PCM

I like the Fighting Berserkers even better. New school motto: You wanna piece of me?

Everyone should do that. I can't believe it's not on YouTube.

Here's a link to a Fargo Forum article by Patrick Springer about the Nokota breed. Here's another good article from Horse News magazine.

That would be hostile and abusive. But we could have someone dressed as a cowboy wearing a black Steston ride around the football field on a Nokota horse carrying a UND banner. We already have they guy with the black Stetson and the flag as a tradition. Dress him up a bit, put him on a horse and we're set.

I don't see why UND couldn't retain its traditional colors. Some Nokota horses are all black or predominantly white. My son is already envisioning a black horse head with green lasers coming out of its eyes.

What did we always say about "Fighting Sioux"? It led people to learn more about the Sioux. The same concept applies to "Nokota." If you tie the "Nokota" nickname to a horse logo, people will get the idea that the name has something to do with horses. Some people might simply assume that it's a way to abbreviate "North Dakota," which it is. Heck, at one time, UND athletes were widely referred to as "Nodaks." I like "Nokotas" or "Nokes" a lot better. Does everyone know what a Terrapin is? Or a Tar Heel? No, but most college sports fans know which schools those names belong to. Those names create a unique identity for those schools. It doesn't really matter if everyone understands the context behind the names. "Nokotas" gives UND an opportunity to create a one-of-a-kind identity for itself. We now have a short video that explains the connection of UND athletics to "Fighting Sioux." Why not make a similar video explaining why the Nokota horse was chosen at the symbol of UND athletics?

It would be the Wild Nokotas, Fighting Nokotas or some other appropriate adjective. The intention wasn't to create a rhyming name. I think over time, the nickname would be naturally shortened to "Nokes," just as the Maryland Terrapins are the "Terps," the South Dakota State Jackrabbits are the "Jacks," the Nebraska-Omaha Mavericks are the "Mavs" and the South Dakota Coyotes are the "Yotes." There are probably many other examples people could cite. The Nokota horse breed is known for its intellegence, speed, endurance, strength and ability to survive harsh conditions. It is unique to North Dakota, which is why it's the official state horse. I can't think of a better symbol for UND's athletic teams.

You asked for it. Here's the e-mail I sent to Virg Foss:

As long as the Standing Rock tribe refuses to grant approval to UND to use the nickname, it really doesn't matter what Spirit Lake does.

Wild Nokotas? Fighiting Nokotas? Bucking Nokotas? Consider the implied symbolism: Only wild North Dakota horses could drag us to change our nickname.

Here you go: The University of North Dakota Nokotas.

South Dakota used to call itself "the Sunshine State." But apparently Florida got mad and forced a change to "the Rushmore State." We could be the University of North Dakota Sunshines and use "Walking On Sunshine" by Katrina and the Waves as our fight song.

Super Troopers.

Tom Dennis: Editorials can play a vital role in society

The show is on at 6:30 p.m. every Wednesday beginning with the football season and lasting through hockey/basketball season. It used to be on 96.1 FM, but I believe now the only place it can be heard is 1440 AM (KFAN).

More like a manure spreader in my case.

Being an old guy, I kind of like the name Branstormers.

From the Green Mill, Tim Hennessy and Scott Swygman are the hosts with Sioux hockey coach Dave Hakstol. TH: The Sioux are at Denver this week to play the Pioneers who are coming off a split with Colorado College. The Sioux are coming off a split with Minnesota-Duluth. Last week we talked about how well the team needed to play in the next six games. Now you

Hak told me before the season started that Davidson had a Fabian-like worth ethic. He just needed to improve a few parts of his game. So I guess I wouldn't be surprised, either.

You guys are too kind.

Well, it certainly was in 02-03 and 03-04. In 04-05, the Sioux were at least respectable at home. But heading into the third straight season of the Ralph not being a place where the Sioux dominate is getting a bit old.

If his teammates call him that, who can blame him for letting in the occasional 80-footer?

I saw Dr. Hook and the Medicine Show ("On the Cover of Rolling Stone") at SDSU's Frost Arena in the mid-70s. All the band members were drunk and/or stoned out of their minds. It was funny at first, but after a while when they couldn't make it through a single song without forgetting the words, it felt like a complete rip-off.

The problem as I see it is that some here have less respect for WSU's offense than Lennon did and some have more faith in UND's defense than I did.