Teeder11

They had a blast defaming our former Fighting Sioux nickname and somehow we were able to sleep at night. The big difference was we were proud of that nickname so it did not matter as much. We fear the unknown and the possibility that we might have to defend something that hasn't been fully bought into yet. Believe me, if any fan base can buy into a nickname like Gophers or Banana Slugs, any name eventually would be accepted given enough time.

Fair enough. But I still contend that Russ would be just as fervently against NA nicknames and logos if he was white or black or whatever. Race and cultural background informs his reasoning but does not dictate it. The same goes for the white people on the panel.

I never said he was put on the committee because of his political ideology. I said the reasons he believes what he believes has nothing to do with race. He believes what he believes because he has a politcally correct mindset that is pervasive across the UND faculty and other higher education institutions. He considers it an enlightened way of thinking when in fact it is just hypersensitivity and political correctness run amok. I would say the same thing about Lowell and the others: they're reasonings are not being dictated by their race. To suggest as much is quite naive (I know you didn't but the poster I was replying to did).

I appreciate your point. But anyone on the committee could say something like that and it would carry the same weight. Some are just more influential at articulating their points. I think the race card reference is an insult to McDonald and his ability to transcend race when it comes to his own reasoning. McDonald does not believe what he believes because he is American Indian; he believes what he does because it is part of is his personal political ideology. Granted his cultural background gives him a more informed perspective, but I would wager that Russ would feel the same way as he does about NA nicknames if he were white. The fact that feelings surrounding NA nicknames are less about race than they are about politically correct ideology plays out in the American Indian communities across the country as the feelings are extremely mixed.

I swear to God I will never abandon UND athletics and its athletes no matter what nickname they wear. My passion for the school and its sports programs is much deeper than that. I'm all in.

Actually, having sat through a lot of these committee meetings, I would say that McDonald is one of the least vocal and influential in the room (actually, he's seldom in the room.... he attends via teleconference). It would be a close race between him and the staff representative on the panel. Lowell Schweigert always seems to be the most vocal and engaged... him and Bridewell.

Denny Elbert?

They did just as much if not more. The UND PR machine back then is the same one that exists now.

And that's different than any university or corporation in America how? Whenever Bresciani steps in it down at NDSU, and he's done it a lot.... you don't see him doing the dirty work. Sadly this is the status quo.

You want him to stay? Talk about damned if you do; damned if you don't.

I love this thread! It's like Iraq following 9-11: it keeps the terrorists occupied and isolated in one place. I have not read a word of this thread ( ok maybe I peeked), but it sure keeps all the other threads clean. And I really like that!

Dom was referring to an issue at UW. The Badgers apparently have had to abandon some recruits because of some tampering by overzealous fans.

I noticed a lot of our offensive linemen are listed well over 300 pounds, too.

Current roster has him listed 15 pounds heavier than last year. Maybe it's muscle.

Yeah, and the NHL playoffs aren't a one loss an done scenario like the NCAA tourney is. Before we get ahead of ourselves, lets give Hak some time to get the Flyers re-tooled for a potential playoff run before we even broach the subject of the Flyers in the playoffs. But back to the point, me thinks Hak could have retooled his UND teams enough to win a few Natties if the NCAA tourney was a best of three situation with the opportunity to make adjustments from game to game like they do in the NHL. Whew. I'm done.

You'da man!!!! Thanks! I really like his quickness. Once he puts on some meat, look out. He had a tweet a couple weeks about the new UND helmets,so I would think he's still on board.

What about Poole? No longer listed on Wiki.

Thanks! I had sent you a PM about it a few weeks ago but hadn't heard anything. Really appeciate the work you do keeping us updated.

Is there any reason why Matilus has yet to be added to the Wiki recruiting page? Is it still iffy or what?

I agree in hindsight. But it seemed prudent at the time by those, who were in charge and who would have to answer for it if things went badly, to be more cautious. Different time, different priorities.

Who gives a crap what others are going to do with any of our potential new nicknames? If that is one of our overriding concerns, we've got thinner skin than I thought we did. It's not like our beloved Fighting Sioux nickname was immune from other fan bases twisting and morphing it into derrogatory and pejorative forms and phrases, and somehow we all got by ok.

It's always dangerous to dredge up the past, but here goes: there were reasons SU was able to "afford" to make the move, and why UND felt it could not. UND's administration, at the time, did not want to rape academics and low-ball faculty hires (by using GTAs) and engage in other shell games that Chapman was so adept at back in the day to make it work. Now, as history shows us, if you" just win baby," the public is willing to look the other way and let that stuff slide -- so we probably could have/should have done it. I am sure there are many in our own fan base that would have been ok with UND getting "creative" with the books to get a jumpstart on a transition, but at the time, for good or for bad, Kupchella and the boys (no female VPs at the time) didn't want to go down that path. Sometimes I think that we lose sight on here that these administrators are trying to run an entire university and are not exclusively fixated on athletics like we are. EDIT: Every time I wheel this out someone always pipes up and asks -- "what changed for UND, then?" I will try to get out ahead of that one this time by simply saying that the total and utter collapse of the NCC is what shifted the entire paradigm and forced UND to make the leap.

fs4l, is correct. It was two completely different scenarios. When you have a program that is rolling on all eight cylinders (albeit no recent natty) and you have a highly, if not overqualified heir apparent, North Dakota law permits you to hire immediately instead of having to wait the 30 days, or whatever, for the external HR process to play out. As for Bubba Schweigert's hiring, as we know, the football program did not have the internal candiate waiting in the wings, thus the need for the long, public hiring process. NDSU was able to do things the quick way with its recent football and basketball transitions because it felt it had the right guys already on staff.

I'm glad you took it in the right spirit!

I've never understood some folks' obsession with Jesus' crucifixion site as a potential nickname.