NCAA has no love for the Stanford Tree

[YaneA]

http://www.ncaa.org/wps/portal/!ut/p/k..._reprimand.html

Look in the "site update" box, on the left side for link to the suspension announcement

[MafiaMan]

Well it's about time. On the plus side, it's not like the tree was busy accepting $18,000 for working part-time at an automobile dealership or anything. Then it would have been ok.

[YaneA]

Among the sins reported elsewhere, the mascot performed while drunk in the trunk and refused to leaf..er..leave...the court at halftime during Stanford's game with FSU in Denver during the March tourney.

[Shawn-O]

SF Chronicle Linky

"I thought this was all settled back in March," Leep said Friday night. "I sort of look at the NCAA like an ex-girlfriend trying to come and take the boom box back or something."

[PCM]

For some reason, this just makes me laugh.

The Tree, which has made national news for misbehavior in recent years, has been suspended...

And this, too.

"It is unfortunate timing,'' said Michael Priest, Stanford's band manager, who said he hopes that the mascot issue will not affect the band's potential reinstatement. "Obviously, that's a concern I have. I think people tend to understand that the tree's conduct is different from that of individual band members doing something stupid and potentially illegal, which is different than the behavior of the vast majority of band members."

[ScottM]

On a related note, it looks like Myles' buddy and fellow traveler, Bernie Franklin will be discussing the "impact" of American Indian names/logos at ASU. I expect it to be a reasonable, balanced seminar.

Linky

Franklin to speak at Arizona State Indian mascots conference

August 18, 2006

The NCAA News

NCAA Senior Vice President Bernard Franklin will speak at an Arizona State University-sponsored conference about the use of Native American mascots and imagery.

The conference, entitled Pride or Prejudice: Indiana Mascots and Imagery in the United States, will be October 20 at Arizona State in Tempe, Arizona. Organizers hope to explore the legal and ethical implications of Native American mascots and imagery by American educational institutions.

Speakers from all over the country will serve on panels about a variety of topics, including the history and cultural imagery framework, psychological and social impact of mascots, pride or prejudice and law and legislation. Invited guests include professors, attorneys, legislators, activists and members of Native American tribes.

The event is open to the public. The registration fee before September 15 is $200. After that date, the fee rises to $250. Participants can register online or via U.S. mail using the form that is available online. The event is sponsored by the Indiana Legal Program of the Sandra Day O

[PCM]

From the SF Chronicle article:

Recent sour notes

February: The band's Tree mascot is fired for public drunkenness.

March 20: The Tree is ejected from an NCAA women's tournament game in Denver for dancing in an undesignated area and failing to leave the court in a timely manner.

Aug. 5: The band is suspended for allegedly vandalizing its own "Band Shak."

Friday: School fined for "multiple violations of tournament policies" during NCAA Tournament.

Past antics

1986: The band is suspended for two games after some members drop their pants and others urinate on the field during the halftime show at a game against the University of Washington.

1991: In a game against Notre Dame, a band member dressed as a nun conducts the band using a crucifix for a baton. Notre Dame bans the band indefinitely.

2004: At Brigham Young University, the band's five dancers wear wedding veils in a parody of polygamy.

Apparently being a PC school with a PC mascot doesn't guarantee that a school will follow this NCAA principle:

The Association shall promote an atmosphere of respect for and sensitivity to the dignity of every person.

[Diggler]

I like how they refer to the tree like it is an actual person and not someone dressed up in a costume.

I can just see Tree walking around campus. Taking tests. Studying in the library. Giving an informal speech in Communications 101. Riding his motorcycle to class. Eating at Subway. Mowing the President's lawn as his campus job. Getting a drunken frat boy as a roommate. Asking for an override the first day of class. Name being called in class.

Professor: El Palo Alto Sequoia sempervirens?

Stanford Tree: Call me Tree.

[PCM]

On a related note, it looks like Myles' buddy and fellow traveler, Bernie Franklin will be discussing the "impact" of American Indian names/logos at ASU. I expect it to be a reasonable, balanced seminar.

I hope they remember to say nice things about Pontiac and Teddy Roosevelt.

[The Sicatoka]

I like how they refer to the tree like it is an actual person and not someone dressed up in a costume.

I can just see Tree walking around campus. Taking tests. Studying in the library. Giving an informal speech in Communications 101. Riding his motorcycle to class. Eating at Subway. Mowing the President's lawn as his campus job. Getting a drunken frat boy as a roommate. Asking for an override the first day of class. Name being called in class.

Professor: El Palo Alto Sequoia sempervirens?

Stanford Tree: Call me Tree.

His drinking buddies call him Tre'.

[PCM]

Riding his motorcycle to class.

I'm not sure about this one. Just think of how much his gas mileage would suffer. Plus, he'd have to worry about getting acid rain all over himself.

[The Sicatoka]

On a related note, it looks like Myles' buddy and fellow traveler, Bernie Franklin will be discussing the "impact" of American Indian names/logos at ASU. I expect it to be a reasonable, balanced seminar.

Call me silly, but wouldn't that help UND's case in a legal forum? It's pretty simple using that to point to not being given a fair hearing or appeal from the committee that Harrison chairs.

[PCM]

Call me silly, but wouldn't that help UND's case in a legal forum? It's pretty simple using that to point to not being given a fair hearing or appeal from the committee that Harrison chairs.

Are you saying that Myles "Leprechauns are not people" Brand is not capable of being fair?

[ScottM]

Call me silly, but wouldn't that help UND's case in a legal forum? It's pretty simple using that to point to not being given a fair hearing or appeal from the committee that Harrison chairs.

It doesn't appear the NC$$ is really sponsoring it, so much as allowing Franklin to get a free lunch and a night at the Holiday Inn. But I think his comments would be subject to discovery in a civil action.

Here's the program from the law school. Not sure Sandra Day O'Connor would appreciate the star-studded lineup, including intellectual giants "Dr." Stephanie Fryberg and Ron His Horse Is Thunder.

Linky II

If I didn't have a presentation in NYC the following week, I'd go there for a good laugh, and the "sights" around the ASU campus.

[PCM]

Here's the program from the law school.

My, what a star-studded cast.

[Sioux-cia]

According to this, Stanford doesn't have an official mascot. The "Tree" is a member of the Stanford band. Does the NC$$ regulate college band member recruitment, academics, amateur status, etc???

http://gostanford.cstv.com/school-bio/stan...ame-mascot.html

The Mascot: There is no official mascot at Stanford University. The "Tree," which is a member of the Stanford Band, is representative of El Palo Alto, the Redwood tree which is the logo of the city of Palo Alto. Since Stanford University and Palo Alto are almost inextricably intertwined in interests and location, it is a natural outgrowth of this relationship. The tree still exists and stands by the railroad bridge beside San Francisquito Creek

[siouxforeverbaby]

My favorite part of the second link:

"I thought this was all settled back in March," Leep said Friday night. "I sort of look at the NCAA like an ex-girlfriend trying to come and take the boom box back or something."

Don't we all see them as this?

[PCM]

The "Tree" is a member of the Stanford band.

But it seems that the band wants to divorce The Tree.

[redwing77]

First of all, all that Tree needs is a hug. It simply baffles me that the Tree nor Stanford cannot go out and find a single Tree Hugger in the bay area.

As for the Native American conference, please. All it is going to be is an NCAA "pat yourselves on the back" forum where the only side that shows up is the pro-NCAA side of this issue because the anti-NCAA side doesn't really think this issue is all that important. Heaven help those who oppose this thing showing up and voicing their opinion. They'll be verbally abused all the way out the door and for 30 minutes after that unfortunate soul leaves. And trust me, they won't attack the issue at all, they'll just call that person a sad excuse for a racist and abuse away. You couldn't pay me to attend that conference.

[Siouxman]

Hmmm. If the Tree is part of the band, that band members urinating on the field business could be a trumped up charge. It seems plausible that they were just watering Tree.

[Sioux-cia]

I know I'm an old fogey and should not condone such behavior but reading about the Tree and Stanford's band takes me waaaay back. All I can say is

Damn but can than band paaarrrteee!!