can you see a difference?

Betrayal was the word on everyone's tongue this week as treachery scorched the King's College campus like the summer sun. Says one professor on campus, "I just can't believe this could happen here. We're such a small campus with a small, close-knit number of students. You just never think this kind of thing can happen in your neck of the woods."

The controversy, which was uncovered late Wednesday night, surrounds the King's College Mascot, Leo the Lion. A mascot for quite some time, a statue of Leo stands tall in the middle of College Park (formerly named University Park, until they realized we weren't a University). This statue was a gift of the class of 1950, and has been a centerpiece for the campus, synonymous with the school and the students.

On Wednesday night though, visitors from another school came into the area, and a clash of two colleges came together the likes of which have never been seen. Albright College Senior Tim Marshall speaks out, "Last summer we hired 'Leo' to be our new college mascot for stickers and shirts. We gave him a haircut, a home, and a great meal. Now, we demand the statue be given to us, in exchange for money of course."

Albright College, which rests on the outskirts of Reading, PA, was founded back in 1856 and developed into its current form in 1929. The history of the school dates back much farther than King's College, but there seems to be no historical disputes.

"King's College is a fine institution, founded on religious morals and stroing character, which is why we cannot understand their unwillingness to give up our new mascot," said Albright Chief of Collegiate Relations, Walter Freeman, "Last year we met with 'Leo' on several occasions for negotiations and invited him to join up with us for $100,000 a year, plus endorsements. After changing his name to Al, he signed on with us. While we were familiar with his work at King's, we never thought such a problem would develop."

King's College President of Inter-College Affairs, Lisa Marington tells a different story, "Our recent budget troubles have brought us to a new Capital Campaign, and unfortunately cutting costs around campus, even down to our personnel. We had to ask Leo, like many of our loyal employees, to retire or take a pay cut. After deliberation, Leo signed on for another year with King's. His first contract ended June 1, 2003 and his new one started June 30, 2004."

Which is why Albright is saying they are not in the wrong. "Signing with us on June 4 left us clear of any contractual issues with King's," says Freeman.

"I admit, I just wanted some money. I could do both jobs. The colleges are only about two and a half hours away," says Leo/Al the Lion. It seems that despite the controversy, this lion has his the eye of the tiger, with dollar signs in it, like a bank robber in a cartoon, when they open the bank vault, are you getting the picture here? I'm trying to describe a good one.

"We're finding Leo the Lion in breach of contract and suing him for the $30,000 we paid him for the past school year. We had no idea what he was up to for the past year and we have never been more embarrassed as a College," says Freeman.

"My lawyer tells me that as long as they have the name Leo on the paperwork, they can't sue me, because I changed my name to Al. Then again, he told me not to say that in an interview either. Don't write that," says Leo/Al.

One thing's for sure, the students of each school have been shaken to the core. "How can we be sure he hasn't pulled this at other schools? A little story on a crappy website won't do any good to let other schools know about this conniving fraud," said Fran Genaurdi, Junior.

"We're all in terror in light of the weeks perfidious circumstances. This sort of jeopardous comportment cannot be countenanced. Albright baseball rules!" said Sophomore David Steiner, who was permitted to use a thesaurus for this interview.

In the end, the statue still stands in College Park in Wilkes-Barre, PA, but for how long? Alumnus Donald Remmington ('50) says, "Regardless of who this two-timing lion sides with, we're not giving the statue away--my class bought it for God's sake!"

And where exactly does Leo side? "Albright baseball rules," he says at the end of our interview, as a lone tear dances down his furry face and drops to the floor.