Alma Otter

#101      
Most, err, people who’d vote aren’t exactly representative of your average student, IMO.
I see what you did there.

And I 100% agree. I hate the phenomenon, though. But still:

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#102      

South Farms

near Ogden & Rt 83
we are either the

A. Fighting Illini Nothings , which is what the state will be in about 10-20 years
or

B. Fighting Illini Abes

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the tophat, duster coat and bada$$ axe are already there for us to utilize.
 
#103      

APS iMBA

Urbana, IL
I voted for the otter, as did many of my classmates. I looked up "aggressive otters" on YouTube and they fight as a team to overcome much larger or outwardly dangerous opponents. After seeing that, I thought they weren't a half-bad idea. The Chief has become a toxic issue locally and in the fandom. Way past time to let it go, because it's never coming back. I would say that its OK we don't have a mascot, but that would be missing out on a marketing opportunity to young children. Why do you think the Cubs introduced "Clark"?
 
#106      

mattcoldagelli

The Transfer Portal
With regards to potential NCAA Championships going to other venues exactly what potential events, other than perhaps something in the non-revenue sports, were the NCAA Championships that we were likely to be unable to host? Football? Hahahaha. Basketball? First- and/or second-round NIT games at the absolute best. What else? It's pretty much a non-issue, I think,

I mean, all of the non-revenue sports operate this way. It would have badly hurt volleyball, baseball, golf, track and field, tennis (you know, pretty much any sport we've had success in over the last 15 years).

Imagine thinking a symbol is worth telling the vast majority of student athletes at your alma mater to get bent.
 
#107      

Deleted member 29907

D
Guest
If mascots are useless - why do other teams continue to use them? If the Hokie Bird or Otto the Orange were introduced today as a potential ideas, they would not seem any more 'reasonable' than the Otter or 'Chief the Eagle'. Yet, they do have an effect on the school. The overall game experiences of the school seems to be lacking including the football games music, sound, entrance, etc.
 
#108      

DrewD007

Woodridge, IL
I mean, all of the non-revenue sports operate this way. It would have badly hurt volleyball, baseball, golf, track and field, tennis (you know, pretty much any sport we've had success in over the last 15 years).

Imagine thinking a symbol is worth telling the vast majority of student athletes at your alma mater to get bent.

Yeah, volleyball's Final Four run this year may not have happened if we played Wisconsin in Madison as opposed to Huff, but who cares about non-revenue athletes?
 
#109      
I’m open to a new mascot, but not “alma otter”.
Too silly, like these one-and-done catch phrases and fads; except you’re stuck with this one.
 
#117      

CAIllini

West Coast
Hmm...the concept still beats the "Alma Otter" river otter idea in my mind...but neither are home runs to put it politely....
 
#121      
It’s not awful.

No, wait..... it’s awful. I want them to imagine this: 100 years from now some school will be trotting out mascots of our soldiers who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan. Ask our veterans how they would feel being relegated to mascot status. It’s just as bad or disrespectful as the Chief, and I’m a pro-Chief lifer.

If you’re not going to use Native American imagery because it’s disrespectful, don’t glorify war or make caricatures of men and women who had more guts to serve their country than most of the Board of Trustees.
 
#123      

Deleted member 29907

D
Guest
This guy is going to scare the kids. Big NO. Bring back the Otter (it was short, but a good run).
 
#124      
Yeah how are all you tough guys liking Alma Otter now?
Being of Medicare age pretty much disqualifies me from commenting on anything relating to pop culture. I have no idea who or what a Litty is. Or a Gritty . Nor do I know if Litty and Gritty are related, or what in the world Littyville is. So there's that. But I'd be against having anything military as a mascot. College sports aren't war and war is not something to be glorified. The Otter thing is funny, and wouldn't be the worst idea I've heard. It's funny,goofy,stupid and irreverent all at once. And once you handle your business in the classroom being funny,stupid,goofy and irreverent is pretty much what college is about.
 
#125      
I want them to imagine this: 100 years from now some school will be trotting out mascots of our soldiers who fought in Iraq and Afghanistan...

...

... If you’re not going to use Native American imagery because it’s disrespectful, don’t glorify war or make caricatures of men and women who had more guts to serve their country than most of the Board of Trustees.
Thank you for hitting the nail on the head.

Turning combat veterans from modern wars into mascots is an actual sick idea. It's the paradoxical, unholy lovechild of military worship and insensitivity to the plight of veterans, war casualties, and the families & friends of casualties.