Here is an interesting perspective/read from a pompous NCAA official. I guess the world perspective looks differently when you live in an ivory tower.
NCAA Link
North Dakota sues NCAA. In a move I think we all anticipated, North Dakota sued the NCAA on Friday to challenge its restrictions of the Fighting Sioux nickname. I was thinking about this last night before I went to bed, and while I understand the frustration of the North Dakota administration and fans, I can’t help thinking that the institution is suing itself.
The NCAA executive committee, which is comprised of presidents and chancellors from member colleges and universities, is the body responsible for imposing restrictions on Native American mascots and imagery. By filing suit on the Association, North Dakota is asking for remuneration from the NCAA’s coffers, which go to support North Dakota and the other 1,000 or so schools in the structure. If North Dakota wins, there would be less money for the NCAA to spread out among its members. Just a thought.
Can we say whiner. Maybe the NCAA should have considered this before they enacted their screwed up policy. Here are some of the responses this guys letter got. Some of them really make for some interesting reading: This one is from an anonymous reader.
After further reading, I am even more unimpressed with the tone of the NCAA. Their representative (according to the cited story) stated "We are planning on aggressively defending our right and our responsibility, quite frankly, to conduct our own NCAA championships in an environment free of racial
stereotyping."
Is that so? So when the tomahawk chop shows up during the annual basketball playoffs, that wouldn't be racial stereotyping?
Oops, I bet the NCAA didn’t see that response coming. The NCAA really does have egg on their face. Think about this for just a minute. Florida State University has a mascot that happens to be a white guy dressed as a Seminole Indian mounted on a horse, the mascot rides his horse out on to the football field. When reaching midfield he throws a flaming spear into the turf of the stadium to the applause of thousand in the crowd. All which is very stereotypical. One could make the argument that this is a red faced minstrel. Of course none of which is considered hostile and abusive behavior. But at the NCAA headquarters UND logo’s is. Does anyone see the hypocrisy of this at all? None of these behaviors will ever be seen at a UND sporting event. Sure the pro-name change crowd will say there is, but no one has seen it. Personally I have never seen a tomahawk chop or heard Cherokee Autumn played at a UND sporting event. There are no war dances or flaming spears. None.
Next classic response: From USCHCO's Own.
I couldn't help but notice last March that when the NCAA sponsored the West Regional hockey tournament at the University of North Dakota's Ralph Engelstad Arena, video advertisements for Pontiac -- the association's official sponsor -- frequently ran on the arena's big-screen scoreboard.
Who was Pontiac? He was the chief of the Ottawa Indian tribe. What does Pontiac use for logo? It’s a stylized arrowhead.
Keep in mind that this tournament was held in an arena in which the NCAA once insisted could not happen until all Fighting Sioux references were covered up. And yet the NCAA has no problem accepting money from a car manufacturer that uses an American Indian name and image to promote its products.
Any objective person who spends time studying this issue will be astounded by the hypocrisy of those who claim to be against all forms of racial stereotyping.
Posted by: Patrick C. Miller
These responses just prove how stupid this policy is. There it is in black and white the hypocrisy of the NCAA and their ridiculous policy. I am sure there is more to follow.
On the Recruiting Front
I Was Linked back to one of my earlier posts:Western College Hockey Blog I personally don’t have a problem with what Chris said, (its his opinion and we live in a free world) I do, however, find it interesting, since we are still relatively early in the 2007-2008 recruiting period. The Fighting Sioux’s recruiting class size will also depend on how many more players defect to the pros at seasons end. I would say lets see what happens once the cards are all laid on the table. From what I have read UND still has a few irons in the fire. On a final not, Goon’s world is thankful for the great coverage that Western College Hockey provides to the college hockey blog sphere.
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