The Sicatoka

I'll send you your hotel and airline confirmation numbers right after you send me your credit card number.

I believe you just found out why "Green Hawk" was so popular in the Forum Forum unscientific poll (... of mainly NDSU fans).

Really? I thought "bin city" was part of the Grand Forks Metroplex.

Green Sun Star Hawk-dogs. Green Fighting Sun Star Hawk-dogs? Saddle up. Go Riders.

Like I said ... jdub27 just proved it so.

Phil hasn't got the kind of money to make me like that abomination of a word.

(reposted here, because it probably better applies here) My take on the Silly Seven, and I see these seven in four categories: < adjective > Hawks: This is the standard consultant template. Look at Miami and a host of other schools that have dropped Native related names. It's so pattern and predictable that it's a running joke. And it needs to be dismissed out of hand. The Unimaginative: Yes, that's Nodaks and North Dakota. Nothing says unique and creative like using the state name, or better yet, shortening it to a postal code abbreviation. The unimaginative is not worthy of a center of creativity like a university. The State Nicknames: Well, that's what Roughriders and North Stars are, state nicknames; except, North Stars is not North Dakota's but is Minnesota's and must be dismissed as such summarily. Duckies, Bunnies, Rainbows, and Unicorns; aka The Kumbahyas: Sundogs are light and sunny and rainbows ... just sunshine on ice crystals, ... or are they. Sundogs mean it's cold and going to be colder. If you're from North Dakota sundogs are not something you want to see in January. Or it means something very different and that is a Class A misdemeanor (or is it a Class C felony). Run through that list of trite template solutions, the completely unimaginative, and sunshine on ice crystals which also means a crime (sex in public) and what are you left with? Minnesota - the Gopher State Iowa - the Hawkeye State Nebraska - the Cornhusker State Kansas - the Jayhawk State North Dakota - the Roughrider State The TR Rough Rider Award is the State's highest award. Just ask UND Athletics icons Fido Purpur and Phil Jackson.

Let me translate that for our NDSU friends that haunt these parts: Towes is good at teh hockies.

My take on the Silly Seven, and I see these seven in four categories: < adjective > Hawks: This is the standard consultant template. Look at Miami and a host of other schools that have dropped Native related names. It's so pattern and predictable that it's a running joke. And it needs to be dismissed out of hand. The Unimaginative: Yes, that's Nodaks and North Dakota. Nothing says unique and creative like using the state name, or better yet, shortening it to a postal code abbreviation. The unimaginative is not worthy of a center of creativity like a university. The State Nicknames: Well, that's what Roughriders and North Stars are, state nicknames; except, North Stars is not North Dakota's but is Minnesota's and must be dismissed as such summarily. Duckies, Bunnies, Rainbows, and Unicorns; aka The Kumbahyas: Sundogs are light and sunny and rainbows ... just sunshine on ice crystals, ... or are they. Sundogs mean it's cold and going to be colder. If you're from North Dakota sundogs are not something you want to see in January. Or it means something very different and that is a Class A misdemeanor (or is it a Class C felony). Run through that list of trite template solutions, the completely unimaginative, and sunshine on ice crystals which also means a crime (sex in public) and what are you left with? Minnesota - the Gopher State Iowa - the Hawkeye State Nebraska - the Cornhusker State Kansas - the Jayhawk State North Dakota - the Roughrider State

The consultants need to get over themselves regarding Roughriders. They probably would tell the U of Southern California Trojans to change their name. In North Dakota, the TR Rough Rider Award is the highest honor given. http://governor.nd.gov/theodore-roosevelt-rough-rider-award When in Rome, do as the Romans; when in North Dakota, its the Rough Rider Award.

< bleep >-in Duncan Keith scores to let Sox tie me for second. Toews! Where was my assist on that one!

Final Standings: 146 - Ray77 <--- Your 2015 Stanley Cup Playoffs Game Cham-peen! 102 - The Sicatoka 102 - UND-RedSox fan 77 - andtheHomeoftheSIOUX!! 70 - MafiaMan 60 - jimdahl 56 - fight on Sioux

Let me be clear, they aren't "new Americans" for the reason I gave above. If they want to be "new" something, let's call them what they are: "new immigrants". Of course, that makes the rest of us, including Spirit Lake and Standing Rock, the Chippewa, Mandan, Hidatsa, and Arikara, and the rest of the tribes, "old immigrants*". *Humanity began on the African continent. We all wandered here, immigrated, at one point in time or another.

They bring "diversity" and that is surely the great panacea. PS - Until you become a citizen, you're just new, not American.

You missed club tennis on your list. How can their prong three surveys (for interest and ability) not find these interests and abilities?

I've been told that Ol' Russ has questioned using icons of certain < cough Native cough > religions as mascots also*. And Ol' Russ was on the committee that chose a new university system chancellor just recently. Amazing where this fellow's political point of view spreads around to. An enrolled member at Spirit Lake who's very PC himself (especially on the topic of nicknames) and has a PhD has to be the PC crew's wet dream. *Notice there are no "eagles" in UND's final 15.

Scotty Bowman would not meet the criteria.

I see the words "new nickname". I'm not willing to overlook those as others may be. Given the ND Attorney General signed that settlement agreement (and addendum) for the State, shouldn't we be able to ask him what he believes he signed?

You're assuming "no nickname = no violation". I'm not willing to do that until I have something more than words from non-NCAA people.

The PC crew? They got Kelley to kowtow and put their man Leander "Russ" MacDonald on the committee. Ol' Russ will "fix" this is my expectation. Someone will have to take the public/media/PR hit when the "no nickname" option is killed off. If Russ does it keeps Kelley's and Karl's hands clean and raises Russ up further in the eyes of the PC crew.

Fight's over. All that's left is settling up accounts. Don't welsh on bets or debts.

Yes there is: Back on the sanctions list.

In other news, early reports say the sun rose in the east this morning.

Do we know Kelley has contacted the NCAA and confirmed it? It wouldn't be the first time an academic misspoke or assumed themselves to be correct. (Suddenly you're believing Kelley, and I'm not; interesting role reversal. ) Do we know the NCAA would inject itself into the process? Or would they rather watch it play out and then execute as they see fit. They like the "final judge (jury, and executioner) role" and don't want to be seen as meddling (any further) as that would contradict their prior statement, "Colleges and universities may adopt any mascot that they wish, as that is an institutional matter*." That comes back around to the settlement agreement, namely: Does the NCAA see "no" nickname as a "new" nickname. And yes, I want to hear it from the NCAA and them only, as they are the final judge (jury, and executioner). *Source: http://fs.ncaa.org/Docs/PressArchive/2005/Announcements/NCAA%2BExecutive%2BCommittee%2BIssues%2BGuidelines%2Bfor%2BUse%2Bof%2BNative%2BAmerican%2BMascots%2Bat%2BChampionship%2BEvents.html

Yup. I also worry about a "sophomore slump" from the staff. They put a lot of energy into last season.