You’re of course correct but a quick perusal of this thread will show that a sizable chunk of its participants are actually anti-fun.
I'm also among those who have opposed the effort of creating a mascot because, frankly, I have over my long life found most to be irredeemably stupid. My formative experience was with Brutus Buckeye; while I enjoyed the '70s portrayal as a little boy, when he became a man with a nut for a head in the '80s I saw the bar for surmounting idiocy plummet to near ground level.
However... I've changed my tune somewhat this spring. My daughter's a sophomore at Virginia Tech. The Hokie Bird is beloved there. It's the first time I've been around a mascot I enjoy to any degree. We attended a men's basketball game together at the end of the season. The students and fans absolutely adore the mascot. In fact, it intermittently roams around campus and Hokie Bird sightings are coveted. The university has even erected numerous Hokie statues around campus adorned in various artistic ways. I've been around far too many universities over the years; I've never seen one with such skillful branding and marketing.
Accordingly, after more than four decades since Brutus' metamorphosis, I've seen a ray of light on the topic. (And, no, this isn't some sort of Stockholm Syndrome resulting from VT having colonized my checkbook for a four-year period.) I wouldn't object to an Illinois mascot; however, the entire problem is the choosing of it. It's a strawman argument that many of those who oppose adopting a mascot are simply grumpy, elderly killjoys. (I mean, of course I
am a grumpy, elderly, killjoy but that's beside the point.) Many of us understand how disastrously sideways the venture could drift. We can summon ample examples of this from various D-1 programs supporting our caution.
VT has been blessed over the past 30 years with brilliant marketing of its brand. I've never seen remotely such acumen within UIUC or the DIA. We might end up with a cherished mascot. And we could very well end up with a cringeworthy disaster.
Given those choices, I'm not going to lose sleep if we remain mascot-less. As I've noted, neither Michigan nor Indiana have suffered from the lack of a mascot. Nor have we, IMO. I'd be fully on board if we hit a HR like the Hokie Bird. Spare me anthropomorphic rodents or fruit. Alma Otter... I could see that one working.