Bradley's NCAA appeal denied

[PCM]

Here's the link to the NCAA news release.

[Diggler]

Another small school gets hosed, who would have guessed? Bradley is getting completely screwed. Since Braves doesn't refer to any tribe, getting tribal approval will do no good and tribal approval seems to be the only thing the NCAA will consider. To paraphrase, "despite all the efforts Bradley University puts towards education, we don't like the name so they are still on the list. Plus Bradley doesn't make us money, so we don't care about them."

[choyt3]

By continuing to use Native American references in nicknames, institutions assume responsibility over an environment which they can not fully control, and fans, opponents and others can and will exhibit behaviors that indeed are hostile or abusive to Native Americans. For example, the review committee specifically noted a page on the university's Web site for the Bradley Chiefs Club. It is reasonable to assume that the university would likely not have chosen its club title had it not continued to use Braves as its athletics nickname.

[PCM]

Now I see Bradley's real sin.

Athletics

Known as the Bradley Braves, men's and women's athletic teams compete at the NCAA Division I level. Bradley's rich athletic tradition includes seven Missouri Valley Conference Championships and four NIT championships in men's basketball; six Missouri Valley Conference Championships in baseball and two appearances in the collegiate world series; Missouri Valley Conference titles in soccer, women's cross country and golf in 1999, 2002 and 2003; plus numerous individual All-American, conference, and national leaders in both men's and women's sports.

[jimdahl]

The NCAA responses are getting a little... pissy:

The review committee does not mandate that Bradley University change its nickname, but as a member of the NCAA, Bradley is expected to adhere to the NCAA

[PCM]

The NCAA responses are getting a little... pissy:

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

I noticed that, too. It's as if the NCAA is trying to anticipate the criticism it'll get from denying the appeal. The organization is simply grasping at straws to defend its increasingly tenuous position. I can't wait to see the response to the Illinois appeal, no matter which way it goes.

[dagies]

Clearly, no Native American tribe

[The Sicatoka]

If memory serves, the Executive Committee meets October 28. Should be an interesting day.

[The Sicatoka]

[dagies]

[The Sicatoka]

I wonder if an American Indian team chose a name like "The Fighting Presidents" or "The Mayors" or "The Generals" if they would wonder why whitey would ask them to quit using the name?  My point is, how exactly is the name "The Chiefs" an example of horrible behavior?

Hmmmm....so why should we accept the consent of the Seminoles, the Utes, etc if their is such a groundswell of opposition to ALL Native American Imagery.  From the general statement here, it would seem that ALL American Indians would or should object to a team using ANY American Indian tribal name or term.

We'll have to drop "Commander in Chief" from the job description of the President of the US.

This is where the NCAA policy will fail horribly when it gets tested against the phrase "equal protection". (Seminole OK; Sioux not. Irish OK; Sioux not.)

[Sioux-cia]

MAGOTS!!

[PCM]

Hmmmm....so why should we accept the consent of the Seminoles, the Utes, etc if their is such a groundswell of opposition to ALL Native American Imagery.

Edited October 20, 2005 by PCM

[HockeyMom]

This is really dumb.

It should be all or nothing.

Period.

[PCM]

This is really dumb.

It should be all or nothing.

Period.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

If the NCAA was smart, courageous and actually basing its decisions on high moral and ethical principles, then it would be all or nothing. In fact, it would issue a complete ban on all American Indian nicknames for all its members.

But, as we can clearly see with each NCAA decision, the issue has nothing to do with intelligence, courage or principles.

[The Sicatoka]

If the NCAA was smart, courageous and actually basing its decisions on high moral and ethical principles, then it would be all or nothing. In fact, it would issue a complete ban on all American Indian nicknames for all its members.

Ah, but legal misery would still be headed the NCAA's way because of the lack of "equal protection". Under that scenario: Irish OK, Seminoles not; Vandals OK, Sioux not; Quakers OK, Utes not.

[The Sicatoka]

At an ever increasing rate of occurrence and volume, Native Americans have expressed their objection to the use of names, terms, imagery and mascots associated with athletics teams. ... The Executive Committee

[airmail]

The standard has gone from:

[*]If any tribe anywhere objects, you stay on the list.

[*]If no namesake tribe objects, you're off the list (FSU).

[*]If one namesame tribe approves, you're off the list (Utah and CMU).

[*]If one namesake tribe in the state sort of approves, but won't give a definite answer one way or the other, and other namesake tribes inside and outside the state object, then you stay on the list (UND).

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thank you for posting that. Now I finally have a concrete, iron clad conception of how the rules are applied...

[dagies]

The Executive Committee

[Goon]

I noticed that, too. It's as if the NCAA is trying to anticipate the criticism it'll get from denying the appeal. The organization is simply grasping at straws to defend its increasingly tenuous position. I can't wait to see the response to the Illinois appeal, no matter which way it goes.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Now is the time to hammer them. Take them to the wood shed for over stepping their bounds.

[Diggler]

If memory serves, the Executive Committee meets October 28. Should be an interesting day.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

UND needs to get their appeal in then. It's barely a week away. Sure it's going to be rejected, but it gives UND more time to form their final appeal before the Febuary 1 deadline.

[Sioux-cia]

UND needs to get their appeal in then. It's barely a week away. Sure it's going to be rejected, but it gives UND more time to form their final appeal before the Febuary 1 deadline.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Is there another appeal after this one? That would make three?

[PCM]

Is there another appeal after this one? That would make three?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Yes. The third and final step of the NCAA's appeal process is the Division II President's Committee.

[Sioux-cia]

Yes. The third and final step of the NCAA's appeal process is the Division II President's Committee.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

When will the maddness end!

[PCM]

From the Fort Wayne News-Sentinnal:

NCAA rejects Bradley nickname appeal

Bradley released a two-sentence statement saying the private college "now is considering its options, which could include an appeal to the Executive Committee of the NCAA." University officials declined further comment.

State Rep. Aaron Schock, a 2002 Bradley graduate, said the school's nickname celebrates American Indians rather than degrading them. He said the NCAA likely compiled its list after listening to objectors without weighing support from other American Indian groups.

"As a public official, you begin to realize that someone will be offended by anything you do. Regardless of what they change their names to, there may be someone from PETA (an animal rights organization) or another group who objects," said Schock, a Peoria Republican.

A decision is pending on an appeal by Newberry College, a South Carolina school nicknamed the Indians.