Chief Illiniwek being retired

[BigGreyAnt41]

http://www.sportsline.com/general/story/10001346

This really isn't new news, I don't think, but I enjoyed this quote:

Illinois still will be able to use the name Illini because it's short for Illinois and the school can use the term Fighting Illini, because it's considered a reference to the team's competitive spirit, school officials said.

How is this any different than "Fighting Sioux?"

Sure, "Sioux" isn't short for "North Dakota" but doesn't "Fighting Sioux" also a reference to the team's competitive spirit?

[Goon]

http://www.sportsline.com/general/story/10001346

This really isn't new news, I don't think, but I enjoyed this quote:

How is this any different than "Fighting Sioux?"

Sure, "Sioux" isn't short for "North Dakota" but doesn't "Fighting Sioux" also a reference to the team's competitive spirit?

This is what most of us have been saying all year. There is way too many inconsistencies.

So the law suit. I think the NCAA is going to lose because, UND's best strategy is just let them keep making rulings incosistently.

This is just another instance of this happening.

[Tommiejo]

This is what most of us have been saying all year. There is way too many inconsistencies.

So the law suit. I think the NCAA is going to lose because, UND's best strategy is just let them keep making rulings incosistently.

This is just another instance of this happening.

GOON you hit the nail right on the head.

SIOUX FAN SINCE 1973

[GeauxSioux]

Nick Coleman: Illinois shows North Dakota what is the truly honorable thing

With each cleansing of a racial caricature from the sports scene, the pressure mounts on the "Fighting Sioux" logo and name of the University of North Dakota, which finds itself in a small rump group of nickname offenders.

At this point, the arguments North Dakota puts forward for keeping the name aren't the issue. The question is what kind of university wants to put its name and reputation through the wringer in defense of "honoring" a tribe whose representatives have said time and time again -- despite bogus claims by those who deny it -- that they don't consider it an honor to be reduced to a nickname.

Maybe someone should tell Nick what the definition of caricature is...

A caricature is a portrait that exaggerates or distorts the essence of a person or thing to create an easily identifiable visual likeness.

I don't believe the Sioux logo distorts anything.

[PCM]

Maybe someone should tell Nick what the definition of caricature is...

I don't believe the Sioux logo distorts anything.

This is a big step for Darling Nicky. He used to call UND's Fighting Sioux logo a cartoon.

[sioux7>5]

Nick Coleman may possible be the biggest idiot ever to be alive. What a complete and total idiot. The gophers logo of a gopher is more of a cartoon then anything, so he should fight against the U of M and get them to change their logo. Just a thought.

[Chief Illiniwek Supporter]

For years, we heard how Chief Illiniwek was "divisive" and therefore the only way to end this "divisiveness" was to eliminate him: which implied that all of the people who supported him (the vast majority) would simply give up once he was gone, and life would simply go on the same way as always. Now we hear that the the way the decison was made was somehow "divisive".

The University of Illinois Board of Trustees, whose chairman, Lawrence Eppley, announced Friday that the Chief would retire from performing at athletic games, may have reached a consensus on the 81-year-old Illiniwek tradition, but the campus community, particularly those who have advocated for the Chief's removal, is not expected to declare the issue resolved.

....But the way the decision came down, it's polarized the campus and you can feel this tension in the air. ... (It's) further made it more of a divisive campus," McKinn said.

http://www.news-gazette.com/news/local/200...es_of_the_chief

There's simply no way to satisfy professsional complainers. There's no end to the ways they've been victimized by society. And they're the ONLY people to whom life has been unfair.

BTW, here's my favorite part of the story.

When Vernon Burton, UI history professor and chairman of the UI Senate, addressed his fellow faculty members Monday afternoon, he said that although many faculty have wanted for years to see Chief Illiniwek go, they should try to be sympathetic to those who love the Chief and who are upset about the board's decision.

Translation: people who give money to the University are PO'd and we may end up losing some jobs here. And some of the people we drive by on the way to our tenured, protected jobs are probably going to see their income drop when tourism falls off in our town of about 100k people two hours from Chicago with no other attractions other than the University. So don't gloat publicly.

[bincitysioux]

Chief Illiniwek will perform his final dance at halftime of tonights basketball game. There is about 2:00 left in the first half and it is on ESPNU.

[WildSioux]

This is sad I am happy I saw the dance once in my life before the PC crowd took over. I was able to see the Chief Illiniwek dance during halftime at the Iowa @ Illinois football game last September. Here are a few pictures

The dance!!!

And a few protesters before the game...

[Chief Illiniwek Supporter]

I guess the world is a little bit less of a hostile and abusive place this morning. Did you feel it when you woke up?

Neither did I.

Here

[Chief Illiniwek Supporter]

This is sad I am happy I saw the dance once in my life before the PC crowd took over. I was able to see the Chief Illiniwek dance during halftime at the Iowa @ Illinois football game last September. Here are a few pictures

Anyone who wants to see the "last dance" from 2/21/07 can view it at FightingIllini.com.

[WildSioux]

Thanks Chief, I will check it out...

[PCM]

Anyone who wants to see the "last dance" from 2/21/07 can view it at FightingIllini.com.

Here's the link:

http://fightingillini.cstv.com/genrel/022107aaa.html

[WildSioux]

Just watched it, very sad indeed

[Chief Illiniwek Supporter]

Here's the link:

Thank you.

I have recommended some sites to various people this morning, but as of now I cannot bring myself to view them. I'm sure it would represent some level of surrender in my mind.

[WildSioux]

Thank you.

I have recommended some sites to various people this morning, but as of now I cannot bring myself to view them. I'm sure it would represent some level of surrender in my mind.

I just sent that link to my mom who is from IL and has a niece that went to school there. They were all there for that football game and believe me, we all feel the same way you do. I had tears in my eyes just watching that video.

[The Sicatoka]

And there's never a mention of the Aztecs nor the Sooners, much less the Irish, Spartans, Trojans, Vikings.....

Vandals.

[HockeyMom]

The saddest part of it all is that Illinois just gave up.

[The Sicatoka]

"I don't know the key to success, but the key to failure is trying to please everybody."

-- William Henry "Bill" Cosby, Jr., Ph.D.

I suspect Illinois will be learning that lesson for itself rather than taking the advice.

[Chief Illiniwek Supporter]

Vandals.

That's true too. And the Quakers of the University of Pennsylvania. Plus Division II football power Pittsburgh State; I'm suprised there's no mention of their nickname.

[Chief Illiniwek Supporter]

The saddest part of it all is that Illinois just gave up.

This has been my biggest problem with our Board of Trustees; we didn't make a judge go on record as saying anything. There's enough lawyers among the alumni so that the briefs and filings would be at no charge.

And our Board president keeps claiming that he has a consensus.

Part of the signature used by poster Sioux-cia says it all for me: "You're never a loser until you quit trying." Mike Ditka. Chicago takes credit for Da Coach, but he's actually from Western PA.

[Chief Illiniwek Supporter]

I suspect Illinois will be learning that lesson for itself rather than taking the advice.

Neville Chamberlain's name has been mentioned more than once in this discussion.

[Chewey]

This has been my biggest problem with our Board of Trustees; we didn't make a judge go on record as saying anything. There's enough lawyers among the alumni so that the briefs and filings would be at no charge.

And our Board president keeps claiming that he has a consensus.

Part of the signature used by poster Sioux-cia says it all for me: "You're never a loser until you quit trying." Mike Ditka. Chicago takes credit for Da Coach, but he's actually from Western PA.

That is truly sad. I hope UND does not follow suit. Admittedly, I don't know the situation but why did Novak wait this long to complain? I am sure the UofI has plenty of white blood alums who could of stepped up to the plate and chose not to do so. Novak has connections and has a column. Why didn't he and others so connected use them to argue the sane side of this crap before now? Shame on them! What's wrong with them?

[The Sicatoka]

Neville Chamberlain's name has been mentioned more than once in this discussion.

I didn't think a public university could operate via the star chamber code of conduct.

[Chief Illiniwek Supporter]

Shame on them!

I could not agree more.

What's wrong with them?

Your guess is as good as mine.

On the subject of influential alumni, Roger Ebert has flip-flopped. First he came out with an editorial supporting the Chief, and shortly thereafter (I'd say no more than ten days later) he withdrew his support.

Perhaps some of you have seen Bill Giest-he does those "here's a wacky festival that you haven't seen before" or "here's someone who collects oddly shaped twigs" stories for CBS; he's also a published author and is an Illinois alum. This popped up in the letters to the editor section of the local newspaper. http://www.news-gazette.com/news/opinions/...ll_need_ncaa_ok

Some of our most notable supporters lately have been our athletic alums. We had a football player who introduced himself on Sunday Night Football as being from the "University of Chief Illiniwek" and just last Sunday a current NBA player said he'd favor keeping Chief.