Help save the chief!

[Bravesfan]

All I will say about the issue is this. If having such a tradition or a mascot proves detrimental to a school like Illinois in attracting good students and good student-athletes, why would you keep it? Having an issue like that hanging over your school is not much different than having students shy away and choosing another option where they can get a great education without the backdrop of a distraction like this or alleged recruiting violations. There have been rumblings over the past few years that Illinois has lost out on students and athletes because of this issue alone. If the school is perceived to have problems like that, another school would seem like a better alternative.

Not too long ago, people in South Africa thought Apartheid was a "tradition" in that nation's social fabric. The country paid a price by being excluded from participating or being taken seriously as country with that issue hanging over its head. Now, athletes, businesses, and professionals are viewed in a different light when they say they are from RSA, rather than being shunned, avoided, and shutout from competitions and conferences many of us in the United States would take for granted.

As for the Confederate Flag brouhaha in some southern states, I think it would be in Bradley's best interest not to intentionally schedule games with schools from those states that are adamant about keeping such flags out in open displays on a daily basis. To me, flags like that are about history moreso than heritage and belong in museums. Can you imagine the reaction from not only this country, but European and Asian neighbors if Germany decided to publicly display a flag with a swastika on it, or Japan with its rising sun with outspreading rays on it?

I am not a minority, but I try to put myself in a person's shoes and I know how I would probably react to seeing such symbols on constant display. I'd be hacked off as a Black, Jew, Indian, or a Polish or Dutch or Korean person.

I cannot lump South African Apartheid and the Confederate flag in the same league as the Chief. For me, it is less about the Chief specifically, and more about a very small minority of people dictating what is okay for people to believe. All I know is that majority of U of I students and Native Americans included, did not/don't have a problem with Chief. But some unknown few (probably most not even Native American) decided they know what's best for the masses!

I'm sorry, but I don't like the "Thought Police" Gestapo trying to brainwash people into thinking a dancing guy dressed as an Indian chief is bad. Heck, we can't even call a Christmas tree a Christmas tree anymore! Where does it end?

[Bravesfan]

Its a stupid mascot for crying out loud! And in light of what is happening in basketball circles now, I would think the U of I has better things to do than worry about the Chief!

If I see one more video of someone crying I may just throw up

It's less about this mascot in particular, and more about a few people dictating what the majority should think (see my above post).

[IlliBraves]

All I will say about the issue is this. If having such a tradition or a mascot proves detrimental to a school like Illinois in attracting good students and good student-athletes, why would you keep it? Having an issue like that hanging over your school is not much different than having students shy away and choosing another option where they can get a great education without the backdrop of a distraction like this or alleged recruiting violations. There have been rumblings over the past few years that Illinois has lost out on students and athletes because of this issue alone. If the school is perceived to have problems like that, another school would seem like a better alternative.

Not too long ago, people in South Africa thought Apartheid was a "tradition" in that nation's social fabric. The country paid a price by being excluded from participating or being taken seriously as country with that issue hanging over its head. Now, athletes, businesses, and professionals are viewed in a different light when they say they are from RSA, rather than being shunned, avoided, and shutout from competitions and conferences many of us in the United States would take for granted.

As for the Confederate Flag brouhaha in some southern states, I think it would be in Bradley's best interest not to intentionally schedule games with schools from those states that are adamant about keeping such flags out in open displays on a daily basis. To me, flags like that are about history moreso than heritage and belong in museums. Can you imagine the reaction from not only this country, but European and Asian neighbors if Germany decided to publicly display a flag with a swastika on it, or Japan with its rising sun with outspreading rays on it?

I am not a minority, but I try to put myself in a person's shoes and I know how I would probably react to seeing such symbols on constant display. I'd be hacked off as a Black, Jew, Indian, or a Polish or Dutch or Korean person.

I cannot lump South African Apartheid and the Confederate flag in the same league as the Chief. For me, it is less about the Chief specifically, and more about a very small minority of people dictating what is okay for people to believe. All I know is that majority of U of I students and Native Americans included, did not/don't have a problem with Chief. But some unknown few (probably most not even Native American) decided they know what's best for the masses!

I'm sorry, but I don't like the "Thought Police" Gestapo trying to brainwash people into thinking a dancing guy dressed as an Indian chief is bad. Heck, we can't even call a Christmas tree a Christmas tree anymore! Where does it end?

Thank you Bravesfan, that is exactly what it is about. I for one, am not going to stop being a white, male catholic who enjoys wearing orange shirts with an indian symbol on them!

As for not scheduling schools with confederate flags...why? Tell me, in what way does that discriminate? It doesn't. For one, these idiots completely forget what the whole point of the civil war was...states' rights. If they want to keep part of their heritage and history, let them. These are probably the same nut jobs who think that hurricane katrina was some sort of conspiracy because President Bush doesn't like black people. I am tired of today's society dictating everything I say and do. The fact of the matter is, who is the NCAA to tell schools what they can and can't do in this regard. They have overstepped their boundary, and the member schools are letting them! If there is so much outcry about a respectful tradition on a college campus, then I had better start hearing a PC outcry over the Cleveland Indians and the Washington Redskins. That is only the next step, the federal government controlling private business.

[Bravesfan]

Thank you Bravesfan, that is exactly what it is about. I for one, am not going to stop being a white, male catholic who enjoys wearing orange shirts with an indian symbol on them!

As for not scheduling schools with confederate flags...why? Tell me, in what way does that discriminate? It doesn't. For one, these idiots completely forget what the whole point of the civil war was...states' rights. If they want to keep part of their heritage and history, let them. These are probably the same nut jobs who think that hurricane katrina was some sort of conspiracy because President Bush doesn't like black people. I am tired of today's society dictating everything I say and do. The fact of the matter is, who is the NCAA to tell schools what they can and can't do in this regard. They have overstepped their boundary, and the member schools are letting them! If there is so much outcry about a respectful tradition on a college campus, then I had better start hearing a PC outcry over the Cleveland Indians and the Washington Redskins. That is only the next step, the federal government controlling private business.

Thanks for the support IlliBraves! I don't think a lot of people disagree with the substance of what we believe in. It's just that a lot of people don't think it's that big a deal. Well, it is! And I think Ray Nagin had a lot more to do with the mess in New Orleans than the federal government, though all should share in the blame. But that is another matter for another day.

Speaking of the federal government controlling private business, I heard the other day on some morning "news" show that the feds were threatening to step into the whole Jet Blue airline mess if they didn't clean things up themselves! Hello? Yes, the airlines are guilty of crawling to the government for federal funding when they can't balance their books, but the feds are hypocritical too. Here's a novel idea: how about letting the market forces deciding whether Jet Blue is worth flying or not?! What a novel concept!

And don't get me started about the renagade alderman in Chicago who has been on the rampage against restaurants for years. He's recently taken the lead on trying to call for a ban on trans fats, and Chicago and many suburbs have already passed smoking bans in restaurants (outside of a few bars). I mean I hate second hand smoke as much as the next guy, but come on! Where does the government get off demanding what someone does in his or her restaurant?!

All of this ties back into the U of I Chief situation, and unfortunately, the extreme political correctness does not seem to be going away anytime soon. And I for one am not going to let this issue go away anytime soon, either.

[real fan]

If N. Dakota wins their lawsuit I would not be surprized to see the chief come back .