The Kingfisher

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#51      
I think Administration pushes the student government to address this issue every
year with the intent that someday the student population will vote as they wish to
"replace" the Chief. Eventually this will work.
 
#52      

illini80

Forgottonia
B69AEAC4-2417-4484-A11F-2155BB5831AD.png

If we are talking birds, I suggest we go with Jailbird. In honor of our past governors of course.



I actually don’t hate this.
 
#53      

Epsilon

M tipping over
Pdx
Is this a freaking joke?!? At least with the Fighting Quad Squirrels I knew they were kidding...
A friend of mine actually got injured once by tripping on a squirrel while going for a run.
 
#58      
I wish I could say that I care but I don't.
As I told my son a few times, my generation is fading. His generation (and the one that makes up these students) will have to live with their choices.
Good luck to them.
 
#59      

IlliniKat91

Chicago, IL
The DIA has to also agree to it. I think they'd be more likely to agree to the Doughboy than the bird.
 
#61      

MoCoMdIllini

Montgomery County, Maryland
Eh. The kingfisher is a cool looking bird, I guess. I had no idea there were any in Illinois. (Then again I live in Maryland now and still have never seen an oriole except at Camden Yard.)

Kingfisher is also an okay choice for a beer at Indian restaurants.
 
#62      
If it's a mascot then will its name be like King Fisher or Fishy the Kingfisher or Kingy the Kingfisher?
 
#65      
Ayoooo..... with 5 seconds on the clock, ........... 15 ft on the elbow, 2 seconds on the clock, jumps over his defender ... and .........yesssssss, scores to win the game. NT.

That was a dagger beak.
 
#66      

MoCoMdIllini

Montgomery County, Maryland
Ayoooo..... with 5 seconds on the clock, ........... 15 ft on the elbow, 2 seconds on the clock, jumps over his defender ... and .........yesssssss, scores to win the game. NT.

That was a dagger beak.

Fear the break!
 
#68      

Hoppy2105

Little Rock, Arkansas
As long as we are still the Fighting Illini, I don’t care what they have flying around the stadium. (Or on the sidelines)

If they change our name, though, I’ll join whatever movement puts a stop to it.

(And, IMO, that is not a far fetched idea...in the next few years, someone WILL try to take away the Fighting Illini name again)
 
#70      

Hoppy2105

Little Rock, Arkansas
I see a new mascot/symbol/whatever as a safeguard against that. All the Chief-Will-Never-Die-ers are putting "Fighting Illini" in the firing line with everything they do.

Yup, the Chief is dead. (Forever for all we know) And even though I hate it, we can still be the Fighting Illini as long as we don’t associate the two.

Have a cool looking predatory bird buzz around MS a few times for all I care, just don’t lose our name.
 
#71      

sbillini

st petersburg, fl
Yup, the Chief is dead. (Forever for all we know) And even though I hate it, we can still be the Fighting Illini as long as we don’t associate the two.

Have a cool looking predatory bird buzz around MS a few times for all I care, just don’t lose our name.


Totally agree. I'm indifferent to the mascot situation. This Kingfisher thing actually sounds kinda cool, and if the students are for it, sure, why the hell not (although I do wish there was more of a organic, student-led movement behind it than there seems to be). Hopefully it catches on and becomes a part of us moving on from the Chief.

I find it interesting how some of us don't differentiate between a mascot and a symbol/logo. Those two things can be the same, but don't have to be, and there are tons of examples out there where they aren't. I live in the Tampa Bay area, and the Lightning are big here. Their mascot is this dopey looking lightning bug called Thunderbug. It's not their symbol, it's their mascot. you won't find it anywhere on their logo and on very few merchandise (except that for which it's specifically designed). But people love the thing. It's dancing around at games, kids love it, and it's often at community events unrelated to hockey. If the Kingfisher can do something similar, I'm all for it.

It's when it expands out to become an official symbol of the team (or university, in this case) where I draw the line. If the Fighting Illini is meant to pay homage for the WWI soldiers, then I think that's a worthy symbol. If anything, we should make that a more official association than we already are.
 
#72      

BMoreIllini

Baltimore, MD
It's almost comical how many people seem threatened/offended by the addition of a bird mascot. Mascots aren't generally for the hardcore sports fans, they're more for kids or people who don't care as much about the game they're at. They're good for public appearances and events. They're an icon at events that kids can recognize and get excited about. Do you think that many young children are going to remember individual players at sporting events? No. They remember goofy mascots dancing in the stands or down on the court/field like Fredbird, Louie (Blues), Clark (Cubs), etc. I think a mascot would be good for events, some schools send their mascots to local children's hospitals to brighten the day of kids there, players doing that is cool, but the kids aren't going to recognize them generally. I loved Chief growing up, I was heartbroken to see him go, but in today's climate, I get it and I think it was appropriate. Chief isn't coming back and it's time everyone accept that and the "Chief or nothing" attitude needs to die. The Iowa State Cyclones have a Cardinal mascot because their colors are cardinal red and gold. The Miami Hurricanes have an ibis as a mascot because "it's the last sign of wildlife to take shelter before a hurricane" and "the first to reappear, a sign that skies are clearing" (from Univ. of Miami website). We can keep the Fighting Illini name and move on with a mascot that differs from that.

I think the Kingfisher mascot is appropriate. Native to Illinois and the females (males don't have the orange from what I've read) share the orange and blue color of the university. The Alma Otter thing was cute, but I feel like there's less of an Illinois connection. Hopefully, if it's passed, the school can hire a professional artist to design something a little more "fierce-looking" than the student's design, but it's a process.
 
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#73      

Hoppy2105

Little Rock, Arkansas
I think the Kingfisher mascot is appropriate. Native to Illinois and the females (males don't have the orange from what I've read) share the orange and blue color of the university. The Alma Otter thing was cute, but I feel like there's less of an Illinois connection. Hopefully, if it's passed, the school can hire a professional artist to design something a little more "fierce-looking" than the student's design, but it's a process.

Or mischievous. I’m biased I’m sure, but I like “The Bird” (Falcon mascot) at the Air Force Academy. He’s a little fierce, but mostly mischievous...like he’s going to run out on the field and trip one of the other team’s players.

He’s an instance where the mascot/symbol are the same, which I’m not advocating for us. (though he’s stylized differently depending if it’s official merchandise, logo, or the costume)

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#75      
This day and age is all about cute and cuddly. Little babies, dressed in their orange and blue onesies, should want to hug and cuddle with Mama Kingfisher, in all her orange and blue splendor.
 
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