This school has wonderful traditions that students might notcompletely know about.
Don’t walk on the seal in Dallas Hall. After you singVarsity, you circle your pony ears for the number of yearsyou’ve been at SMU. Don’t drink on game day. Wait,that’s not right.
Nevertheless, there is one Mustang tradition that needs a littletweaking … or MiracleGro for pets.
How long will we continue to have that little pony as our dearrepresentation of Peruna? Seeing the handlers skip along thatoversized labrador as it chops along the turf is downrightinsulting.
We’re the Mustangs; so while we’re at it,let’s drop this “ponies” nickname. If your namewere Butch, why in this lifetime, would you settle for “snackpack” as an alias?
Ed Board thinks school spirit could use a bigger horse. A big,black horse with steel quarters and hooves big enough to stomp ahole in Boise State, or anyone else who came into Ford Stadium. Puta student on that horse, and let’s show Florida State howit’s really done. Not a white horse, not a brown horse, butthe most sinister and intimidating color of all — a deep,shiny midnight black.
The name Peruna will still be retained, that’s the actualtradition that needs to live. But when the first one died (rest inpeace dear representative of this wonderful institution), someoneshould have seen then that this little pony thing wouldn’tcut it.
We can complain that people don’t completely respect thetraditions we have. Students walk across the seal. People remainsitting during the singing of the alma mater. These are crimesagainst the university and our community should not stand for them.And we shouldn’t stand for that little donkey that ruins theshins of Peruna handlers on a weekly basis.
The football team has sinister helmets. The basketball team hasa sinister coach. The men’s and women’s soccer teamshave sinister skills, and the swimming teams have sinisterspeed.
Now if we can just get a horse to match. Not just any horse— a big, black, bucking, seemingly untamed horse that neighsand scares people who are afraid of real horses. That’s aMustang — wild and untamed. Not stubby and passive.
The next time you see a police officer on horseback, notice thathorse and how people react. If you’ve got the courage, goover to the horse. Pet it, and just for a moment, whisper”Peruna” in its ear. Take notice of the overwhelmingfeeling of SMU pride you feel. Your blood runs as Harvard Crimsonand Yale Blue swirl, and your heart will beat the rhythm of theMustang fight song.
Suddenly, calling our treasured university mascot — anintimidating, lustrous untamed horse — a “pony”will make you feel like an ass.
