Our moment of glory is finally here. I know the anticipation has been killing you, because it has been killing me.

After weeks of anticipation, Northwestern finally gets to play for a coveted rivalry trophy. The Sweet Sioux Tomahawk.

Pour some teriyaki on this one, because this is going to be as sweet and sour as a rivalry game gets.

We often wonder why the Wildcats don’t have a rival outside of Illinois. But why don’t we have more rivalry trophies? Isn’t that what the Big Ten is about?

Michigan and Minnesota are as natural rivals as a … well, Wolverine and a Gopher. But they still get to fight over that Little Brown Jug — although for the most part it is more like Michigan putting its hand on Minnesota’s head while Minnesota flails around violently trying to punch Michigan.

Illinois and Ohio State play for a wooden turtle. Michigan State plays Notre Dame for a megaphone — go Green, right? Indiana gets the chance to win not only the Old Oaken Bucket every year, but also the Old Brass Spittoon.

A tomahawk is pretty cool. But that trophy case gets awful lonely, especially the 33 times in history the Wildcats have not held it.

NU should join the Big Ten club and find some nice trophy games to add spice to its schedule.
Iowa seems as good a stop as any. The last four years have provided fantastic meetings between the Hawkeyes and the Cats. Coach Pat Fitzgerald earned his first win at Kinnick Stadium, and the Cats needed a miracle comeback at Ryan Field in 2005. The two should hate each other by now.

Why don’t they play for a paddle or something? The Louis and Clark Trophy. Someone has to cross the Mighty Missisippi and claim this coveted piece of hardware.

How about Indiana?

The Cats and Hoosiers have traditionally been at the bottom of the Big Ten and occassionally make runs at the title. NU has the better overall history. But Indiana has proven the last two years that no game in the Big Ten should be overlooked.

The two teams could fight over the coveted Buckeye Trophy and join a long list of teams that play for trophies based on a mutual rival — think Seminole War Canoe between Florida and Miami.

Sure, neither team may have the history of Ohio State, but the simple figure of that poisonous nut will remind the two that their goal can’t be too far.

It is really fun to pick fights with people for no reason. And that is what rivalries are really about.

The Sweet Sioux Tomahawk always makes the Illinois game special — especially for those not from Big Ten country.

When the game ends we can go back to our normal lives — at least until next year.

prossmanreich@u.northwestern.edu

Tags: Gameday, Kickoff, Pat Fitzgerald, Sweet Sioux Tomahawk