The Sicatoka

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.

... Or thunder hawks.

I smell a group that learned nothing from the experiences at Hofstra and Marquette.

Jim's list is solid, except it should say "no thanks" right after #2 and before #3. "North Dakota" (no nickname) should not be on that list unless we have a signed letter from the NCAA saying no nickname meets the settlement agreement in their eyes. Nobody wants to have deal with this cluster again.

I'd dare argue there's as large (larger?) portion of the fan base that is suffering "nickname fatigue" and they just want a remedy and to actually have the focus be on the players and teams for the first time since 2005. (2000? The mid 1990s? The 1980s? The early 1970s?)

Yup. I'll give Kelley this: He could've picked a name July 1 and said, "I'm out August 1." Instead, he rides it the fall semester. And accordingly, the new president will never have said the forbidden (by the NCAA) words. I still say Kelley (older, near retirement age) was brought in to retire the old and start the new. Seems the case.

The %gobc did nothing to Hak. Philly gave Hak ten million reasons to go. (Ron Hextall >> %gobc) The %gobc did nothing to Kelley. He's 70, and I'd argue he should've never taken this position. He should have stayed on two more years as dean of the College of Health Sciences and professor of medical education and public health at the University of Wyoming and retired (at 65). Instead he came here at age 63 ... and retired. I'd like the next president of UND to be the age of the parents of the average UND freshman, not the age of the grandparents of the average UND freshman.

What Kelley serves at cook-outs!

If you're an option team, and you're down 21-10 in the third quarter, and you don't have the ball, you're in trouble.

Ranking UND presidents of my lifetime (best to not so much): 1. Clifford - in a runaway 2. Kupchella - the man who dared question political correctness and the NCAA 3. Starcher - the Yankton Chief 4. Baker 5. Kelley

Sure. But the "Purpur" name was invoked in the context of a president conversation. Purpur for AD? You bet. Purpur for president. Uh, no.

Having access ( thanks to Chinese database hackers, © jimdahl ) to %gobc meeting minutes from when Kelley was hired, the %gobc endorsement last time went to this man (while he was still out east at Shippensburg University of Pennsylvania).

You don't bring in an associate athletic director to be president of a university.