Blackburn87

I hope you're right, but I fear the powers-that-be never want the name back because they claim there will be scheduling problems with schools that object to the name. No wonder the Spirit Lake tribal members are so angry- to be told your name is offensive by a bunch of white people in the Ivory Tower? I hope Spirit Lake hands the NCAA their a$$ in court.

I too believe that in the long run (and with the right legal challenges) the NCAA will lose this battle. Those in the best position to fight this at the next court battle are the Spirt Lake Sioux who have a valid claim- why are they being treated differently than similarly situated tribes in other jurisdictions? Why were they never a party to the NCAA/ND negotiations and yet their support of the Sioux name was vital to the settlement? The question is if North Dakota or the Spirit Lake Sioux will take it to the next level. (At some point, the Feds need to look into how the NCAA operates, but I digress.) I recognize that none of this may be in the nick of time (even if my long-run scenario is right)... but I hope the Spirit Lake Sioux will consider federal action.

Wow- proof again that this name matters to a lot of the Sioux Nation and I'm grateful for their support and will to fight. A federal lawsuit will get a lot of attention and maybe some real change. Hard to argue the Spirit Lake Sioux are oppressed by the Sioux name and logo attached to North Dakota's flagship university.

The "Norse Force"?" Maybe... Oh well... any other word on whether the Spirit Lake tribe is pursuing any other legal avenues. (It may be too late, but I'm just curious...)

It was a moving article and nice tribute to this young man.

I am so humbled that the our Native American brethren on Spirit Lake see it the way we do. Wouldn't it be something if the NCAA was actually forced to acknowledge them and their claims that the NCAA is the discriminatory actor, not the state of North Dakota.

I could, maybe, get behind the Norse moniker. But- ugh- everything else just sucks compared to the Fighting Sioux name.

I agree with you completely.

It is time for North Dakota to stand up and be counted. I'm tired of watching bigger schools (and states) get a pass while North Dakota and UND gets kicked around on this issue. The question is asked time and time again and never answered: why are the Seminoles considered different than the Sioux? Both tribes have lent their support for their respective schools to use the tribal names. Both schools have outlying tribes who do not support it. I'm not sure why the "two tribes" agreement for us and not them, especially since so much of Standing Rock lies outside of North Dakota's border. The NCAA needs to be educated on the slap on the face they're giving to the people of Spirit Lake who have passionately backed keeping the name, through lawsuits, letters, testimony, and pure effort. Hell, they've fought harder then most of our alumni! If we just shrug our shoulders and cave we have insulted an indigenious group of people who are part of the fabric of our state. I would dare the NCAA or the Big Sky to look across the table at the Spirit Lake leadership and tell them that the Sioux name is offensive. They couldn't do it with a straight face and they know it. The leadership needs to meet with the NCAA and bring the tribal leadership with them. It's insulting for the disconnected people in the ivory tower to assume they know what's best for Spirit Lake, the people who honor the Standing Rock ceremony, UND and the people of North Dakota.

I am disheartened but I'm not ready to throw in the towel just yet. There is some fight left and there are possible ideas that are untested. Spirt Lake Sioux has a nice ring to it and might satisfy the various players. Oddly enough, had we never moved toward retiring name but simply accepted the sanctions, I wonder what would have happened? To be honest, I'm tired of North Dakota being treated like the proverbial "red-headed stepchild" because it stands up for itself and refuses to capitulate on this issue. The people are right and the vast majority of Americans agree with us that this politically correct pablum that all Native American imagery and monikers are racist is just plain wrong. I don't have the answer yet, but I don't think the sky is falling either. As far as I see it, the nickname issue is settled: it's state law. The sanctions are so far, settled, and we accepted them as a likely outcome to keep the name. The Spirit Lake Tribe supports us. For Big Sky to now say ths issue isn't settled is just plain old bullsh*t.

In case this hasn't been posted yet, the SBoHE is standing down (for now...) http://www.grandforksherald.com/event/article/id/202876

I enjoyed the article and it hit the nail on the head. The NCAA is upset that North Dakotans and UND alumni won't get with the program like so many other schools did and just capitulate. I am so proud that North Dakota did not simply throw up its hands and accept defeat on this issue. If all we're looking at are sanctions as previously outlined, I say see how that plays out before we all start screaming that the sky is falling. I am still hopeful that the NCAA will meet with tribal and state leadership, although it will be on their turf in INDIANapolis, if it happens. They're too scared to come to little old North Dakota, I guess. Hmmm... open door meeting policy in the sunshine instead of behind closed doors was too threatening for an organization that is anything but transparent I guess. The NCAA would find that we're not a bunch of dumb rubes who don't "get" the bigger picture. Very intelligent people, from different political and cultural perspectives have reached a different conclusion. The Fighting Sioux moniker is not racist, degrading, or insensitive. Believe me, if that were the case, the Spirit Lake tribal members would be the first to want it gone. Instead, they wear the Sioux logo with pride. The Sioux Nation is part of North Dakota... and all of us, too. I hope North Dakotans don't back down from this issue one bit. We're right. They're wrong. It's that simple.

Closed meeting or not, I hope name supporters will be there in force because you can sure as hell bet the anti-namers will be there and be loud.

Forgive me if it's already posted, but here's the link where Spirit Lake wants a seat at the table... http://www.wdaz.com/event/article/id/7563

Spirit Lake absolutely needs to be involved in this discussion, including Standing Rock folks who have repeatedly asked for a similar vote on their reservation and have been denied. Of course, that raises the spectre of the Standing Rock Tribal Council members who have not only said no to a vote but have issued their own edict on the Sioux moniker. I can't help but think that if Native Americans stand up and say, "We have sued over the issue. We have written you letters in support of the name. The Sioux name is also part of our tradition," surely the NCAA will see the other side of this issue. Correct me if I'm wrong, but I don't believe either Standing Rock or Spirit Lake were directly involved in any of the negotiations between the NCAA and Wayne Stenejehm. That was an arrogant mistake on both parts and the typical paternalistic view the NCAA has displayed toward Native Americans and their varied opinions on this issue.