10/28   The "Tree" from Stanford sounds like a complete idiot. Thanks for
        your deep insights -- you sure do put Cal students to shame.

        "It has come to my attention that perhaps our friends at Cal have
        a limited understanding of the organic world," Henderson said in
        his statement. "It seems that they mistakenly believe they have
        stolen a living thing. This is not the case. The Tree costume is
        an inanimate object. It does not move; it does not think; it does
        not write letters, especially letters which deprecate Stanford.

        "Stop talking to a pile of fabric and show a little backbone.
        Currently, there is some debate over whether stealing the costume
        is a misdemeanor or a felony. I assure you that kidnapping the
        real Tree is a federal offense. This is called Big Game for a
        reason. Get big. Get me."
                        -- Chris Henderson, The Stanford Daily, 10/28/98
        \_ What is the incident that the article is referring to?
           \_ Supposedly some Cal person stole the tree costume and is
              holding it hostage. Robert Berdahl has given an ultimatum
              that if it isn't returned, no Oskie at Cal football games.
           \_ The stealing of the Stanford Tree costume by some Cal
              students dubbed "The Phoenix Five." Are you not on campus?
                \_ Actually, no, I'm not on campus.  I graduated 5 years ago.
                   Gotta keep up with campus news more often.
                \_ Berdahl is banning Oski from the big game as a result.
                   BTW, why is it that Stanford has a tree running around
                   the games when its mascot is actually a cardinal.
                   Wouldn't it make more sense to have a big red bird (or
                   a high ranking priest) on the sidelines?
                        \_ the mascot is "cardinal", the color, not the bird
                           or the cleric.  The tree is the mascot of the
                           (extroadinarily lame) band.  -tom
                           \_ Well they could have a guy dressed in a red blob
                           \_ Isn't it because Stanford is in Palo Alto,
                              which means "tall tree" in Spanish?
                                \_ there was some stupid tree on campus
                                   that got cut down.  it's in their logo,
                                   too.  -tom
                              \_ funny, I thought it meant "tall hill"
                                 \_ Nah, it means "High Stick". They were
                                    named by Spanish hockey fans.
                                 \_ I dunno, I took french in high school,
                                    but growing up in the area, I thought
                                    that's what they taught us about Palo
                                    Alto. There was something dealing with
                                    a tree and that city.
                        \_ The Phoenix Five said they'd return the Tree
                           before the Big Game, so Oski will get to
                           appear. However because the Tree wasn't
                           returned by yesterday midnight's deadline, Oski
                           is banned from the Oregon St. game this
                           Saturday. Big deal.
        \_ Return the tree, already.  It is just a pile of fabric, and it
           belongs to someone else.
           \_ Yeah, and the Axe is just another tool to chop trees with.