Emerald joker Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 The initial mystery is part of the allure, am I right? You're intrigued, you're curious, you're thinking, "What is this thing called an ermine?" And then you look it up and see a furry and adorable ball of terror that is pound for pound one of the most terrifying creatures on this big blue ball that we call earth. Nope, not thinking any of that. Im thinking i dont really want a little ball of fur for a nickname or logo! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 I think someone is setting UND up to be called the weasels, because that's what an ermine is. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UNDErmines Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 I'm actually quite sincere about the ermine name. (Actually, weasels would be cool too, but it's got an unfair negative context sometimes. Weasels are linked to wisdom and courage in old mythology, but they suffer the slights of cartoonists these days.) In contrast, ermines are linked to royalty. They're beautiful creatures, and they're fearsome to boot. Non-sports fans will love the Ermine mascot for its appearance and uniqueness, and it's a very versatile and unifying mascot for sports fans. People will buy Ermines gear just because it's cool, which will have great value to the University. And we shouldn't underestimate uniqueness. This person built a database of team mascots, and Ermines don't appear at all despite their positive features for a mascot: http://mascotdb.com/browse.php#.VUURWflVgSV. There are literally 50 teams called the Pilots already, and 8 other North Stars. That's HUGE in terms of marketing value. Look at the Banana Slugs - everyone knows the banana slugs and they even got a free multi-million dollar callout in Pulp Fiction. And banana slugs aren't adorable, furry, killers with eyes that project a desire to attack and terrorize. The challenge for the decision makers is that they can pick some generic name that's commonly used (e.g., Pilots or Warriors or whatever - North Stars is better but still not unique) and people will eventually accept it and move on, and UND will be known for it in North Dakota and nowhere else. Or they can make a bold statement that projects something unique about North Dakota, but it's not the "safe" choice internally at first. Boldness requires taking risks, and that's not done much these days. But it pays off. And Ermines will pay off. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
KSSioux Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 I would like to state how non-transparent this process is likely to be. I have numerous patents and have worked on some trademarking of product names, but never as a government entity. I assumed that we could, if necessary, get a FOIA request to see the population of votes for the nicknames (or remaining the University of North Dakota). That will not be the case since they are using an outside agency to gather the nickname suggestions. I would hope that folks would push to make this happen, and push the committee to make this known. This is very disturbing, but I figured there would be a way to keep the public from knowing once they put some nicknames up to vote. If they are afraid to put remaining the University of North Dakota up against a couple of options like the Screamin' Muskrats or Mighty Spudders, then we should know why this would happen. I am getting tired of the majority not getting a say it what is going to happen. I feel any nickname should be powerful enough to gather more votes than remaining the University of North Dakota. If there is one, than so be it and it will be implemented. My point is why should we "settle". If no nickname is good enough to surpass remaining without one, than we should not have one. I would just hope that the university would be open about what is going on and I would hope the committee will be able to get the information from the marketing agency ad pass that on prior to any choice of votes happening. 2 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
UNDErmines Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 While I certainly agree about transparency, one challenge is the process that is being used. It's not a scientific process, but rather a public input process. It's not representative of public opinion or any other group, so you wouldn't want people to conclude that a particular name is better just because it got the most suggestions. That's how Time Magazine ended up with Ataturk and South Park's Cartman duking it out in the voting for Man of the Century back in 2000. http://articles.chicagotribune.com/1997-11-07/news/9711080164_1_mustafa-kemal-ataturk-founder-of-modern-turkey-national-hero. The number of suggestions is meaningless in the current process - the key is the quality of the suggestions relative to their selection criteria. A better approach would be to list each suggestion that was made and the scoring according to their criteria. They should be able to defend the scoring and it would be very interesting to see. I would hope that they'll then identify 3 to 5 suggestions that score well according to their criteria and go out and do real research (not pseudoresearch with a marketing firm, but with an actual research firm). You measure both support and opposition among several groups: current students, alumni, the local community, the state, and perhaps even the nation. You then pick the name that offers the best combination of good support and lukewarm opposition. If they really wanted to be airtight, perhaps you then take the top two candidates and do a public random drawing. I've never seen it done, but that would be a cool thing to do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayduke Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 I think someone is setting UND up to be called the weasels, because that's what an ermine is. Not me. I want the Screaming Weasels. Not erniemine or whatever the heck that is. But Roughriders is fine too. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
cberkas Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 Not me. I want the Screaming Weasels. Not erniemine or whatever the heck that is. But Roughriders is fine too. It's also called a Stoat. I wouldn't mind Cavalry if the school could change its colors to blue and gold the use Garryowen as the school song. Now that will piss off the Native Americans. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fetch Posted May 2, 2015 Share Posted May 2, 2015 It's also called a Stoat. I wouldn't mind Cavalry if the school could change its colors to blue and gold the use Garryowen as the school song. Now that will piss off the Native Americans. This would be ok with me to Just think how much stuff they could sell Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Blackheart Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 The initial mystery is part of the allure, am I right? You're intrigued, you're curious, you're thinking, "What is this thing called an ermine?" And then you look it up and see a furry and adorable ball of terror that is pound for pound one of the most terrifying creatures on this big blue ball that we call earth. Give it a rest, ok? Not going to happen. 3 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tnt Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 It's also called a Stoat. I wouldn't mind Cavalry if the school could change its colors to blue and gold the use Garryowen as the school song. Now that will piss off the Native Americans. That would be a decent name and fun to be able to play Garryowen, but the ironic part is, while we can't be proud of Sioux culture, the NCAA wouldn't allow us to be proud of ours either. Such is the pathetic society we live in today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Time Hockey Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 It's also called a Stoat. I wouldn't mind Cavalry if the school could change its colors to blue and gold the use Garryowen as the school song. Now that will piss off the Native Americans. Really??? This is one of the worst posts I have ever read. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigskyvikes Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Really??? This is one of the worst posts I have ever read. Couldn't agree more! Why would anyone want to piss off the NA's? They didn't get rid of the Sioux nickname! Unless I read his jab improperly? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayduke Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 Couldn't agree more! Why would anyone want to piss off the NA's? They didn't get rid of the Sioux nickname! Unless I read his jab improperly? Agree. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siouxperdouper Posted May 3, 2015 Share Posted May 3, 2015 How stupid is Roughriders as their is a high school name already by that name in town. Leave the name alone, North Dakota is just fine. 1 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayduke Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 How stupid is Roughriders as their is a high school name already by that name in town. Leave the name alone, North Dakota is just fine. Why, you are correct. Their is a high school over their. You know, their in Grand Forks. Roughrider High School is their, where there name should be left alone over their. Their you go. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benny Baker Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Why, you are correct. Their is a high school over their. You know, their in Grand Forks. Roughrider High School is their, where there name should be left alone over their. Their you go. Way to go on pointing out the incorrect usage of "there" on an internet message board! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hayduke Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Way to go on pointing out the incorrect usage of "there" on an internet message board! Thanks! I feel as though I have contributed today. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I would like to state how non-transparent this process is likely to be. I have numerous patents and have worked on some trademarking of product names, but never as a government entity. I assumed that we could, if necessary, get a FOIA request to see the population of votes for the nicknames (or remaining the University of North Dakota). That will not be the case since they are using an outside agency to gather the nickname suggestions. I would hope that folks would push to make this happen, and push the committee to make this known. This is very disturbing, but I figured there would be a way to keep the public from knowing once they put some nicknames up to vote. If they are afraid to put remaining the University of North Dakota up against a couple of options like the Screamin' Muskrats or Mighty Spudders, then we should know why this would happen. I am getting tired of the majority not getting a say it what is going to happen. I feel any nickname should be powerful enough to gather more votes than remaining the University of North Dakota. If there is one, than so be it and it will be implemented. My point is why should we "settle". If no nickname is good enough to surpass remaining without one, than we should not have one. I would just hope that the university would be open about what is going on and I would hope the committee will be able to get the information from the marketing agency ad pass that on prior to any choice of votes happening. I said long, long ago, when the old name was retired, that people who care about UND Athletics should demand an immediate replacement. Why? Because all we've effectively done is cede the power and control away from those of us who were engaged and paying full attention to a bunch of folks who have at best self-serving motives*. *Those are normally called weasels. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Benny Baker Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Thanks! I feel as though I have contributed today. Your welcome. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Sicatoka Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 So we are moving to your/you're next? I was so hoping for assure/ensure/insure. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dagies Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Winnipeg Jets nickname and logo = pretty cool. At least acceptable. Manitoba Moose nickname and logo = lame https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CELI_4fUsAARELP.jpg This is what concerns me about the possibility of a new nickname, and while I'm a supporter of a new nickname, I can get (and live with) the idea of no nickname. I don't think the "no nickname" idea is all about preserving the unofficial Fighting Sioux nickname. For some of us it's all about being better than the worst case scenario, of which there are many. 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Siouxperfan7 Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Winnipeg Jets nickname and logo = pretty cool. At least acceptable. Manitoba Moose nickname and logo = lame https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CELI_4fUsAARELP.jpg This is what concerns me about the possibility of a new nickname, and while I'm a supporter of a new nickname, I can get (and live with) the idea of no nickname. I don't think the "no nickname" idea is all about preserving the unofficial Fighting Sioux nickname. For some of us it's all about being better than the worst case scenario, of which there are many. While I can agree that there are people in the "no nickname" crowd that want their to be no nickname because they fear anything else just isn't going to be good enough. Unfoirtunately, the result of going with no nickname will result in the "Fighting Sioux" being the unnoficial nickname as UND. People can and will still refer to them by the old name. So while the NCAA got what they want and got UND to officially retire the name, having no name to replace it will result in the old name to continue to be used. And the NCAA deffinitely does not want that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightingsioux4life Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 Winnipeg Jets nickname and logo = pretty cool. At least acceptable. Manitoba Moose nickname and logo = lame https://pbs.twimg.com/media/CELI_4fUsAARELP.jpg This is what concerns me about the possibility of a new nickname, and while I'm a supporter of a new nickname, I can get (and live with) the idea of no nickname. I don't think the "no nickname" idea is all about preserving the unofficial Fighting Sioux nickname. For some of us it's all about being better than the worst case scenario, of which there are many. I don't think that Karl Goehring (Chair of the Nickname Committee and all-world goaltender) will allow anything stupid, insulting or embarrassing to reach the serious consideration stage. Whatever list they send to Kelley will have some decent choices on it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MafiaMan Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 I'm sorry, but that's a GREAT logo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Old Time Hockey Posted May 4, 2015 Share Posted May 4, 2015 All I have got to say is wow! http://www.inforum.com/opinion/editorials/3736803-forum-editorial-und-fans-still-dont-get-it I wonder what it is like to live in a world so black and white. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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