PCM

Proving once again that you have no sense of humor. Good night, Gary.

No. We should be asking the French for permission because it was their word to begin with.

Or maybe teh siox.

Is that a hockey player or NASCAR car?

In thinking about it, I wonder if it was even a reporter. It sounded as if there were others at the news conference who were trying to speak or ask questions. Kupchella seemed determined not to allow anyone but media to ask questions.

I've seen the same thing at Spirit Lake. It's a shame these kids don't know any better.

I'm doubtful that this will happen now unless there are a ton of people at Spirit Lake who are outraged by the NCAA's decision and demand that the tribal council vote to support UND.

Bina won't be playing this season. Hakstol said so at today's Sioux hockey media day.

I suspect that the NCAA Executive Committee will waste little time turning down UND's appeal. At least, that's the impression that Kupchella gave.

Ah, OK. I heard him make a comment about a janitor, but I didn't know what he was responding to.

Sorry, no, I couldn't hear the questions very well. Old age and all, ya know.

It's over.

Dr. K: NCAA has gotten a lot of criticism for getting into what should be a local issue. Then they made everybody mad by giving three exemptions. They previously exempted the Aztecs because there supposedly aren't any left. Jeez, we better make an example of somebody here. There are only 15 schools left.

Dr. K: I'm glad the entire weight of the decision wasn't put on the Spirit Lake tribe. What the NCAA wanted from them seemed to change from day to day. I've asked for a rescheduling of the meeting with Spirit Lake. I've been told by some that it will be rescheduled, but nothing's official.

Dr. K: The Board of Higher Education might want to weigh in on this issue. That's who I work for and report to. The resolution passed in Bismarck said that we need to work with the tribes and I think that's where were headed. Whatever the future holds, we need to work with the tribes. They're a big part of the fabric of this part of the world. We have an obligation to work with them. To the extent that they'll let us engage in the dialogue, we'll do it. (Unfortunately, I can't really hear the questions being asked by the reporters.)

Dr. K: The middle ground here is to manage things in a way that's less offensive. We've tried mightily to do that. Every complaint that's been brought to me has been dealt with. If there are things we can do to make it less offensive, let's identify them and make them less offensive.

Dr. K: UND will appeal to the NCAA Executive Committee, although it seems futile. They did get it partly right by not requiring UND to cover the logos in REA for the west regional hockey tournament. Reporter: How can UND claim to have a special relationship with the tribes when they're all against the name? Dr. K: Some Native Americans are against it and some who work here are for it. The action here is what should matter. You simply can't dismiss the tradition here. We will continue to bring reconcilliation to the different points of view. We must continue to create the best possible environment here.

Dr. K: What UND does for Native Americans is a small part of what the NCAA is considering in its report. The schools that have been granted exemptions don't have anything like what UND has in the way of programs to educate Native Americans. We think we have a special relationship compared to many other universities.

I'll do a running recap. Kupchella: We have no choice but to pursue the appeals process because of the words hostile and abusive. Not being honored doesn't contitute hostility and abuse. How is it that some Indian nicknames are okay but Sioux crosses over to the area of hostility and abuse?

Amen!

Kupchella's news conference is at 3:30 and will be carried live on KNOX (1310 AM).

That was my interpretation, too.

I think it's silly to put someone on a college "dream team" who has yet to play a single minute of collge hockey.

I think you're right, except for the UND part. I doubt that the university is doing much, if any, lobbying of the tribe. I suspect that the vast majority of the pressure is coming from the other side.