The mascot debate/fandom thread
The Galloping Ghost
- Washington, DC
I was a kid in the '80s and '90s. My favorite thing basically in the world was The Oriole Bird. I had a stuffed animal of it. I had clothes with it. I loved getting to meet it. Inarguably, it helped me care about baseball, especially when the product on the field was mostly garbage. Kids have always loved mascots. Kids have never had attention spans. Sports are meant to be fun and for everyone. Change is normal. It's okay for things to not be for you. Be an adult and ignore the thing if you don't like it.
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mattcoldagelli
- The Transfer Portal with Do Not Contact Tag
I get the point, but I would like to point out it’s sometimes hard to avoid a large fury/feathery caricature shooting t-shirts at you.
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
Or if it's dancing around in the stands right in front of you at a basketball game while the ball is in play. I've been to a number of SEC games where this happened regularly.I get the point, but I would like to point out it’s sometimes hard to avoid a large fury/feathery caricature shooting t-shirts at you.
One great thing about the USA is that people get to speak their opinion and advocate for change no matter how popular or unpopular their view. Asking someone to ignore something they don't like is sick. Just replace "the thing" with "the chief". Or really replace "the thing" with anything you personally disagree with. And I ask YOU to ignore it...so wrong...
The Galloping Ghost
- Washington, DC
My point exactly.I get the point, but I would like to point out it’s sometimes hard to avoid a large fury/feathery caricature shooting t-shirts at you.
Can't we just get a dog? Kids like dogs...
This is what I saw while checking in on the Nebraska game (actual image may be from another game, but it's the same thing). I just don't feel this is the missing link for increased attendance.
And if it is, let's just go all the way, because this is what that reminds me of:
chiefini
- Rockford, Illinois
We have close friends who are Loyalty Circle ($10,000 a year to IFUND) donors and also huge Chief supporters. They’ve tried to talk to Jones and Josh about the Chief, but both just smile and nod. Our friend said that at Friday night’s Loyalty Circle donor dinner that John Wright III, whose grandfather, father, and son all played football at Illini (as he did) got to speak. At the end of his speech, John yelled, “CHIEEEEEEEEEEF,” and the 450 donors all went crazy and yelled it, too. My friend said most of the major donors (most of whom are alums with many former athletes) still support the Chief, and Josh knows that not having the Chief continues to be a problem with both losing some and gaining more donations. He also said he doesn’t think Josh is onboard with the Kingfisher at all. Just an FYI.
Ransom Stoddard
Ordained Dudeist Priest
- Bloomington, IL
I went to the PSU game with a guy who used to be (don't know if he still is) Loyalty Circle and had been on Guenther's speed dial for RG's entire tenure. He's still got connections and communication with big players, and he states unequivocally that Kingfisher isn't going to happen, and also that Chief's return is never going to happen. I had a great conversation with him and learned a lot about some of the politics in play.We have close friends who are Loyalty Circle ($10,000 a year to IFUND) donors and also huge Chief supporters. They’ve tried to talk to Jones and Josh about the Chief, but both just smile and nod. Our friend said that at Friday night’s Loyalty Circle donor dinner that John Wright III, whose grandfather, father, and son all played football at Illini (as he did) got to speak. At the end of his speech, John yelled, “CHIEEEEEEEEEEF,” and the 450 donors all went crazy and yelled it, too. My friend said most of the major donors (most of whom are alums with many former athletes) still support the Chief, and Josh knows that not having the Chief continues to be a problem with both losing some and gaining more donations. He also said he doesn’t think Josh is onboard with the Kingfisher at all. Just an FYI.
This guy happened to have taken part in a gathering somewhere out west (not sure of the timeline, but I think it was post-Chief retirement) that included a bunch of UI high-rollers and leaders from a number of tribes, with the purpose of having a dialogue and to see if there was a path to an agreement similar to that between the Seminole and FSU. The leaders from the Peoria (the last vestige of the Illini Confederation) were adamantly opposed to even discussing Chief, wanted the university to return the regalia to the Sioux, and wanted the image of the Chief to go away forever. Their basis for this was a) Chief's regalia and war paint was nothing like what any of the Illiniwek would have worn--the headdress in particular; b) Chief's dance was more related to "fancy dancing", which Illiniwek did not engage in; and c) the image/logo of Chief was also inauthentic due to the headdress.
The discussion of "honor" came up a time or two, and reps from several tribes made comments to the effect of "we don't need white people to honor our heritage, we can do it ourselves and do it correctly."
GrayGhost77
- Centennial, CO
Good info. Thanks. And also great to hear that the kingfisher isn't happening.
John, You are showing your hate. Let people wear what they want. Did the shirt affect the game?
SuperMetroid
- Evanston
February 2007 - that's when the last Chief performance happened. 16 years ago. And these losers are still butthurt about it. JFC grow upWe have close friends who are Loyalty Circle ($10,000 a year to IFUND) donors and also huge Chief supporters. They’ve tried to talk to Jones and Josh about the Chief, but both just smile and nod. Our friend said that at Friday night’s Loyalty Circle donor dinner that John Wright III, whose grandfather, father, and son all played football at Illini (as he did) got to speak. At the end of his speech, John yelled, “CHIEEEEEEEEEEF,” and the 450 donors all went crazy and yelled it, too. My friend said most of the major donors (most of whom are alums with many former athletes) still support the Chief, and Josh knows that not having the Chief continues to be a problem with both losing some and gaining more donations. He also said he doesn’t think Josh is onboard with the Kingfisher at all. Just an FYI.
chiefini
- Rockford, Illinois
Sorry about that. You are correct…
Chief Illiniwek had been a symbol of the University for 81 years. His removal was the result of targeted political activism that stirred up resentments all around.February 2007 - that's when the last Chief performance happened. 16 years ago. And these losers are still butthurt about it. JFC grow up
altgeld88
- Arlington, Virginia
Li'l Red, the demon spawn of the Sta-Puft Marshmallow Man and Herbie Husker (the latter of which has existed for merely 50 years) pales in cringeworthy comparison to his forerunner, Corncob Man, who seems straight out of a late '70s horror film... 20 years early. I preferred Harry Husker (below, right), whom Herbie supplanted in the mid'70s. I like the fact that the mascot actor is visible staring out of a hole in Harry's neck.
None of these for us, please.
Where did I say he couldn’t wear it? He’s entitled to look foolish.
Actually I felt a little sorry for the guy. It looked like he was hoping for someone to get in his face. Poor guy it wasn’t happening. So pathetic, everyone just ignoring him. .
Hey, was it you?
