It is well known that George Washington was a major proponent of neutrality. In his 1796 Farewell Address, he argued that America should refuse alliances and rivalries equally. But his namesake – this University – has decidedly ignored his advice, and is actively promoting a basketball rivalry with nearby school George Mason. While the campaign may be cheesy even by GW standards, the excitement surrounding the game is a positive sign.
For anybody who has been living under a rock the past couple of weeks, student organizations and the spirit office have gone all out in promoting the Dec. 2 men’s basketball game against George Mason. The highlight of the campaign is the Web site www.beatgeorgemason.com, which features the slogan “take back the orange line” and a professional-grade promotional video. While we didn’t know that we had ever lost the orange line in the first place, the energy behind the campaign is impressive.
This is obviously not a deep-seated rivalry. We haven’t played Mason in more than ten years, and before the past few weeks there was little if any passion felt regarding our neighboring school in Virginia. But then again, GMU is a natural choice as a GW rival. Our teams are comparable in a number of ways, and Mason is not as far away as a school like Xavier. Even if the rivalry is a somewhat fabricated now, it has the potential to become a serious draw for basketball games.
The downside to such a campaign is that it hinges on the attendance of a single game. To have such a game as the focal point of the season passes by the fact that we are currently 3-0 in a rebuilding year. The Colonials have shown some real heart in the games played so far, and this alone should be enough to drive students to games. After the Dec. 2 showdown, it will be important to keep visibility and attendance high.
Even though we don’t think the Patriots have a chance against us, students should still come out to see their inevitable defeat. We only ask that GW students in attendance are not too harsh on the Patriots, as they have a hard time taking themselves seriously as it is. If you don’t believe us, a quick Google search of “George Mason University Mascot” will explain everything. We don’t know what a fuzzy green character reminiscent of Sesame Street ever had to do with Patriots or basketball, but maybe they can explain it after the Colonials’ victory.
A lack of spirit is a perennial complaint of GW students. Even if this rivalry is a little manufactured, we will take the enthusiasm where we can get it. We hope that the energy displayed in this campaign will continue on throughout the season and beyond. George Washington may have advocated neutrality, but in this case, we certainly shouldn’t.
Readers can visit the Forum to comment on this editorial.
