Fargo Forum Letters on UND Nickname

As the UND Nickname committee works its way through the process of selecting a new nickname, people are going to chime in with their opinion. Here's just a few that I found from the Fargo Forum.  Feel free to chime in with your thoughts.

Letter: Suggested names not acceptable

By RichardBrecto from Audubon, Minn. Today at 12:47 a.m. Audubon, Minn., 58102

Having been born and raised in North Dakota and being a devoted fan of both University of North Dakota and North Dakota State University sports, I am interested in what UND’s new nickname will be.

In the “Your Opinion” section of The Forum of June 15, there were two letters recommending nicknames. One is favoring “Roughriders” and the other is favoring “Plainsmen.”

My comment regarding these names is as follows:

Grand Forks Red River High School sports teams are known as the Roughriders. I feel that it would be confusing if UND were to adopt the same name.

While “Plainsmen” might be a good name, remember that there are women’s teams, too. I suppose that they could be referred to as the “Lady Plainsmen,” but that just doesn’t sound right.

I don’t believe that either of these names would be suitable.

Here's the letters in question.

Letter: Roughriders for UND nickname and logo

By Bruce Beard from Banning, Calif. on Jun 15, 2015 at 12:23 a.m.

Imagine. A mean winter day in Dakota, heavily mantled in snow. Garbed in severe black, a landlord comes over a hill and sees a house with faint smoke rising from its chimney. In stepping off, he trips, slides down the slope, crashes feet-first through the front door and halts at the feet of a fragile old woman.

“Kind sir,” she says, “what is it you want?” “The rent, ma’am, the rent is what I’ve come for!” “Might I pay just a little this month?” she timidly asks. “Lady,” he shouts, “I’ve had rough sledding, and I didn’t come here toboggan!” In a similar vein, Jeff Willert (“Bully! for Roughriders, by far the best name,” June 11, A4) addresses the selection of UND’s new name for its athletic teams. A true loyalist, he mounts the bully pulpit and essentially declares, “It’s been rough riding, and when it comes to TR, why saddle for less?”

It’s Roughriders, by five and a half lengths! As they say in the racing business, no need to horse around.

Beard is a native of Reynolds, N.D., and graduate of UND. He taught school in Mott and Beach.

Letter: Perhaps Plainsmen for UND nickname

By Jake Lillestol from Fergus Falls, Minn. on Jun 15, 2015 at 12:21 a.m.

I see by the June 10 Forum article the University of North Dakota nickname committee has arrived at 15 ho-hum names. Except for Roughriders, none has any imagination or sense of history. As a die-hard Bison fan, I would offer what I believe is the only appropriate name for our sister/brother adversary. It is long but very appropriate to who they are. I am so thankful for the Bison name. It tells of one of the original inhabitants of North Dakota and exhibits strength. The UND nickname I propose also does. What name? – “The Plainsmen.” North Dakota has been one of the plains states since recorded history began. Everyone is aware of that – including people living in other states. Consider this thought as a UND hockey team heads out east to do battle. Who are these people? Where do they come from? They are the “The Plainsmen from North Dakota.” A Bison-Plainsmen sports battle also sounds exciting. An imaginative artist can paint this picture. Three men standing side by side looking over the vast plains. Who are they? The original inhabitant – an American Indian; next to him, a buckskin jacket clad fellow suggesting a trapper or explorer; finally the farmer who settled the land. (Just a joke – peering out of the ground could be the head of a gopher.)