries and the stench of Interstate 95. However, the publicly funded university of 50,000 students may soon brand the letters “NJ” on their uniforms, flags, and hoodies. In response to their overwhelming success, New Jersey State Assemblyman Patrick Diegnan, D-Middlesex, is sponsoring a resolution that asks Rutgers to add Jersey’s postal abbreviation to their current “spiritmark,” a block-letter ‘R.’ \nSaid Diegnan, “There are folks saying, ‘Rutgers, where exactly is that located?”’ \nOf course, Diegnan forgot to mention that it would cost millions for Rutgers to redesign every uniform for every team, the official letterhead, the basketball court and football field. \nIndiana has a similar image problem. We may not be, as Benjamin Franklin described New Jersey, a “keg with a tap at each end,” but we’re certainly not known for our intellectual prowess or cultural elitism either. Therefore, it only makes sense that we capitalize on Rutgers’ successful season as well by adding a giant “R” to our own spirit mark.\nIn order to distinguish IU-Bloomington from Indiana University of Pennsylvania and limit the negative effects of Hoosier stereotypes, we should also consider enlisting the Scarlet Knight as our official mascot. As yet no one has been able to successfully define what a Hoosier is, so we might as well make it a medieval warrior. That way, whenever ESPN plays a clip of Rutgers’ winning season, they’ll be reminded of how great IU athletics are.\nThere may be some confusion in the short term, but the merger of our two logos will definitely inspire our players to compete at the same level as Rutgers’ athletes. By proudly stealing the thunder of another university, we will, in essence, be doubling the skill and respect of IU. \nIf New Jersey can boost its tourism industry by proving to the public that not everyone is ashamed to be part of the state, then IU can certainly turn its image around by dragging behind the coattails of a known winner.