Giving up the fight
By John Ring
When word filtered down
that the University of Illinois caved in to demands made by the NCAA and
officially got rid of that offensive, prejudiced Chief Illiniwek, I wasnÕt surprised. I was
just angry.
First, a disclaimer. IÕve never
attended the University of Illinois, am not an alumni and have no vested
interest in the Fighting Illini. IÕd love to see them be more competitive in
football and theyÕre on the right track in basketball.
But when I attended
sporting events at Illinois and the Chief would make his halftime dance, you
couldnÕt help but be pumped up. It was tradition. The crowd loved it. It was
pure Fighting Illini.
IÕve interviewed two Chief Illiniweks during my tenure as a sports
editor here at The Zephyr. I would match either of those two guys in terms
of knowledge, respect and pride of Native American history to any pointy-headed
intellectual, Native American activist or do-gooder at the NCAA.
TheyÕre not just some Frat
Boys dancing crazily between drunken parties. They took their role as Chief
Illiniwek seriously and performed with dignity. They were, and still are, a
part of the Fighting Illini sports program.
The two Chiefs I spoke to
explained to me how every different action in the dance, everything they wore
and every body movement they made were painfully researched and studied. To
them— and to thousands of Illini Alumni— this was about honor and
tradition, not race-bating or taunting.
The University capitulated
due to a threat from the NCAA that Illinois would not host Regional events in
the so-called ÒminorÓ sports, thus putting them at a competitive disadvantage.
To be perfectly candid, a lot of Illinois alumni would gladly sacrifice that privilege
to keep the Chief in uniform. If you donÕt believe me, ask them.
The NCAA is magnanimously
letting Illinois keep the ÒFighting IlliniÓ as their nickname— for now.
Give them another 10-15 years. ThatÕs next on the list.
This is a lot of hypocrisy
anyway. The Florida State Seminoles
keep their nickname and mascot by paying Seminole Native Americans a million
dollars a year. The Seminole tribe wants the money so the nickname is kept.
There are no more Fighting Illini Native Americans to pay off.
Many— including several
in the sports media— advocated just giving up. That this was a losing cause. Dump
the Chief, get it behind you and move on. You canÕt fight the NCAA. More
threats from them will be made. Make peace and go forward.
Sorry. IÕm not that way.
Fight for what you believe
in. Fight for your tradition. Fight until you get knocked down and then get up
and fight some more.
ThereÕs no fight left with
the University of Illinois.
Maybe they shouldnÕt be
called the Fighting Illini after all.