Lets be clear, this whole thing is coming up so we can have something big and smiley and fuzzy to walk around taking pictures with kids in Grange Grove and to have a lame G-rated social media presence. That is the impetus here. That is the role that mascots play in the modern sports business.
Mascot for University of Illinois?
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Lets be clear, this whole thing is coming up so we can have something big and smiley and fuzzy to walk around taking pictures with kids in Grange Grove and to have a lame G-rated social media presence. That is the impetus here. That is the role that mascots play in the modern sports business.
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
I think if that were the primary drive it would have already happened. I think this is more of the same from the group(s) that pushed the mascot issue several years ago, particularly after reading the groups involved in the meetings (NAISO and Movimiento Estudiantil Chicano de Aztlan).
I'm not saying $$$ isn't part of it, however.
Look at this thread. They know the fanbase doesn't want this and will vociferously oppose any moves in this space on principle.
They're tiptoeing on it to see if they can thread the needle.
Spoiler Alert for the bureaucrats: the answer is no.
Start asking more casual fans and students who dont follow the teams as religiously as we do on here. They dont share the same "no mascot" opinion.
Fighting Caucasians anyone!?
Close, but not quite.
More to the point:
The Fighting Melting Pot!!!
No military connections. Too much of that going on already around the country.
And as for what is in bold, uh, we already had one of those, and look how that turned out.
You think the "curse of the Chief" is bad now, just wait until "the committee" shoves some weak mascot down our throats. Why not just call us "the French" because that's what this country and state has become. We are the Orange and Blue, we are the Marching Illini, we are the Fighting Illini!! We have our mascot--it's the proud alumni (I guess we are proud?), who are the heritage of the University of Illinois!
Anyone remember the O/B bird debacle of the late 70's early 80's during basketball season? Booed it off the court never to be seen again!
Sorry, but just tired of the political correctness. Just go ahead and try a new mascot. The "curse of the Chief" is upon us and that's all I have to say about that.
Anyone remember the O/B bird debacle of the late 70's early 80's during basketball season? Booed it off the court never to be seen again!
Sorry, but just tired of the political correctness. Just go ahead and try a new mascot. The "curse of the Chief" is upon us and that's all I have to say about that.
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
I think we have enough legal issues without adding a mascot best known for B&E's to get tasty meat sandwiches.
I don't think this time will really ever come, as long as people continue respect the tradition. I still have my chief gear and a chief poster hanging on the wall. I will make sure my kids know the tradition and so will thousands of other Illini fans. That's how traditions survive. All you have to do is look up a video on youtube. The chief still comes to a few basketball games each year and everytime he shows up everyone pulls out their phone. IMO it would be amazing if 30 years from know people are still doing the 3 in 1 and yelling chief at half time.
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
That's what the NAISO group (among others) is hoping to stop.
U of I Pioneers - double entendre
U of I Wolves - indigenous and the natural predator of Wildcats.
I have always been a fan of Chief as a symbol for our University. I have never really liked "Fighting Illini" I would prefer to change our nickname to a unique name that can have a mascot attached. Mascots are great for the kids - future fans.
U of I Wolves - indigenous and the natural predator of Wildcats.
I have always been a fan of Chief as a symbol for our University. I have never really liked "Fighting Illini" I would prefer to change our nickname to a unique name that can have a mascot attached. Mascots are great for the kids - future fans.
By jove, I think you got it!! the "curse of the Chief" mascot should do nicely. I wonder what it would look like though.
I had never heard of this squirrel before. Speechless.
http://www.dailyillini.com/article/2015/03/admissions-denies-the-squirrel-as-new-mascot
http://www.dailyillini.com/article/2015/03/admissions-denies-the-squirrel-as-new-mascot
Epsilon
M tipping over
- Pdx
Well played, my friend. Well played.
Epsilon
M tipping over
- Pdx
They might have had better buy-in if the squirrel was wearing a wossamotta u t-shirt.
Not only the stadium, but you could argue that "Fighting Illini" was first used in fundraising campaigns for Memorial Stadium.
Where did the term "Fighting Illini" come from?
The best evidence suggests that it was developed and then used extensively as part of the fundraising campaign preceeding the construction of Memorial Stadium.
"An article (jpeg, 453 KB, click image to enlarge, then see third column) from the Illinois Alumni News (April 1925, p. 221) regarding the stadium reads in part: "How the stadium idea, when it started some years ago, did possess the imagination of us all! It was a slow day indeed whose setting sun did not mark another period of slogans. Everybody composed them, especially during a prize contest that was held. Out of this came the battle cry of the stadium campaign: "Build that stadium for fighting Illini." Since the stadium was built to honor alumni, staff, and students who who died during World War I, the term "Fighting Illini" was seemingly being linked to military service. At the same time, the term was broad enough to be of general applicability."
http://archives.library.illinois.edu/features/illini.php
The university could invite "fighting Illini", alumni who have served in the armed forces, to be sideline guests, honored at halftime and lead us in Illinois Loyalty.
I kind of get the fact that people didn't like a white student in full native american costume (is that word offensive??) dancing during halftime... but the chief logo itself was a pretty darn respectful image, up there with the Highly Revered Chicago Blackhawks logo.
I'm ok with the university looking into new symbols/logos/mascots (The block I is nice, but incredibly boring) I think that the doughboy/ soldier makes the most sense, and my hope (as unlikely as it is) is that the university keeps the Block I as its primary logo, but uses the chief and a soldier as its secondary logos, both of whom honor the brave warriors that came from the state of illinois - which is where the nickname comes from anyway.
I also did like that bird idea. Birds are cool.
I'm ok with the university looking into new symbols/logos/mascots (The block I is nice, but incredibly boring) I think that the doughboy/ soldier makes the most sense, and my hope (as unlikely as it is) is that the university keeps the Block I as its primary logo, but uses the chief and a soldier as its secondary logos, both of whom honor the brave warriors that came from the state of illinois - which is where the nickname comes from anyway.
I also did like that bird idea. Birds are cool.
wILL-INI
- Charlotte, NC
As someone whos explored this idea as an actual logo, i think it makes the most sense. I like this idea.... But this shouldnt be a "mascot", ya know
Illinois88
- United States
I was on campus a week ago for grad orientation and, though excited to be there experiencing the atmosphere, it felt a little incomplete - that something was missing - as I casually walked between racks of college clothes on 6th St. I came across a stack of "Oskee Wow-Wow" t-shirts. It was a breath of fresh air amongst all the bland "Illinois" shirts in various colors. The block-I gets tiring after a while as well.
Speaking of clothing, Hillflint produced a nice old-school "Illinois" sweater which had a nice retro look to it. A handsome sweater.
To be honest, I'm not much of a fan of the current logo of athletics. The shield seriously looks like a fat pencil. I'm rather indifferent about the font used for "Fighting Illini."
The modernization due to the elimination of The Chief definitely has left emptiness, a void so to speak, in my own school spirit. You replace tradition, though harmless as controversial as it may be, with "what's right" often times you get nothing back. At least in the case of school mascots.
What positive result has the elimination of The Chief brought to campus? I can't think of any. The university has no mascot. I read that some are urging the NCAA to eliminate the usage of "Illini" on the equal footing that it's a mischaracterization alongside The Chief. The Marching Illini's "3-in-1" also has received heat. What if the usage of "Illini" is banned, what do we call the band? The Marching Illinois? With the absence of The Chief, the "3-in-1", for those that aren't aware of the history of what took place, are left scratching their heads. I don't blame them.
So in the end The Chief's death has left a slippery slope for everything Chief related. If Harvard Law School changed it's crest due to supposed racism and the elimination of the word "master" then there's a good chance the PC crowd will scrub faux racism at Illinois.
You give 'em an inch they'll take everything - maybe not all at once, but slowly, until you're left with nothing but a *block-I and shield that resembles a pencil.
*I like the block-I, but it's being overused since The Chief's retirement. The "I" and The Chief served a balance. One icon in the stands and one on the field. Since the icon on the field was axed, the icon used in the stands is overcompensating.
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I'd be cool with still not having the official chief, if we could just have the logo back. If not, I expect we continue with our shield in some way. Let's just get "captain Illini" as our mascot.
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