Vote on your final 5 nickname choices (just ND is out)

[George M. Bluth]

Nicely put.

 

Nodaks and North Stars are just non-starters for me.  Fighting Hawks is just so generic, but I could deal with it I guess.  I don't have the vitriolic hatred of Sundogs as most do, I think it is a cool atmospheric phenomena (my bias showing through - hence my username), and Urban Dictionary is just the dumbest reason to drop something.  That said, I understand that most hate it.  That leaves roughriders, which is what I figured would be the name since this all started a million years ago. 

 

/another libby-liberal

 

My thoughts exactly.  And yes, I did send President Kelley an email reminding him of the criteria on which the new nickname should be chosen.

[TBR]

I am also a liberal on most (but not all) issues, particularly issues that I have some degree of passion for.

 

No apologies.....none.

[Csonked Out]

Why do the masses want to have "no nickname"? Obviously, North Dakota is not a nickname, because its a proper identifier, the actual name of the state, and the actual name of the university. A nickname is a substitute for the proper term, not a redundancy.

I can say with fair certainty the public favoritism towards "no nickname" exists not because having "no nickname" would be beneficial to the university as a DI school, because, clearly, no other universities of DI status claim "no nickname". It largely limits marketing and identification qualities on a NATIONAL scale (which should be the goal of any DI athletic program), not just a local scale.

Also, the claim that the list contains no proper replacements is perhaps reasonable, but not catastrophic as some suggest. Roughriders or Fighting Hawks would do just fine. High schools athletics do not even compare to DI college athletics. Secondly, non-GF graduates and most outside of the Grand Forks area could care less what the local high school mascots are. Additionally, some logos suggested for the Fighting Hawks have been quite artistic and unique and would have positive marketing potential.

In all reality, this entire emotional tirade is nothing more than a bunch of supporters having severe difficulty letting go. Blame the NCAA. Blame the legal settlement terms. But do not blame the nickname committee for having to do what their title suggested: select a nickname. Why should we condone the message "If we can't have this, then we should have nothing at all"? That is a societal fallback that is deplorable and problematic. Compromises need to be made in several contextual areas in life, and simply doing nothing is the emotional, irrational alternative to that; as a supporter of constructive criticism, procedural deliberation, and objective thought, I support the former rather than the latter.

The saddest part about this is all the alumni I heard saying they will no longer support the university if they pick a new nickname.

I will always put my school first and will continue to donate annually as it has done so much for me. I have lost a lot of respect for the people who are willing to no longer support the school because of a nickname.

Also, yes I do love the Fighting Sioux nickname and will always love it. The school is just so much more than a nickname.

People are just being irrational and emotional and it is highly frustrating.

[Hawk E]

Nodakhoops, I was just pointing out that Marquette students and alumni made a difference by not sitting around doing nothing but complaining about the choices they were given.  If you dn't like you choices, then let it be known somewhere other than a place that can't help you.

[fightingsioux4life]

Never thought I would ever agree with so many liberals!!

Politics make strange bedfellows, my friend.  And this issue is no exception.

[siouxstudent]

Siouxstudent- if you don't like the Wild reference how about a division one college? Marquette University used to be the Warriors and in the late 80s early 90s (can't remember exact date) they changed to golden eagles for similar reasons to this. Now it's tough for an old guy like me to even remember them as the Warriors now and even by the late 90s it was tough to remember that. Now, imagine if they would have waited until say 2005 to change their name. They would've lost out on 15-20 years of marketing as the golden eagles when a lot of people by that time had already forgotten they were the Warriors.

That is the exact same situation at a school with a much bigger profile than UND. That's a Big East basketball school. You might be a student now but the student at UND in 4-8 years will only know UND as the fighting Hawks, Roughriders or whatever. School traditions at games change over time, and as the years go on new students will create new cheers and traditions. Things done at games now are much different than when I was in school and will be much different down the road. Better to change it now than down the road, there has been 5-10 years to mourn the Sioux name it's been beaten to death.The quicker UND gets through the initial bumps in the road the quicker people can move on. I'd rather do this now than in 15-20 years with the potential of this fighting Sioux controversy still hanging over our heads. I say all that as someone who lived and breathed the Sioux name. As I've said before, go Fighting Sioux, go UND, and go whatever name is picked (except Sundogs)

I was a student 15 years ago actually. My first UND hockey game was 32 years ago. My kids only know them as the Sioux and thats all they want to know them as. New nickname fair enough ill still be in my seats, but nothing will change in mind or my families mind while we are alive. Plenty of nice apparel to wear. Im not interested in going back and forth on this anymore.

[TBR]

Nodaks is IMO a good option for those of us that don't feel a pressing need to take on a new identity. It would be inclusive of anyone from ND or who attended UND. Its is comparable to Sooners for UO which is unique to that university and readily identifiable.

[Teeder11]

Teeder11, you need to read that again for context, it said be heard, rather than go with the herd. Make you opinion known rather than sit and kibitz on a fan site. Make noise, make a difference, create a stir, be loud, let those that can actually make a difference know what you're thinking. Sitting on this forum grousing will not do anything for you except make you blood pressure go up.

 

I have been on the front lines of this fight for nearly 30 years. I have done and continue to do everything that you suggest. I talk one-on-one with the people that many on this site deride daily through message boards from afar. I have done my part for this University and will continue to do so until I am dead and gone -- probably from high blood pressure. 

[wxman91]

Nodaks is IMO a good option for those of us that don't feel a pressing need to take on a new identity. It would be inclusive of anyone from ND or who attended UND. Its is comparable to Sooners for UO which is unique to that university and readily identifiable.

 

The problem I have with Nodaks is the same one I have with North Stars.  When you put it together with the name of the university, it just sounds silly.  The University of North Dakota Nodaks!  It seems like whoever came up with the name decided to just grab the first couple of letters from each part of the state's name and make a nickname

[Cratter]

So RoughRiders leads every name by at least a 2:1 margin.

Can you say landslide.

[Hawk E]

I hear you Teeder11, this wasn't meant so much to stir those that do their part, but to encourage those that don't to take action. You will never be heard if you just sit on this site and complain. You may as well talk to a rock.

[Cratter]

Its is comparable to Sooners for UO which is unique to that university and readily identifiable.

OU is the Sooners because it's the state of Oklahoma nickname.

[UNDBIZ]

That is pathetic..... a textbook example of how the Internets proliferates misinformation at the speed of light. Wow. Just Wow!  Like you said, it will be recited as gospel on here and other places for years to come.

 

It's now been shared 300 times.  The dumbest part..... How is disbanding the committee for not removing "no nickname" as an option even a threat?  The committee removed it and was still disbanded (because they'd completed their task).

[siouxfan512]

For those claiming that students and athletes overwhelming supported "no nickname" it should also be pointed out that it was dropped by a vote a 7-4 and  only 1 of the 2 current student and neither of the student-athletes voted to keep it alive.  One of the no votes was someone who didn't believe it should be chosen but was of the opinion that it should remain an option.  Either the support for "no nickname" isn't as strong as claimed or 3 of the 4 committee members appointed to represent the students and student-athletes didn't get the memo.

 

I'm not going to say that these quotes mean that we SHOULD remain UND, but the above quote should support that students, alumni and stakeholders should have at least had their voices heard.

 

 

I have several friends who are athletes, and not a single one plays hockey," committee member and UND student Jazmyn Friesz said. "They just want to stay UND, not to bring back Fighting Sioux."

 

Several athletes who want to remain North Dakota. Doesn't seem like they were represented here. Maybe those friends were in the minority, but I have my doubts.

 

"Now I think is the time for some courage and the popular choice based on what was submitted during April, obviously to all of us, if you look at numbers, is 'North Dakota,' but popular isn't always the right choice," said Schweigert, a UND alumnus and committee member.

 

As for Lowell, I don't know him but hear high praise of the kind of person and Alumni he is, BUT that doesn't warrant taking away the opportunity for all of the supporters to have their voice heard. Don't have to agree with me, but not allowing us to vote for a clearly popular choice, is not different that the Standing Rock Tribe not allowing their people to vote yes or no on the Sioux name in the first place. What you have is a small panel telling the public interest, "We know better than you, and it is what we want that counts".

"North Dakota" received 21 points when the committee voted on the name with St. Peter awarding 8, the most, and Bahl awarding -8, the least.

 

 As for Landon Bahl, any student who is set to represent his constituents need to put personal bias aside. I understand not liking the concept of North Dakota, but to vote against letting you fellow students and alumni have a say in this process is wrong. Voting a -8 for an option that has clear public support, via message boards, online polls, letters to the editor (by know mean are these 100% accurate portrayals of public opinion, but they support the argument to a degree) is choosing to vote based on personal choice rather than as a representation of the student body.

 

 

If you did not want the school to remain UND, you feel as though you won. If you do want the school to remain UND, you feel as though you lost (again). The bottom line is many people who have poured their hearts, souls, and money into this school were stripped of a chance to voice their opinion. Had UND been put on the ballot and lost to Roughriders, there would be far less people upset; but the committee chose to ultimately take this vote out of the public's hands. No vote at this point will portray an accurate representation of the Students, Alumni and Stakeholders as a whole. Rather it will portray a directional change aligning with the wants of one small committee.

[mksioux]

I'm concerned about the momentum for Fighting Hawks.  Fighting Hawks is an okay nickname for a small liberal arts school or a directional school.  Or a minor league baseball or hockey team.  It is not a good nickname for a state flagship university.

 

I think most of us agree that Sundogs is the worst nickname remaining.  I'd hate to see Sundogs be the new new nickname because Roughriders and Fighting Hawks split the vote.  Sundogs needs to be crushed in this vote.  It can't be close.  My hope is that people eventually rally around one non-Sundog nickname, preferably Roughriders.  

[dmksioux]

This will surely help the cause to keep the "no-nickname" option alive.  

 

http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/education/3802341-breaking-news-pro-fighting-sioux-group-plans-protest

[UNDBIZ]

If you did not want the school to remain UND, you feel as though you won. If you do want the school to remain UND, you feel as though you lost (again). 

 

Gotta say it, the school is still UND.  That's not changing.

[siouxfan512]

My thoughts exactly.  And yes, I did send President Kelley an email reminding him of the criteria on which the new nickname should be chosen.

 

Good luck, I sent President Kelley and several other school leaders a very formal very professional letter last spring expressing my displeasure with him and the school, and never received a response of any sort. It was after the school came down hard on one of the sororities for a banner supporting the hockey team during the Frozen Four. Innocent banner, but because someone from the Indian building complained, the President chose to (AGAIN) bend over for political correctness (though this really shouldn't have been a sociopolitical issue) and publicly reprimand the sorority and its member.

 

The lack of leadership from this guy is unbelievable. So happy he will be gone.

[siouxfan512]

Gotta say it, the school is still UND.  That's not changing.

 

I think you knew what I was saying. Don't need to make an argument out of a statement that was pretty easy to understand.

[siouxfan512]

This will surely help the cause to keep the "no-nickname" option alive.  

 

http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/education/3802341-breaking-news-pro-fighting-sioux-group-plans-protest

 

HAHAHA, I'm all for No Nickname, but if there was ever a way to shoot it down harder, this is it.

[SWSiouxMN]

This will surely help the cause to keep the "no-nickname" option alive.  

 

http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/education/3802341-breaking-news-pro-fighting-sioux-group-plans-protest

 

I wonder why that weekend... oh wait.  Welcome Weekend

[siouxfan512]

The saddest part about this is all the alumni I heard saying they will no longer support the university if they pick a new nickname.

I will always put my school first and will continue to donate annually as it has done so much for me. I have lost a lot of respect for the people who are willing to no longer support the school because of a nickname.

Also, yes I do love the Fighting Sioux nickname and will always love it. The school is just so much more than a nickname.

People are just being irrational and emotional and it is highly frustrating.

 

Not saying this is the right approach, but I think it has more to do with the process and how everything has unfolded over the fact that there will be a new nickname. People don't like not having their voices heard when they are so passionate about something.

 

As for being frustrated ... What the heck do you have to be frustrated about? You didn't want no nickname as an option and it isn't. Let the other group be emotional and frustrated about it. Wouldn't you be, if after of this the committee simply chose North Dakota, and eliminated your preferences without you getting any say in the matter?

[Oxbow6]

This process has become tiresome.........is it too late for me to start a "FIRE KELLEY" thread?

[zonadub]

 

As for Lowell, I don't know him but hear high praise of the kind of person and Alumni he is, BUT that doesn't warrant taking away the opportunity for all of the supporters to have their voice heard. Don't have to agree with me, but not allowing us to vote for a clearly popular choice, is not different that the Standing Rock Tribe not allowing their people to vote yes or no on the Sioux name in the first place. What you have is a small panel telling the public interest, "We know better than you, and it is what we want that counts".

...

 

 As for Landon Bahl, any student who is set to represent his constituents need to put personal bias aside. I understand not liking the concept of North Dakota, but to vote against letting you fellow students and alumni have a say in this process is wrong. Voting a -8 for an option that has clear public support, via message boards, online polls, letters to the editor (by know mean are these 100% accurate portrayals of public opinion, but they support the argument to a degree) is choosing to vote based on personal choice rather than as a representation of the student body.

Wow. First point... Schweigert voted against removing North Dakota from the list. Get over yourself and read more closely.

Second point... What is your basis for claiming Bahl was not voting according to what he has been hearing from the people around him? Just as your circle of influence may prefer North Dakota, his may prefer that an actual nickname should be chosen.

[Siouxperfan7]

This will surely help the cause to keep the "no-nickname" option alive.  

 

http://www.grandforksherald.com/news/education/3802341-breaking-news-pro-fighting-sioux-group-plans-protest

 

So shouldn't they change the group to "The no namers were silenced"