Chief Illiniwek's Last Dance

[Shadowrun]

dude read the DI once in a while they talked about the term "fighting illini" and why we got to keep it (seemed to be very different from what you said, but i think it was a kids article no an AP one)

P.S. i go to a lot more sports stuff here than just basketball but i dont get everyone obsession with the Cheif

Edit: Because i find more source

The earliest recorded usage of the term "Illini" appears to have been in January 1874, when the weekly student newspaper changed its name from The Student to The Illini. An editorial (pdf, 150KB) in the first issue of the renamed journal (Volume 3, Issue 1) implies that the term was coined and had not formally existed prior to 1874. During the late 19th century and the first years of the 20th century, it was often used to refer to the students, faculty, staff, and alumni of the University, as well as to the campus as a whole.

and

Application of the term specifically in reference to athletic teams seems to have been first by secondhand accounts of University athletic teams. The earliest reference in the Illio appears to be one mention in the summary of the 1907 football season. The term gained greater frequency in the next decade, especially during the 1914, 1915, and 1916 football seasons. Daily Illini articles and football programs prior to these dates do not extensively cite the term, at least to the extent of our staff's knowledge. Other terms, such as the "Indians," "our men," "Orange and Blue," and the "homecomers" were sometimes applied to the team, none in a consistent fashion, except for "Illinois" and "Varsity".

etc. from our very own school http://web.library.uiuc.edu/ahx/illini/

[Shadowrun]

a side note: i won a hundo because i bet my friend that Jamar smith was either drunk or high.

[illini43]

I actually saw Jamar Smith at Taco Bell after the game tonight, it was very awkward as it was him, me, and my 3 friends in the place at like 11pm.

I have season tix for football, basketball, and have gone to numerous volleyball games, so I've seen the chief perform quite a bit.

I'm not necessarily arguing for the retention of the chief; I think the time for reforming it has passed, and there was an opporutnity in the past few years to update it.

If MSU took away Sparty, if Wisconsin took away Bucky, if OSU took away Brutus, you would hear about it, and there would be students protesting.

[illini43]

You can't take away Illini. Illinois means Illini in French (according to one of my history professors, who lives and is fluent in French). If Illini is racist or whatever, then the whole state name is racist...it doesn't make much sense.

And I DO read the DI. A couple days ago, the fact I posted about the term "fighting" was on the back page, so please don't question my sources or reading ability.

[Shadowrun]

nice job with the season tix,

do you really get something out of seeing the chief, with me i think it would be the same regardless

also i dont know if you tell by my tone or not but i dont care either way at all about the cheif, i just find it so funny that kids (and some alumni also) get so worked up about it.

P.S. why is there no taco bell on green street?

[illini43]

I enjoy watching the chief. I'm not crying that he is gone, but things will be different next year during halftimes. Like I said before, I'm not really that gung-ho about keeping him, I just think it is an interesting thing that is going on here.

I do also find it amusing how many people get worked up about the chief. At Chipotle the other day the townie cashier and manager were talking about it. Instead of making the whole thing a war and taking sides, a compromise should have been pursued, but o well...

Taco Bell would make gobs and gobs of money on Green. I hate having to walk to Neil to eat (never been to the one on University or Springfield, whichever one it is).

[cardsharkk04]

Yea it sucks to see the chief go. I'm not a huge pro-chief guy, but I do enjoy the halftime shows and will miss him next year. And I can kinda see why people get so worked up because the reason for taking him away is so lame. Oh Well, RIP CHIEF.

Also, it would be cool to see a Taco Bell where the old (and worst ever) Burger King was. Of course that would make 5 'mexican' places in a 3 block stretch.

[forshure]

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dude read the DI

[/ QUOTE ]

OMG beat. I came from a town with a newspaper tha ti thought was hte most retarded newspaper ever, that is again until I found the DI. jopke.

[cardsharkk04]

[ QUOTE ]
Wow, I was really expecting this to go the other way. I've never heard anyone actually defend the chief. I didn't go there, but I had a few friends who did. It seemed like everyone thought of him as an embarrassing sort of minstrel show.


[/ QUOTE ]

I go there and no one I know thinks of Chief like that (although I'm sure the super liberal PC people do)

[ QUOTE ]
BTW, the Fighting Irish comparison really doesn't hold. Notre Dame was founded by Catholics, many of them Irish. And I've never heard anyone find it offensive.

[/ QUOTE ]

you can't see how a drunken irish guy as mascot could be seen offensive? (they also aren't a minority)

[Halation]

The Notre Dame mascot isn't drunk. Where did that come from? And I didn't say that Irish people were a minority.