Adieu Wahoo

[Banedon]

[tweet]

[/tweet]

[Andy]

I don't really understand why they can't just junk them this season. It's not like the Indians don't already have plenty of uniform options that don't include Wahoo.

[Sammy Sofa]

I don't really understand why they can't just junk them this season. It's not like the Indians don't already have plenty of uniform options that don't include Wahoo.

 

I'm assuming that a farewell tour gives them the opportunity to double dip; sell a ton of the old merchandise before it goes away, and then sell the new stuff like crazy when it comes out, too.

 

But hey, at least this embarrassment is finally getting the boot. Indians, you gotta put off your WS hopes for one more year.

Edited January 29, 2018 by Sammy Sofa

[Banedon]

I wonder if this puts any pressure on other teams...Redskins...Blackhawks....

[Bobson Dugnutt]

I wonder if this puts any pressure on other teams...Redskins...Blackhawks....

 

i feel like the blackhawks backlash has been pretty quiet compared to the Redskins, Indians, Chief Illiniwek etc. is there a reason for that? other than hockey just not being as popular as the other sports?

 

or is there pushback that i just haven't seen?

[Ding Dong Johnson]

tomorrow they'll announce his replacement - captain injun'

http://worldartsme.com/images/india-cartoon-clipart-1.jpg

[javy knows my name]

Since this should have happened 20 years ago I give no one credit for anything

[jersey cubs fan]

No rush

[javy knows my name]

I wonder if this puts any pressure on other teams...Redskins...Blackhawks....

 

i feel like the blackhawks backlash has been pretty quiet compared to the Redskins, Indians, Chief Illiniwek etc. is there a reason for that? other than hockey just not being as popular as the other sports?

 

or is there pushback that i just haven't seen?

 

Well one is literally a racial slur so, while certainly insensitive, I'm not sure Illini and Blackhawks belong in the same sentence

[Bobson Dugnutt]

I wonder if this puts any pressure on other teams...Redskins...Blackhawks....

 

i feel like the blackhawks backlash has been pretty quiet compared to the Redskins, Indians, Chief Illiniwek etc. is there a reason for that? other than hockey just not being as popular as the other sports?

 

or is there pushback that i just haven't seen?

 

Well one is literally a racial slur so, while certainly insensitive, I'm not sure Illini and Blackhawks belong in the same sentence

 

well, right. even taking the redskins out of the conversation, it seems like the blackhawks are one of the few organizations with a native american related name that hasn't received a ton of criticism. Brandon's post is one of the few times i've even seen them brought up.

 

but i don't follow hockey a ton, so maybe it's there and i just haven't seen it.

[jersey cubs fan]

I wonder if this puts any pressure on other teams...Redskins...Blackhawks....

 

i feel like the blackhawks backlash has been pretty quiet compared to the Redskins, Indians, Chief Illiniwek etc. is there a reason for that? other than hockey just not being as popular as the other sports?

 

or is there pushback that i just haven't seen?

the chief wahoo and redskins are cartoonishly racist, while the others can more realistically claim they are honoring people.

[javy knows my name]

 

i feel like the blackhawks backlash has been pretty quiet compared to the Redskins, Indians, Chief Illiniwek etc. is there a reason for that? other than hockey just not being as popular as the other sports?

 

or is there pushback that i just haven't seen?

 

Well one is literally a racial slur so, while certainly insensitive, I'm not sure Illini and Blackhawks belong in the same sentence

 

well, right. even taking the redskins out of the conversation, it seems like the blackhawks are one of the few organizations with a native american related name that hasn't received a ton of criticism. Brandon's post is one of the few times i've even seen them brought up.

 

but i don't follow hockey a ton, so maybe it's there and i just haven't seen it.

 

I kinda think there just isn't much pressure/outcry to change your mildly offensive name/mascot when the horsefeathering Redskins still exist.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

I wonder if this puts any pressure on other teams...Redskins...Blackhawks....

 

i feel like the blackhawks backlash has been pretty quiet compared to the Redskins, Indians, Chief Illiniwek etc. is there a reason for that? other than hockey just not being as popular as the other sports?

 

or is there pushback that i just haven't seen?

the chief wahoo and redskins are cartoonishly racist, while the others can more realistically claim they are honoring people.

 

fair enough.

[Bobson Dugnutt]

 

Well one is literally a racial slur so, while certainly insensitive, I'm not sure Illini and Blackhawks belong in the same sentence

 

well, right. even taking the redskins out of the conversation, it seems like the blackhawks are one of the few organizations with a native american related name that hasn't received a ton of criticism. Brandon's post is one of the few times i've even seen them brought up.

 

but i don't follow hockey a ton, so maybe it's there and i just haven't seen it.

 

I kinda think there just isn't much pressure/outcry to change your mildly offensive name/mascot when the horsefeathering Redskins still exist.

 

yep, this makes sense.

[David]

I wonder if this puts any pressure on other teams...Redskins...Blackhawks....

 

i feel like the blackhawks backlash has been pretty quiet compared to the Redskins, Indians, Chief Illiniwek etc. is there a reason for that? other than hockey just not being as popular as the other sports?

 

or is there pushback that i just haven't seen?

 

Well one is literally a racial slur so, while certainly insensitive, I'm not sure Illini and Blackhawks belong in the same sentence

 

chief illiniwek (the actual mascot guy, that is - i just realized you meant the character/logo) is/was definitely a goofy caricature of native americans. the blackhawks logo/name seems far less disrespectful than the other teams mentioned, but what do i know.

[javy knows my name]

 

i feel like the blackhawks backlash has been pretty quiet compared to the Redskins, Indians, Chief Illiniwek etc. is there a reason for that? other than hockey just not being as popular as the other sports?

 

or is there pushback that i just haven't seen?

 

Well one is literally a racial slur so, while certainly insensitive, I'm not sure Illini and Blackhawks belong in the same sentence

 

chief illiniwek (the actual mascot guy, that is - i just realized you meant the character/logo) is/was definitely a goofy caricature of native americans. the blackhawks logo/name seems far less disrespectful than the other teams mentioned, but what do i know.

 

My alma mater, Marquette, changed their mascot name from the Warriors in the early 90s. I had to hear from sanctimonious Illini how offensive our mascot USED to be while they patted themselves on the back for the respectful portrait of native americans that their mascot represented. While he does a horsefeathering shuck and jive on the 50 yard line

[WrigleyField 22]

 

i feel like the blackhawks backlash has been pretty quiet compared to the Redskins, Indians, Chief Illiniwek etc. is there a reason for that? other than hockey just not being as popular as the other sports?

 

or is there pushback that i just haven't seen?

 

Well one is literally a racial slur so, while certainly insensitive, I'm not sure Illini and Blackhawks belong in the same sentence

 

chief illiniwek (the actual mascot guy, that is - i just realized you meant the character/logo) is/was definitely a goofy caricature of native americans. the blackhawks logo/name seems far less disrespectful than the other teams mentioned, but what do i know.

Yea, that and they've limited any imagery to just that and the C logo. No Indian mascot, tomahawk chops, etc. And I think the org has done their part to try and do outreach and activism with local Native American groups, PR motivated or not. Combination of all those things has let them avoid too much controversy, I think.

 

They probably get a little leeway around it also indirectly being fonspired from an actual historical person (really named after a military unit which is named after the person), but probably allows them a little more leeway, even if the depiction of that person isn't actually an accurate representation.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

Only white people watch hockey, so they've kept it their own little racist secret.

[Banedon]

The Blackhawks definitely come up from time to time, and it's definitely worth lumping in with the rest. It's just that the name Redskins, or the logo of Chief Wahoo are so over the top racist that yeah...the Blackhawks get overlooked.

 

https://www.theatlantic.com/entertainment/archive/2015/06/blackhawks-redskins-name/396356/

[JudasIscariotTheBird]

My High School used to have this guy as its mascot:

His name was, appropriately/inappropriately "Eaglebeak." They managed to change the mascot to an actual eagle in the 80s, but that was after they ditched a Tazmanian Devil because they almost got sued by Warner Brothers.

 

The Alumni association still shows up at athletic events to sell merchandise of the old mascot. They smirk the whole time.

[David]

Only white people watch hockey, so they've kept it their own little racist secret.

 

[Agony and Ivy]

I don't really understand why they can't just junk them this season. It's not like the Indians don't already have plenty of uniform options that don't include Wahoo.

 

I'm assuming that a farewell tour gives them the opportunity to double dip; sell a ton of the old merchandise before it goes away, and then sell the new stuff like crazy when it comes out, too.

 

But hey, at least this embarrassment is finally getting the boot. Indians, you gotta put off your WS hopes for one more year.

 

Evidently, they're going to have to keep selling Wahoo paraphernalia in order to keep the trademark. The tweet from the Indians announcing the changes is full of pure gold.

[Irrelevant Dude]

Evidently, they're going to have to keep selling Wahoo paraphernalia in order to keep the trademark. The tweet from the Indians announcing the changes is full of pure gold.

That sounds right. I know a new line of officially licensed Chief Illiniwek gear pops up from time to time for that same reason.

[Aaron_Kennelly]

My High School used to have this guy as its mascot:

His name was, appropriately/inappropriately "Eaglebeak." They managed to change the mascot to an actual eagle in the 80s, but that was after they ditched a Tazmanian Devil because they almost got sued by Warner Brothers.

 

The Alumni association still shows up at athletic events to sell merchandise of the old mascot. They smirk the whole time.

 

This was a local town's mascot until the '80s:

 

[Aaron_Kennelly]

There was also a school near mine that was the Southern Rebels. Their fans would wave Confederate flags in the stands during games. This was in the mid-2000s. And in Illinois.