zonadub

Actually more of a distraction for the fans (especially the ones on this board) than for the players. Not having to answer a million questions about whether they like they new jerseys or not is probably a good thing before the first game. Maybe they will have to deal with it at the press conference afterwards, but they will be insulated from all the questions while the players are on the ice during warmups and the game. Put me in the "The Right Thing to Do" column. On the other hand, I am curious.

just a question because I do not know the answer... Does the Team Bus say "Fighting Sioux" on it?

Wow! What a concept! Don't think I would have the cojones to make a statement like that, but what a bold move it would be. If there would be any way to call national attention to the hypocrisy of the NCAA, this would be it. To have the Sioux skate out on to the ice in their traditional logo jerseys and then have the NCAA call off the game before the puck even drops. Intriguing idea, Ira, but crazy consequences. By the way, yes, I realize you are being at least a little sarcastic, but just crazy enough to be thought-provoking.

Agreed. Well done ladies!

I would like to witness Fetch, Dave and the rest of them looking these hard working ladies in the eye and telling them that this is all worth it to be able to be called the Fighting Sioux (sometimes). To not have your picture in the NCAA Championship program - something they will probably keep for the rest of their lives - - is this really the lesser of two evils, DaveK?

Looks like the Standing Rock Tribal Council will not have time to be discussing the Fighting SIoux name in the near future... Hearing to be held on removing Standing Rock tribal chairman

You really cannnot believe that being under NCAA sanctions is a lesser evil than not calling the University of North Dakota athletic teams the Fighting Sioux?!?! Seriously!?

I must have read a different opinion column than the rest of you did. Considering that this was written by an NDSU student, I thought it sounded pretty sympathetic to the position that the NCAA has put UND in. Even if he did not have 100% of the facts correct (really now, who outside of the frequent commentators on this board have delved so deeply into this issue), the tone of the article was not the usual type of opinion that comes out of the Fargo campus. Lighten up, y'all.

If they are out, take a long hard look at being on the nickname sanction list.

the other problem, brought up earlier by Sica, ira or someone else much smarter than I am... if the nickname stays, the next tribal council or the next or the next, can rescind their tribe's endorsement of the nickname, just like Standing Rock has already done. All it would take is one or two voices to persuade the council to take another vote. After all, the ND State Legislature did it twice in less than a year. Perceptions can change at any time. The controversy, as long as the nickname is the Fighting Sioux, will never go away. I am an old, white man, so I can't speak for Sioux tribal members now or in the future. It may be different if UND is called the Flames (or Cougars with a nod to that Utah high school). Again, how about WASPS? Won't like it as well, not in any way, shape or form, but it is what it is.

a couple of very interesting paragraphs... even the hockey fans that want the logo on the front of the jersey have got to see what it could do to the program...

if this part of your statement is correct, dagies, then we have been barking up the wrong tree. Standing Rock is not the second closest tribe: Sisseton-Wahpeton is 135 miles away from Grand Forks, Standing Rock is well over 200, even on a direct course. Why isn't the save the nickname movement working with the Sisseton tribe since Standing Rock's Tribal Council refuses to help?

Sorry, Dave. It's not about disrespecting the Native Americans any more. As much as it may have begun that way, it has now become a struggle to avoid sanctions and punishment levied on UND by the NCAA. And for the Fetch crowd that thinks a Grand Forks Fighting Sioux AHL team is the answer, please take it and a use it with respect so that UND can get off the NCAA sanctions list. (If memory serves, though, the NCAA settlement agreement requires UND to retain control of and prevent the re-use of the Fighting Sioux name) We pretty much all agree that the NCAA is abusing their position and power in this situation, but that abuse does not mean that they cannot continue on the path they have already charted.

WHere would they play? The Fargodome?

That is the most succinct statement you have made, Benny. The NCAA is run by academics, and they know they know better than a bunch of hicks from the Dakota sticks or a namesake Native American tribe.

off topic: still think Nielson would be a great football coach for UND to go after

everyone (well, not quite everyone) was clamoring for national media stories on the arbitrary NCAA policy. well, it is in the national press now, Blount's piece was picked up all across the country. it is not good press for UND or the Fighting Sioux nickname. we better watch out what we ask for, because we just might get it. hate to see it go, but it is time for UND to move on...

yeah, i get it - he must mean Penn State

Huh? What? Did I miss something here?

the statement she makes that really gave me pause: this whole fight among ourselves is really being looked at as a joke by the rest of the country. I don't like reading statements like that, even from Twin Cities writers. Benny... there are so few teams with native american nicknames, it will be difficult to come up with a list of schools who have announced that they will no longer play teams with native american nicknames, I just don't know how you can list the schools that won't play Alcorn State because of their nickname. Really, what other measure is there besides the list of schools (MN, WI, IA) that have officially announced they won't play UND?

That may be, but USD was added to the MVFC, and the MVC may be looking for an all-sports member to keep the status quo in the MVFC with the Summit schools. North Dakota would bring no Summit League ties into the MVC that a NDSU, SDSU, USD or another previous member of the Summit would. Bottom line is that UND will still have to get off the NCAA sanction list to get in to any conference - BSC, WAC, MWCUSA, MVC, Summit - you name it.

not if UND is still dealing with NCAA sanctions

Wouldn't you think that recruits are a lot more on top of what school is the Fighting Sioux than some headline writer in Connecticut?

I think what you are forgetting is that for every casual one-game-at-a-time Bison fan that couldn't afford the extra $$, there would be a Sioux fan lining up to pay that extra cash to the NDSU athletic dept. Wouldn't that be satisfying to the Bison faithful? Gouging the Sioux fans for an extra $10 or $20 a seat? How many out of town fans come to Fargo to watch the Robert Morris's and Wagner's? You certainly cannot infer that the UND-NDSU game could not sell out at a higher price. It must be that you fear that NDSU fans can't afford the ticket price and that there would actually be some Sioux fans at the Fargodome. Disclaimer: I would prefer that UND-NDSU play every other or every third year and put the South Dakota schools and Northern Iowa into the mix. This is with the caveat that UND gets to join the Big Sky after all the other distractions are addressed.