Outside the Lines

[HockeyMom]

Like I was telling a friend today.....what's to stop the NCAA from banning teams from post season every couple of years? Say they give these schools an exemption this year, and then decide to ban them next year.

A favorable court ruling would stop that from happening and it would mean a lot more.

[Brent_Bobyck]

Like I was telling a friend today.....what's to stop the NCAA from banning teams from post season every couple of years?  Say they give these schools an exemption this year, and then decide to ban them next year.

A favorable court ruling would stop that from happening and it would mean a lot more.

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Changing the name would also allow the school to host the playoffs and not have negative PR.

[HockeyMom]

Changing the name would also allow the school to host the playoffs and not have negative PR.

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I don't wanna go there.

[PCM]

Changing the name would also allow the school to host the playoffs and not have negative PR.

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The negative PR argument is a red herring. UND has gotten more positive PR out of the NCAA's silly policy than I could ever have imagined.

[ScottM]

The negative PR argument is a red herring. UND has gotten more positive PR out of the NCAA's silly policy than I could ever have imagined.

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Agreed. If anything, it seems the NC$$ policy has more than galvanized public support for UND and the other schools across a wider spectrum than if the issue had been raised locally again by the "usual suspects".

[ESPNInsider]

Agreed. If anything, it seems the NC$$ policy has more than galvanized public support for UND and the other schools across a wider spectrum than if the issue had been raised locally again by the "usual suspects".

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I agree that UND has gotten some good PR so far. But, if the tribes did not support the name and the school continued to battle, the pr would turn ugly I'ld think.

[MafiaMan]

I do not think that a court battle is something that either side wants. At first I was all for everything that UND could do to save it but certain posts from Mafia and ESPN have made me reconsider my stance. I think something gets lost in this argument and that is respecting peoples rights and wishes. Let me say that I still back the nickname but if the tribes vote to not back the nickname, then it might be time to rethink things.

Yes, that is right. ESPNInsider & Mafia. You have made me see the light on this one. I agree with you. If UND loses the support of the tribes as shown by a vote, then you can't really say that it is an honor anymore. I personally thought that UND was trying to honor the Native Americans when they selected the name, and I still think they are, but if the people who are being honored don't see it that way, which I don't think will happen, then you have to rethink your stance.

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Keep in mind, I by NO MEANS am for a name change. I'm talking about the will of the people. I'm not going to sit by and listen to GrahamKracker proclaim to be some sort of messiah in the same way I'm not going to tell everyone that their favorite color is green or that country music CD's will no longer be allowed in North Dakota. One hundred people voicing their opinion out of five thousand doesn't get my attention. However, it does get the NCAA's attention. The best way to combat that is to turn around with the support of the other four thousand nine hundred.

The video clip attached somewhere on siouxsports.com really made me think. President Kupchella? "I've never met the fella." Remember that? My first thought was 'WHAT?". UND is screaming honor and tradition and yet they've never met some of the tribal leaders who might actually be on our side? UGH...get out there and get it done.

A liberal? When I start screaming and hollering that George Bush ordered a nuclear weapon blown up in the Atlantic so it would cause a huge change in the atmosphere thereby resulting in Hurricane Katrina to divert attention from the war in Iraq...THEN you can call me a liberal.