gjacks

I have tried to think of a way to express something that I think everyone knows but can't really articulate - that there IS something wrong with public vulgarity, that there IS something we owe to people around us in public gatherings, that there IS something wrong when amusements and entertainment are glorified and personalized beyond their legitimate role, that there IS something wrong when we emphasize the "right" to do something without consideration to the attendant responsibilities and in some cases suspend all restraint and act as if the "right" is actually an obligation. In "The Decline and Fall of the Roman Empire" , societal decay was traced to a collection of factors that included (among others): Brutalization of sport, Glorification of amusements (the rise of "stars" and construction of elaborate stadiums), the acceptance and celebration of excess and deviation, and preoccupation with self indulgence in disregard of others. I will leave it to each to interpret the author in his/her own way. I think that President Kupchella is doing the right thing in trying to apply some braking action to what over the past 20 years has been a noticeable decline in civility among the Sioux faithful. We can be part of the problem or find a way to be part of the solution. Fight on Fighting Sioux!

Boy, do I get tired of this same line of BS every time there is talk of fans, especailly at Sioux hockey games. Redwing, I attended games in the "Barn" with no heat and wooden bleachers, in the Winter Sports Center and now in the Ralph Engelstad Arena. I have cheered for Sioux teams when students never attended games, when the team went through the Rube Bjorkman era and the student section was all but empty and then had to scuffle for seats when students "rediscoverd" hockey (when they started winning). I will be there when Sioux hockey is a "remember when" to you, so let's cut the BS and show some respect for ALL the fans who attend games.

At least part of the problem with fan behavior relates to the way it is viewed by Athletics Administration. After the MSU-Mankato incident Gene Taylor said, (this is paraphrasing) We want our fans to give the opponent Hell, that is part of the home advantage, but sometimes it goes too far. He seems to be saying that unless someone objects to fans going too far, that whatever they do is okay and we will deal with the consequences as they arise rather than trying to prevent such incidents from occurring. I think creates a "nudge-nudge, wink-wink" perception of his protestations and makes one wonder how sincere he is in dealing with these incidents. He says all the right things, let's see how that translates into action.

To JBB, bisonguy, tony, and all of the other Bison apologists who have offered their "insights" on the behavior of fans at Saturday night's game: Shame on you. Couch it any way like but these acts are deplorable and have no place in a civil society. Vulgarity, profanity, and this kind of in-your-face intimidation from the bleachers have turned a great traditional rivalry from a fun time for all into an episode of "Survivor" (but without the intellectual benefits of that program). I think the chant of "rape their women" from NDSU students during a game at Memorial Stadium signalled the beginning of the end of a civil rivalry. Take your boorish behavior to Division I and Godspeed to you. I for one am looking forward to a time when I can again enjoy the atmosphere of fans being enthusiastic about THEIR team.

JBB - Where did all the vitriol toward UND come from? Dating back to the 1930's, my God you hold on to these things longer than my wife remembers my transgressions. But could it be that Gov. Langer was farsighted and was attempting to derail the North Dakota penchant for "too much"? You seem to know the history, was he also attempting to eliminate some of the "normal schools" that have survived to the present in various forms? That NDSU survived is a tribute to the spirit of that institution, but hardly a proof of Gov. Langer being the architect of the "vast UND conspiracy" against NDSU. Are we to re-call the doctorates issued from Colorado College and Boston College because they are not designated as universities? Come on now. The name change may have been a turf war but how did/does NDSU justify deviations their land grant status as "institutions to advance agriculture and mechanics" as stipulated in the Morrill Act? Debates over spending and "attempts to block funding" are matters of perception - your perception seems rather myopic and distorted by those yellow-tinted glasses you wear. Decision I is made. No debate will change it so why concern yourself with what others may think about it? Dr. Chapman has chosen your path and you have chosen to loyally follow - I applaud both of you for that and you shouldn't think that you have to justify your decision to me or anyone else on this forum, in the state, or in the nation. We just want to be assured that you will not be asking for a priori treatment because of that status IF the promises on which the decision was made are not fulfilled. As for the Eddy/Dean debate, if Eddy actually said that he hoped for the Gophers to win - he should be replaced. That is not the sort of thing a person who claims to be a "voice of the Sioux" should say in a public forum. The rest of it is a p---ing match and I don't really care who wins. Congratulations to the Bison for a hard-fought and bloody win. Maybe this will be the momentum swing they need to carry them through to Division I. To rise from the ashes of 3-3 to the glory of Division I. One would think that they should have wrapped up the title by now with that kind of status on their side.

I believe that the number 12 was last worn by Terry Casey who earned All-American honors in the early to mid 1960's, then was killed in a car crash during the summer. His picture is displayed on the wall that features former Sioux All-Americans.

I cancelled my subscription to SI in October, but my son came over with a copy and said there was an article that I should read. A few pertinent excerpts: Betty Ann Gross who led the push in SD to change the names of 38 state landmarks said, "There's a lot of division (among Native Americans). We're confused, and if we're confused, you guys should be really confused." Leigh J. Kuwanwisiwma, a Hopi leader, "I don't see anything wrong with Indian nicknames as long as they're not meant to be derogatory." 53 o/o of Indians on reservations and 81 o/o of Indians off reservations said use of Indian team names and mascots does not contribute to discrimination against Indians. Of course the academics who know better will say that these people have not been properly educated and do not really know what is best for them. It is up to the true thinkers to decide what is and is not objectionable and proper.

How can it be argued that there is no Native American heritage connected with the University of North Dakota? 1) North Dakota is a Native American name - do we drop the Dakota and become the state "North"? 2) North Dakota was carved out of the Dakota Territory, what used to be called "Indian Country", and is still referred to as such by various Native American jopurnalists such as Tim Giago ("Indian Country Today"). 3) History is shared by all members of a society, and I feel that Native American culture and history should be much as part of North Dakota consciousness as Norwegian, German, and Russian. Not all of us are Scandanavian yet there is no protest over the use of "Vikings", not all of us are Greek but there is no protest over the use of "Spartans", and the list goes on. The Sioux are a part of the heritage of this land and it is very presumptious for anyone to say that we have no right to embrace that heritage and that it will be denied to us. On the other hand, I was very upset during the Minnesota hockey series at the way the name and mascot of the Gophers was treated in the pregame and the scene with a gopher on a stick that was shown several times during the weekend. If we want others to respect our logo, name, and mascot, we need to do the same for them. Has anyone heard of "Logo Stomping"? The REA did the equivalent to the University of Minnesota last weekend.