Benny versus Willie : The Battle of the Ball State and Rutgers Statues

Beneficence is the name of the winged statue at Ball State University erected in 1937 as "A Civic Testimonial to the Beneficence of the Ball Brothers and their Families."

William the Silent, "Count of Nassau and Prince of Orange, Father of his Fatherland and Founder of the United States of the Netherlands" (and the first head of state assassinated by a handgun -- in 1584), anchors the end of the Vorhees Mall by the Seminary and has been a favored meeting place since he was installed in 1928.

Benny has a twin located in Massachusetts
at the Boston Gardens Park.

Willie has a twin located in The Hague.

Benny is reputed to flap her wings if you kiss
your true love in front of her at midnight.

Willie is known as "The Silent" (or "de Zwijger" in Dutch)

because he whistles every time a virgin walks by.

Willie looks like he could take Benny in any type of athletic competition (that didn't involve flight), especially if his little dog were allowed to help.

Willie was silent on reasons for the failure of the Knights against the Mountaineers today (for the 13th straight time)

The rain stopped and the sun came out at the end of the game, so we went by the College Avenue campus to commune with the most famous statue on the Mall. But William the Silent, Count of Nassau and Prince of Orange, Father of his Fatherland and Founder of the United States of the Netherlands, had no answers about today's 31-3 loss to the Mountaineers (the 13th in a row).

Except for rare flashes, we as fans let our team down at the Stadium today. Many of us, maybe using this famous statue on the mall as our role model, or letting our spirits be drowned by the driving downpour that continued through most of the first half, didn't give our team the vocal support they deserve.

Also, I think the all black uniforms are probably bad luck. Ditch 'em.