Chief Illiniwek's last dance

[Mr2Bits]

Poor Illinois...An 80-year tradition came to a close at Illinois when Chief Illiniwek danced his last dance against Michigan on February 21, 2007. I believe the NCAA came down on them for having a native american as their mascot. So they forced him to retire. Correct me if I'm wrong.

 

[PhD Gator]

Seems ridiculous to me that they were banned from doing it, but yet FSU can spike the flaming spear at midfield which is a symbol of war. It seems that Illinois dance was much more respectful to the tribe it was honoring then FSU's war symbol. This was actually mentioned late last night by one ESPN's college basketball crew and I totally agree with him. Their dance at halftime was a symbol of the Illini culture while FSU's slamming of the spear makes the Seminoles look like a vicious tribe that was only concerned with war. I have a feeling the NCAA will come down on FSU soon though. But, then again, maybe they won't since there is a small section of the Seminole tribe that is willing to stand up for them.

 

[In Urban I Trust]

NCAA did come down on FSU, but they appealed and said that they had a pact with the seminole tribe and they claimed it was honoring the seminole tribe. FSU should be renamed the kudzu kings after the miles and miles of kudzu growing along I-10 near tallatrashy

 

[blueshoesnb]

the reason they got banned though isnt because their dance its because the gay 500 year olds at the NCAA think that the mascot in general is disrespectful to the tribe and your right the seminole tribe does support fsu and thats why they are still the seminoles. I feel bad for the school, I couldnt imagine the NCAA saying well Florida, the Gator is a deadly animal we dont want to promote death so you have to change. Im glad they didnt crack down on FSU, the rivalry wouldnt be the same if they werent the noles anymore

 

[PhD Gator]

I wouldn't be too shocked though if they do eventually crack down on FSU. It appears that the NCAA is going about this completely wrong and THEY are the ones deciding if it is offensive, and not necessarily asking the tribe. From everything I have heard, it wasn't the tribe in Illinois that wanted the change, but it was the NCAA that decided it was offensive by themselves. Even though there is a small sect of Seminoles willing to stand up for FSU using their name, the NCAA might still decide that THEY think it is offensive. This seems very backwards to me of how it should be done, but the NCAA can be that way sometimes.

 

[blueshoesnb]

sadly enough I have to agree

the NCAA needs to go away

 

[PhD Gator]

sadly enough I have to agree

the NCAA needs to go away

Yeah, they have done a very poor job at many things in recent years. What's really sad is that probably the best move they have made lately was simply a reversal of a poor decision on their part in the first place (the new clock rules).

 

[blueshoesnb]

haha o god thats room for a whole new conversation. Seems to be the NCAA cant get much right lately, no one is ever satisfied with the BCS, they are making schools change their mascots, and the list goes on and on. I give mad props though to the coaches for stepping up and challenging the NCAA with the new clock rules. I forget who the school was that did it but it was against Penn State, when they purposely ran offsides 3 times I think to make sure Penn State didnt get the ball back before the end of the half, because the coach had the smarts to realize the clock started when the ball was kicked and thus ran off I think like close to half a minute. crazy stuff glad to see somebody took em down though

 

[lilChomp]

The seminole tribe gets millions of dollars from FSU.. there is no way in hell they would ever complain to the ncaa about using them as a mascot. I can't imagine the Illini are any different. I'm sure Illinois gives them a nice chunk of change every year.

What is Illinois changing their mascot to?

 

[blueshoesnb]

the president said he had no plans to change the mascot in the near future

 

[JohnnyBGood]

the president said he had no plans to change the mascot in the near future

So if they aren't changing the mascot, then why was it his last dance?

 

[PhD Gator]

So if they aren't changing the mascot, then why was it his last dance?

I think maybe he is just no longer allowed to do the dance at halftime.

 

[UFtb]

But the seminole chief can still run out on the field at the beginning of a game and throw the spear into the ground?

 

[UGAsucks]

and heres come the live report from illini country...yes as bad as the suck they still have loyal fans up here


fans are pissed



and that woman who started this whole hoopla, becasue she went to a basketball game and was offended is gloating...i hope she gets the boubonic plague


i could go into somemuch more detail especially since the same thing is happening at my high school, since were the indians, and have a giant indian head painted in the middle of our basketball court

 

[blueshoesnb]

you know whats funny is that these people who complain are only like 1/3459568945693456 indian. they dont even do anything to support their heritage but yet they are offended and god save America from this downward spiral going on and get us out of the "We aim to please" service and back to "America, still better than your other country"

 

[carolinathru&thru]

you know whats funny is that these people who complain are only like 1/3459568945693456 indian. they dont even do anything to support their heritage but yet they are offended and god save America from this downward spiral going on and get us out of the "We aim to please" service and back to "America, still better than your other country"

Or they're not even Indian at all.

What's funny is, you can go to Indian Reservations all over the country and see full-blooded Indians do those kind of dances as demonstrations. It's not exactly a charicature of Indians, it is just emulating what they do.