The mascot debate/fandom thread

#101      

mattcoldagelli

mattcoldagelli
The Transfer Portal with Do Not Contact Tag
mattcoldagelli
IndyIllini2 said:
I have yet to hear a good argument for having a mascot. The Chief was a symbol that was respected. When I was a child, we were taught to stand, clap along and sing along. If we didn't, we faced the consequences. That is the real issue IMO. Entitled parents teach entitled children that they can do whatever they want. What would be the point of putting an Illinois shirt on some random creature? How is that fun? Mascots are childish and pointless. Chief was a symbol to be respected and cannot even be compared to a mascot.
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Don’t look now, but you’re making an argument for having a mascot - what if a sporting event was a leisure activity for the whole family to enjoy instead of a place where kids were threatened into participating in a weird halftime ritual? Groundbreaking concept.
 
#102      

IndyIllini2

IndyIllini2
IndyIllini2
mattcoldagelli said:
Don’t look now, but you’re making an argument for having a mascot - what if a sporting event was a leisure activity for the whole family to enjoy instead of a place where kids were threatened into participating in a weird halftime ritual? Groundbreaking concept.
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The Chief is not a mascot. It is a symbol that brings people together. How would a cartoon bird accomplish that?
 
#103      

AutoPoster 3000

AutoPoster 3000
AutoPoster 3000
IndyIllini2 said:
The Chief is not a mascot. It is a symbol that brings people together. How would a cartoon bird accomplish that?
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You will respect our symbol.

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#104      

1970 John

1970 John
1970 John
mattcoldagelli said:
Wrong. The surest way to get "Fighting Illini" retired is to be a Chief dead-ender.
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We have been Illini since 1874 when "Student," the student newspaper changed its name to "Illini." And there was no question that it was meant to reference Native Americans. It had been so ingrained in the university psyche that when Illinois Loyalty was written in 1907, it included the faux Indian word "oskee-wow-wow. Some have tried to suggest that oskee-wow-wow has a different origin but I'm not buying that. The origin may be different but the meaning is clearly stated in the lyrics of Illinois Loyalty "Like men of old, on giants placing reliance, shouting defiance. Oskee wow-wow!"

It is the ultimate goal of the anti-Chief brigade to eliminate all Native American references in not only Illinois athletics but all althletics. Fighting Illini would be a major prize. This is a bit of explanation, the assumption and conclusions of the author aren't quite correct, but there's useful data there for discussion. https://www.news-gazette.com/opinio...cle_37c7efb2-a774-5a80-8e7f-f2adbfc88072.html

Here's the thing. The same people who fought to remove Chief Illiniwek want to remove "Fighting Illini," and for the same reason. I say we need to embrace the Native imagery, because by opposing the chip here. chip there of our opponents, we will lose. By winning the hearts and minds for Native American imagery is the only way to win.
 
#106      

SuperMetroid

SuperMetroid
Evanston
SuperMetroid
IndyIllini2 said:
I have yet to hear a good argument for having a mascot. The Chief was a symbol that was respected. When I was a child, we were taught to stand, clap along and sing along. If we didn't, we faced the consequences. That is the real issue IMO. Entitled parents teach entitled children that they can do whatever they want. What would be the point of putting an Illinois shirt on some random creature? How is that fun? Mascots are childish and pointless. Chief was a symbol to be respected and cannot even be compared to a mascot.
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Good point. I mean Evanston is positively overrun with packs of feral children in purple kitty-kat face paint roaming the streets. Damn you Willie the Wildcat!!
 
#107      

bluemountain

B
bluemountain
Anybody can have a stupid mascot, whether it be a tree or a buckeye or a wildcat or a kingfisher. We didn't have a stupid mascot, which set us apart. Some people didn't like the Chief, but most did, and I would put the Chief up there with Sparty or the USC Trojan in terms of iconic symbols of their university.

I know the Chief is never coming back. Given that, all things considered, I'd rather not have any mascot. But if we are going to have a mascot, let's have something distinctive rather than something generic like a stuffed animal
 
#108      

Gary J

G
Gary J
IndyIllini2 said:
I have yet to hear a good argument for having a mascot. The Chief was a symbol that was respected. When I was a child, we were taught to stand, clap along and sing along. If we didn't, we faced the consequences. That is the real issue IMO. Entitled parents teach entitled children that they can do whatever they want. What would be the point of putting an Illinois shirt on some random creature? How is that fun? Mascots are childish and pointless. Chief was a symbol to be respected and cannot even be compared to a mascot.
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How about this: the current students want one. Seems like a good argument to me.
 
#109      

Point-Illinois

P
Point-Illinois
Gary jungenberg said:
How about this: the current students want one. Seems like a good argument to me.
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“The current students want it…” is probably not a good reason to make large changes to things that affect the massive alumni/fan base as well.

I’m not saying it can’t be a factor, even a big factor…but it won’t be the only one.

Rightfully so.
 
#111      

CompSciIllini

C
CompSciIllini
band camp said:
1. The Galloping Ghost: This mascot would pay homage to Red Grange's nickname and his incredible speed and agility on the football field. The Galloping Ghost mascot could be depicted as a spirited ghost wearing an Illinois football jersey, running with a football in hand. This mascot would capture the excitement and energy that Grange brought to the game.
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I think this has promise but can go even further. I present for your consideration:

The Galloping Ghost of the Chief: Has ties to both the athletic past and the legacy of the Chief. There is no reason to limit this to one character. You have the spirited football player. You have the briefcase-wielding CEO -- the briefcase is full of newspapers with fake headlines that disparage the opponent of the day. You have the fire chief "hosing down" players after great plays....

All of them are on horseback, of course.
 
#112      

Ransom Stoddard

Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
Bloomington, IL
Ransom Stoddard
band camp said:
I asked AI for some ideas using Mr. Red Grange as an example.
Here are the results. #3 is interesting to me.

1. The Galloping Ghost: This mascot would pay homage to Red Grange's nickname and his incredible speed and agility on the football field. The Galloping Ghost mascot could be depicted as a spirited ghost wearing an Illinois football jersey, running with a football in hand. This mascot would capture the excitement and energy that Grange brought to the game.

2. The Illini Ironman: Another option could be a mascot inspired by Grange's toughness and durability. Known for his ability to play through injuries and his physical style of play, Grange was often referred to as an "ironman." The Illini Ironman mascot could be portrayed as a muscular figure wearing Illinois football gear, showcasing strength and resilience.

3. The Flying Illini: Red Grange's ability to make acrobatic leaps and high-flying plays on the field could inspire a mascot that embodies this aerial prowess. The Flying Illini mascot could be depicted as a soaring figure with wings, wearing an Illinois jersey. This mascot would symbolize the team's ability to reach new heights and achieve greatness.

These are just a few ideas for mascots that could be inspired by Red Grange at the University of Illinois. Ultimately, the choice of a mascot would depend on various factors such as fan preferences, design considerations, and university approval.
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How does this Red Grange tie-in work for sports not called Football?
 
#114      

band camp

band camp
STL City
band camp
The Ghost is omnipotent. He watches over all things Illini.
The athletic spirit of the Ghost transcends all sport.
 
#115      

Point-Illinois

P
Point-Illinois
The sooner we all embrace Blocky the I the better.

He can be mischievous to other schools/mascots, silly for kids, representative of the school (he’s the literal symbol after all), and yet completely invisible to the anti-mascot crowd all in one.

He is the one true mascot.
 
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#117      

band camp

band camp
STL City
band camp
I can't tell if you're for real or joking.
Blocky would just be another reason for other fan bases to ridicule the illini fan base.
I think we all can do better than this sophomoric attempt at humor.
No disrespect point, just my opinion.
 
#120      

Point-Illinois

P
Point-Illinois
mattcoldagelli said:
Let them laugh. As you can see by his monocle and walking stick, Blocky is the kind of entity that can buy and sell other fanbases on a whim.
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Blocky is doing quite well for himself financially and doesn’t trouble himself with the opinions of lowly rival fan bases.

(And for @band camp, I’m not joking. If a mascot is in our future, Blocky has my vote.)

I’d also like it to come about organically…and by organically I mean someone on this forum dresses up as Blocky at games forcing us to accept him as a household name) 😬😬
 
#124      

Point-Illinois

P
Point-Illinois
Ramrod2010 said:
Can we make blocky...slanted?

If so, sign me up.
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I dunno…maybe?

That’s the beauty of Blockey. It doesn’t take itself too serious.

If it comes about organically, it can both satiate the “we NEED a mascot” crowd (we don’t) and quell the “a mascot defaces our Chief heritage and threatens our team name” crowd (it won’t).

Personally, I don’t think we need a mascot. But by George if one is created I’d love it to be Blockey.