PCM

Wisconsin has always been able to recruit and develop great goaltending talent because the Badgers have great goalie coaching. I'll be surprised if this is more than a little bump in the road for Wisconsin.

From the Green Mill, Tim Hennessy is the host with Sioux hockey coach Dave Hakstol. TH: When

I agree, but I'm biased.

Agreed. More creativity that doesn't rely on obscenties would be appreciated. You'd also get more cheering participation from other fans. Moving the band down with the students was a good decision. But the idea that this would serve to mask the obscene chants hasn't proven true. I've never been to a game in Madison, but I know from attending the WCHA Final 5 that Badger fans are among the best I've seen at supporting their team in an organized fashion. I could be wrong, but I believe UND's pep band plays more than three songs. If you're going to be critical, be fair about it. I don't think the band is the problem. Well, maybe if you were hurling obscenties at the TV in your dorm room, this would make sense. But you're not. You're in public and you're projecting the image of the university. You're also interacting with people who consider swearing in public rude, obnoxious and low-class, which it is. I realize that profanities are going to pop out of fans' mouths now and then. However, nobody goes to a sporting event with the expectation that they'll be bombarded with organized cheers using the worst sort of obscenities. Let's put it this way: You're at a movie theater and I'm sitting directly behind you with a friend. Throughout much of the movie, my friend and I are discussing plot points, acting ability, special effects, etc. You get annoyed because we're interfering with your ability to hear and enjoy the movie that you paid to see. You turn around and tell my friend and me to be quiet. In response, I say, "What's the problem? There's no better place to discuss movie directing, acting and production than while I'm at the movies." Just because I can rationalize my behavior doesn't justify or excuse it. The games at the Ralph aren't played in a vacuum. They're broadcast over TV and radio, which means they also serve as a window to the outside world. At every game, there are people in attendance from outside the university who judge UND based on the behavior of Sioux fans. It might be the only impression they ever get. What do you want them to leave Grand Forks remembering about UND?

I wasn't trying to be the thread police. I thought it might help chandler23 post his prognostication here if we were actually discussing what the thread said it was about. The Sioux really need some home sweeps. This series will provide a good test because we know that MSU is always a hard-working team that gives UND fits at home. It could set the tone for the rest of the season.

From the Native American Times: Student, tribal leader object to changing team name MSU switches from

Is the name of this thread "Minnesota State Visits the Ralph" or "Minnesota Wild Visits the Ralph"?

Maybe you haven't noticed, but my agenda is the same as UND's leadership and the State Board of Higher Education. I'm sure UND would be aghast to learn that someone it pays to promote the university's agenda is actually doing it. One thing I'm not doing is typing up pages and pages of documentation to send to the NCAA on UND letterhead with my signature and official title on them. It's strange that I've never seen you or G-Krack complain about that situation. But I imagine that when multilple UND employees aren't doing their jobs because they're promoting your personal agenda, you don't feel the need to make threats. As usual, you completely missed the point. My post addressed the curious concept of "honor" that you and G-Krack promote, which is that UND can somehow "honor" people by treating them as if they don't exist or as if they're undeserving of recognition they've earned. You're wrong. I am not of that thought. What are my stereotypical images and beliefs? I'd really like to know.

You and G-Krack make a nice team. He's on one thread berating UND for not using the name and logo to attract American Indian students and you're on another thread berating UND for using it. Maybe you two could get together and compare notes sometime.

The phone rings. KtF: Hello. UND: Hello. Is this Ms. KnowtheFacts? KtF: Yes it is. UND:Ms. KtF, I'm calling to let you know that UND is going to honor you for tremendous accomplishments, your outstanding academic achievement and your important, groundbreaking contributions to the university. KtF: Really? That's wonderful. UND: Yes, it is. Congratulations! KtF: I'm so overwhelmed that I don't know what to say. I've worked so long, so hard, and now... UND: Terrific! That's what we were hoping! KtF: Huh? What do you mean? UND: Well, knowing how you feel about honors, we thought it best if we didn't tell anyone about this. KtF: You mean I don't get a dinner, a plaque, a scholarship or my name in the paper? UND: That's right. Isn't it thrilling? KtF: Umm...well...can I tell my family about this honor? UND: You can, but officially, we'll deny it if anyone asks. Mum's the word here. We're locking our lips and throwing away the key. You have nothing to worry about. Nobody will ever know that you were one of the greatest students to ever attend this institution. I guarantee it. KtF: But what if I want people to know? What if it will help me get a better job after I graduate? UND: We weighed those considerations and decided that the risks were greater than actually bestowing the honor. KtF: What do you call this honor? UND: We don't call it anything. If we tried to name it, someone might be offended and question whether it was actually intended as an honor. This way, our intentions remain as pure as the driven snow and nobody can claim to be offended. KtF: So what's the point? UND: The point is to honor you without disrespecting you by letting people know about the honor. KtF: But what good is an honor with no recognition? UND: Frankly, we used to operate on the same outdated concept. But then we read some of your Internet message board postings on the Fighting Sioux nickname issue and you convinced us that we were going about this all wrong. We now know that the best way to honor people is to pretend that they don't exist. That way, we avoid controversy and bad publicity. And besides that, it's a lot cheaper. KtF: Click. UND: Hello? Hello? Sigh. I guess she didn't want to be honored after all.

I'm looking for factual answers. If you don't know the answer, just say so. It's one way. Nobody ever said it was the only way. Name one school that comes anywhere near UND's level of programming. UND isn't the only university in the nation that promotes its minority education programs.

Could you point out an example of a state-run university in this region that does more for the American Indian people than UND? Or is not honoring them by ignoring the existence of American Indians and their role in North Dakota's heritage all that matters?

If that's what you want, then maybe you should do it instead of posting inflamatory topic headings and silly pictures. But apparently you'd rather do that than post here.

I would've guessed the pregnant-looking one with the exposed midriff.

Which one is you?

I'll go second.

Ah, the old "I get a slap the racist label on you and you have to prove that you're not" trick. Where have I run into that before?

Don't forget the ever-popular "We have petroleum reserves!" cheer.

That's really clever. Sioux fans should do a "We have plains!" cheer when the Gophers are in town next. It'd be just as clever. Then the Gopher fans could come back with a "We have lakes!" cheer. And then Sioux fans could do a "We have coal!" cheer. The possibilities are endless.

Of course acceptable behavior can be compromised. You can't just expect people to meet the minimal standards of public behavior for no reason at all. It's totally unrealistic. You can't expect people to be courteous of one another just for the heck of it. What kind of fool thinks like that? If students don't get something out of the deal, they have every right to continue their classless behavior. That's just how it works. It's not their fault that nobody's listening to them. It's not their fault that they have no incentive to treat others as they want to be treated. In fact, there's no reason this principle can't be applied in other areas of life. Whether it's a library, movie theater, bar, play, concert or any other public place or event, nobody should have to conform to any standard of public behavior if they don't get something out of it in return. It's a brilliant concept!

That clears everything up for me. Thanks.

But we can still make fun of Tyler Hirsch's mental problem, right? There's nothing classless about that, is there?

Why should Gopher fans have to show class in their own arena? I thought we were all against having to do that. Now I'm confused.

DOH! You're right, of course! Because I ignored your point, the students should get to do a dozen extra "Eff the Mavs!" chants next weekend. You really trapped me there. Good job.