In response to Mike Rudnicki’s letter in Monday’s Star slamming our beloved Huskie, we have a few things to say.

First of all, do you know how hot it is inside of that “dog hair?”

Deana’s sister was the mascot for Eastern Illinois for years and sweat off five pounds during every game due to the heat inside tha Panther costume.

This is no exaggeration. Even on the coldest of days, the temperature inside those mascot suits can exceed 100 degrees after jumping around for a short while.

Besides the heat, that dog costume weighs a lot. Just how “ferocious” would you be with a 10 pound pile of fur on your head?

The temperature inside the costume and the weight of it really restrict movement. Maybe you’d be able to figure that one out if you weren’t so busy trying to make Victor look like a puppy.

Another thing we’d like you to consider: the girl who used to be SIU’s Saluki got her arm broken during a game trying to fight off the opposing team’s cheerleaders.

Obviously, you don’t realize how rough of a job it really is. Would it make you happy if our Huskie came off the field with a few broken bones after the next football game? He’s not a defensive tackle, after all. He’s our mascot.

Your lovely example of the DePaul Demon brings us yet to another point. You say he flipped you off. Boy, that’s tough! We’ll bet he had to take years of “attitude adjustment classes” to learn how to do that.

Is that what you want our Huskie to do? Remember, he’s representing 25,000 students. We don’t know about the other 24,998, but we happen to be respectable people and wouldn’t want our representative to be known for such classy mannerisms.

One last thing, Mike, at least Victor shows consistent support for our teams and a great amount of school spirit. He’s out there for every game, regardless of time, place, or hangover (not that he drinks).

And what were you doing during the NIU vs. Northwestern game? Slugging around your apartment with a few buddies and a keg. (I happen to know because I was there.) What a way to back the team.

So now we put it to you Michael D. Rudnicki…if you’re not satisfied with our dear Huskie’s performance, you be the new Huskie in town!!!

And, by the way, the guy (yes, it’s a guy in there—get your facts straight) who’s the Huskie didn’t design the costume. You’d have to take up the issue of the “goofy smile” with someone else.

Christina Brinkmann

Finance

Junior

Deana Stranz

Visual Communications

Junior