From today's local fish wrapper, err, Grand Forks Herald. But what else would you expect from them? I have always said, outside of the sports page, which is awesome, this news paper disappoints me.
I have to respectfully disagree with Tom Dennis. There’s really no need to hurry picking a new nickname. Nicknames are something that we’re stuck with for a very long. If the University makes a hurried, hasteful decision, the University is going to be stuck with some stupid nickname that no one can get behind, or want on the front of their jerseys and t-shirts... Then what? I am dead serious here. Honestly, I could see this happening. One of my biggest fears is that the University will be pressured into picking some stupid nickname like Sun Dogs or Flickertails.
Let’s slow down, get together and move forward with a purpose. Let's not do this willy-nilly. Moreover, let’s not just pick a nickname, just to pick a nickname. Let’s select something that’s not going to alienate a lot of people, especially alumni.
Also, UND can’t even pick a new nickname until 2015. It’s not like UND is going to order new uniforms for their sports teams half way through the year. This is not going to happen.
The first thing that we need to address is the committee/mechanism that chooses the new nickname. Who will be on this committee that picks the new nickname? Obviously, this committee that doesn’t exist yet. The major question is who’s going to help choose this new nickname? Again, if the alumni think that the “wrong” people are part of the process, or if a block of people are left out of the process, you’re going to alienate your alumni base. The University can’t afford to alienate their loyal alumni base.
Tom Dennis, Grand Forks Herald – “We want to emphasize that the work of this group will be to establish a process, not to select a new nickname or logo,” said one administrator. And even that tepid description sounds fiery next to this one, which another official offered:Dennis goes on…
“We don’t have a process yet, but what we’re doing is preparing to create a process.”
In our view, this timidity on the part of UND’s administration is a mistake. The university has a lot to gain and not a whole lot to lose by striding confidently toward its goal, which is to line up lots of nickname suggestions, choose the most exciting one and then announce that choice with trumpets and confetti.
Sorry, but the current “University of North Dakota” moniker just isn’t enough. Harvard has the most recognizable academic name on the planet; but Harvard doesn’t call its sports teams, “Harvard.” They are the Harvard Crimson.Contrary to some’s point of view, no nickname works just fine. This has worked for a year already. Sure, it takes time blending UND into blog posts and game reports, but this is a minor issue.
The Yale Bulldogs, University of Michigan Wolverines, Ohio State Buckeyes … the list goes on. In fact, it goes on forever, as virtually every other college in America has a team nickname, regardless of how famous the institution is.
