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North Dakota Roughriders?


RD17

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If Kelley and the Committee want closure, healing, transparency, involve all of the stakeholders, etc., then they should truly allow the people to make the choice. This is the only way that any licity, legitimacy, credibility can be ascribed to a process that, to-date, has been largely viewed as a cluster#@#.

That's fine. If they are going to let the people choose, they need to supply all the facts about their options. This would include something in writing, with their name behind it that remaining just North Dakota satisfies the agreement made with the NCAA.

I don't think you'll see it because the NCAA has proven time and time again that their members play by their rules and they can move the goal post as they want If Dave St. Peter, KG and other members of the committee do that and sign off that it 100% meets the NCAA criteria, than I'm fine with letting the people choose that option if they want.

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Name or no name the reality of the situation is...20 years later.

To this day, at Marquette basketball games, chants of “Let’s go Warriors” echo in the Bradley center. Hardly anyone refers to Marquette as anything but The Warriors.

I am sure many were hopeful that during this process something would emerge as a name that made sense and 1 name would set itself apart from the rest and UND could adopt a name that people would eventually get behind. A noble effort but it didn't happen. Stay North Dakota and maybe over time something will naturally take place that leads us to adapting a new nickname.

Could I live with roughriders? sure. Could have probably lived with Explorers or Roughnecks as well. Does that mean we should? I don't know. I see myself in the Marquette camp in that UND will always be The Fighting Sioux to me whether we choose a new name after this failed process or go by The University of North Dakota. Am I going to support UND either way? yes.

Here is a question. With the changing landscape of the Power 5 conferences and the NCAA under continuous litigation, will the NCAA in it's current form be the governing body of College Athletics 10 years from now? 20 years from now?

http://dailycaller.com/2014/07/19/bye-bye-ncaa/

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Name or no name the reality of the situation is...20 years later.

To this day, at Marquette basketball games, chants of “Let’s go Warriors” echo in the Bradley center. Hardly anyone refers to Marquette as anything but The Warriors.

I am sure many were hopeful that during this process something would emerge as a name that made sense and 1 name would set itself apart from the rest and UND could adopt a name that people would eventually get behind. A noble effort but it didn't happen. Stay North Dakota and maybe over time something will naturally take place that leads us to adapting a new nickname.

Could I live with roughriders? sure. Could have probably lived with Explorers or Roughnecks as well. Does that mean we should? I don't know. I see myself in the Marquette camp in that UND will always be The Fighting Sioux to me whether we choose a new name after this failed process or go by The University of North Dakota. Am I going to support UND either way? yes.

Here is a question. With the changing landscape of the Power 5 conferences and the NCAA under continuous litigation, will the NCAA in it's current form be the governing body of College Athletics 10 years from now? 20 years from now?

http://dailycaller.com/2014/07/19/bye-bye-ncaa/

Fair point. I prefer to move on. Even without the NCAA, there will be calls to take away all Native American names and imagery.

Ironically, it was really Teddy Roosevelt who started the NCAA.

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"No nickname" was 2 votes out of 11 from being completely removed from consideration, it is possible that there is hope it just goes away naturally and there is no need to get the NCAA involved in the situation at all. And honestly, if the NCAA has spoken on the matter and given their blessing for "no nickname" (and I personally don't think they have), what's the best case answer they could actually give - "Sure, its fine today but we continue to reserve the right to change our mind and policies at any point". 

mksioux and I are pretty much exactly on the same page.  I'd prefer a good, new nickname over no nickname, but no nickname is better than a bad nickname.   I feel that someone HAS checked with the NCAA to find out if going without is acceptable, and my guess is no one associated with UND is willing to publicize that blessing because of the groundswell (real or perceived) of public opinion that may have derailed the nickname selection process.    And I think mksioux has an even more compelling argument to support that opinion than I do.

When "Arrows" and "Nokota" were removed from the list, the committee cited the fact that they might run afoul with the NCAA policy.  They didn't ask the NCAA for a ruling.   All it took was a suggestion that they might violate the policy and the committee removed them.  Yet they kept "North Dakota" on the list and haven't said anything with respect to the NCAA.  If anyone on the committee believes there may be an NCAA problem with "North Dakota," they are doing an incredible disservice by keeping quiet about it

 

I don't think the NCAA would be able to win, in the court of public opinion, a decision that all member teams MUST have an official nickname.  I think that would be a bridge too far.

 

For me, I'm good with Roughriders.    But I'd go with no nickname over Green Hawks.

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mksioux and I are pretty much exactly on the same page.  I'd prefer a good, new nickname over no nickname, but no nickname is better than a bad nickname.   I feel that someone HAS checked with the NCAA to find out if going without is acceptable, and my guess is no one associated with UND is willing to publicize that blessing because of the groundswell (real or perceived) of public opinion that may have derailed the nickname selection process.    And I think mksioux has an even more compelling argument to support that opinion than I do.

Absolutely correct.

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So how does the committee not addressing the mystery of whether the NCAA would accept the nickname of "North Dakota" support the premise that this process is being open and communicative? I agree the committee must know something and if they don't they should be asking that this question be answered (but again it is very hard to believe they would allow "North Dakota" on the list if the question hadn't already been clarified by the NCAA.). 

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If you had a crappy breakup a few years ago, would you reach out to your ex -- or worse, the sniveling bitch who wouldn't mind her own business and caused the breakup -- and ask her permission before making decisions about your personal life?

 

Didn't think so.

 

Because you have a pair, and you're not going to give her the satisfaction.

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If you had a crappy breakup a few years ago, would you reach out to your ex -- or worse, the sniveling bitch who wouldn't mind her own business and caused the breakup -- and ask her permission before making decisions about your personal life?

 

Didn't think so.

 

Because you have a pair, and you're not going to give her the satisfaction.

 

They never broke up.  They are still together in a dysfunctional relationship.  To make matters worse they live together, and although one would like to get out, they have nowhere else to go.  

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If you had a crappy breakup a few years ago, would you reach out to your ex -- or worse, the sniveling bitch who wouldn't mind her own business and caused the breakup -- and ask her permission before making decisions about your personal life?

 

Didn't think so.

 

Because you have a pair, and you're not going to give her the satisfaction.

 

Is she still the immediate Boss of your life and have the ability to make your life miserable at any time?

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If you had a crappy breakup a few years ago, would you reach out to your ex -- or worse, the sniveling bitch who wouldn't mind her own business and caused the breakup -- and ask her permission before making decisions about your personal life?

 

Didn't think so.

 

Because you have a pair, and you're not going to give her the satisfaction.

 

You left out the detail that you are still living in your the house of your ex and she makes all the rules for you because in the grand scheme of things your pair isn't as big as the 60 guys she truely cares about.

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Some don't like "Roughriders" because Teddy wasn't native to North Dakota; he was adopted.

Well, were there wolverines in Michigan when U of Michigan took that name, based on a state nickname? The answer is somewhere between "nope" and maybe a few that went extinct 200 years ago.

http://geo.msu.edu/extra/geogmich/wolves.html

We know at least two Roughriders lived in North Dakota, including the most famous.

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Dress not for the job you have, but for the job you want.

The major public university in many midwestern states uses the state nickname as the athletics nickname. Jayhawks, Hoosiers, Gophers, Hawkeyes, Cornhuskers, Badgers. You have to act like the bigs to be thought of like the bigs. They all have nicknames (whether or not they use them much or not); they have nicknames ... based on a state nickname.

Thank goodness for some, any, association with a Congressional Medal of Honor winning, Nobel Peace Prize winning, former US President who said he would have never been President without his time in North Dakota.

Otherwise, we'd be staring "Peace Gardeners" in the face (because we've already used "Sioux" state and "Flickertail" state).

well put

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Some don't like "Roughriders" because Teddy wasn't native to North Dakota; he was adopted.

Well, were there wolverines in Michigan when U of Michigan took that name, based on a state nickname? The answer is somewhere between "nope" and maybe a few that went extinct 200 years ago.

http://geo.msu.edu/extra/geogmich/wolves.html

We know at least two Roughriders lived in North Dakota, including the most famous.

 

I am likely wrong but I don't think Teddy Roosevelt not being native to ND is the issue.  First I think Roughriders is the best option left but I am extremely frustrated that IMO after the process we are essentially left with all poor options.  When we have this huge list with certain criteria and it appears several of these main criteria were not considered or met by some of the remaining options I feel let down.  I actually don't personally feel the name needs to directly relate to ND but it was part of the criteria.  It was also supposed to be original which it isn't so that criteria was not required either.  If people like the idea of a name associated to TR why not have something like Ranchers because that is what he did while in ND?  Sure I don't really care for Roughriders but I am more irritated that it has made it through the process considering the stated criteria. 

 

I was likely being idealistic but I really thought looking at the original list we would have had 3 good options to vote on and would be happy with it.  Wow, was I wrong but I did see the red flags as soon as they cut the list down the first time. 

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Some don't like "Roughriders" because Teddy wasn't native to North Dakota; he was adopted.

Well, were there wolverines in Michigan when U of Michigan took that name, based on a state nickname? The answer is somewhere between "nope" and maybe a few that went extinct 200 years ago.

http://geo.msu.edu/extra/geogmich/wolves.html

We know at least two Roughriders lived in North Dakota, including the most famous.

But I think that Teddy got his reputation as a rough rider when he came to the Badlands and gained people's respect for being a tough character. 

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I am likely wrong but I don't think Teddy Roosevelt not being native to ND is the issue.  First I think Roughriders is the best option left but I am extremely frustrated that IMO after the process we are essentially left with all poor options.  When we have this huge list with certain criteria and it appears several of these main criteria were not considered or met by some of the remaining options I feel let down.  I actually don't personally feel the name needs to directly relate to ND but it was part of the criteria.  It was also supposed to be original which it isn't so that criteria was not required either.  If people like the idea of a name associated to TR why not have something like Ranchers because that is what he did while in ND?  Sure I don't really care for Roughriders but I am more irritated that it has made it through the process considering the stated criteria. 

 

I was likely being idealistic but I really thought looking at the original list we would have had 3 good options to vote on and would be happy with it.  Wow, was I wrong but I did see the red flags as soon as they cut the list down the first time. 

Good post.  I disagree with Roughriders being the best option left, but otherwise I feel the same way about the criteria, process, and results.

 

What you mentioned about a name like Ranchers has been part of my beef all along.  If we're in love with Teddy Roosevelt, pick a nickname related to something that he did while he was in ND.

 

 Before the last committee/rube gathering where they cut the list down to 7, there were 3 "people-based" names left that at least attempted to recognize something North Dakota-related.   In their infinite wisdom, the other two were eliminated, leaving Roughriders as the only option for people wanting to vote for a person-based nickname sort of remotely related to the state.   And thus, the reason (I think) a lot of people are leaning towards it because all other options for a ND-based nickname have been eliminated.  

  

It's just too bad all the committee members failed North Dakota History class and have no clue about who the ND settlers were or what they did.

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But I think that Teddy got his reputation as a rough rider when he came to the Badlands and gained people's respect for being a tough character.

You mean the soft, four-eyed, "from money", straight out of the lap of luxury, wimpy kid from NY?

North Dakota toughened him up.

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Sure, the people in the know that kept Blackhawks on the list for several selection rounds.

Blackhawk the helicopter? Lol, what is your point? If they allowed that name to be eliminated by the lack of shown interest that means they don't know what they are doing? Hmmmm.

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