Sioux nickname, logo ban upheld by NCAA

Star Tribune ^ | September 29, 2005 | Dean Spiros

[wallcrawlr]

The NCAA reiterated on Wednesday that appearances of the University of North Dakota's Fighting Sioux logo and nickname in postseason play soon will be a thing of the past.

< snip >

North Dakota will be allowed to host the men's hockey regional next March at Ralph Engelstad Arena because of its prior contract but will be barred from hosting future NCAA events. In all other instances, UND will have to remove the Sioux logo from its uniforms during tournament play.

UND President Charles Kupchella notified the NCAA on Wednesday that the university will appeal the decision again. At the same time, according to UND athletic director Tom Buning, school officials plan to meet with tribal leaders in the hope of convincing them to change their stance.

"We will continue to press our case through all of the levels of review and beyond as necessary," Kupchella said. "Because of the harshness of the words 'hostile' and 'abusive' [in describing the use of the logo] we have no choice but to pursue an appeal and prove, in a court of law if necessary, that this choice of words was inappropriate and in no way describes what we do here at the University of North Dakota."

The NCAA based its decision on the official stance taken by the Standing Rock Sioux tribe and the Sisseton-Wahpeton Sioux tribes in North Dakota, who oppose the Fighting Sioux nickname and imagery. The Spirit Lake tribe did not respond to an NCAA request to clarify its position, but the university pointed out that the Spirit Lake Tribe passed a resolution in 2001 stating it had no problem with the use of the Sioux logo.

[Sensei Ern]

I nominate the name UND FReepers.

[GOP_Party_Animal]

The Englestad Arena is about 75 miles away from me. It is the best hockey arena in the world, bar none. It opened a few years ago and was donated to the university by a former UND hockey player before he died.

Ralph Englestad dearly wanted his alma mater to have a great arena, but also wanted the university to keep the traditional name of its athletic teams. So much so that the arena is festooned with the Sioux logo (tiles, paintings, etc.). Further, should UND ever lose their spine and change their team nickname, they would lose the stadium as well.

My understanding is that there are millions of dollars of Englestad's estate poised for the demolition of the arena if the university administration capitulates to the NCAA.

[wallcrawlr]

About 1/3 of the way down the page: (Majority rules??)


http://www.earthskyweb.com/news.htm

For dignity's sake, stop using Indians as sports mascots

By Tim Giago

(Nanwica Kciji)

<< snip >>


While the hierarchy of the NCAA is arbitrarily allowing some schools to be exempted from the recent ruling, I suggest that they at least hear the other side of the story before caving in wholesale. The powers-that-be at the NCAA must understand that the majority of American Indians rigidly opposed the use of Indians as mascots for America's sporting events. If one or two tribes think it is all right, does that mean they then become the majority? Isn't this a nation where majority rules?

[Gunflint]

Some nerds at U of Minnesota issued an edict disallowing their sports teams to even COMPETE with Indian nicknamed schools. Of course, since then they have played the Sioux, Illini, and would give up Paul Bunyon's axe to play the Seminoles in a New Years Day bowl game.

[wallcrawlr]

I dont know about the $$'s available to demolish but for FYI to everyone. The arena is privately owned so they can do what they want with it.

If the UND caves they should burn it down.

BTW, it is beautiful.

[VeniVidiVici]

Pouseau Sioux may fit.

[spunkets]

"Isn't Sioux actually a French word?"

See...Sioux "it's a contraction the French used of the Ojibwa "Nadowessioux" which is from the word "Nadowessi" and they mean "Little Snake". These are related to the Iroquois word "Nadowe" which means "Big Snake". The Ojibwa (sometimes spelled Objiway or Objibwah) were traditional enemies of the Sioux."

"Alliance of friends, that is our name. ...little snake... Sioux was our Enemy's name of us. We don't go by that - it is an insult. We go by Lakota/Dakota/Nakota. "

[Adder]

Heyyyy...I'm offended.

[wallcrawlr]

Rough Riders would be good too.

Theodore Roosevelt was the 26th President of the United States. As a young man, he spent several years in the North Dakota Badlands. Roosevelt said if it had not been for his experiences in North Dakota, he never would have been President of the United States. Roosevelt vigorously championed the conservation of America's scenic, natural and historical resources. In recognition of his valuable contributions toward conservation, Theodore Roosevelt National Park was established in 1947 in the North Dakota Badlands that Roosevelt loved.

http://www.governor.state.nd.us/awards/rr-gallery/

[blau993]

Of course, "Dakota" is itself an Indian tribe, part of the Sioux nation. So, the State and the University are themselves named after an Indian tribe and will be no matter what the nickname is. Is the NCAA going to scream and holler if they put the name of the school on a football jersey?

Don't laugh. As someone pointed out in an older thread, the NCAA disallowed jerseys at the University of Illinois that said "Illini" because that was the name of an Indian tribe. However, they had no problem with jerseys that said "Illinois," even though "Illinois" is nothing but the French version of "Illini."

[Antoninus]

I agree. If these PC idiots want to expunge Native American names from everything, I say we give them their wish. And replace them with American names.

[wallcrawlr]

These Frenchies with their words screw everything up for us Americans.

They were obviously even planning this over 100 years ago.

[tumblindice]

Or how `bout those San Francisco State Rump Riders.

Fight song:

'Reach around, reach around,
Fight fight fight!
We come from behind & we'll
Bite Bite Bite!

Goooooooooooooo Rangers!

Yep Keith, these Rump Rangers are some kinda ball club, they came to play. No? Still in the showers you say?

Theenk you. Theenk you veddy much.

[talleyman]

The ban on the NCAA was confirmed today by Freepers

My thought exactly - what if the schools told the NCAA to shove it?

[Prime Choice]

what if the schools told the NCAA to shove it?

One did...and the NCAA caved.

They all need to stand up to the NCAA. Form a separate organization and tell the NCAA where to stick it.

[SAJ]

You'd best hope it is not a nation in which the majority rules. If a public vote (these are mostly tax-supported institutions, after all) were held on whether or not to retain these oh-so-unPC mascots and nicknames, retention would win in a landslide, easily 3-to-1 or better, and the ''offended'' parties would be told to go suck wind.

[Smokin' Joe]

I thought it had a better ring than the "Fighting Oglalla" or the "Fighting Hunkpapa" (Two more tribes of the Sioux Nation).

[mict42]

I think us Sioux should sue.

[toddlintown]

If it was my team, I'd be on the warpath.

[taxesareforever]

The NCAA is the most immoral organization in the USA.

No. It's No.2, right behind the ACLU.