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Article updated: 3/11/2013 5:01 AM

U of I can't move on if Chief still lightning rod

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In his last appearance at halftime of a University of Illinois football game in 2006, Chief Illiniwek Logan Ponce poses at Memorial Stadium in Champaign. Facing NCAA sanctions, the school retired the controversial Chief in 2007.

AP Photo/ Stephen Haas

This suggestion of an eagle earned the most "likes" on a Facebook page dedicated to finding a replacement for the retired and controversial Chief Illiniwek at the University of Illinois.

Courtesy of Campus Spirit Revival

In an effort to find a replacement for Chief Illiniwek, some students opt for incorporating Abe Lincoln into a new symbol for the University of Illinois.

Courtesy of Campus Spirit Revival

Looking a bit like the retired Chief Illiniwek, this potential University of Illinois mascot serves as the chief of a pride of lions.

Courtesy of Campus Spirit Revival

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The Native American & Indigenous Student Organization on the University of Illinois campus uses this logo and urges the college to find a new symbol to replace the retired Chief Illiniwek.

Courtesy of Campus Spirit Revival

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Banned by the NCAA since 2007 but still beloved by some students and alums, Chief Illiniwek won't be put to rest at the University of Illinois until officials find his replacement. "People are going to cling to it as long as there is nothing in its place," says recent U of I graduate Thomas Ferrarell, a Hawthorn Woods native.

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    • In his last appearance at halftime of a University of Illinois football game in 2006, Chief Illiniwek Logan Ponce poses at Memorial Stadium in Champaign. Facing NCAA sanctions, the school retired the controversial Chief in 2007.
    • This suggestion of an eagle earned the most "likes" on a Facebook page dedicated to finding a replacement for the retired and controversial Chief Illiniwek at the University of Illinois.
    • In an effort to find a replacement for Chief Illiniwek, some students opt for incorporating Abe Lincoln into a new symbol for the University of Illinois.
    • Looking a bit like the retired Chief Illiniwek, this potential University of Illinois mascot serves as the chief of a pride of lions.
    • The Native American & Indigenous Student Organization on the University of Illinois campus uses this logo and urges the college to find a new symbol to replace the retired Chief Illiniwek.
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