Why not choose Nodaks

[82SiouxGuy]

I wonder why the Coyotes never went with SoDaks instead? Makes so much sense.

Maybe because South Dakota is the Coyote State. How about the University of Illinois Fighting Illini?

[siouxstudent]

Maybe because South Dakota is the Coyote State. How about the University of Illinois Fighting Illini?

I was thinking it sounds awful, just like University of North Dakota Nodaks sounds awful, IMO

[siouxstudent]

Maybe because South Dakota is the Coyote State. How about the University of Illinois Fighting Illini?

Love the Fighting Illini name

[ScottM]

How is it derogatory when people use it to abbreviate our state and there are businesses with that name, Nodak Rural Electric? Call them up and tell them their name is derogatory, after they laugh at you and hang up report back to us on your findings.

 

Some people are just hyper-sensitive ...

[darell1976]

I wonder why the Coyotes never went with SoDaks instead? Makes so much sense.

USD went with their states nickname...The Coyote State. Kinda like ND is the Roughrider State, Peace Garden State, Sioux State (I have a magnet that says that one).

[TheEagle]

When my mom addresses an envelope she puts Fargo, NoDak. She doesn't use N.D. I have never lived outside this state so NoDak was heard of and I am not offended because I consider anyone from this state a NoDak short for North Dakotan. As for your Minn-Dak comment isn't Minn another postal abbreviation?

 

Your Mom uses NoDak as a postal abbreviation, so I don't know why that is pertinent. No offense. Yes, NoDak and Minn are abbreviations. Businesses often use abbreviations in their names. We've had two different experiences with regards to NoDak, and that's fair enough. I didn't hear the term at all growing up, and when I did hear it after moving out of state, it was often derogatory. Your experiences lead you to be okay with that nickname. My experiences lead me to not want any part of that nickname.

[Hawk E]

As proud individuals of, from, or associated with this state or institution, we have the courage to stride forth being known as North Dakota. UND is the flag ship university of the entire state, not of Grand Forks, or Eastern ND. It isn’t necessary to apologize for who we are or to hide behind some artificially contrived nickname. Having a school name is the expedient nee easy way to proceed and certainly it makes the job of SID, marketer, or broadcaster less difficult. We do the hard thing because it is the right thing. The words “no one has done it” do not mean it can’t be done. UND stands out because we boldly forge a path where none has existed and proclaim without apology we ARE North Dakota.

[The Sicatoka]

Im not a fan of arguing with know-it-alls. Peace

 

I love that tactic. It's third-grader schoolyard at best. 

[darell1976]

Your Mom uses NoDak as a postal abbreviation, so I don't know why that is pertinent. No offense. Yes, NoDak and Minn are abbreviations. Businesses often use abbreviations in their names. We've had two different experiences with regards to NoDak, and that's fair enough. I didn't hear the term at all growing up, and when I did hear it after moving out of state, it was often derogatory. Your experiences lead you to be okay with that nickname. My experiences lead me to not want any part of that nickname.

It was an example of people (probably most) don't find it derogatory, also Nodaks was used when we were the Flickertails as an "unofficial" name. So Nodaks are already part of UND's history and would be a viable replace to not having a nickname at all.

[The Sicatoka]

... we ARE North Dakota.

 

Haven't we done that since 1883? 

 

And we've seemed always to have something to go with it ... 

[Hawk E]

Why not do what we've always done, and travel with the herd of sheep?  It makes it so easy to distinguish ourselves that way.  When it becomes untenable to keep doing the same thing, you change unless there are OCD problems.

[jdub27]

Why not do what we've always done, and travel with the herd of sheep?  It makes it so easy to distinguish ourselves that way.  When it becomes untenable to keep doing the same thing, you change unless there are OCD problems.

 

So if UND had the option to bring back Fighting Sioux, we shouldn't because we need separate ourselves from the herd?

[Benny Baker]

You also aren't with him during the prep time for the broadcasts. That is the time when Jayson talks to the broadcasters and production staff to educate them about the players, teams, and school. That is the time when the broadcast team learns all of the tidbits that they later talk about on air. How much of that valuable prep time is taken up by questions about the nickname when that time could be used to educate the broadcasters about the athletes and the teams? It might only be 20 seconds or a minute on the air, but it could be 10 minutes, or 30 minutes or more during the prep time.

We've heard it all!  UND needs a new nickname so its sports information director doesn't have to spend a handful of minutes talking about it with broadcasters.

 

God forbid the media give UND press by talking about the school's nickname.  If that's what this hoopla is about, I am more than fine sticking with North Dakota.

[Siouxphan27]

I've got it;  let's just have Darell's mom and Jayson Hadju decide on the name for us. 

[Benny Baker]

You also aren't with him during the prep time for the broadcasts. That is the time when Jayson talks to the broadcasters and production staff to educate them about the players, teams, and school. That is the time when the broadcast team learns all of the tidbits that they later talk about on air. How much of that valuable prep time is taken up by questions about the nickname when that time could be used to educate the broadcasters about the athletes and the teams? It might only be 20 seconds or a minute on the air, but it could be 10 minutes, or 30 minutes or more during the prep time.

UND needs a new nickname so its sports information director doesn't have to spend a handful of minutes discussing the nickname with broadcasters.  I've now heard it all.

 

God forbid the media give press to UND by talking about its nickname during a sporting event.

[Old Time Hockey]

We used to call particular guys from Minnesota fishing and hunting in North Dakota "Soties". It was meant to be derogatory because of their lack of ethics in the outdoors.

I have heard Nodaks used similarly by people in Minnesota implying we North Dakotans are all rednecks.

What comes around goes around I guess. Nonetheless, Nodaks is a stupid nickname!

[The Sicatoka]

God forbid the media give press to UND by talking about its nickname during a sporting event.

 

I guess I'd rather the focus be on the team, players, event they're playing in, season, school ... 

[siouxstudent]

We've heard it all!  UND needs a new nickname so its sports information director doesn't have to spend a handful of minutes talking about it with broadcasters.

 

God forbid the media give UND press by talking about the school's nickname.  If that's what this hoopla is about, I am more than fine sticking with North Dakota.

I thought the same thing, seriously what else can we possibly come up with. Lets keep brainstorming!

[Benny Baker]

I guess I'd rather the focus be on the team, players, event they're playing in, season, school ... 

The overwhelming majority of the focus of UND sports broadcasts is on the team, players, event they're playing in, season, and school.  That's putting it conservatively. 

 

The idea that UND should adopt a different nickname because broadcasters make note of the school's unique use of "North Dakota" during a multi-hour telecast is the most trivial excuse I have so far heard, and probably will hear, in support of adopting of a new nickname

[siouxstudent]

The overwhelming majority of the focus of UND sports broadcasts is on the team, players, event they're playing in, season, and school.  That's putting it conservatively. 

 

The idea that UND should adopt a different nickname because broadcasters make note of the school's unique use of "North Dakota" during a multi-hour telecast is the most trivial excuse I have so far heard, and probably will hear, in support of adopting of a new nickname

Im sure many outsiders reading this section are getting a great laugh, I know I would be if some Goofer nut was going on about the poor team not getting all the attention. Trust me they get plenty of focus. Seriously is this real?

[breakin face]

Again I will ask the question how many more games would we have won had we had a nickname or the past three years?  

 

How many more people would have been at basketball games had we had a nickname?

 

The cooling off period was idiotic because it allowed all this divisiveness to fester, however not having a nickname did not damage any of our athletic or academic programs.  Volleyball and Women's Basketball both won conference titles under the no nickname banner, Baseball has had their most noteworthy seasons in a long time, and the football program has a shot of energy.  The argument not having a nickname somehow hurts every sport except hockey does not hold up for me at all.  However if a big donor out of the 6000 petitioned people (speculative, however if i'm 1% right that's 60 donors) decides they want to dispose their income elsewhere over this issue we lose far greater than by maintaining the status quo, and it's the non-revenue sports that will suffer because of that.

[breakin face]

Also, the one item that should have zero influence in this decision is whether or not Hajdu gets ribbed by a broadcaster from San Luis Obispo or Cedar City in a mid-week research call about us not having a nickname.

[siouxstudent]

Also, the one item that should have zero influence in this decision is whether or not Hajdu gets ribbed by a broadcaster from San Luis Obispo or Cedar City in a mid-week research call about us not having a nickname.

I feel it should be the deciding factor.

[southpaw]

The overwhelming majority of the focus of UND sports broadcasts is on the team, players, event they're playing in, season, and school.  That's putting it conservatively. 

 

The idea that UND should adopt a different nickname because broadcasters make note of the school's unique use of "North Dakota" during a multi-hour telecast is the most trivial excuse I have so far heard, and probably will hear, in support of adopting of a new nickname

 

The overwhelming majority of focus on the NFL broadcasts is on the team, players, event they're playing in, and team.  That doesn't mean everything said about the NFL is positive.

 

UND should adopt a nickname for a variety of reasons, one of which includes media coverage before, during and after a sporting event.  It's by no means the main reason but it definitely is a legitimate reason.  

[southpaw]

Also, the one item that should have zero influence in this decision is whether or not Hajdu gets ribbed by a broadcaster from San Luis Obispo or Cedar City in a mid-week research call about us not having a nickname.

 

You clearly have no idea how pre-game research actually works as evidenced by your post.  But if it makes you feel better, go ahead and believe it's some third rate announcer giving Hajdu a call and needing it to be clarified before a game.