The Sicatoka

And "Pride" (and the connotations that would bring) would be better? If you're really concerned, you'd better call the University of Southern California ... you know, the Trojans.

I see a webpage on the ND.gov domain titled "Nicknames" (linked to from the State Facts page). Not sure what more can be said other than it's coming from the ND.gov domain and linked to from state facts. I see four listed: Peace Garden State Flickertail State Roughrider State Dakota

Yup. We have: "Roughrider State" is listed on the ND.gov (official state website) page of state nicknames.

Seems reasonably well maintained. What I noticed: Of the "no nickname" schools (and the "I don't know if they have one" schools) there's only one playing NCAA Division I athletics without a nickname. You only get one guess as to whom it is.

You also probably enjoy do-it-yourself home dentistry with a Dremel tool.

We're on a crash course to be on this list: http://keepingscore.blogs.time.com/2009/05/17/top-10-worst-college-team-names/slide/uc-santa-cruz-banana-slugs/

Your true colors are showing ...

Pictures School names or it never happened.

... kinda like Ermines ...

We'll all have to start speaking Spanglish.

"He's HUGE!" -- Ryan Duncan

The "academics" love the intangibles because they can then tell you what to think it is. And when they change their minds, they'll tell you what to think all over again. They think we're all mush-headed chumbolones ... like they are.

Who the < bleep > is Russ McDonald and how is he so connected? He's on this committee. He was on the committee to select a new chancellor for the ND University System. Sure, he's got an education PhD (from UND); sure he's president at UTTC*. But his whole life is dedicated to studying American Indian issues. Seems pretty focused on one group, dare I say he only cares about exploring one race, his race, and doesn't that make him by definition a < nope, not going to say it >. *Couldn't we get someone from a more credentialed school, like Rasmussen College?

Trying to find any "lemonade" in this list --> no Flickertails.

I like to call it the "vague noun" genre of nicknames: Force, Spirit, Wild, Liberty. Mafia can explain.

Mafia put in a picture of a possible jersey above.

Marquette was an epic cluster. I fear their #1 ranking on that list may, however, be in jeopardy. Back to Hofstra: Their school seal has two lions on it. It was a clear miss from the start ... or the fix was in to put Pride in place and add the lions later. Either way, Hofstra came out pretty well. I wish UND would have had "Torch" on their final list: it's in the school seal, "the light of knowledge", it fits with the flame logo, it fits with the school motto "lux et lex" (light and law).

That's the first thing that's made me smile or chuckle in any of this in a long time.

If you've ever voted for a Republican, even for dog catcher, don't waste your time applying.

Anyone else get a "donate to UND" letter in the mail yesterday?

OK, so he could've picked something off the committee list last week (June 1) and said, "Ciao!" on September 1. Better?

Welcome to the Hofstra experience. They dropped "Dutchmen". They went to "Pride", just a wordmark so everyone could have their own "interpretation" of it (are you listening Karl Goehring?). Everyone hated it ... until they added a (wait for it) lion/lioness logo.

Let's walk the list: Blaze - someone missed the smoking of elicit substances issue with this one, or Glen Beck's network (that liberals hate) Cavalry - there actually was cavalry in ND Explorers - oh, goody, "the X Men", but that's sexist Fighting Green - the fighting green what ... two adjectives do not make a nickname Fighting Hawks - when do they play the mighty ducks? Force - mass times acceleration; Glen Lykken and Bill Schwalm submit this one?* Green Hawks - so, follow Miami (Red Hawks) and Dickinson State (Blue Hawks); how imaginative and novel Nodaks - that's an abbreviation, not a nickname (will the Gophers follow and rename as the Minns?) North Dakota - as I've said, no nickname is not a nickname North Stars - not in favor of a neighboring state's nickname (unless Rushmores gets added to the list) Pride - it's not just one of the seven deadly sins anymore Roughriders - some don't like it, I get it, but it follows the TR image of (especially western) ND Spirit - did Hal Gershman submit this ... wine and Spirits ... I thought they wanted fewer alcohol inferences on campus Sundogs - just no; the group that started this mess submitted this mess; flat out divisive at this point Thunderhawks - Southern Utah anyone ... anyone ... and their thunderbirds, no thanks; and if Nokota is too native so is thunder(any bird) ** *We'll pick out the folks that hung around Witmer Hall fast now, won't we. **And thunderbird is ... alcohol ... < gasp! >

Kupchella was behind a major portion of it during the quiet (before officially announced and kicked off) phase.