When I was a kid, I loved Chief Illiniwek, the mascot for the University of Illinois. I loved his funny little dances, his beads and his face paint — he was like a clown, really.

I grew up. So too, did Illinois. Too many of its colleagues, though, have yet to do so.

The year is 2004 and we still have professional sports teams named the Braves, Indians and Redskins.

And do you know why we still have professional sports teams named the Braves, Indians and Redskins?

Because no one cares. Even me.

Sure, there was a whole hoopla during the early ’90s over the racist monikers, changing so many of the collegiate nicknames to less intrusive ones. There were, too, focus groups conducted by pro-teams on the same topic.

Know what they found? We’re more concerned with the logo on our sweatshirts than the feelings of a fellow race of people. It’s almost unbelievable, but after all these years still no one cares.

Or, as a co-worker put it to me once, because “there are only like 2,000 of them.”

“Them,” of course, is referring to Native Americans. You know, those people we booted from their native land, forcing them to the lush paradise of … Oklahoma?

Forget the names themselves, though, and look at the mascots. That’s where the real damage is done. The Atlanta Braves logo features a red hatchet, the Clevelend Indians sport a drunken Indian and the Redskins … well their name says enough.

What I want to know is where are the ‘Savages’? Or even better: ‘Those Wacky Redskinned Guys Who Always Run Around Naked Like Animals Axing Things.’

It should go without saying that these mascots would never fly with other ethnic groups, outside of the Notre Dame Fighting Irish (of which, every Irish American I’ve met is nothing but proud). Picture a black chomping on fried chicken and cornbread while running from the cops, or an Asian with huge glasses gleefully downing a bowl of rice over a sheet of math problems, or a mulleted white from Alabama holding a crack pipe. The mention of these stereotypes should be offensive. They should not, however, be any more offensive than the way American sports teams portray Native Americans.

But it’s tradition, they say.

Since when has “tradition” become more important than cultural respect? Further, in the current days of free agency where players barely take enough time to grab a coffee, what kind of “tradition” is that?

But it’s an honor to the history of our land, they say.

If that’s the case, how come they don’t feel honored? Shouldn’t we let them decide what honors their race of people, instead of some bureaucrat in Washington? And further, it’s hard to understand how the “Tomahawk Chop,” a move the Braves and Florida State Seminoles use to express their excitement over a good play, honors the people who first lived this land.

While we’re at it, let’s make one thing abundantly clear: this is not now, nor ever was a matter of “political correctness.” Political correctness is responsible for the “secret snowperson” (ugh) gift exchange The News had at Christmastime.

Rather, this is a matter of stereotypes and racism, two things Americans seem to want to fight – but only when it’s convenient and when there are enough of “them” to bother the rest of us.

The simple truth is executives for these teams care more about the feelings of season ticket holders than of the people they exploit on jerseys. There’s a reason for that: money. It costs a lot to do the right thing, sometimes.

Make it more expensive to not do the right thing.

Will they lose some fans? Maybe. Will they piss off supporters? Most assuredly. Does that compare with the effect it will have on Native Americans? I sincerely hope you don’t think so.

Today, a dwindling number of activists protest these longstanding offenses.

“To those people who want to trivialize this issue: racism is never trivial,” said Charalene Teters in a November 1999 issue of the Bangor Daily News in Maine.

And that’s just the thing. All the outrage suddenly stopped around the turn of the century. Go ahead, do a Google search.

They need help. Send a letter to your local representative, call the team and complain or join a protest group. Do something. Do anything. Just don’t accept answers starting with “No” or “Sorry, but … ”

I grew up. They should too.

In the box:

Northeastern’s track program has three members competing at the NCAA Championship meet this week.

Throwers Derek Anderson and Zara Norhover, fresh off dominating America East seasons, are in Austin for the meet which begins on Wednesday. In addition, newcoming pole vaulter Laura Chmielewski is competing in the meet.

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As a lifelong fan of the Calgary Flames, the temptation to write a column on their recent run in the Stanley Cup playoffs was great.

For your sake, I didn’t.

However, I’m not letting y’all off the hook without at least a mention of it.

Did losing the last NHL bragging rights for a long, long time hurt (ahem, Collective Bargaining Agreement)? You betcha.

But it didn’t take long to get over it. How could I be disappointed with a team that showed so much grit, determination and effort?

Like I said when our own little hockey club did a similar disappearing act, I don’t mind losses. I don’t even dislike them, as long as the team shows something even better: heart.

Thanks Calgary — and heads up, every run has to end sometime.

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The News is done for the first summer semester. Check back on July 7 for the newest on all things Husky athletics.

— Jack Weiland may be reached at [email protected]. He can be heard every Wednesday from 12-1 on WRBB 104.9 FM’s “Newstime.”