Good morning, sports fans. In the latest effort to promote school spirit, I think its time to bring him back.

The “him” I am referring to is not Michael Jordan, but the one and only “Billy the Panther.”

While I was at tailgating this past weekend, my friends and I saw some students walking around with “Bring Back Billy” T-shirts and milk jugs to donate money to bring back the former Panther mascot.

You remember Billy don’t you. Big Panther, EIU shirt, long tail, I thought you might. Well, in case you haven’t noticed, he doesn’t grace the sidelines at any of Eastern’s events any more.

The reason he isn’t there any more isn’t anything sinister like some mascot mob got to him or anything.

Contrary to popular belief , the Athletic Department didn’t just do away with him.

The thing is that the costume that Eastern uses for its mascot was just old, and, when things get old, they break, as was the case with the Billy costume.

I know the new Panther logo is a sleeker version of a Panther, but it was better when it came out the first time with the Carolina Panthers.

It’s not a bad logo, but it doesn’t have the college feel that it should. Like the one this school had with good old Billy.

When I think of a college football mascot I think of some big oversized animal or human that represents the college or university it is associated with. Something like Michigan State’s Spartan or Purdue’s Boilermaker. But Eastern doesn’t have that anymore.

The thing that really gets to me in this whole thing is that there is no one to blame for this.

Usually I find someone at fault and ride to the end of the column. But there is no one to blame, no one to point a finger at.

So, how do we go about getting some sort of mascot to incite the crowd at O’Brien Stadium or the Lantz?

The obvious answer is to buy a new one, but these things cost money.

Which is something that doesn’t grow on trees. If you don’t believe me, ask my parents.

Maybe there could be a game or two where the fans could pass a hat.

Maybe the athletic department could ask for more fees, oh, that already happened.

So, I guess we’re just up excrement creek. Until someone comes up with a decent solution.