Question about changing the nickname and logo

[Fran]

Although I love the name and logo like everyone else, I also feel changing it is inevitable.

I don't think so. Maybe if there was some significant pressure in North Dakota.

We have six simple rules:

1) Our membership is restricted to women at least 19 years old.

2) Members are encouraged to participate and to post at least once a month. Nonposters will be 'liberated' from the group.

3) There will be no flaming, insulting comments, put downs or spamming. This is a fun community with a relaxed atmosphere. Violators will be banned. period.

4) There will be no posting links to pay sites or advertising of books, services, or other sites without permission of the managers.

And please do not use our boards to promote other groups without the permission of the managers.

5) Items posted here are to remain here and are not to be copied to other groups without the permission of the author. Our comments are meant to remain among friends.

6) Please do not post copyrighted materials. See our Link on copyright and bandwidth theft.

[Fran]

Oops!

[Fran]

I'm confus.

[PCM]

[quote name='Fran

[ScottM]

WTF?!

[CoteauRinkRat]

HUH?

[bigmrg74]

Gigga-what???

[Diggler]

You're confus? I'm baffl.

I'm Batman!!!

[Fran]

In my opinion, the team/school nickname should be considered in its entireity and "Fighting Sioux" should not be considered offensive as it conveys a proper spirit of competition and pride and forecfulness.

Does anyone object to the woefully-mispronounced University of Notre Dame calling itself the "Fighting Irish"? Or the LSU Fighting Tigres?

Maybe if teams had nicknames like "Incontinent Nebraskans" or "Sexually Ambiguous South Dakotans" or "Lazy, Good-for-Nothing Whatevers" then people might take offense.

Would people object to UND calling its team the "Pacifistic Sioux"?

I know, I know. I'm splitting hairs.

[Sweeny]

This whole logo/name thing is silly.

I am from Dickinson...our mascot? A midget.

That's right folks. The Dickinson Midgets.

Now, anyone who hasnt heard of us may be going "OMGOMGWTF!!" right now but really its not that bad. Our nickname isn't derogatory - and our name isn't even an issue anymore in my city because fans know its history. We based our nickname off one of our earliest basketball teams. They were all short little squirts, but they kicked butt and their nickname was the midgets. The name stuck, and we kept it in their honor.

Now, several years ago - as was bound to happen - the name DID become an issue. It took awhile for all the sensible people to find all the stupid people and slap them all upside the head until they got some sense themselves...but the cooler heads in Dickinson did eventually prevail and we remain the Midgets. And we are darn proud to be midgets.

In conclusion, my response to those who want the name changed: "STFU."

I would say it nicely though, wouldnt want to hurt any feelings or anything of course.

[7titles]

here is an old article i found from a minot guy about keeping the name and logo. it has some good points in it.

http://www.ndweb.com/mdnonline/content/010...5/5letters.html

[MafiaMan]

Sweeny? Dickinson? I was born there. Always thought the Midget nickname was the second-best in the state. Right after Satans. Now it's apparently #1.

MafiaMan

[elmduf]

I was sooooo PISSED when I heard that Devils Lake buckled on their nickname... From what I understand it was under pressure of some church/religious organization...can anyone fill me in on the real story?

[siouxfansince82]

I, in all honesty, think if UND does decide to change the nickname, they should get rid of all of the Indian American programs as well. They are getting special benefits only because we have the "Fighting Sioux". I would personally love to have a sucessful college named after my people. We have the best flight program in the nation aside from the Air Force Academy, and some of the most sucessful sports programs in Div. II. I don't personally think that is anything to be ashamed of!!

[puck]

NCAA requests nickname survey of 30 schools with American Indian nicknames and logos. GF Herald article.

http://www.grandforks.com/mld/grandforks/10910151.htm

[jimdahl]

NCAA requests nickname survey of 30 schools with American Indian nicknames and logos.

[ScottM]

Like the NC$$ doesn't have anything else to do? Anyway, I really doubt the "big" names are feeling any real pressure to drop their names, e.g., FSU, Illinois, San Diego State, Utah, etc. Moreover, I don't believe any school should be forced to change their name based on some retroactive mandate from the NC$$. If the NC$$ pushes it, they may wind up in a very public brawl/lawsuit involving the First Amendment, and some of its biggest name schools.

The "cynic" tells me that NC$$ is merely trying to paper over the issue, by pushing another survey in the hope the issue will go away with some voluntary changes. It won't.

[Goon]

I would be willing to bet the name is going no where they can talk all they want but, when the big schools like FSU push back the NCAA will back down. UND should do the same thing. Nothing. The name stays.

[Smoggy]

The day schools actually take a stance by not playing teams whose names they don't like will be the day things change.

For instance Wisconsin and I believe Minnesota say they won't play a team with a Native American name. This excludes conferences of course.

But let's see Wisconsin put that on the line for say the Sugar Bowl against Florida St. Is their ideal worth 13 million? Or Minnesota to do the same against us in the Frozen Four. Not as much money, but it's a national championship and not a conference game.

A lot of other schools and organizations can talk big, but it doesn't mean squat. Put your money where your mouth is.

It's like someone mentioned earlier. The lawsuits alone could cripple the NC$$, and I don't think they like losing money.

[siouxwchahockey]

What's wrong with Fighting Sioux? Why dont they lay off the indian nicknames.

Let them choose!

[mksioux]

The day schools actually take a stance by not playing teams whose names they don't like will be the day things change.

For instance Wisconsin and I believe Minnesota say they won't play a team with a Native American name.  This excludes conferences of course.

But let's see Wisconsin put that on the line for say the Sugar Bowl against Florida St.  Is their ideal worth 13 million?  Or Minnesota to do the same against us in the Frozen Four.  Not as much money, but it's a national championship and not a conference game.

A lot of other schools and organizations can talk big, but it doesn't mean squat.  Put your money where your mouth is.

It's like someone mentioned earlier.  The lawsuits alone could cripple the NC$$, and I don't think they like losing money.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I've heard that rumor about Michigan too. However, I believe they all have exceptions for conference games (as you mentioned) and for tournament games as well. So bowl games in football would be excluded, as would NCAA tournament games and invitational tournaments.

[HopHead]

This is all easily solved. Change the nickname to the University of North Dakota Redskins and have the mascot be a big red potato. I know some people wanted to do this whet GF Central changed it's mascot and I have liked the idea ever since.

[teamsioux]

Story from USD student paper and the protestes outside the Dome last Saturday before the game. I told them UND doesn't have a mascot, but of course they only hear what they want to. It was funny they had put all this work into it and so few UND fans were there.

USD article

[Northcountry]

I emailed Rachel Harvey, one of the protest organizers because I noticed in their organizational mission statement that the ..."community celebrates, affirms and embraces those who have been marginalized because of race, ethnicity, gender, etc". The question I had for them was, other than this symbolic gesture and embrace, what of substance were they doing for American Indians? My contention is that UND has more programs and substantive(sp) efforts in place than any other American university. Ms. Harvey said that she would be attending a diversity roundtable and would not be able to reply until Monday, but that she was looking forward to "dialouging" with me on this issue. More to come.

[Sioux-cia]

This is all easily solved.  Change the nickname to the University of North Dakota Redskins and have the mascot be a big red potato.  I know some people wanted to do this whet GF Central changed it's mascot and I have liked the idea ever since. 

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

As a former Fighing Illini, and a Fighting Sioux alum , I agree, keep the name. I believe it represents honor, strength, loyalty, etc. and UND has provided more opportunities for Native American's than any other school. But I have to add, a Sioux elder told me that the French gave the name Sioux to the Indians during their warring, he said it means 'Snake in the Grass'.