Hail to the Orange, Hail to the Blue

I would like to commend the NCAA for taking action against the biggest problem facing college athletics--Indian mascots. I admit it--I am an unabashed supporter of Chief Illiniwek. I know, I know, not very PC but--after all, the state name means "Land of the Illini."

He isn't a sideline mascot ramming the Golden Gopher into the goalposts--he doesn't "cheer" and only appears for the halftime ritual. No big-nosed caricature like Chief Wahoo and he's not Chief Nok-a-Homa. He wears a costume donated by a Sioux chief. I was at that game, we played Pitt (they had a quarterback named Marino, I wonder how he turned out).

I come from Danish ancestry. Should I be offended when someone wearing horns trumpets at a Vikings game? Is Sparty at Michigan State offensive to Peloponnesian Greeks? The Penn Quakers? And don't get me started on that place in South Bend.

Irrational? Perhaps. Illogical? Almost definitely, but I will always love the Chief!

Hail to the Orange, Hail to the Blue

Hail Alma Mater

Ever so true (so true...)

We love no other

So let our motto be

Victory Illinois, Varsity!