Knott Hall Juggs are building identity through vibrant orange and spirit
By BRIAN FORD
Scene Writer
Nicknamed the Juggs, the men of Knott Hall reside in a smaller sized L shaped dorm hidden behind Touchdown Jesus on the north side of campus. Knott men are known for their athleticism, winning such inter-hall events as football, soccer, bench press and b-league basketball. They also placed second in hockey. They love their sports but pride themselves on being gentlemen (or something to that extent).
Having been a male dorm for only three years, Knott still searches for an identity. Prior to that the residents lived in Flanner Hall but due to excessive partying, that building is no longer a dorm.
Most residents agree that orange, Knott's hall color, embodies the dorm's spirit. When talking about Knott's intense presence at pep rallies, freshman Bo Rotterborn said, "Orange symbolizes the craziness we have."
Brian Polowski, a sophomore who helped at freshman orientation, described the uniqueness of orange as a way for the men of Knott to stand out. "When all of the freshman Juggs went out to the Stepan courts during the graffiti dance, it was great to watch them stand out amongst the rest because of the orange beanies that they wore. I was proud to be a part of this dorm," Polowski said.
Recently Knott Hall created an event known as the Flanner Cup to strengthen its identity. For this weeklong battle, Knott competes against neighbor Siegfried in a series of challenges, including cart pulling, hot dog eating and arm wrestling between the hall rectors. This year, Pete Rusin helped lead Knott to victory by eating so many hot dogs that he vomited. Joe Mueller exemplified the Jugg pride amidst this victory saying, "Even though we have a brotherly love for Siegfried, it should be made clear that they are the little brother — as is evident in them losing to us."
Perhaps one of the greatest parts of Knott is Brother "Bro Jo" Jerome, the hall's rector. Described by residents as "spiritually supportive" and "fun loving," he always brings energy to the Juggs. Brother is known for keeping the Knott men informed as to what is happening on campus and around the dorm. Freshman Jeff Baltruzak said, "One time he told us soda was on sale for a dollar nineteen at Martins." Brother definitely looks out for the Knott men.
A former resident who has become famous amongst the Juggs in their short history is John Dunham. Senior Mike Morales, an RA known for his jovial nature, described the time Dunham had a little too much to drink at a local bar. "When he came back from the bar, he threw out all of the furniture from the third floor study lounge." The next morning Mike "awoke to the cops finger printing the lounge." John, who no longer resides in the dorm because of this, definitely went above and beyond the call of duty in the spirit department on that particular night.
In spite of all that is great about the dorm, there are some complaints. One in particular is that it is on the edge of campus. Dave Baroni said, "I love South Dining Hall but it is too far of a walk so I normally end up eating at North. North is not nearly as good, though." Many Juggs agreed that it is hard to live on the edge of campus, yet they still are happy with their dorm. Marty Smythe made this clear when he said, "There is no other dorm I would rather live in," pointing out the big rooms and the fun people.
Knott Hall is a young dorm coming into its own identity with the help of the residents. These men are a dynamic group who know how to kick it, just like former resident Jim Sanson.
All Scene Stories for Monday, April 10, 2000
