Shock Poll: Washington Post poll shows Native Americans unbothered by Redskins name

Hmmm. Well, well, well. What do we have here? There will be some folks that will challenge the results of this poll. Thoughts?

John Keim, ESPN -- A new Washington Post poll found that 90 percent of Native Americans aren't offended by the Washington Redskins' nickname and an overwhelming majority consider it an unimportant issue.

The Post polled 504 people who identify primarily as Native American from across the country, including those who lived on reservations and those who were not part of a tribe.

The general population appears to care more about the name than Native Americans. A 2014 ESPN poll found that 23 percent of the population favored a name change.

Thursday's findings by the Post match an Annenberg Center survey taken in 2004. The Post poll also found that 78 percent deemed the Redskins' name an issue that is either "not too" or "not at all" important.

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Grand Forks Herald Letter: Kudos to fans for vocal Fighting Sioux pride

By Barry Jackson Today at 6:00 a.m.

opinion Grand Forks,North Dakota 58203 http://www.grandforksherald.com/sites/all/themes/grandforksherald_theme/images/social_default_image.png Barry Jackson Grand Forks Herald http://www.grandforksherald.com LETTERS: Kudos to fans for vocal Fighting Sioux pride Grand Forks North Dakota 375 2nd Ave. N. 58203 UND's national championship is a well-deserved thumb-in-the-eye to the lords of political correctness, that band of arrogant, self-righteous, can't-mind-their-own-business do-gooders who coerced the NCAA into making UND drop the Fighting Sioux nickname.
The "Fighting Hawks"? Aren't we risking the wrath of PETA or the Audubon Society?
Barry Jackson
Gilbert, Ariz.

This letter to the editor was in today's Grand Forks Herald. Thoughts?

Fighting Hawks Can Wait

St Paul Pioneer Press sports writer Bob Sansevere interviewed UND forward Brock Boeser after the Frozen Four. One of the things that and one of the things that caught my eye was this. Boeser hits on something that has been a topic of discussion since UND picked Fighting Hawks as their official nickname. I’ve also had a few interesting conversations about the Fighting Hawks and Fighting Sioux nicknames.

Sansevere: There was a lot of controversy about North Dakota being called the Fighting Sioux. Do you like the Fighting Hawks nickname?

Boeser: It’s something not a lot of people like down here. Most people would have preferred the University of North Dakota with no nickname.

Sansevere: Fans were chanting “Let’s go Sioux” and “Sioux forever” in the championship game. Did you hear them?

Boeser: They’ll never change that. All the fans love the team, and there are die-hard Sioux fans.

During the nickname selection debacle, we were told that not having a nickname would be like continuing to use the Fighting Sioux nickname. If UND picked a nickname, the fans would get behind the new nickname. Yeah, that hasn't happened for the UND hockey fans. Some of the other programs have had a smoother transition to the new nickname.

So, this past weekend, the anti-no nickname crowd's theory was shot all to hell. Thousands of UND fans dressed in Fighting Sioux garb chanted "Let's Go Sioux" and "Sioux Forever". I didn't hear one "Let’s Go Hawks" cheer, you probably won't for a very long time.

Even the national media, for the most part still refers to UND as the Fighting Sioux. I am wondering how long before this goes away. It doesn't appear that it's going to happen anytime soon. Let's be clear, I am not suggesting that UND transition back to the Fighting Sioux nickname. It's not going to happen, ever. I am also not a member of the move on crowd either. I have bought two new Fighting Sioux Jersey's in the last year.

Let's not forget, UND wouldn't be able to host an NCAA regional in Fargo, ND if they still under NCAA sanctions and had the Fighting Sioux nickname. Don't forget, UND will again host another regional next season in Fargo. I also think that UND's other programs will eventually benefit from being able to not being under NCAA sanctions.

I am also surprised I haven't seen an editorial in the Grand Forks Herald complaining about the pro-Fighting Sioux nickname crowd chanting "Let's Go Sioux" and "Sioux Forever." And no, UND has a new nickname and the NCAA isn't going to sanction them because their fans are chanting the old nickname. If fans want to cheer Fighting Sioux and wear the old jersey's that protected under the first amendment. That's a line of bull s***.

In conclusion, I also find some irony that immediately after UND selected a new nickname, they went out and won an NCAA title with the new nickname. I don't know what to make of this? I just don't expect the new nickname to catch fire anytime soon. I also think the move on crowd can back off just a bit. I also think it's silly to boo your team every time you hear Fighting Hawks. Some day we might find some middle ground. But for now, all I can say is Fighting Hawks can wait.

It's Game Day: UND vs. QU

A photo posted by Drake Caggiula (@dcaggiula94) on Apr 9, 2016 at 7:13am PDT

Good luck to the University of North Dakota hockey team as they go for eight. Here are some of the stories making the news today. Tonight, UND is looing to raise it's eighth banner.

Saturday Morning Reading by @schlossman of the @gfherald: https://t.co/jimbsDsG1I

— North Dakota MHockey (@UNDmhockey) April 9, 2016

7 Players to Watch in the National Championship https://t.co/KuMNv02usP #THW

— The Hockey Writers (@TheHockeyWriter) April 9, 2016

Frozen Four Rewind: North Dakota vs. Denver - https://t.co/3GNAYAwoy9 #hockey #THW pic.twitter.com/YjmhHtPN3B

— The Hockey Writers (@TheHockeyWriter) April 9, 2016

Good luck @UNDmhockey in the national title game. Future Hawk leading the way! #FrozenFour https://t.co/VNAW9Sd8IR

— Jonathan Toews (@JonathanToews) April 9, 2016

Michigan, North Dakota both have four 2015-16 All-Americans https://t.co/Pcl6sMVs1H

— USCHO.com (@USCHO) April 8, 2016

#FrozenFour Blog: North Dakota's Berry looks back to the call that changed his career path https://t.co/Y2pogZR7m1

— USCHO.com (@USCHO) April 8, 2016

UND is Going to the Birds

As most of you know, UND is going to be picking a new logo in the near future. I know, I know, not everyone is thrilled with the process.

Cue the boos. Right?

Without relitigating the nickname selection process all over again, What happens next is very crucial if UND fans are going to get behind the Fighting Hawks nickname. If they blow the new logo design, they're going to turn off a bunch of people. You don't want a bunch of unhappy donors and alumni.

The ball is in the University's court and they really need to step up and do the right thing. No half measures here. Let's be bold.

While there are half a million universities and colleges using some variation of the Hawks nickname. That being said, the Hawks nickname has possibilities. Hawks are a bird of prey and they are a majestic bird. They also like to hunt rodents. In my opinion, Hawks are bad ass.

Let's not forget, the Fighting Hawks tend to kick the Miami RedHawks ass.

But I digress, Hawks fly together.

Of course, I am cynical. I am very afraid that UND will end up with a silly, stupid variation of a Hawk that will offend no one or intimidate anyone. I am not saying I want the next logo to be offensive, but I am sick and tired of political correctness. It's making us a bunch of sniveling cry babies. What next? Some group will find the nickname Huskies or Bison offensive.

I think that the new logo has to be mean and intimidating. Not some stupid cartoonish character. UND has already made the NCAA happy by retiring the Fighting Sioux nickname. If UND was smart, Ben Brien would be designing the next logo for the University of North Dakota.

I also like the Angry Birds theme. No, not this one. Although my eight-year-old daughter would probably like that one.

Finally, I am an  Alumnus of the University of North Dakota. I will always support the University. But I have to admit that I am very nervous right now. I imagine there're others that feel the same way I do. This whole process has been a drawn out mess. This process needs to end well, so we can heal as a fan base and move on. Blow this and it will fester for years. 

One last point, if you look at the picture you will see that Hawks do in fact have feathers. This is a true statement. 

The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead: Old UND nickname fans get clear message from Schafer

I was surprised when some thought that Interim UND President Ed Schafer would revisit the nickname issue. That's not what Schafer was brought here to do. Schafer is here to help transition to a new university president. Maybe clean up a mess or two. In my opinion, there are a few messes at UND that need to be cleaned up.

The message is clear, the voting over and we move forward. Of course, the Forum never lets an opportunity to chastise the UND fan base go to waste. This time, is no different?

The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead Editorial Board -- A loyal UND alumnus, Schafer might have seen the matter differently during the lengthy debate about retiring the nickname. But to his credit, he hasn’t talked about the history. Rather, he was clear as a cloudless January sky about the nickname situation now. “That issue has been settled,” he said.

“... and in my opinion, whether you like the name or not, whether you supported the Fighting Sioux or not, the reality is we’re beyond that.”

It is unlikely the die-hard supporters of the old nickname (who have taken to booing when the new Fighting Hawks nickname is announced at ice hockey games) will be satisfied with Schafer’s definitive statement. It is likely they will continue their losing crusade and boorish behavior, which embarrasses the school they say they love. It is certain they will react badly (it’s what they do) because some of them really believed Schafer would reopen the debate.

Again, I think the key is selecting an acceptable logo that fans can get behind. Most of us are very cynical that the University can do this effectively. I am not so sure.

Finally,  If UND was to win a title in hockey or some other sport with the new nickname in the near future, that could help the transition to a new nickname.

Fighting Sioux fatigue and the quest for a new nickname

Are you tired? Because I’m exhausted. For the past few years the University of North Dakota has been preparing itself for a transition from the Fighting Sioux moniker into a new nickname.

Before and during the transition period there have been multiple times when I’ve said several “unladylike” curse words in frustration. That time when the North Dakota legislative body thought it knew better than UND. An alumni who took out trade-names in an attempt to derail UND from using said names. The weak attempt at a lawsuit to stop voting from happening. The list goes on.

I knew the transition would be difficult, but I didn’t think it would come to the ridiculous lengths that it has to some extent. Admittedly, there were times that I was surprised at the lengths groups and individuals were willing to go. I will also admit that, although, I might not agree with any of the attempts to prolong this battle, I respect the passion and interest in fighting for what one believes in.

I’ve been ready to move forward since the state legislative body decided that, after UND had decided to transition, it would have to go back to using the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo. At that time, the university’s Athletics department was already running under the North Dakota moniker. In full disclosure, I worked in the Athletics Department as a student assistant at the time. It was more than frustrating. Since that time I have commonly said that I have Fighting Sioux Fatigue.

As I’m sure many of you have, I followed the new nickname and logo process. I was a participant in one of the ‘conversation cafes’ that was established by UND last year. I voted in the first round and will vote in the second (and third, heaven forbid that it comes to that).

I’m frustrated with the final name selections because I’m not convinced that they truly exhibit the findings that were outlined in the conversation cafés hosted to field what might be a good fit for a new nickname. The nickname selection committee was ultimately responsible for whittling down the massive list.

I foolishly believed that after the first vote I would be one vote away from moving toward closure. When news broke yesterday evening that there would be three, not two names on the next ballot, it was one of the first times I’ve felt truly betrayed by the process. I understand the rationale to some extent, but I wonder if it was the ‘right thing to do.’ Selecting three names to move forward went against the initial process that was outlined and could cause another vote, prolonging the agony. 

Perhaps time and this process has broken me down a bit, but I have decided that I will learn to live with whatever is selected by the majority and that I will continue to support UND. And I truly believe that those of you that love UND as much or more than I do will continue to support the institution and athletics no matter what the final decisions is.

You will not, however, catch me wearing any Roughrider gear if that is what the fates allow.

Badlanders Gains Steam in InForum UND Nickname Challenge

The Fargo Forum is having a little fun, they want to see which nickname their readers think will make it to the next round of the nickname selection process. It appears that "Badblanders" is gaining steam with the fans. You can submit your vote at this link. Don't forget to submit your vote.

From a serious angle, it's nice to see that Sundogs and the Flickertails nicknames aren't doing very well.

Why Flickertails is a bad Idea

I tweeted this same thing yesterday. For the UND fans that want the name Flickertails. This is what we're talking about. Does that remind you of anything?

This should cause people to stop and think. Ahem, do we want the University of North Dakota to referred to as Flickertails? Seriously?

By definition: A Flickertial is a Richardson's ground squirrel (Urocitellus richardsonii), or the flickertail, is a North American ground squirrel in the genus Urocitellus. Like a number of other ground squirrels, they are sometimes called Dak Rats or gophers, though this name belongs more strictly to the pocket gophers of family Geomyidae.

No! I will take a pass on this nickname as well. I am not interested in having the battle of the grounds squirrels.

Sifting Through the Nickname Recommendations

The's 63 nicknames to choose from. Some of them are down right horrible. In breaking down the names that are still on the list, I find very few that are acceptable.
Aeronauts - I say not.
Aeros - I find this acceptable.
Arctic Blaze - where not in the Arctic.
Arctic Force - Redundant, - where not in the Arctic.
Aurora - This is just as bad as Sundogs.
Aviators - Yep, works for me. Favorite of RWD.
Badlanders - Meh!
Big Green - Hum. That one could work.
Bison Slayers - Ha! I find this one amusing.
Blackhawks - We already play Chelsea Dagger when UND scores. I guess we could take their name, too.
BLAZE - Blaze up eh.
BLAZING STARS - How about Blazing Saddles? Nope.
BLIZZARD - Okay.
Blizzard Dogs - Checking goggle.com, there's already  a Newfoundland Blizzard Dogs
Bombardiers -- bomb, bomb, bomb. Could have possibilities.
Bombers - Okay, works for me.
Cavalry - I wonder if this would fly?
Charging Nokota - A Nokota Horse could be an acceptable mascot for me.
Drillers - Yeah, one has to think of the warped possibilities. I am going with not. 
ENERGY - Boring.
Explorers - Meh.
Fighting Green - Why not just go with Gang Green?
Fighting Greens - Yuck!
Fighting Green Hawks - What's with the Hawks.
Fighting Hawks - Of the Hawks suggestions, the one is probably the most acceptable. That and Blackhawk.
Fighting Sundogs - I want to put an  EF-Bomb here.
Fire - Nix!
Flame - Nine!
Flames - Nay! This should be obvious. We would be copying the Calgary Flames.
Flickertails - I just threw up in my mouth a bit.
Fliers - Whatever.
Force - We already have the Fargo Force.
Force of North - I could live with this.
Global Hawks - Catchy, named after the drones.
Green Bombers - Whatever floats your boat.
GREEN HAWKS - I suppose we could come up with a badass logo for that. Or not.
GREEN PRIDE - Horrible idea.
'Grey Hawks' - What's with all the hawk names?
 Night Hawks - Another nickname with hawk in it.
Nighthawk- We could use a ____ as the mascot?
Nighthawks - Is there such a thing? There is.
Nodak - Again, whatever.
Nodaks - Like Charlie from Hockey Bias said, this could be clumsy.
North Dakota - My first, second and third choice. ******
North Force - This is kind of clumsy, too.
North Stars - I could get behind this one.
Northern Lights - This doesn't do it for me.
Prarie Hawks - Okay.. Whatever.
Pride -  Yuck! And hell no!
Riders - There's already a high school in town that's named Rider or Roughriders.
roughriders - Same thing applies here.
SNOW DOGS - Yuck! Again, another bad name. What's the mascot going to be?
Snow Leopards - Only cats we have in ND is a Mountain Lion.
Spirit - No THANK YOU!  Next.
STORM - Better than Sundogs and Flickertails.
Sundog - Oh hell no.
Sundogs  - I just threw up in my mouth a bit more.
Thunder Hawks WTF?
Warhawks - There's some possibility with this one.
Warriors  - I am surprised this one made the list.
Warriors of the North - In honor of the men and women from GFAB.
Wings - Green Wings?
 Wooly Mammoth - This one is amusing.

God No! Please. No Sundogs

When I read this quote, I am very concerned. Seriously, I can't imagine that the University of North Dakota's sports teams could end up being called the "Sundogs". What a horrible idea for a nickname. UND could end up being a laughing stock if tagged with this nickname.

Anna Burleson, Forum News Service --- "People wanted to be unique as we go forward," he said. "I think it was important the considerations we do have are solely unique and are something that would be solely the university's."

McDonald and Bridewell both approved a form of "Sundogs" and said it was unique to the region.

"It would be marketable," McDonald said. "It would help to identify us at national level."

If you look at the 63 nicknames that are on the list, very few are what I would call acceptable. For those that don't know what a Sundog is, click on this link.

This is the definition of a Sundog - Sun dogs, mock suns or phantom suns, scientific name parhelia, are an atmospheric phenomenon that consists of a pair of bright spots on either side on the Sun, often co-occurring with a luminous ring known as a 22° halo.

Frank Black Cloud: Fighting Sioux will not be silenced

This was a letter to the editor that was posted in the Fargo Forum. Before you label this gentleman a racist, don't do it, he's a member of the Dakota Sioux. This is one of the assumptions that people make when they talk about the Fighting Sioux. There are a lot of natives American that like the Fighting Sioux nickname.



In response to the outlandish claim that we Sioux are “racist”:

You obviously have no clue as to what you are talking about, nor do you have a full and complete understanding as to the name Fighting Sioux or its origins.

I, for one, am a proud Dakota Sioux and a very proud Fighting Sioux supporter as are many, many other members of the Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe. Our support and dedication to the name and logo are rooted deeply within our connection to our elders and the “gift” they bestowed upon the University of North Dakota in the 1930s and later solidified in the Sacred Pipe Ceremony in 1969.

I am a member of the group “The Sioux Were Silenced” because we were silenced and it’s a shame that you, as reporters, don’t explore that fact.

Nor do you even try to dig deeper into the facts that surround the removal of the gift that was given to UND by my ancestors and the elders of both Spirit Lake (Devils Lake Sioux Tribe back then) and Standing Rock Sioux Tribe. Why hasn’t the news media tried to explore the facts behind the sealing of the documents that could reveal the true reason and the real agenda behind the attack on the Sioux people and the name and logo at UND?

Were there any natives represented at that meeting with the NCAA and if so, who were they? What’s in the documents that they are trying to hide? What are you afraid of?

A good reporter would investigate these types of questions that the residents of North Dakota have the right to know. Then again, you may not be that good of a reporter.

We will never be quiet. We will not be silent any longer. We want answers and we will get them.

Frank Black Cloud from Fort Totten, N.D

Grand Forks Herald: Fighting Sioux supporters still fighting

This past week, a group of Native American from the Standing Rock and Spirit Lake Tribes started a new social media campaign. UND is transitioning away from the Fighting Sioux nickname and is currently in the process of picking a new one.

Anna Burleson , Grand Forks Herald -- Supporters of UND's former Fighting Sioux nickname have begun a social media campaign to revive the name.

A video titled "The Sioux Were Silenced" was posted to YouTube Monday, starring Eunice and David Davidson, two avid and vocal supporters of the old name which was retired in late 2012 after a long legal battle involving the NCAA, lawmakers, university donors and the State Board of Higher Education.

"We believe there was an agenda by certain leaders in the state to rid the University of North Dakota of the Fighting Sioux name and make sure the Sioux people receive the blame," David Davidson said in the video.

Eunice Davidson also penned the book "Aren't We Sioux Enough?" that chronicles the eventual retirement of the name.

Currently, UND is gathering new nickname suggestions from the public with the intent to hold a public vote to choose a permanent nickname. The school has been playing simply as "UND/North Dakota" since the Fighting Sioux logo was retired and there is a possibility of keeping that as a permanent name as well

. This same story has also been posted on the WDAZ site as well.

A second video was released Tuesday about the name granting ceremonies featuring two Standing Rock tribal members Archie Foolbear and Robert Gates and Spirit Lake Tribe member John Chaske. The two daughters of the tribal official involved in a 1969 name granting ceremony also speak on the topic.

In the introduction video, the Davidsons also blame the Grand Forks Herald and The Forum of Fargo-Moorhead, both owned by Forum Communications Co., for printing slanted articles against the old nickname.

"Since we started this fight we have seen the media, largely controlled by one entity, put out a completely one-sided message," Eunice Davidson said in the video. "Well in today's world, we don't have to rely on traditional media to get the truth out. We want to tell you what really happened from the Sioux's perspective through social media."

A Facebook page has also been created for the cause that as of noon Thursday had 7,494 likes.

Grand Forks Herald: UND names task force to adopt new nickname, logo

So it begins. The University has announced that it will move forward in selecting a new logo. Not surprising, but I think that the decision for a new nickname should include more than 13 - 17 people. In my opinion, if the University of North Dakota doesn't go about selecting an new nickname the right way, this could get ugly.  

UND has formed a task force to develop a process to adopt a new nickname and logo.

"North Dakota law provides that the earliest UND could adopt or implement a new nickname and logo is January 2015," the news release states. "Over the next few months, the group will participate in a facilitated process designed to map out and gather input for the potential selection of a new nickname and logo for UND. The team anticipates submitting its recommendations to UND President Robert Kelley by the end of 2014. While the Task Force is not charged with making a final nickname and logo selection, President Kelley welcomes all final outcomes and recommendations from the Task Force’s work."

The following people have been selected to be task force members:

Sheri Kleinsasser Stockmoe, UND alumna, co-chair
Tanner Franklin, Student Body President, UND, co-chair
Matt Bakke, UND alumnus
Jesse Fenstermacher, UND student athlete, Men's Track & Field
Karl Goehring, UND alumnus
Chuck Horter, UND alumnus
Nikki Husfeldt, UND student athlete, Women’s Volleyball
Sue Jeno, UND faculty and athletic faculty advisor
Sharley Kurtz, UND Staff Senate President
Sandra Mitchell, UND Associate Vice President for Diversity and Inclusion
Jim Mochoruk, UND Chester Fritz Distinguished Professor
R. J. Morin, UND student
Margaret Myers, UND Associate Vice President for Finance and Operations

Please do not select the moronic nickname Sundogs....

Grand Forks Herald, 'UND moving gingerly toward a new nickname'

#111873018 / gettyimages.com

I would have commented on this story earlier, but I have been on vacation and I just finished up a project that I was working on.

So it begins. We knew that this day was coming. I am leery, and I am also worried that my favorite college teams are going to end up with a stupid nickname that none of us can really embrace. My head is going to explode "if" UND becomes the Sun Dogs.

Anna Burleson, Grand Forks Herald -- UND is allowed by law to pick a new moniker after January 2015, but after several racially charged incidents on campus, President Robert Kelley has been pressured to take concrete steps and move away from the Fighting Sioux nickname.

“In the minds of many, many people it’s still an issue, it’s still problematic, and I understand that,” Kelley said in May. “I’m not blind to it and I get it. But it is retired officially, so now we’ve got the next step.”

This next step will mean consulting with stakeholders — students, children, residents, faculty, staff and alumni — and laying out the steps the university will take in picking a new nickname.

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

I also don’t know if the legislature will be able to extend the deadline to 2017, that will be a story all by itself. If UND can’t be the Fighting Sioux, which they can't, I would rather have no nickname at all. The past season, having no nickname, at all, kind of grew on me. I do like the fact the alumni are going to be part of the process in picking the new nickname. Now, lets just hope the right alumni are selected.

Related articles

• NDSU won't play UND until nickname situation is resolved
• UND alumni groups plan campaign for nickname retirement
• Letter from the NCAA to UND

Frozen Four: Zach Parise predicts UND win

Former Fighting Sioux All-American forward Zach Parise predicts a 4-2 , Fighting Sioux victory over the Gophers. With an empty net goal, no doubt.

Related articles

• UND Sorority To Undergo Sensitivity Training After Referencing Fighting Sioux Logo Controversy In Banner

NCAA Hypocrisy? Does anyone see anything wrong here?

Dear @NCAA @espn Tell me again how Fighting Sioux is "Hostile and Abusive" and THIS isn't? #DoubleStandard #UND #FSU http://t.co/VAOKA9lmb7
— JRoads ™ (@JRoadsreal) October 22, 2013

Ah what the heck... Does anyone see anything wrong here? A white person dressed up like a Native American. Yet the Fighting Sioux nickname is offensive? Give me a break. I know that FSU has tribal support, but what is more offensive? I had a sociology professor in graduate school that said Native American mascots were a red face minstrel. Maybe this is what he was talking about? I am not against Native American nicknames, but this is ridculous.

Related articles

• What's in a name? Redskins stirs up a controversy (utsandiego.com)
• ESPN: No Comment on Talent 'Wearing the Native Equivalent of Black Face' (theatlantic.com)

A trip down memory lane before bed...

A video before bed. I never get tired of watching this replay. This was one of my favorite Fighting Sioux hockey teams. Former Fighting Sioux forward Chris Porter puts the puck through Jeff Frazee's massive five hole to send UND to 2007 NCAA Frozen Four at St. Louis, Missouri. This game was sweet revenge for the Gophers beating UND the week before in the Final Five on a fluke goal by former Gopher forward Blake Wheeler.

Book Review: One Goal, From a UND Hockey Fan's Perspective

Coach Hakstol addresses his team after a game
One Goal, Allison Davis O’Keefe

This Christmas my wife gave me the book “One Goal” by Allison Davis O’Keefe.  If this book was not under your Christmas tree and you are thinking of purchasing it, do it.

I was told that they’re flying off of the shelves at the Sioux Shop. “One Goal” is on sale for $45.23 at the Ralph Engelstad Arena Sioux Shop. According to the Sioux Shop webpage, the book is still in stock.

In my opinion, this is a great gift idea for that person that loves UND hockey. I am glad that I found this book under my Christmas tree, and I am thankful for receiving it. Of course, this is coming from a guy that makes no apologies for his love of UND hockey. I don’t think that’s necessarily a bad thing, because I believe that the book’s audience is UND hockey fans.

If you’re a Fighting Sioux hockey fan and you followed the team during the 2010-11 season – you lived the memories that are well-documented in this book – “One Goal” will also bring back emotions that you experienced during the season.

I know the name changed for good on June 12, 2012 but for the purposes of this review, the team is referred to as Fighting Sioux, because that was the team’s name at the time.

“One Goal” is an emotional, thoughtful and personal look into the 2010-11 UND Fighting Sioux hockeyseason. “One Goal” also gives UND hockey fans a chance at closure, seeing their favorite team lose in the semifinals of the 2011 Frozen Four. This was a very painful experience for the team, the community and the fans.

“One Goal” also does a good job humanizing UND head hockey coach Dave Hakstol as well.

Coach Hakstol with his wife Erin after a game.
One Goal, Allison Davis O’Keefe

Being credentialed by UND for the last year and a half has allowed me to get a closer look at a man that many fans might not totally understand. In my opinion, Hakstol at times, has been unfairly bagged on by some in the UND fan base.

From the “front stage” perspective, Hakstol comes off a bit stiff, but also very serious and businesslike. One of my friends once asked me “when Hakstol was going to take the hanger out of his suit coat.”  If anything, this book gives the readers a chance to get a different look at the man that many fans have not seen.

From the “front stage” Hakstol at times also comes off as being a “bit” intimidating, if not standoffish.

Coach Hakstol is a very passionate person when it comes to UND Hockey and that emanates from the book as well.

“One Goal” gives a glimpse into the “back stage” version of Dave Hakstol, but also the 2010-11 Fighting Sioux Hockey team as well. You see a guy that’s a family man.

“One Goal” really does a good job giving the fans a closer look at the senior class of 2011, especially seniors Matt Frattin and Chay Genoway, two of the bigger stars in a very star-studded line up.

While Frattin was known for his bone-crushing hits and timely goals on the ice, you see a different side of a young man off the ice. You see a reflective Frattin stopping to collect his thoughts before a big game.

The 2010-11 version of UND hockey was probably one of UND’s best teams during the Dave Hakstol era that made it to the Frozen Four; in my opinion that team should have hung a banner, but in the end could not seal the deal and bring home the hardware. That is  also illustrated in the book.

“One Goal” also illustrates that it’s more than just being about hockey, it’s about comradeship and being there for your teammates.

UND not winning the NCAA title in 2010-11 left a void in the hearts of Fighting Sioux hockey fans all across the Fighting Sioux fan base. You can see from the pictures in the book, that the loss also affected the players as well.

There are few if any written words in this book, but the pictures tell the story about a hockey season that did not quite end the way most of us would have wanted.

You see the cold reality of losing and also the cold barren winter prairie that comes alive when Fighting Sioux Hockey is in town playing at the Ralph.

Historically, the 2010-11 Fighting Sioux hockey team was also the last “full” season of UND being called the Fighting Sioux.

There is a bit of irony in the book, the Fighting Sioux nickname is supposed to be “hostile and abusive” or at least that’s what we’re led to believe based on what the NCAA has said in the past.  Yet there is a picture of Fighting Sioux fans of Native American descent at the Midwest Regional wearing jerseys sporting the Fighting Sioux logo. How could that be?

The Fighting Sioux came into the Frozen Four on a 15-game unbeaten streak (14-0-1) and won theMacNaughton Cup by six points over second-place Denver.

UND also won the Broadmoor Trophy in impressive fashion beating DU 3-2 in the championship game in two over times, but the team didn’t touch either trophy when it was presented to them at center ice. UND would then travel to Green Bay, Wisconsin and roll through the NCAA Midwest Regional Semifinal beating RPI 6-0 and DU 6-1 in impressive fashion.

The 2010-11 team was built to win a national title and was by far the best team in the WCHA during the regular season and first three rounds of the playoffs, but as we have learned in the past, the best team doesn’t always win. Just ask Brendan Morrison from Michigan.

Matt Frattin after the Frozen Four loss against Michigan
One Goal, Allison Davis O’Keefe

The 2010-11 Fighting Sioux Hockey team had higher aspirations, but it appeared from a bystander and the book illustrates that the Fighting Sioux hockey team didn’t really stop long enough to enjoy the moment.

Fighting Sioux head coach Dave Hakstol made mention of this to the author of the book a year and a half later. From the afterword of One Goal; “he [Hakstol] wished he had allowed the team to relish their wins – that perhaps the pressure of “destiny” prevented them from appreciating their accomplishments.”

There are a few examples of this in the book. You can see the lonely Broadmoor Trophy and a MacNaughton Cup sitting at center ice just begging to be picked up and paraded around the Ralph and the Xcel Energy Center. Some of the college hockey media people seem almost taken back by that, I think the author might have been as well. None-the-less, the author gives you the opportunity to ponder that for yourself.

I have now read the book “One Goal” about ten times and I find something new each time that I re-read the book, the first time I read it I got tears in my eyes. I highly recommend picking up a copy so you can relive the memories of the UND Fighting Sioux’s 2010-11 season. It’s like you can feel the memories coming out in the pictures of the book.

It would be interesting to see the pictures that didn’t make the book.

Originally posted at the Hockey Writers Combine... 

The morning after the UND vs. UA game



Get off of the ledge...