Chief Illiniwek vs NCAA

I love the Chief, it sucks but they are going to eventually have to get rid of him. Isn't there a way the school could work with the Peoria tribe to come to a comprimise?

The NCAA is so corrupt it is beyond funny. Note that the "ban" only prohibits the schools from hosting post-season events. That means the Illini can still play in the NCAA basketball tournaments (all neutral site games) and all bowl games (same) without penalty. The NCAA is really just taking a shot at the true amateurs out there -- the ones who play field hockey and wrestle. Picking on the little guy's programs is just perverse. If the NCAA had any cojones, it'd disallow "hostile and abusive" teams from post-season play outright.

I can see banning obvious derogatory nicknames (redskins, for one) or mascots/activities (braves tomohawk chop seems pretty bad) and I agree with dnl that bans should be across the board. But Illinwek, though not sponsored by the tribe, doesn't appear to be derogatory- has anyone formally complained? Like the FSU Seminole routine, but I suppose the seminole tribe has ok'ed that.

I think the NCAA is out of control and it is only getting worse. Instead of forcing Div. I-A schools to adopt a football playoff, they waste their time banning nicknames.

The problem w/the Florida State mascot is that the tribe OKed it, but the non-Florida Seminole tribes haven't. Who should have the say?

Probably the justice system should have the say, as ridiculous as that sounds. If I was Chief Illiniwek and lost my job due to the NCAA, I'd take 'em to court.

The Illiniwek is actually a group of tribes which makes this whole debate even tougher. With no actual tribe to set litegation on the matter, it remains a battle between the school and the NCAA.

"We can't point to the Illiniwek tribe. Illiniwek referred to a confederation of tribes. We don't have any locally based namesake tribe. http://pjsta...CL.083.shtml

From the same article...The Peoria Tribe of Indians of Oklahoma, whose population includes descendants of the Illini, voted against the use of Chief Illiniwek. The tribe's executive council asked Illinois to cease use of Chief Illiniwek in a letter dated April, 2001.

U of I actually sent the individuals preforming the half time dance out to tribes olut west to learn actual ceremonial step and moves. After the routine was put together it was performed back at the tribal council and was taken as a compliment.(I'll find more info on that)

This year A 28-page document sent to the NCAA Executive Committee uses several examples of case law - including Supreme Court rulings regarding the NCAA - to argue that the NCAA policy and recent rejection of an initial appeal "violate principles of institutional autonomy." The University has argued since the Aug. 5 policy change that Illinois should have the right to come to its own solution about the Chief, rather than be forced to comply with an outside organization's demands.

The new appeal argues that the NCAA has yet to factually prove the Chief creates a "hostile and abusive" atmosphere. It further raises the issue that the NCAA never actually defined "hostile and abusive," its catchphrase for American Indian imagery it opposes, and arbitrarily singled-out schools to be subject to the ruling.

Additionally, the University claims the initial NCAA policy violates the First Amendment and antitrust laws.

"They never offered any outline or definition of what constitutes 'hostile and abusive' behavior," Hardy said. "They said in August they'd provide civil rights case law to support their position, but we're the ones who've provided that."

http://www.c...ni.com/Chief Illiniwek.htm

Well the University of North Dakota and state of North Dakota will also be taking the NCAA to court of the Fighting Sioux nickname. They DON't have 100% ok from the tribes in the state and a lot of the faculty their are against it also. I just hope they get it solved up here sooner then later so I don't have to listen to this crap much longer.

Quote:

CHAMPAIGN -- Chief Illiniwek likely will dance at halftime of University of Illinois home football games this fall and might dance at basketball games as well, even though doing so would keep other sports from hosting NCAA postseason events, the school's athletic director said in a newspaper interview.

Quote: But Guenther told the Herald & Review that he expects the NCAA to eventually increase its penalties for schools that don't comply. "The next step, I believe, will be for them to say, `Hey, your basketball team cannot qualify. Your basketball team cannot play in the NCAA tournament,'" he said. "I already know they have suggested that's what they'd like the (football) BCS to do. Fortunately, the BCS is not ruled by the NCAA. But they could do it in basketball. I don't think it will stop with penalizing the Olympic sports by not letting them host."

http://chica...me-headlines

This period of exploration means the University of Illinois will be in non-compliance on the matter of Native American mascots, symbols, imagery and nicknames and, therefore, will subject its sports to a continued ban on hosting NCAA post-season events. Ron said he has talked with all of his coaches and they understand this is a necessary sacrifice to give the Board of Trustees more time.

Quote: Be mad. Be very mad. But don’t direct that anger at the university in the form of withholding donations, ticket purchases, etc. Direct the anger at the NCAA, if that’s how you feel. In the meantime, hope for something positive on Tim Johnson’s legislative proposal. And know that Guenther said many, many schools agree that the NCAA has overstepped its bounds on this issue.

http://www.h...upper/?p=237

Proposed law would limit NCAA - Washington DC (US House of Representatives)---Rep. Tim Johnson, R-Ill., whose district includes the University of Illinois' main campus, and House Speaker Dennis Hastert Thursday introduced legislation designed to prevent the NCAA from invading institutional autonomy.

The NCAA should "go back to scheduling ballgames and leave the social engineering to others," Johnson said in a written statement.

http://www.p...74795471.txt