[ScottM]

Not really related to the name/logo issue, but a shining example of how the NC$$ gives bigger, "name" schools a pass, while meting out punishment to smaller schools.

Linky

Quote

"The NCAA has no interest in protecting," the small schools, said Linda Bensel-Meyers, a member of the Drake Group, a watchdog organization of educators and athletic administrators. "They are going to protect those who are high revenue, high visibility programs. And they are going to scapegoat the small programs in order to protect themselves."

Along those lines, concerns were raised over the relatively high number of historically black colleges that received penalties.

[The Sicatoka]

ScottM, on Mar 2 2006, 11:16 AM, said:

Not really related to the name/logo issue, but a shining example of how the NC$$ gives bigger, "name" schools a pass, while meting out punishment to smaller schools.

Linky

Quote

"The NCAA has no interest in protecting," the small schools, said Linda Bensel-Meyers, a member of the Drake Group, a watchdog organization of educators and athletic administrators. "They are going to protect those who are high revenue, high visibility programs. And they are going to scapegoat the small programs in order to protect themselves."

Along those lines, concerns were raised over the relatively high number of historically black colleges that received penalties.

Same article:

Quote

Walter Harrison, the president of the University of Hartford and chairman of the NCAA's Committee on Academic Performance, said the reduction of scholarships is meant to be a "tough warning."

How'd I know that name would pop up again too.

[Sioux-cia]

Quote

.....latest example of how the NCAA practices selective enforcement, making examples of less recognizable schools while bigger programs operate without penalty.

Hmm, this sounds so familiar. Let's see now, who has been given exemptions for the use of Indian nickname and mascot use and who has been denied?

Woo hoo!!!! I can't wait until this issue is argued in court.

[ScottM]

Sioux-cia, on Mar 2 2006, 12:41 PM, said:

Quote

.....latest example of how the NCAA practices selective enforcement, making examples of less recognizable schools while bigger programs operate without penalty.

Hmm, this sounds so familiar. Let's see now, who has been given exemptions for the use of Indian nickname and mascot use and who has been denied?

Woo hoo!!!! I can't wait until this issue is argued in court.

It gets even better.

Linky II

Quote

None of the football teams from the six Bowl Championship Series conferences will lose scholarships. Nearly half of all Division I college football teams are near or below a roughly 60 percent graduation rate. The teams that were not penalized received or were awaiting word on waivers, or received temporary statistical adjustments from the N.C.A.A. because of small sample sizes.

And ...

Quote

Myles Brand, president of the National Collegiate Athletic Association, acknowledged during a teleconference his concern about how the results appear to single out historically black institutions, saying, "A number of those institutions received mission exemptions, but there are a number of institutions that are still not performing as well for student-athletes as they are for the rest of the student body."

Way to dance on the head of a pin, Myles.

[PCM]

From the Muskogee Phoenix:

NCAA leaves NSU out of nickname controversy
Mascot... or mockery? Part II of three parts

Quote

When the Executive Committee of the National Collegiate Athletic Association released a list on Aug. 5 with the names of 18 schools whose nicknames, mascots and/or imagery it said showed Native Americans through a “hostile” and “abusive” light, Redmen was among those names.

But not Northeastern State University.

On the hit list, however, was the Carthage (Wisc.) Redmen, a Division III school. Since then, the college has been cleared after proof surfaced that the nickname did not have Native American origins although the school had used such questionable imagery until it was put on the list.

Quote

Kellen Palmer, a junior majoring in healthcare administration, serves as the president of the Native American Student Association at NSU. He said many of his fellow Native American students have polar reactions to the school’s nickname.

“It’s probably right down the middle,” Palmer said. “I’ve heard both sides of it. I’ve heard some people could care less with the title and it doesn’t affect them.

“And then I’ve heard the other side. It’s not an honor. It is offensive and people need to be aware of that. You’re not honoring Native Americans. You’re offending. The stereotypes, logos, nicknames. It’s an insult. It’s a mockery. Like the character of a cartoon, it’s not an honor.”

Palmer, who is of Seminole and Creek descent, then offered his opinion on the matter.

“The name actually bothers me to a degree but not to the effect that I would try to change it,” he said. “I don’t care for it but I’m not going to make a big fuss about it.”

Quote

Palmer is glad to see the issue tackled on such a large stage. Now he, like so many of his fellow Native Americans, would like to see more publicity for the matters that make organized sports trivial in comparison for his people such as healthcare, casino functions, tribal involvement, culture issues, education and elections at the state and national levels.

“I think all of those things need to be addressed over whether somebody is offended by a mascot,” he said.

[7NationalTitles]

He must be one of those "hang around the fort Indians" as GK has called them in the past.

[The Sicatoka]

I'm starting to find those phrases bothersome, even if they are quotes of GrahamKracker.

We have seen what GrahamKracker has proven himself to be. There's no need to keep rolling the evidence out.

There's no need to sully yourself with those words even if they are quoting another.

Leave the despicable characterizations for GrahamKracker to keep using (as he was the first).

[Siouxman]

The Sicatoka, on Mar 8 2006, 02:12 PM, said:

I'm starting to find those phrases bothersome, even if they are quotes of GrahamKracker.

We have seen what GrahamKracker has proven himself to be. There's no need to keep rolling the evidence out.

There's no need to sully yourself with those words even if they are quoting another.

Leave the despicable characterizations for GrahamKracker to keep using (as he was the first).

I agree wholeheartedly. We know what GK is about. Let's make sure that we don't sink to that level.

[dagies]

You make a good point in that someone else could read the thread, not be aware of the history, and take the comment the wrong way.

I've deleted my post.

[PCM]

From SI.com:

Indian nicknames become non-issue in this year's tournament

Quote

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) - Chief Illiniwek will stay home, as usual, when the University of Illinois plays in the NCAA tournament this week. Bradley will continue wearing its script "Braves'' moniker on its jerseys.

Quote

In stark contrast to the uproar created in August when NCAA officials announced they would ban the use of Indian nicknames, mascots and images at its championship events, you'd hardly know the policy existed when the governing body's premier event is played this week.

Quote

But even though there will be no detectable changes in this year's tournament, NCAA spokesman Erik Christianson insists the impact of the original decision has been significant.

Quote

"We believe the process has worked the way it was intended to,'' he said Tuesday. "There was an extensive review, and there was an appeals process as part of the decision, so it's been progressing.''

Quote

One school not subject to the penalty was San Diego State, nicknamed the Aztecs, which also hosts first and second-round games this week and faces Indiana on Thursday night in Salt Lake City.

Christianson explained the decision pertained only to American Indians, and the Aztecs were a tribe that called its primary home in what is now known as Mexico.

Amazing. I could have sworn that the NCAA news release said:

Quote

INDIANAPOLIS -- The presidents and chancellors who serve on the NCAA Executive Committee have adopted a new policy to prohibit NCAA colleges and universities from displaying hostile and abusive racial/ethnic/national origin mascots, nicknames or imagery at any of the 88 NCAA championships.

And that Walter Harrison, president of the NCAA Executive Committe, said:

Quote

"But as a national association, we believe that mascots, nicknames or images deemed hostile or abusive in terms of race, ethnicity or national origin should not be visible at the championship events that we control."

So where, exactly, is it written that the NCAA policy pertains "only to American Indians"? And if that's true, why does Indiana get to play in the tournament?

[ScottM]

Quote

But even though there will be no detectable changes in this year's tournament, NCAA spokesman Erik Christianson insists the impact of the original decision has been significant.

Which means: "We've paid a whole boatload of legal fees to outside lawyers to tell us that we should never make idiotic decisions under the influence of tofu salad and wine spritzers. Woo boy, it got really wild that day when Myles later did his impression of Jimmy Stewart and then passed out in his decaf latte."

[dagies]

Oh my gosh. Amazing twist of their own words. Nice catch, PCM.

[PCM]

Newsday columnist Shaun Powell:

NCAA's run afoul on Bradley Braves

Quote

Some schools later received a pass, but Bradley, which plays top-seeded Memphis tonight in the Oakland Regional semifinals, remains on the unapproved list. The Braves are using their nickname in this tourney only because their case is under appeal. Truthfully, as far as the NCAA is concerned, Bradley has no nickname.

Quote

The NCAA's policy is woefully inconsistent.

"Clearly, no Native American tribe owns the word 'braves' in the same way it owns the name of a tribe," explained the NCAA's Bernard Franklin when Bradley's first appeal was made, "and therefore [Bradley] cannot overcome the position that the use of such a name leads to a hostile or abusive environment."

Actually, the NCAA is walking down a slippery slope because not every member of every ethnic group thinks alike.

Quote

The NCAA is trying to tell all Native Americans what's good for them, when in reality, nobody can take the pulse of an entire group or race.

[PCM]

From the Dakota Student:

Diversity groups protest Sioux logo
Despite cold weather and criticism from passersby, B.R.I.D.G.E.S. holds a protest during the West Regional

Quote

This past weekend, the Ralph Engelstad Arena hosted the NCAA West Regional hockey tournament. Earlier in the week, they removed the "Fighting Sioux" logos from center ice. Despite the REA's decision to do so, a small group of people from the UND community gathered outside the arena to protest the nickname and logo.

Quote

Despite the curse words and obscene gestures, the group continued waving and smiling. "It's horrible, it's bad tonight. But we're not going to be hostile like that," said Merry Ketterling, a Lakota elder. "I just think we have got to do something. And what else can we do? There's just a few of us here tonight, but I think we're representing a lot more people," she said.

[Sioux-cia]

PCM, on Mar 27 2006, 09:26 PM, said:

From the Dakota Student:

Diversity groups protest Sioux logo
Despite cold weather and criticism from passersby, B.R.I.D.G.E.S. holds a protest during the West Regional

Quote

This past weekend, the Ralph Engelstad Arena hosted the NCAA West Regional hockey tournament. Earlier in the week, they removed the "Fighting Sioux" logos from center ice. Despite the REA's decision to do so, a small group of people from the UND community gathered outside the arena to protest the nickname and logo.

Quote

Despite the curse words and obscene gestures, the group continued waving and smiling. "It's horrible, it's bad tonight. But we're not going to be hostile like that," said Merry Ketterling, a Lakota elder. "I just think we have got to do something. And what else can we do? There's just a few of us here tonight, but I think we're representing a lot more people," she said.

I guess Merry was standing a few blocks away from GK.

[#1 Sioux Fan]

What maybe the saddest deal of all in this nickname deal, was that only 4 people stood outside. Now if I am not mistaken there was 12K in the Ralph that night and only four people protesting, something isn't right. The comment in the Dak Student about this being a racism topic is amazing (no more ugly of a word exists). The conversion that is highlighted in the article about the runner left me with many questions. First the comments about this jogger wanting to be a Sioux and being proad of this honor to be very respectful though the response was a little strange - 'Me too'. Somehow is he not PROUD to be a Sioux if UND has 'his' name? During this conversation with the Sioux member; was it metioned that his people are a proud people and that they didn't feel the Sioux logo represents them in a good light and the reason why(open ended for who ever may know more about this conversation). It seems as if the artical focused towards scholarships and anger. Also, was Lapointe the only Sioux member protesting??? Referring to the Eagle feathers, he was the only Sioux who could have these feathers that he had met that evening? Overall I thought the article was written by a highschool senior that could NOT get to the heart of the topic - though this is just my opinion!

[ScottM]

PCM, on Mar 27 2006, 09:26 PM, said:

From the Dakota Student:

Diversity groups protest Sioux logo
Despite cold weather and criticism from passersby, B.R.I.D.G.E.S. holds a protest during the West Regional

Quote

This past weekend, the Ralph Engelstad Arena hosted the NCAA West Regional hockey tournament. Earlier in the week, they removed the "Fighting Sioux" logos from center ice. Despite the REA's decision to do so, a small group of people from the UND community gathered outside the arena to protest the nickname and logo.

Quote

Despite the curse words and obscene gestures, the group continued waving and smiling. "It's horrible, it's bad tonight. But we're not going to be hostile like that," said Merry Ketterling, a Lakota elder. "I just think we have got to do something. And what else can we do? There's just a few of us here tonight, but I think we're representing a lot more people," she said.

I'd protest too, if I couldn't get tickets.

[star2city]

Everyone loves a (cheating) winner - especially the NCAA

The above article is not about the nickname - but it does expose the NCAA for what it is: an organization that protects the big names (UCLA, Alabama football, etc), but chooses to be self-righteous about the little guys who have no political power:

Quote

Bill Walton: "UCLA players were so well taken care of – far beyond the ground rules of the NCAA – that even players from poor backgrounds never left UCLA prematurely (for pro basketball) during John Wooden's championship years.
...
"I hate to say anything that may hurt UCLA, but I can't be quiet when I see what the NCAA is doing (to other coaches) only because (they have) a reputation for giving a second chance to many black athletes other coaches have branded as troublemakers. The NCAA is working night and day trying to get (them), but no one from the NCAA ever questioned me during my four years at UCLA."

Quote

The NCAA never bothered to investigate UCLA during Wooden's time, part of its history of selective enforcement. During the 1960s and '70s, the organization, run by old white men, was too busy going after small, upstart programs that dared to play too many African-Americans, launching inquiries into Texas Western/UTEP, Western Kentucky, Centenary and Long Beach State.

Quote

The truth of college athletics is that winning, let alone at the championship level, without rule breaking is nearly impossible. Fans and apologetic media don't want to admit this about the icons of the games, but nothing about this has changed for decades. And it probably never will.

There are no angels in this business, no white hats and black hats as the NCAA would like people to believe with its public relations campaign of a rule book. Everything is a shade of grey. Everything is situational ethics. Everything is pick your poison.

[PCM]

Here's the NCAA story on the Frozen Four.

Note that Boston College is the Eagles, Maine is the Black Bears and Wisconsin is the Badgers. UND is North Dakota.

Ironically, this Web page opens with a Pontiac ad at the top featuring the company's arrowhead logo. Also ironic is the fact that while "Sioux" is derived from a French word, "Dakota" is an Indian word, and so is "Pontiac."

Obviously, the hypocrisy of it all is lost on Myles Brand and Walter Harrison.

[PCM]

From the Grand Forks Herald:

VIEWPOINT: Racism at protest shames UND

Quote

I have committed my life to dealing with harmful and negative stereotypes and educating students on my reservation of their culture, traditions, ceremonies and spirituality. As Native people, we experience layer upon layer of stereotypes and images that dehumanize. Eurocentric curriculum and children's literature reinforce stereotypes of the "vanishing Indian," "romantic Indian," "militant Indian" or "drunken Indian." I have seen firsthand how these images, along with poverty or low socioeconomic status, generational trauma and other issues of reservation life contribute to low self-esteem in Native students.

Despite these issues and because we have Native teachers, social workers, counselors, administrators and tribal leaders taking care of important things, we have many successful students enrolling at UND. The trouble is, Native students continue to be bombarded by negative stereotypical images perpetrated by the Fighting Sioux logo once they arrive on campus.

Quote

Standing silently with a small group of students, the first comment I heard yelled from a passing vehicle was, "Go back to where you came from!" This comment was followed by yells of "F• you! Go back to your tipi! Drink firewater! If the logo goes so do your programs! You should be proud! I have an Indian friend and he likes the logo!"

We were flipped the middle finger more than 30 times, with one vehicle turning on its overhead dome light so we could see all the occupants gesturing. Imprinted on my brain is the angry, twisted face of a young blonde woman yelling at us.

In light of such behavior, I'm proud of the quiet dignity that the students and adults maintained during the two hours standing on the corner.

Quote

The Fighting Sioux logo stands out among colleges nationwide as a mark of institutionalized racism. As an educator and former administrator, it is hard for me to understand how UND can ignore NCAA recommendations to retire the logo. But in light of the ongoing and relentless stereotypes that the logo perpetrates, I stand firm in urging this university to retire the Fighting Sioux name.

Ms. Lajimodiere neglects to mention an important detail. The protestors were holding signs thanking the NCAA. Clearly, their intention was to provoke confrontations with hockey fans attending the West Regional at Ralph Engelstad Arena.

Ms. Lajimodiere says her group was given the finger more than 30 times. That represents less than .003 percent of the people who attended the games. How many of the thousands of fans who attended the games and saw the protestors responded to them in any way? We don't know. How many were showing their displeasure with the NCAA's policy, not with American Indians? We don't know. How many of the people who made the obscene gestures were actually Sioux fans? We don't know.

That being said, I'm not going to make any excuses for those who chose to shout insults or make obscene gestures. I am always saddened when a few boneheaded sports fans take the bait offered by such protests. They give the protestors exactly what they want -- attention -- and a reason to write letters to the editor such as this.

The lesson here is that there will always be people who are idiots and people who are racist idiots. They didn't become idiots and racists because of the Sioux nickname or logo, and they're not going to stop being idiots and racists if the name and logo change.