Redwing77's Endorsement and Prediction

by Redwing77

Let's Recap:

Nickname Committee failed in many ways (not all of the ways listed by Goon or myself, but I'm not going to sling mud at what is now a defunct committee).  There was, predictably, uproar about the omission of the "North Dakota" option.  President Kelley rebutted that he'll consider re-adding the option to the vote.  Stakeholders backed off.

The Prediction

President Kelley isn't going to be UND President in 4 months time.  He just has to keep the status quo until the new guy comes in.  It would not be unbelievable to have him drop something of a bit of a PR mess in the lap of the next President...especially if he feels that his replacement is someone who is a threat to his legacy.  Remember, pettiness runs hand in hand with bureaucracy.  Therefore, until it is actually re-added, I think his "consideration" of readding the "North Dakota" option will end with his consideration.  He will not re-add the "North Dakota" option to the ballot.  Here's the list of reasons why:

1.  He's afraid that the public will overwhelmingly vote for this option and force the past year or so to be considered a waste of time, energy, and worst of all, money.
2.  People aren't remember for changing nothing.  They're remembered poorly for only changing it partially.  It's all or nothing when it comes to politically motivated legacies.
3.  The mere consideration of doing so was simply just a PR ploy to get everyone just to back the hell off.

Let's face it.  UND has faced this type of thing before.  Charlie Murphy did the same thing.  He refused to allow his people to vote for the Fighting Sioux nickname, using hardships as an excuse, because he was afraid that his people would vote to approve the nickname.  It was an issue that could have been resolved (for or against) at his reservation with almost no effort nor time commitment.  But, it was indefinitely tabled.

If President Kelley and the University Senate (and the nickname committee) weren't concerned about the "North Dakota" option winning out and instead was simply out there to come up with a short list of acceptable nicknames based upon the parameters laid out by the NCAA and public opinion, this whole broohaha wouldn't have occurred.  There's no harm in having it an option on the ballot if there's no concern about the option winning.

My Endorsement and Recommendation

I am and always will be FOR the no nickname option.  It became that way when they eliminated "Spirit" from contention.  Up until that point, I was willing to look at multiple options (like being happy with something other than just "North Dakota").

Inevitably, my highly cynical and pessimistic outlook predicts that this option will not be available.

So what should we do?

My opinion is this:  Vote for "NoDaks."  It's a lame nickname, sure.  It doesn't even roll off the tongue as well as other options, sure.  But it is the easiest to co-opt and ignore.  Yup.  Vote for NoDaks and simply continue calling us North Dakota.  We cannot expect anything good to come out of the merchandise department nor expect the media to follow our wishes.  The media, in this case, will cover the scandal aspect until that blows over and then simply call UND whatever the UND administration wants UND to be called.

We, as students and alumni (and perhaps staff and faculty as well) can only control what we can control.  Students will eventually become alumni and alumni can do what they feel must be done.  Either shrug their shoulders and move on, or simply stop giving money and time to UND.

I hope common sense prevails and the PC agenda fails.