Herald Opinion: UND should get after a new nickname

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From today's local fish wrapper, err, Grand Forks Herald. But what else would you expect from them? I have always said, outside of the sports page, which is awesome, this news paper disappoints me.

I have to respectfully disagree with Tom Dennis. There’s really no need to hurry picking a new nickname. Nicknames are something that we’re stuck with for a very long. If the University makes a hurried, hasteful decision, the University is going to be stuck with some stupid nickname that no one can get behind, or want on the front of their jerseys and t-shirts... Then what? I am dead serious here. Honestly, I could see this happening. One of my biggest fears is that the University will be pressured into picking some stupid nickname like Sun Dogs or Flickertails.

Let’s slow down, get together and move forward with a purpose. Let's not do this willy-nilly. Moreover, let’s not just pick a nickname, just to pick a nickname. Let’s select something that’s not going to alienate a lot of people, especially alumni.

Also, UND can’t even pick a new nickname until 2015. It’s not like UND is going to order new uniforms for their sports teams half way through the year. This is not going to happen.

The first thing that we need to address is the committee/mechanism that chooses the new nickname. Who will be on this committee that picks the new nickname? Obviously, this committee that doesn’t exist yet. The major question is who’s going to help choose this new nickname? Again, if the alumni think that the “wrong” people are part of the process, or if a block of people are left out of the process, you’re going to alienate your alumni base. The University can’t afford to alienate their loyal alumni base.

Tom Dennis, Grand Forks Herald – “We want to emphasize that the work of this group will be to establish a process, not to select a new nickname or logo,” said one administrator. And even that tepid description sounds fiery next to this one, which another official offered:

“We don’t have a process yet, but what we’re doing is preparing to create a process.”

In our view, this timidity on the part of UND’s administration is a mistake. The university has a lot to gain and not a whole lot to lose by striding confidently toward its goal, which is to line up lots of nickname suggestions, choose the most exciting one and then announce that choice with trumpets and confetti.

Dennis goes on…

Sorry, but the current “University of North Dakota” moniker just isn’t enough. Harvard has the most recognizable academic name on the planet; but Harvard doesn’t call its sports teams, “Harvard.” They are the Harvard Crimson.

The Yale Bulldogs, University of Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State Buckeyes … the list goes on. In fact, it goes on forever, as virtually every other college in America has a team nickname, regardless of how famous the institution is.

Contrary to some’s point of view, no nickname works just fine. This has worked for a year already. Sure, it takes time blending UND into blog posts and game reports, but this is a minor issue.

Chicago Blackhawks: Toews and Kane looking to get paid

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Former UND Fighting Sioux forward Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane are looking to a big payday. The question, will the Hawks pay these two All-Stars that much money?

TNS.CA -- Jonathan Toews and Patrick Kane appear to have made their initial ask to the Chicago Blackhawks on a contract extension and are hoping to join the NHL's highest paid players.

According to TSN Hockey Insider Bob McKenzie, it's believed that Kane and Toews have both asked for salaries of about $12 million per year.

McKenzie notes that both players will likely end up with a lower salary than their initial ask, but could still see $10 million per year averages.

UND Native American students "want all use" of Retired Fighting Sioux Logo banned

 

 

Here's the whole Tumblr post in question.

O'Donnell Brings the Luck for UND

In a do or die game 3 tonight for both North Dakota and Colorado College, the two teams were looking to advance to the inaugural NCHC Frozen Face-Off next weekend in Minneapolis.

As the puck dropped in the opening period, UND quickly would take control of the game pressuring the offensive zone early. Just over three and a half minutes into the contest UND would capitalize on an odd man rush to take an early 1-0 lead over the Tigers. What was strange about this you may ask? It was a 2 on 1 with Juniors Stephane Pattyn and Nick Mattson. Pattyn would take a low hard shot right off of the goalie's leg pads which kicked out a rebound right to Mattson. All he had to do then was shoot into the wide open net. UND wasn't finished there, but just three minutes after going up 1-0, CC would tie the game at 1.

On a night where UND's blue liners would contribute a lot, Freshman defender Troy Stecher would fire a laser past the CC goaltender to put UND up 2-1 just past the half way point in the first. The goal was Stecher's second of the season and would shift momentum back UND's way. A little over two minutes later, Pattyn was at it again except this time it would be him that would find the twine just a little over two minutes after the Stecher goal to make it 3-1. This is how the teams would go into the locker rooms at the end of the first and it looked as if UND was going to coast to the victory.

As the second period started, Colorado College came out flying. The Tigers controlled most of the play early on, and for most of the period for that matter. They were all over the puck and not letting North Dakota get too many extensive offensive zone chances. UND would clank a Brendan O'Donnell shot off the post, but that would be about it for them. Michael Morin would find the twine at 17:17 of the second to put them within one goal going into the third.

Things would shift back towards the way of North Dakota in the third, seeing offensive chances from people you necessarily wouldn't expect to see them from. Brendan O'Donnell would get revenge after hitting the post when he would score just two and a half minutes into the third to put UND up 4-2, and proved to be the eventual game winner. Things would get a little more physical and UND would finally get some power play time, but was virtually powerless on them. CC forward Alex Roos would bring the game to 4-3 with just a minute and a half left to cause a little drama in the Ralph, but UND would hold on to win and be the top seed going into Minneapolis next weekend.

The most impressive forward on the ice tonight had to be Junior Stephane Pattyn. His presence was definitely known whenever he would get a shift. Pattyn set the tone early tonight when he assisted on the games opening goal and then would get one of his own as well. Another surprise was that he was sprung on 2 breakaways in the third period. I can't ever remember him getting one in a game let alone two in a period. If anyone can prove me wrong, please do.

Brendan O'Donnell would score the game winner tonight and would move to 11-0-1 all time when he scores a goal. Maybe he is turning into what Mario Lamoureux used to be for UND whenever he scored. UND rarely lost when Lamoureux scored and still haven't when O'Donnell has. The Tampa Bay Lightning prospect would have a game to remember leading into the NCHC Frozen Face-Off.

Goalie Zane Gothberg was impressive yet again, being the backbone to this UND victory. In his last 19 starts, including this one, Gothberg has allowed three goals in just three of those starts. Every other game in those 19 starts he has allowed two or fewer with two shutouts in that time. Up for goalie of the year in the NCHC, Gothberg looks to keep pushing this team forward as they head into the NCHC Frozen Face-Off and if they get their NCAA tourney bid.

Tonight would also mark the 13th time this season that UND would score four or more goals in a game. They are now 13-0-0 in their games in which they score four or more this season. They would also improve to 17-1-0 on the season when leading after two periods of play. This home playoff series is the 17th in a row which they have won. Their last home playoff series loss dates back to the 1995-1996 season when they lost to Wisconsin.

Looking ahead to next weekend, UND looks to win the very first Frozen Face-Off championship and lock themselves into the NCAA tournament. No official game times have been released as of yet, but UND is expected to get the night game Friday night, playing Miami, who in their last meeting UND would find the net 9 times against, with puck drop somewhere around 7:30 at the Target Center.

NCHC Hockey: Going down to the Wire

North Dakota	NoDak	42	22	14	8	0	0	0.636	73	61	32	19	10	3	0.641	101	84
St. Cloud State	SCSU	42	22	13	6	3	0	0.659	76	59	32	19	8	5	0.672	114	86
Nebraska Omaha	UNO	39	22	12	8	2	1	0.591	76	60	32	15	15	2	0.500	106	101
Minnesota Duluth	UMD	34	22	10	10	2	2	0.500	60	64	32	15	13	4	0.531	90	91
Western Michigan	WMU	34	22	10	10	2	2	0.500	64	66	34	16	13	5	0.544	91	89
Denver	DU	32	22	9	10	3	2	0.477	54	54	34	15	13	6	0.529	86	77
Colorado College	CC	24	22	6	11	5	1	0.386	47	64	32	6	20	6	0.281	61	100
Miami	MIAMI	17	22	5	16	1	1	0.250	52	74	32	11	18	3	0.391	92	98

 I guess we should take a look at the standings. This is definitely going down to the wire this season. Three teams (UND, SCSU, UNO) have a chance to finish first overall. Tiger’s beat writer Joe Pasiley has the procedures for breaking ties on his blog. This is what happens if teams tie in standings of the NCHC. So, if UND and SCSU win out, UND gets the tie breaker.

1. The team with the greater number of NCHC regular-season wins shall be the higher seed.

2. Head-to-head competition. Among the teams tied in the standings, the team with the highest winning percentage will be the higher seed.

3. Goal differential: Total goals for and against in contests between the teams tied in the standings.
4. Winning percentage of the teams tied in the standings against the remaining NCHC teams, starting at the top of the standings and working toward the bottom until the tie is broken.

5. Coin flip.