Say Anything Blog

This is silly.

Fox Sports - Top-seeded Illinois is preparing to take on Louisville in the Final Four, but the Illini will take the court in St. Louis Saturday without their mascot.

"Chief Illiniwek," a student in buckskins, feathery headdress and makeup has been less visible at the school's athletic events during the past five years.

Why?

Well, trouble seems to find the Chief, as Illinois has been the target of protests, demonstrations and lawsuits, which claim the figure perpetuates a racial stereotype and demeans Native Americans.

The other three finalists' mascots are expected to attend, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch.

Illinois has come under more fire recently when, in a lawsuit earlier this month, the Illinois Native American Bar Association and two individuals filed suit seeking to force the school to stop using the Chief as its sports mascot.

Yet Chief Illiniwek, who doesn't usually attend road games during the regular season, remains Illinois' official school symbol, and the university wishes that he not be referred to as a mascot.

Isn't a mascot a positive thing? Certainly these colleges aren't picking symbols that engender a negative connotation. The mascot is picked, ostensibly, for the positive qualities it portrays. You'd think that it'd be a flattering thing.

As someone with a Scandinavian background I'm certainly not the least bit offended by the Minnesota Vikings. And I've never heard anybody of Irish heritage complain about Notre Dame's mascot.

I think this sort of thing is the result of overly-sensitive people with far too much time on their hands.