Chief Illiniwek Supporter

Potential? To BECOME divisive? Shawn-O, we're way past that point IMHO.

Without the legalese, I would submit that the people parsing that agreement to read into a some sort of a mandate for a new nickname are, well: reading too much into it. That's all I'll say. I don't think you HAVE to have a new nickname.

Well, an 8-0 vote after 29 minutes of "discussion" sounds to me like the vote was pre-ordained, that there was a lot of "discussion" held outside of the meeting: which SHOULD be a violation of the law. And you're right, dragging the tribal supporter to a distant location to supposedly hear what he was going to say (and then just ignoring him) was rude.

Does the state of North Dakota have a law calling for open meetings?

As does a deadline of August 1: or October 1, 2010 for that matter. JMHO, but with three of the four Dakota schools the Summit needs you as much as you need them. I just have to believe that his definition of "bleeding green" is very different from the definition of most alums. He may live to learn that there's more than one thing that's called green; as in "long green". Now that's scary. Not surprising that a politician would say this, but scary nontheless. Really? Can you tell us who you talked to among the alumni "partners"? Do you REALLY think the majority of alums were in favor of this? If so, I have to question your judgement even more than I do now.

Yeah, but what isn't better than Flickertails or Sundogs?

I hope you're right. But can I ask this much: do you think that today's action makes such a referendum more or less likely?? I don't know, but I can't see what happened today as increasing the chances that a referendum is held. That's JMHO from a long way away. I don't disagree that a long-term agreement is necessary, but just coming out with a pronouncement that "we need thirty years" isn't a wise way to handle negotiations IMHO. Isn't ten years enough?? Or even five? You're starting from Ground Zero with this, and you're asking for a lifetime commitment by demanding 30 years. I just saw this and said "they can't be serious" and quickly changed my mind to say "they obviously have no interest in any sort of negotiation". I don't know the answer to this, but I'll ask it anyway: is there a time limit on the use of Seminole? Chippewa? Ute?? I simply could not agree more. People on the reservations are working hard to help with this issue; and IMHO this is a slap in their faces. It's so unfair on so many different levels. Haven't people on BOTH sides been saying for a long time that "we need to talk more; we have more in common than we have in opposition" about so many, many issues?? This wasn't good at all IMHO. Above and beyond the nickname, this wasn't good. Will this make it more likely that in the future, people from the reservation will work to get things accomplished in harmony with the city/state governments?? I don't think so.

It's JMHO, but I've always been a big believer in sayings like "you reap what you sow" and "you can only ask for as much as you give". My own University refused to give my voice (and the voices of the overwhelming majority of others) any consideration when they decided to drop Chief Illiniwek. I don't feel they can ask me for consideration in return. I've heard that somehow I'm "punishing" the current students for something they didn't have a hand in deciding. Sorry, but I'm no more punishing current students by donating somewhere else than I was punishing those other worthy causes before you decided to drop Chief. There's no end to worthy causes. Going out of your way to PO people isn't a way to engender sympathy.

Hold out for all that and driving the Zamboni.

If you think honest politicans are rare in North Dakota, come walk a mile in my Illinois moccasins.

Goon, let me ask this much: don't you think the students and alumni weighed in on whether or not they wanted to drop the nickname? And yet the nickname was dropped anyway. IMHO, I'd vote for no nickname; but in justice I shouldn't have a vote.

As would I. But I'll say this much: young Mr. Dahl is more intelligent than I am. I'm sure he'll come up with something.

Diogenies (sp) was right. Next time you find a politician with integrity, alert the board.

Interesting idea: but what if the decision is to go with no nickname?

Get your personalized Jonathon Toews jerseys from his current team NOW! Show your support for an alum in the NHL.

Just one more thought and then I'll go away for a while: a 30 year contract demand??? Before you had even talked with anyone from the tribes?? I'm sorry. If I was one of the people on that reservation who had gathered signatures on a petition and stuck my neck out to get a vote, I'd really feel betrayed right now.

That's the part I don't get. You had a few years to get the tribal approvals, you had started down that road: why now? Just for a league? IMHO, that's silly. But, that's for your BOT to decide, and ultimately answer for. edit: the headlines on google news say that your BOT was "listening to arguments" as of an hour ago, and voted 8-0 31 minutes ago. I guess those twenty-nine minutes convinced all of them. Certainly the "listening to the arguments" statement wasn't a sham, was it?

That's true. But if you relied on his family to support it, the BOT may be looking for a new source of dollars.

I agree with those who said you're selling your traditions very cheaply. BTW, did he name the six schools?

The article yesterday didn't say that the league was looking at them, but they're the only two that they mention. IMHO, that implies that they're the competition for North Dakota.

Before we go too far off the deep end.... And it's as of October 1 of this year. Moves the NCAA deadline up. The BOT was unanimous. I don't know why they didn't let the process play out to the NCAA limit. Why negotiate for that limit, and then ignore it? http://www.thedickinsonpress.com/articles/...mp;section=News edit: I didn't see anything about a length of contract, nor any tribal response. And to those who said the BOT was going as far away as possible to make an unpopular decision: I was wrong, you were right.

And for the people who keep arguing that "we better hurry up and beg to join the Summit, otherwise they may take Chicago State": here's some more information on the academics at that fine institution: http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/local/c...0,2985029.story I know the Douple apologists have told me that it's easy to research a Big Ten school, all you have to do is buy as US News & World Report guide and viola! All the info you would ever need to compare schools with as many as 40,000 students. For that group of people, here's some of the info that you would need a lot of hard work to gather, much less analyze and winnow thru: I'm sure some of you are thinking "hey, don't you need much more than a 15 on the ACT just to get an athletic scholarship?" Don't worry, Super-Commissioner Douple is on the job! He'll have an answer for that to protect the Summit presidents from thinking too much. And....if you get a far shallower pond, its a lot easier to rise to the top, isn't it? Again: be careful what you wish for. If your read this and still think Chicago State is a school you'd be proud to be associated with, then by all means jump at that Summit offer.

All it will take is another cowboy and Indian party? There already was one such party: yet the tribal vote came in 2-1 for the nickname. (BTW, check out today's paper for a story about a frat in Alabama. Somehow, their conference affiliation was NOT mentioned at all in the story I read. ) The votes can take place at any school in any location. Yet FSU isn't making plans to drop their nickname, nor is Utah or Central Michigan. Sorry, but that's over the top. The "I love North Dakota more than you do" stuff is uncalled for.

I agree here. Personally, I think the three other Dakota schools should be pressuring their conference bretheren to admit North Dakota. It's such a no-brainer in terms of travel expenses for everyone that it's amazing that Douple is even thinking about Utah State, or ( ) Chicago State.

From the article... I would love, and let me repeat LOVE to hear the Douple apologists talk about the results of a site visit there. http://forum.siouxsports.com/index.php?sho...177&st=1094 Talk about a crying need to protect a conference from a potential member...