Posted on 03/14/2006 3:45:38 PM PST by SJackson
Most other Midwesterners call them F.I.B. Rhymes with Plucking Fillinois Crastard.
I coined the term "cheese head" in my Northwestern days of 1981 to 1985. Really did, it was coined in late fall of 1981. Back then, we were "gear heads"
, or used nicknames such as Greaf head (Bill Graef). I was in Illinois in college (hailing from Milwaukee), and down there were the flatlanders, and from Minnesota, the "hosers". But there really wasnt any nickname for Wisconsonites. Many a trip to the brat Stop and the Mars Cheese castle, and even the flatlanders began to appreciate Wisconsin (if not respect it). So although cheesehead may have been used prior as a derogatory, I will swear on a stack of cheese that I am the first to use it to describe Wiscononsites as a positive affectionate and funny nickname.
Steve Olsen
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