I am please to tell you I have solved the mascot issue for the University. After attending the Ball State victory, my group was chatting in the parking lot when someone shared a story with me. The punchline of the story was the line "You can't stop the Harvest". This hit me as the perfect mascot for the University. "The Harvest". Its perfect on many levels.
-The Harvest embraces our past as an Agricultural university. No other school that I am aware of uses The Harvest as a name. It would be 100% identifiable to the University Illinois from the start.
-"The Harvest" is a 100% PC, non-offensive name. There is nothing -ist about The Harvest (racist, sexist, etc)
-The Harvest has lots of imagery that can be used for marketing. From a golden field with the sun setting behind it, to the edgy grim reaper for the students, there is something there for all markets.
-Mascot would be a big orange tractor that comes out at half time to mow down a replica of whoever we are playing that game. This works perfectly with almost all the big ten universities ... Iowa, Nebraska, Indiana, Purdue ... The tractor would have a large train horn to get the crowd going.
-People already consider the University to be "county", so lets swerve into it and own it. -Nothing we do will change the perception of Chicago folks that we aren't country, so lets embrace it.
-State FARM Center fits with The Harvest word play...
-The puns are endless for the media / announcers. How's the Harvest look on the field? Big gain there from The Harvest. Are you ready for Harvest Hoops season? Looking for a big year from The Harvest. Possibilities are endless ...
-You have the built in cheer of "You can't stop The Harvest!".
-Only real downside is how do we include "Fighting Illini" into all this.... to be figured out.
-University of Illinois Illini Harvest has a nice ring to it.
I have ran this idea past several illini friends of mine and everyone seems to come away liking it. I think we have a winner with The Harvest. I hope you agree.
You can't stop the harvest! Go Illini!