With the Indians home opener coming up on Friday, the old Chief Wahoo debate will once again be a hot topic in Cleveland.
It seems as if every year, a small group of protesters gather outside Progressive Field to express their disdain for the chief. Of course these protesters have every right to do so, but it doesn't seem to do any good. Despite recent reports, the Cleveland Indians say they have no plans to "phase out" Chief Wahoo anytime soon.
That doesn't sit well with the group of fans who recently began a movement they refer to as "de-Chiefing" -- the act of removing or altering Chief Wahoo from Cleveland Indians apparel. The 'phenomenon' was featured in a recent ESPN.com column:
"This is the 'de-Chiefing' phenomenon, a form of silent protest by a small but growing number of Indians fans who love their team but are opposed to the Wahoo logo, which they view as an offensive caricature. They say they're not accusing pro-Wahoo fans of being racists or telling them what they should or shouldn't wear. They've simply made a decision not to wear the Chief themselves."
One of the "de-Chief" supporters featured in the column, Keith Good, offered some design ideas for alternative uniforms if the Indians ever did decide to move on from Wahoo.
