Chief Illiniwek "retired"

Illini Pundit* broke the story that Chief Illiniwek will be "retired". The UofI confirmed the story (link goes to .pdf sorry) in a press release stating flatly:

URBANA—The University of Illinois today announced that Chief Illiniwek will
no longer perform at athletic events on the Urbana-Champaign campus after this season’s
last men’s home basketball game in Assembly Hall on February 21.

As a consequence, the University will immediately become eligible to host post-
season National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) championship events.

*What is it with the "pundit" thing. Instaputz is a terrible, though prolific, blogger who happened to get there first.