Illinois does not have a specific official mascot, but it has several unofficial symbols and mascots that are commonly associated with the state. One of the most well-known symbols is the "Abe Lincoln" mascot, which is a representation of the state's most famous resident, President Abraham Lincoln. The Abe Lincoln mascot is often seen at Illinois events and is portrayed as a tall, bearded man wearing a black suit and top hat. Another unofficial mascot of Illinois is the "Fighting Illini," which is the athletic nickname for the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign. The Fighting Illini mascot is Chief Illiniwek, a Native American chief who performs dances and other ceremonial activities at sporting events. However, Chief Illiniwek has been a subject of controversy and debate in recent years, with some arguing that it is offensive and disrespectful to Native American culture.

Illinois Needs To Stop Trying To Make A Mascot Happen

Hey, administration, want to divide and enrage campus and the fans? Force a focus-grouped mascot down our throats.

However, Chief Illiniwek has been a subject of controversy and debate in recent years, with some arguing that it is offensive and disrespectful to Native American culture. In addition to these unofficial mascots, Illinois also has several official state symbols that are widely recognized. These include the state bird (northern cardinal), state flower (violet), state tree (white oak), and state animal (white-tailed deer).

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Well, here we go again. It seems like it's once again time for Illinois to talk about a mascot. It's been a few years since the spectacularly ill-fated Campus Spirit Revival movement showed that the student body just doesn't want one. Of course, failed attempts to create a mascot run deep at Illinois. On January 14, 1982, the "Orange and Blue Bird" made his first and last appearance at halftime of an Illinois basketball game. The reception was so negative that campus officials more or less disowned the O-B Bird.

But why have a mascot at all? Illinois has managed to play countless games throughout history without a goofy caricature roaming the sidelines with the cheerleaders. Just within the Big Ten, Michigan and Indiana do just fine for themselves as teams and as brands without assistance from an anthropomorphic animal or cartoonish man-character. Compared to a vibrant tailgating scene and a team the casual fan has some faith in, a mascot won't move the needle on attendance. The insurmountable home-court advantage Illinois Basketball enjoyed in the early 2000's wasn't due to any mascot, and the introduction of one won't pack the State Farm Center like those teams did in those days. From a merchandising and branding standpoint, a mascot is unlikely to become the primary logo for Illinois. Just take a look at the primary logos used on the Big Ten website:

Only Iowa, Michigan State and Penn State use something other than a letter (or letters) as a primary logo, and though I often see mascot-based secondary logos on fans of many of these teams, the Block I is an identifiable logo unique to Illinois in college football. Given all this, why does Illinois keep trying to make mascots happen? Why all this fuss about mascots?

Simple. It's never about a mascot. It's always about Chief Illiniwek. The former spiritual ambassador of Illinois athletics and his associated logo have failed to simply disappear in the nine years since being discontinued by the university. Every time I see an article like the one linked in the first sentence, it always comes back to Chief Illiniwek.

It concluded that a mascot could provide considerable marketing and branding appeal, boost school spirit, appeal to younger students and fans, and help combat continued use of offensive images of the Chief

I guarantee that this committee wasn't brainstorming ideas on how to boost the Illinois brand and reach out to a young generation of future Illini fans. It all started with the question of "how can we make Chief Illiniwek go away faster?"

Introducing a mascot is not the answer. Students arriving on campus now and getting decked out in Chief gear aren't doing it because there's no alternative, they're doing it because they want to believe Chief Illiniwek is still around. If anything, developing a new mascot by committee or focus group will make support for Chief Illiniwek even stronger and more visible.

My advice to those who truly want to promote campus unity and school spirit: recognize that the University of Illinois is more than Chief Illiniwek and rally around our logo, our colors and our teams.

My advice to the administration, if they really do want to move on from Chief Illiniwek, is to definitively state that Chief Illiniwek is no longer a symbol of the University of Illinois and that this administration will not be revisiting the issue, and that the University neither has nor is seeking to add an official mascot.

No mascot will ever gain completely universal acceptance (not all Stanford fans love the Tree, for instance), but perhaps someday, some enterprising and energetic fan will come up with some costume to wear to a football game and become a fixture, and the student body will say "hey, why don't we make that an official thing?"

Some alumni wanted to "move on" from the Chief, with one writing, "The Chief provided alums with many wonderful memories, but he is no longer around. Think of all the memories we are not having without a mascot."

I know people who were students during the 1997 season and you know what their memories are? Not winning a single game. Somehow, the presence of the Chief failed to summon much more than 30,000 for a home conference game against Michigan State.

Trying to force the mascot issue the way people have been doing will just continue raising the Chief Illiniwek debate.My position on that debate is beyond being pro or anti-Chief: I am sick and tired of talking about it. I'm sick of revisiting everything. I've explored every angle in great detail, and more than anything I just want this debate to stop. I love the University of Illinois more than I've ever loved Chief Illiniwek, and I'd rather talk about great things the engineering school is doing, music school graduates I know who have gone on to tremendous accolades, or the football team getting ready to win. If the Lovie Smith era lives up to the hype and the basketball team can make it back to the dance, maybe we'll all be too busy talking about the wonderful memories and exciting times they've provided to debate the merits of a cute cartoon squirrel on the sidelines

"But what's a Fighting Illini?"
One with fighting spirit associated with the University of Illinois.
"Yeah, but what's a Fighting Illini look like?"
A winner.

U of Illinois ordered to retire controversial mascot

The National Collegiate Athletic Association ruled that the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign should retire its mascot, Chief Illiniwek, last week.

Although the university said in a report on their Web site that students have been protesting the mascot since 1989, AU students had mixed reactions about the use of Native American mascots for athletic teams.

In 2005, the NCAA banned the University of Illinois from hosting championship games due to what the organization considered offensive use of Native American heritage.

The NCAA will remove the university from its list of schools under restriction for the use of Native American mascots, names and imagery Feb. 21 when the university said it would remove "Chief Illiniwek," the NCAA said in a press release Feb. 16.

"I am greatly disappointed and upset to see such a long tradition die," said Claire Pedersen, a sophomore at University of Illinois. "I feel as though when we took the mascot we did a lot to make sure that the Chief honored the Indian tribe. A lot of people are really upset about it going."

Since the terms "Illini" and "Fighting Illini" are associated with the name of the state, they are not an inappropriate reference to Native Americans, said the NCAA review committee in their press release.

According to a rebuttal letter from the university's board of trustees to the NCAA, Chief Illiniwek supporters "emphasize the value of and their pride in the tradition as the opportunity to preserve and showcase tradition, heritage and culture."

Katharine Kuhl, a junior in the School of International Service at AU, said since mascots are usually animals, it unnerved her to find that some athletic teams used the name of ethnic groups.

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However, Stephanie Fair, a senior in the College of Arts and Sciences, said she does not find the Chief offensive because countless high school teams in her home state of New Hampshire use Native American nicknames and imagery as mascots.

According to Marc Cowans, a recent AU graduate from the School of Public Affairs, Native American mascots are acceptable if they receive the approval of the Native American community.

Although Native American mascots portray stereotypes, Sterling Johnson, a senior in SIS, said "good stereotypes do exist and some are true to a certain extent."

Chief Illiniwek and the Washington Redskins mascot are "analogous to the Vikings or some other group in history," Johnson said. "They are chosen because they are revered for their tenacity and fierceness in battle."

Carrie Johnson, president of Student Advocates for Native Communities and a sophomore in the School of Public Affairs, said she agreed with the NCAA's ruling because the use of native mascots by academic institutions mis-educates university communities.

"Native mascots epitomize negative stereotypes of Native Americans and animalize native peoples," Johnson said in an e-mail. "People who are attached to the traditions around native mascots are making a false argument when they claim they are 'honoring' Native Americans. I personally believe they are 'honoring' native peoples as much as students at American University are 'honoring' eagles when they cheer at games."

Although the University Relations office at the University of Illinois would not comment on the retirement of the school's mascot, it has provided press releases and other NCAA documents related to the case on its official Web site.

The University has also placed a video of the Chief's last dance on www.uillinois.edu/chief.

Chief Illiniwek's performance is an "interpretive" version of the Native American "Fancy Dance" that originated in the 1900s in Oklahoma, according to the rebuttal letter the university sent to the NCAA.

University of Illinois’s potential new mascot makes a splash

In 2007, the University of Illinois stopped using Chief Illiniwek as their mascot in order to respect the cultural heritage of the Illini tribe. Since that controversial decision, the university has been completely mascot-less. Many ideas have been proposed to replace the old chief, but between the people who are pushing for the return of Illiniwek and the slow moving nature of the issue, nothing has really been able to stick. However, a recent proposal that has gone viral may finally fill the vacant position.

Let me introduce you to the “Alma Otter”, a mascot based on the famous statue on campus called the Alma Mater.

The Alma Otter in its natural habitat. Photo courtesy of UIUC juniors John Falwick, Austin Lindell and Connor Latham.

Wait- please don’t leave. I’m being serious. The student body has recently been pushing this adorable mammal as the new mascot, finally filling the hole left by Illiniwek’s departure. This push has led to the Otter becoming a miniature viral sensation, as it now has its own Change.org petition and Facebook page. The Alma Otter has become so popular that the Illinois Student Government even voted this week to put the Alma Otter on the official university symbol ballot.

Now I know what you’re thinking: This is ridiculous! This is wildly different! This is crazy!

That’s right, I am in full support of this new mascot. Yes, it’s cute, which isn’t typically what a sports team would want representing them. However, the Otter isn’t just a random choice to fit with a pun. Otters have a lot of historical significance in Illinois. In 1989, there were less than 100 otters in the entire state of Illinois and their numbers were on the decline. However, as the result of incredibly hard work done by the Illinois Department of Natural Resources to reintroduce them to the state, there are now otters in every single county in Illinois.

Beyond the history of otters in this great state, the pun opportunity is also too enormous to pass up. Alma Otter represents just the tip of the iceberg. Why not call student sections at sports games “Otter Boxes”? Or tell someone, “I’m sending Alma my love to my significant Otter”? Or call a local restaurant the “Otter Side” (so when you make reservations, someone can ask “Why did you cross the road?” and you can say “To get to the Otter Side!”). The pun potential is otter-ly ridiculous, and we can’t throw away an opportunity like this.

But most importantly, it will bring back the spark to the campus that it’s been missing ever since Illiniwek was removed. For 12 years, people have fought over whether or not taking away the Chief was justified and what the new mascot should be, and for 12 years, the games and campus events have continued without a mascot. It’s become tiresome. While a new mascot would certainly not end the fighting, it would provide an outcome with far less controversy and more spirit for the school. Now I’m not saying we should replace the team name “Fighting Illini”. The name “Fighting Otters” just doesn’t have the same ring to it. However, it would be nice to finally get a unifying mascot back on the fields and courts to support the Illini as they try their best to win (but typically don’t). The mascot would also fit in with some of the rest of the Big 10 mascots like the Minnesota Golden Gophers and the Wisconsin Badgers. Heck, Ohio State’s mascot is a tree nut and Indiana’s mascot is literally just a person who lives in Indiana, and both of those schools have massive school spirit. Maybe it’s time to give the “Alma Otter” its chance to swim into the hearts of all of America.

While these symbols may not be mascots in the traditional sense, they are important representations of the state and its natural heritage. Overall, while Illinois does not have a specific official mascot, it does have several unofficial symbols and mascots that are commonly associated with the state. The Abe Lincoln mascot and the Fighting Illini are two of the most well-known examples, but the state also has a variety of official state symbols that represent its natural and cultural heritage..

Reviews for "The Pros and Cons of Illinois' Mascot-Less State"

1. John - 1/5 stars: "I found 'Does Illinois have a mascot?' to be extremely disappointing. The book lacks any substantial content and fails to engage the reader. The writing is dry and monotonous, making it difficult to stay interested. Furthermore, the author doesn't provide any concrete answers to the question posed in the title. Overall, I would not recommend this book to anyone looking for an informative or entertaining read."

2. Sarah - 2/5 stars: "I had high hopes for 'Does Illinois have a mascot?' as I am a fan of college sports and enjoy learning about different mascots. Unfortunately, this book did not live up to my expectations. The author spends too much time discussing irrelevant topics and fails to delve deep into the subject matter. I was left feeling confused and unsatisfied. Additionally, the writing style was lackluster and lacked the creativity and enthusiasm that I look for in non-fiction works. I would advise skipping this book and seeking out other sources for information on college mascots."

3. Mike - 2/5 stars: "'Does Illinois have a mascot?' left me feeling underwhelmed and unimpressed. The book is poorly organized and lacks a coherent structure. It jumps from one random fact to another without providing any solid information. I expected a concise answer to the titular question, but instead, I got a hodgepodge of unrelated trivia. The lack of depth and analysis was disappointing, and I would not recommend this book to anyone seeking a comprehensive understanding of college mascots."

4. Emily - 1/5 stars: "I regret purchasing 'Does Illinois have a mascot?' as it failed to deliver any valuable or substantial content. The book is incredibly short, and the author barely scratches the surface of the topic. It feels more like a hastily assembled pamphlet than a book. The writing is uninspired and lacks any clear direction. I was hoping to learn about Illinois' mascot history, but all I got was a few vague mentions. Save your money and look for better resources if you're genuinely interested in this topic."

Exploring the Debate: Should Illinois Adopt a Mascot?