B ▁has ▁reached ▁out ▁and ▁invited ▁its ▁rival ▁W ab ash ▁College ▁to ▁perform ▁the ▁National ▁Anth em ▁together . ▁ ▁This ▁inv itation ▁was ▁finally ▁accepted ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 9 ▁and ▁has ▁continued ▁since . ▁ ▁B IG ▁D ▁and ▁Spirit ▁Fl ags ▁Early ▁in ▁its ▁history , ▁parents ▁of ▁members ▁of ▁the ▁T P B ▁don ated ▁hand - se wn ▁spirit ▁flags ▁for ▁band ▁members ▁to ▁use ▁while ▁che ering ▁their ▁team . ▁ ▁By ▁ 1 9 9 8 , ▁band ▁members ▁had ▁begun ▁taking ▁the ▁flags ▁during ▁a ▁ 1 0 0 - yard ▁s print ▁on ▁the ▁stad ium ▁track ▁whenever ▁the ▁De P au w ▁football ▁team ▁scored ▁a ▁touch down . ▁ ▁In ▁ 2 0 0 0 , ▁the ▁T iger ▁P ep ▁Band ▁added ▁to ▁its ▁invent ory ▁" B IG ▁D ," ▁an ▁eight - foot ▁square ▁black ▁flag ▁featuring ▁an ▁old ▁gold ▁letter ▁' D .' ▁ ▁So on , ▁B IG ▁D ▁was ▁the ▁flag ▁that ▁was ▁used ▁to ▁esc ort ▁the ▁De P au w ▁teams ▁on ▁to ▁the ▁field ▁or ▁court , ▁and ▁was ▁carried ▁in ▁the ▁ 1 0 0 - yard ▁touch down ▁s print s , ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁in ▁victory ▁la ps ▁around ▁the ▁basketball ▁court . ▁ ▁B IG ▁D ▁was ▁st olen ▁by ▁students ▁from ▁W ab ash ▁College ▁in ▁ 2 0 0 2 . ▁ ▁It ▁was ▁quickly ▁replaced ▁by ▁a ▁black ▁b eds heet ▁sp ray ▁painted