The Fighting Sioux nickname issues just got more and more interesting. I guess Frank Black Cloud wasn't kidding when he said, "watch the paper you going to see a big wave coming from this way" during an interview with Scott Hennen back on August 15th, 2011.
Here is the latest development in the on going saga with the Fighting Sioux nickname. The Tribe from Spirit Lake is fighting to keep the Fighting Sioux nickname and they are unamused with the NCAA and the Big Sky Conference. The Spirit Lake Tribe also wrote a three page letter to the University of North Dakota, the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education, the Big Sky Conference, and the National Collegiate Athletic Administration. Here is a link to the letter.
Chuck Haga; Grand Forks Herald --- In a statement released by the Committee for Understanding and Respect, which has been authorized by the Spirit Lake Tribal Council to speak for the tribe on the nickname issue, the committee warned UND, the state board, the NCAA and the Big Sky Conference to stop acting “against our honorable name as given to UND by our ancestors.”It looks like the Spirit Lake Tribe "could" end up suing UND, NCAA the NDSBoHE and the Big Sky conference if the Fighting Sioux nickname is retired.
If those organizations don’t stop working to retire the name, they should expect consequences “far more severe than any sanctions UND claims will exist by keeping our name,” according to the statement.
The committee also said Kelley and Shaft should resign their positions for failing in leadership.
Frank Black Cloud, a committee spokesman, said he was “not at liberty to say” what the “more severe” consequences might be.
