Savard en route to Buffalo

This is good news for the Boston Bruins because it mean that their best players is getting better and could make a return to the ice soon. It's no mystery that the Boston Bruins who are already offensively challenged are a much better team with Marc Savard in the line up.

Marc Savard will travel to Buffalo this afternoon and participate in tomorrow's morning skate. Savard visited with Dr. Kelly McInnis this morning, and although he hadn't gotten any results, he believes he has been cleared for contact. Tomorrow will be the first time Savard skates with his teammates, although given the nature of morning skates, it doesn't project to be a high-tempo session.

"Just getting my wind back," Savard said. "You can do biking or whatever you want. But nothing's like being on the ice. Just keep taking it a day at a time and get stronger that way." [Boston Globe Hockey Blog]

Lindy Ruff unhappy with the officating.

I know it sounds cliché but this series is a perfect example of why you have to play a full sixty minutes to win a hockey game. The Sabres have had two goal leads in two of the four games and the Bruins have come back to win the games. The Bruins made the adjustments so far in this series and the Sabres didn’t.

The Bruins cashed in on their opportunities last night and the Sabres did not. The Sabres coach, Buffalo media and the Sabres fans can blame the officiating for the loss last night but the officiating was equally poor on both ends of the ice last night. That dog doesn’t hunt in this case.

If anything the officiating has been consistently poor in every game that I have watched. The other night I watched Andrew Ference get a 10 minute misconduct for getting punched and not fighting back. So if anything both team have legitimate complaints about the poor officiating. If anything the level of officiating has degraded and taken a step back this year. It is what it is, the fact remains the Bruins have out played the Sabres for most of this series and that is why the Bruins are on the verge of eliminating the Buffalo Sabres and sending them to the golf course. If it wasn’t for Ryan Miller the Bruins would have won the series 4-0 all ready.

BOSTON — Lindy Ruff's wallet could be a few bucks lighter after he's finished paying a fine for criticizing the officials, but you could understand his frustration after the game Wednesday. A terrible call in the third period shifted momentum to the Bruins and enabled them to crawl back from another two-goal deficit.

Cody McCormick was summoned by Buffalo from Portland to add some much-needed muscle and tenacity, and that's exactly what he provided. He made a great play to set up Tim Kennedy for the first goal. And he was going hard to the net when he was taken off of his feet before slamming into Tuukka Rask, leading to goaltender interference.

Terrible call? Definitely.

Tough break? Yes.

Ruff had a legitimate beef and allowed his emotions to get the better of him, plain and simple. He could blame Drew Stafford for jumping off the bench too soon, which led to Miroslav Satan, of all people, scoring on a power play backhander in the second overtime. All it takes is one bad play, one mental mistake, to cost a team in the postseason.

The Sabres are in a world of trouble after the 3-2 loss in TD Garden. They're staring down the barrel of elimination Friday with the best-of-seven series shifting back to Buffalo. They have lost three straight to the Bruins. They put together their best performance in Game Four, and it wasn't enough.

No, it does not look good.

Craig Rivet vs Milan Lucic

This was a good fight for Milan Lucic as he handed it to Craig Rivet. I think the fight also fired up both teams. For Lucic to be affective he must play tough and finish his checks.

NHL on TSN - Opening Montage - Avatar Style - Apr 21st 2010

Check out this opening montage for last night's game between the Washington Capitals and the Montreal Canadians. Think the NHL is banking on Ovechkin keeping peoples eyes glued to the television.

Tuukka Rask saves the Bruins

Check out this amazing save by Tuukka Rask in third period of tonight's game. I would say that this is the save of the season for the Boston Bruins.

Boston Bruins on the Verge of a series win.

What a beautiful goal by former Buffalo Sabre Miroslav Satan to beat the Sabres. I must say that I am very happy because it's been 18 years since the Boston Bruins have beaten the Buffalo Sabres in the Stanley Cup playoffs, (1991-1992 season Bruins win series 4-3). The Boston Bruins are on the verge of winning the series against their heated rival.

Joe Pavelski's OT goal against the Avs

Not a former Fighting Sioux hockey player but a former WCHA star. Former Wisconsin Badger Hockey player Joe Pavelski scored the game winning goal against the Colorado Av's last night to even the series with the Av's 2-2. Seriously, what a shot to end the game by the former Badger forward. Pavelsi blew the puck past Anderson, making him look like a rented goalie.

Hoeven: Give everybody time to speak

Governor soon to be North Dakota Senator John Hoeven has finally manned up and stepped into the nickname process. This is the right decision. Frankly, I have wondered what has taken Hoeven so long? I wish some of the states other political leaders would have stepped up earlier in this matter.

Gov. John Hoeven has advised the chancellor of the North Dakota University System to “give due consideration to any vote by the Standing Rock Sioux Tribe” regarding the UND Fighting Sioux nickname if it occurs before Nov. 30.

In his letter to Chancellor Bill Goetz, dated Tuesday, Hoeven noted that the state Supreme Court recently affirmed the State Board of Higher Education’s “authority and responsibility to decide on the use of the logo” subject to a lawsuit and settlement agreement involving UND and the NCAA, which considers American Indian nicknames and logos hostile and abusive.

The board on April 8 directed UND to begin the transition away from the 80-year-old nickname.

“It is important, however, that all involved in the process of deciding whether or not to retain it feel that they have been adequately heard,” the governor wrote.

Hoeven was asked last week by nickname supporters at the Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe to use his influence with higher education officials to allow the people of Standing Rock to speak to the issue. He forwarded a copy of that appeal, from the Spirit Lake Committee for Understanding and Respect, to Goetz and to Richie Smith, president of the higher education board.

Under terms of the lawsuit settlement between UND and the NCAA, the university had until Nov. 30 to win the blessing of the two namesake tribes or begin retiring the nickname and logo.

Spirit Lake voters gave their support last year, but the Standing Rock Tribal Council, citing procedural hurdles and calling such a vote a low priority, has not scheduled one despite the presentation by nickname supporters on the reservation of petitions containing more than 1,000 signatures.

Tribal officials have said they are looking into what would be required by tribal law and the Standing Rock constitution to hold a plebiscite on the nickname.

Eunice Davidson, one of the signers of the Spirit Lake appeal, said that she and others on her committee “would have liked a more forceful response” from the governor.

“But I think he responded the best he could, and we are grateful for the governor’s statement,” she said. “I believe it leaves the door open, if Standing Rock does have their vote, for the Board of Higher Education to revisit their decision.”

Duaine Espegard, a member of the state board from Grand Forks, said today the board “absolutely” would revive the nickname issue if Standing Rock votes and offers its support.

“It appears the governor agrees with what we’ve been saying,” he said. “Should they vote at Standing Rock, and it is positive (toward continued use of the nickname), we would certainly give them consideration — and beyond that, go with them.”

So far, “no progress has been made” on arranging a vote at Standing Rock, Espegard said. “But if they do vote, and they give approval and a long-term agreement, absolutely I’ll bring it back,” he said.

“It’s what I anticipated the governor would say,” board member Grant Shaft, also of Grand Forks, said.

“We all agree it would be the best scenario if Standing Rock members were able to vote,” he said. “That’s what we’ve been asking for for 2½ years. And if they do vote, the board should give that due consideration.”

Standing Rock Tribal Chairman Charles Murphy and Jesse Taken Alive, a council member who opposes UND’s use of the nickname, were not immediately available for comment.

Davidson said she has talked with Archie Fool Bear, a leader of the Standing Rock petition drive seeking a vote there. “I think a thousand people, their signatures on a petition — that says a lot,” Davidson said. “So I hope they (members of the tribal council) allow them to have a vote. They should.” [Grand Forks Herald]

Jarkko Ruutu thumps uber hack Matt Cooke

Not that I am fan of Jarkko Ruutu (this is the same clown that bit Andrew Peters) but it was nice to see Matt Cooke getting more of what he deserves. I would like to give Ruutu a medal for him punching one of the biggest hacks in the NHL and that is saying a lot because there are many of them.

Vladimir Sobotka vs Andrej Sekera

Decent fight by Sobotka. I want someone to tell me what Andrew Ference did to recieve a 10 minute misconduct? Not to Ference if someone is punching you like that stop being a puss and fight back. You look like a clown pleading to the ref to rescue you. What you should have done is punch Craig Rivet back.

The Canucks goal that wasn't

I was watching this game last night and the Vancouver Canucks had an apparent legal goal waived off. If I had been reffing I would have ruled it a legit goal. Puck Daddy thinks the Canucks were jobbed. I think looking at the video there is a case for the argument that the Canucks were screwed in the ruling.

1. Did Sedin and the Canucks get jobbed?

Totally. The only reason many felt it was a borderline call when it went to replay is because we know how the War Room treats these situations. By the letter of the law, it's legal. From the NHL Rulebook, as a refresher:

While the goal being waved off by the refs was a factor in the Canucks loss last night, their goalie Roberto Luongo was brutal and so was the Canucks penalty kill as well. Wild fans are probably smiling today.

Andy Sutton runs over and destroys Jordan Leopold

You have to wonder if Andy Sutton (MTU) doesn't like his fellow WCHA alums as this is the second guy in a week that he took out with a tough legal hit. Former Gopher Jordan Leopold looks like he was out cold after running into the tree trunk that is Andy Sutton. Andy Sutton also destroyed former Sioux Drew Stafford with this hit.

HNIC - Coach's Corner - Saturday Apr 17th 2010

Back by popular demand.

Bruins 2 Sabres 1

Boychuk's smokes Ellis (update - Savard skates today)

Check out this hit; the Bruin's defenseman Johnny Boychuk lights up the Sabres Matt Ellis and smokes him like a cheap cigar. I think this might be the check of the Stanley Cup Playoffs so far.

Some good news for Boston Bruins fans, Mark Savard skated today.

Marc Savard, symptom-free for over a week, skated on his own for the first time this morning and said he felt like his old self.

"I feel great," Savard said. "The biggest thing is that over the last seven days, I've had some great days."

Savard passed an exertion test yesterday. Savard plans to skate on his own again tomorrow morning, then undergo a neuro-psych test in the afternoon. If Savard passes, he will be cleared to return to practice, although he wasn't sure if he'd jump in with his teammates right away. Once he passes the test, it will be up to Savard and the training staff to determine when he's physically ready for game action.

"If you're asking me that, I'd like to play tonight," said Savard when asked if he could play in this series. "I've got to be realistic here and take the proper steps. I'm hopeful. I'm hopeful."

Savard acknowledged he's still not close to game shape, considering he hasn't been involved in any physical activity for over a month.

"He's been out for six weeks," Claude Julien said. "He's not been able to exercise. If you're going to be fair to the player and fair to the team, we've got to give him a chance to get back into shape. That doesn't happen overnight. That's why we've got to take it one step at a time and see how he does. Hopefully he continues to get better. The quicker it is, the better it is for everyone." [Boston Globe Hockey Blog]

Nickname fans willfully ignore complexities

So when you disagree with someone's point of view the best thing to do is resort to name calling and labeling. The social racial Sal Alinsky would be proud of Ms Hofmann; she probably has a copy of his book Rules for Radicals herself. Against my better judgment I am going to use this latest opinion piece to illustrate this point. This latest diatribe in today’s Herald is from one of SCSU’s self proclaimed Elite professors, let me make sure that I am getting this right. Sioux fans who like the logo are racist and miss informed, so we are just a bunch of uneducated rubges. So what about the Native Americans that support the Fighting Sioux nickname? I mean seriously the last thing we need is someone from SCSU lecturing us on race relations. SCSU is a university that has been marred by racial incidents.

ST. CLOUD, Minn. — Editors, publishers, sports fans and coaches are scratching their heads over the decision by the State Board of Higher Education to retire the UND logo and nickname.

They say they just don’t get it. They say they don’t understand what is going on with these tribal governments.

I agree. They don’t get it. I believe that they have no real concept of complex Dakota/Lakota/Nakota culture, tribal life or governance, nor do they comprehend the profound challenges in many tribal communities across the Dakotas.

They don’t understand because they haven’t had to understand. That is what privilege looks like.

Nickname supporters essentially have learned nothing about the Dakota/Lakota/Nakota people after all these decades of using their image and name for athletics at UND. All the claims of “learning” about these American Indian populations through the use of the nickname/logo would not earn most fans a passing grade.

They know little about how this issue has torn apart tribal communities in North Dakota and South Dakota. Nickname supporters likely are not aware of how groups have been pitted against each other over the nickname issue in terms of gender, age and districts within the Standing Rock and Spirit Lake nations. They don’t understand how the tribal governments have agonized over being put in this unenviable position of determining the fate of the nickname when it should have been the decision of the state board long ago.

Supporters also don’t identify the larger issues of race. They want to hang onto the image of the fighting warrior in some macho way. They don’t understand that the Dakota/Lakota/Nakota male “warrior “ was someone who was protecting his family and land from well-armed settlers and the military representing territorial interests.

It is a bloody, tragic history. It is time to stop memorializing — or even romanticizing — this image at athletics contests.

No one is learning anything at UND games about these genocidal atrocities. Could pro-nickname fans write even one coherent page on Dakota/Lakota/Nakota history and contemporary concerns that they would be willing to defend in a Native Studies course?

If UND has specific educational objectives or student outcomes linked to learning the history and culture of Indian people, then move this mission to a racial issues requirement within the General Education curriculum. That is where it belongs.

Students should be required to read deeply about Indian issues and dialogue about course content with skilled instructors.

The curriculum that has been learned at sporting events is a superficial or tourist approach to learning about Indian culture and arguably could be a lesson in bigotry and racism.

It seems that pro-nickname enthusiasts are not sincerely interested in learning the true history and contemporary issues affecting Dakota/Lakota/Nakota people but have used this as a ruse in defending the nickname and logo.

If pro-nickname UND fans honestly wanted to embrace and honor Indian culture, then they should abandon the one-dimensional image of the male warrior and learn the rich, diverse story of the Dakota/Lakota/Nakota people.

The UND logo and nickname do not tell this story any more than, for example, “Gone with the Wind” did for African Americans held in slavery in the antebellum South.
[Grand Forks Herald]

Dan Boyle score; oops wrong net.

Oh my! First this is a perfect example for goalies and why they you should be ready to make a save at all times no matter what. Yeah, it sucks to be Dan Boyle. Funny, it reminds me of Steve Smith of the Edmonton Oiler's in 1986 who scored on his own net during game seven of the Stanley playoffs against the Calgary Flames.

Walters de-commits to Gophers, the drama continues

This was the story that had everyone a buzz on twitter the last couple of days. I guess it's ok for Jacob C-Piss to attempt to be an agitator but not Ryan Walters? What the hell is that? I am sure someone will take him. One has got to think that Lucia isn't long for the University of Minnesota Hockey team.

Ryan Walters, a high-scoring forward for Des Moines of the USHL, has de-committed to the Gophers. Walters met with the Gophers coaches on Friday and was asked to play a third year of junior hockey and to be less of an agitator, according to his father.

Walters decided on Saturday that he will play college hockey somewhere else.

Walters, 18, committed to the Gophers in October of 2007 when he was a sophomore at St. Thomas Academy. He has played for Des Moines the past two seasons.

He had 21 goals and 40 assists for 61 points this season, which puts him 12th in the league in scoring.

But the Gophers apparently did not have room on their 2010-11 roster for him. [Goal Gophers]

Slick Zach Parise goal...

Check out this pretty goal by former Fighting Sioux hockey player Zach Parise.

Redwing77's Nickname Musings

I thought about posting this as a response but it is rather too long for a comment so...

Isn't it intriguing how outlooks change?

When this whole ordeal started, it was the NCAA and the tribes that were the "enemy" and the SBoHE and UND Admin the White Knights.

HA! Looks like the enemy was not outside our own tent but in it!

The Tribes wanted their say. They almost got it. The SBoHE took their say away from them.

Where does this put each party?

NCAA - Brand is laughing from his grave. Franklin is smiling because he surely believes that if UND had just caved initially, then UND would have not been in such a predicament (not true) and now he gets to say "I warned you" AND get his and Brand's way.

SBoHE - They get their moment of "glory." They'll forever be remembered in both a well spun positive light "Bringing enlightened thought and conscious compassion to an embattled and beleaguered populace through the elimination of a caustic reminder of such a plight" and a negative one NDSU and its debacle. In truth, they got their glory. They got their names in the papers. They'll be remembered in one way or another.

UND Admin - In truth, they could fight it and look bad to those who can fire them, they can be indifferent and tempt negative response from the people who can fire them, or they can support the SBoHE blindly and be lauded by the State Board as champions of cooperation and collaboration. They are reprehensible, but they are politicians so... we should've known this was going to be the path they chose.

The Tribes - Screwed. HA! History repeats itself. They're now ignored, sentenced to a plight that could mean less public awareness, and no longer have any leverage for any sort of vocal power outside of the reservation. AND it is not of their doing. So, they get the added "bonus" of being lumped into the SBoHE as the enemy because they "Started it."

Talk about a clusterfu**

Where do we go from here?

Well, I've always been a fan of the University of North Dakota Fighting Cavalry, as the 1st Cavalry Division has part of its history and makeup in North Dakota, and not just the Custer reference.

It sounds cool. It has no Native American imagery or symbolism. And since the military has always been a part of North Dakota and Grand Forks (despite that being Air Force really) it would be really nice.

We can keep kelly green and have almost a camo color scheme. Or we can go into the face of everyone and go Union Blue, Gold, and White or Gray.

Or we can go with no nickname at all. I like this one. PLUS we have the unis already made up (admittedly, this is a women's hockey shot but I can't find a better picture).

Then we get rid of that statue outside of the Ralph. Instead, put up a statue of Teddy Roosevelt with some "inspiring" quotes of his... such as:

"I don't go so far as to think that the only good Indians are dead Indians, but I believe nine out of ten are, and I shouldn't inquire too closely into the case of the tenth. The most vicious cowboy has more moral principle than the average Indian." - Theodore Roosevelt

In conclusion, when I do think about the NCAA, I think of the hand gesture "You're #1." However, I give them that gesture without using my thumb, pinky, index, or ring fingers. Think about it. As for the nickname, I'm going to see how it plays out, and move on accordingly. I'll still be a fan of UND hockey.

Chat with UND AD Brian Faison

Today there was a chat with Brian Faison the Athletic Director of UND.

12:16 [Comment From Grand Forks Guy:] You say your personal thoughts don't matter in the process. We think they do! What are your thoughts on losing the nickname?

12:18 Brian Faison: In my two years at the University, I've repeatedly been struck by the incredible emotion and support of our alumni and fans for the University and for Fighting Sioux athletics. I've been privileged to serve at different institutions around the country and nowhere is the allegiance as strong as here. There's no question this decision is a difficult one for our fans and people are struggling to deal with this in their own personal way.

12:20 Friday April 16, 2010: It would appear from the articles earlier in the week that Tom Douple or Brian Faison are not being up front with Wayne Nelson. Douple told Wayne Nelson on Wednesday that he didn't know if UND's application for membership in the Summit League would be reviewed. After that story appeared in yesterday's GF Herald, Brian Faison contacted Wayne Nelson with information that Tom Douple "told him that UND's application" would indeed be reviewed in May (or June). Which is it? Seems there have been many people running with the CYA approach this week; including Grant Shaft and Duaine Espegard, as well as Wayne Stenehjem. I hope that the Sioux name wasn't sold out for a "promise" on the Summit League that likely isn't ever coming. Would also be nice to see the UND Administration, including athletics, be VOCAL in SUPPORT of the SIOUX NAME.

12:22 Brian Faison: Commissioner Douple has been consistent in his conversations with me in terms of timing and the process for possible membership consideration. Specific to my most recent conversation with Commissioner Douple, he stated that he would place UND on the agenda for the Summitt Conference president's meeting in June, at which time they would discuss UND, as well as any other schools that may have applied. The conference has a specific process they go through in considering membership application.

12:23 Brian Faison: Commissioner Douple indicated that he will continue to monitor the situation at UND.

12:43 [Comment From UND Q: ] If UND can't get into the Summit until 2012 or 2013, and the nickname issue will be resolved by Nov. 30, 2010, why won't the Summit consider UND now? And is the nickname really that big of an issue to the Summit schools if almost all of them are currently playing UND in one sport or another?

12:45 Brian Faison: Great question. We've made that argument but the answer has been that the issue needs to be officially resolved.

12:47 [Comment From Guest Guest:] If we are unable to enter the Summit until 2013 what was the hurry in abrubtly ending the process of gaining tribal appoval? Is it fair to say that the only quick resolution that you mentioned earlier is/was changing the name...therefore is it safe to say that is the direction you recomended to the SBOHE.

12:48 Brian Faison: Resolution is resolution. It has never been about doing away with or keeping the nickname; it has been about getting the issue resolved and satisfying the terms of the NCAA settlement agreement.

Spirit Lake group urges Governor Hoeven to step in on Sioux nickname issue

Here is the latest news on the Fighting Sioux nickname. Members of the Spirit Lake Tribe are urging Governor Hoeven to get involved in the nickname issue. Govenor John Hoeven has said he will look at this issue. It will be interesting to see if soon to be North Dakota Senator John Hoeven will get involved in the nickname issue. You can send him an email with your feeling on the issue at this email address governor@nd.gov.

Bismarck, N,D. (AP) — Gov. John Hoeven says he'll review a letter from some Spirit Lake Sioux tribal members who want his help in keeping the University of North Dakota's Fighting Sioux nickname.

The Board of Higher Education has decided to retire the nickname. The Spirit Lake tribal members want Hoeven to ask the board to take back its decision. They say the Standing Rock Sioux tribe needs more time to respond to the issue.

Hoeven wouldn't say whether he would approach board members directly on the issue. He says he'd like the board to work things out.

State Board of Higher Education President Richie Smith says he'd be surprised if Hoeven intervened.

Smith says the Standing Rock Sioux tribal council has passed on several chances to show support for the nickname.

Links

Plains Daily; Tribe wants Hoeven to presssure Higher Ed Board

SayAnyThingBlog.com; Sioux Indians Ask Gov Hoeven To Intervene On UND Nickname, Board Says They’ll Listen If He Does

Fighting Sioux backers appeal to Gov. Hoeven

The nickname supporters from SPIRIT LAKE want the North Dakota Governor to intervene in the nickname dispute.

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) — A group of Spirit Lake Sioux tribal members who lost a court fight on the University of North Dakota's Fighting Sioux nickname want Gov. John Hoeven to intervene.

In a letter to the governor, five tribal members asked Hoeven to press the Board of Higher Education to take back its decision last week to drop the nickname.

Although Hoeven appoints the board, it is independent. Its members may ignore the governor if they wish.

The tribal members recently sued in state district court to attempt to block the board from making a decision on the nickname until Nov. 30. The deadline was set in a lawsuit settlement with the NCAA.

The North Dakota Supreme Court ruled last week the Board of Higher Education may change the nickname as it pleases.

Summit League to address UND application in June

Now the Summit League will discuss UND's application for admission to the Summit League during their June meeting. Does anyone else's head hurt yet?

The Summit League will discuss UND’s application to join the 10-team conference in June.

UND athletic director Brian Faison said he talked to Summit commissioner Tom Douple on today. Douple told the UND athletic director that the school’s application to join the Summit will be discussed at a meeting of league presidents in June.

“That is just the first step in the process,” Faison said.

UND has applied to join the Summit, the league that best fits UND and its move to Division I athletics.
[Grand Forks Herald]

Being in a rush to drop the Fighting Sioux nickname has no benefit to UND

The UND president and athletic director were in such a hurry to drop the Fighting Sioux nickname and yet it has yielded not positive results for the University of North Dakota. So my first question is; was the Summit conference a proxy for the NCAA in pressuring UND to drop the Fighting Sioux? Now that the Summit/NCAA is successful in getting UND to drop the Fighting Sioux name there really is no hurry for the mediocre Summit League to rush to act on UND’s application to the Summit conference. Why should they? The Summit holds all of the cards. Second it would appear that UND has been had, what do you think? I also wouldn’t be surprised if the Summit rejected UND’s application. It doesn’t appear that UND to the Summit is a slam dunk like some said it was.

The decision to retire the UND nickname and logo hasn’t been a topic of hot conversion at the Summit League.

What that means, however, is anyone’s guess.

Summit commissioner Tom Douple said Wednesday that the league is watching the situation at UND now that the school has begun the process of retiring its controversial nickname and logo.

The league, however, has not acted in any official capacity regarding UND’s desire to join the 10-team conference.

“Right now, we’re going to monitor the situation,” Douple said.

UND has applied to join the Summit, the league that best fits UND and its move to Division I athletics. The Summit, however, said it won’t consider UND until the controversy surrounding the school’s nickname and logo is resolved.

Last week, the North Dakota State Board of Higher Education set in motion the process to retire the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo.

Douple said he was out of town last week and did not return to the Summit office in Elmhurst, Ill., until Tuesday. The commissioner said he has yet to talk to UND athletic director Brian Faison about the SBoHE’s actions.

The league’s presidents will meet in June. But Douple said there is no indication the presidents will address UND’s application to join the league at that time.

“I’ll update the presidents in June,” he said.

The league currently is at 10 teams, although Centenary — a small school in Louisiana — will leave the Summit after the conclusion of the 2010-11 season. At that time, South Dakota — a school that made the jump to Division I athletics at the same time as did UND — will join the Summit.
[read the whole article]

April 14th, 2010 Coach's Corner

This is the reason that I like CBC's coverage of the Stanley Cup playoffs, I love listening to Ron MacLean & Don Cherry go back and forth. Most American's don't get to see CBC unless you live close to border like I do. Fighting Sioux hockey recruit Dillon Simpson was also mentioned on the coaches corner tonight.

RW77's Late Frozen Four Wrap Up

Whoooo, what a week for me.

This weekend saw me in Chicago with some buddies so I wasn't so quick on the draw with the Frozen Debacle at the Hockey Are... I mean Ford Field.

But first...

An Apology to Boston College

Yeah, I'm sorry guys. I didn't see it happening. Muse looked pathetic vs. Yale and I let one game get to me. From a bar on State and Rush (Shenanigans if you're interested) I watched the Eagles skate around the Badgers as if they were flies facing off against a hippo.

I found it interesting that BC took such easy care of Miami. I thought they'd be the easy outs in this round. But the Miami goaltender took a turn at pulling a Christobal Huet imitation.

Slight Vindication

Ok, I've maintained all year long that the NUMBER ONE SUPER WEAKNESS of the Badgers was between the pipes. BINGO!!! I win! Gudmanson looked L-O-S-T. He sucked. Flat out. Yeah, the D abandoned him but in these types of contests, goaltending makes or breaks it. And face it, Muse came to play. Gudmanson got lost on the way to Ford Field. I was STUNNED that Gudmanson stayed in the game. I would have pulled him after the 3rd goal.

Thank you so much, Ford Field

Thanks a bunch, Ford Field! You helped provide ample evidence to never return the Frozen Four to a NON HOCKEY ARENA!

Ok, there were the ticket issues and, yes, I've heard that the fan experience at Ford Field was ok, if not good overall. However, UW's Michael Davies and especially Derek Stepan can attest to the number one most important aspect of a championship game: FREAKING ICE.

In fact, I'd argue that the ICE is the MOST IMPORTANT ASPECT OF HOCKEY. Ever try to play ICE hockey on water? How about slush? How about several large slabs of ice stuck together with a thin layer of ice laid above it?

Well, they know now. The ice SUCKED. I talked to my buds at the bar and they looked at the ice and said, "Hey, is there supposed to be large cracks running down it?" I told them that I bet it was merely the lines of the football field coming through the ice.

Then Derek Stepan got injured. You see... when I saw he hit the boards, I SWORE I'd find a BC Eagle near him. NOPE. His edge hit one of those cracks and he flew, back of the head first, into the boards. He had to be helped off the ice. Yeah, losing edges happen but really... EVERYONE said the ice was bad. Coaches, officials, players, EVERYONE! So who's to say that they weren't cracks?

If Mike Eaves doesn't raise hell about the ice, he should be fired. No, I don't think it had any effect on the outcome, but hey, further proof that the NCAA only cares about $$$.

There is NO WAY a championship event AT ANY LEVEL OF HOCKEY should be held ANYWHERE OTHER THAN A HOCKEY ARENA. Yeah, you can have your crappy outdoor games and I'm not at all unopposed to a crappy game at Ford Field... provided it is either EXHIBITION or REGULAR SEASON. Playoffs? Nope. Tournement? Nope. Frozen Four? HELL NO.

The NCAA should be embarrassed but... they're probably just sitting in some stuffy board room with their Excel Spreadsheet in front of them laughing at the money.

Zach Parise and Travis Zajac react to Sioux name change

I found this article over on the New Jersey Devils website.

Parise, Zajac disappointed in Sioux change

Saturday, 04.10.2010 / 1:44 PM / News By Eric Marin

Parise and Zajac are both UND alumni.
Zach Parise's reaction to the news that the University of North Dakota would retire its “Fighting Sioux” nickname boiled down to one word.

“Disappointed,” Parise said Saturday. “I don’t know whose decision it was, but I think it’s a terrible decision.”

That echoed Travis Zajac's comments from Friday. The nickname had been in use since 1930.

"It kind of [stinks] because it’s a great name, it’s been the school’s name for a while," said Zajac. "I felt proud wearing the Fighting Sioux jersey and carrying that tradition. There’s a lot of tradition behind the hockey team and the school. I guess for that to be done, it kind of [stinks]."

Parise and Zajac each spent two seasons at UND, though they were never teammates. Parise was a member of the Sioux in 2002-03 and '03-04, and Zajac arrived in Grand Forks the next season.

“From going there and being a part of it, it’s something that you’re really proud of,” Parise said. “The only word I could think of was, ‘Stupid.’ I think it’s unfortunate. They’ve got a great history, a great tradition and everyone’s always respectful of the tribes and the name. You wore it with pride and I don't see a problem with it.”

Controversy has lingered for years over the nickname, which the NCAA considers “hostile and offensive,” according to the Associated Press. The Sioux logo is featured prominently throughout Ralph Engelstad Arena, the team's home rink which was completed in 2001.

“When they built the arena, you’d walk to class and sometimes you’d see some teachers with the Sioux logo with an ‘X’ through it,” Parise recalled. “I don’t know why; it just didn’t make a lot of sense to me. That topic was definitely floating around when I was there too, unfortunately.”

Parise believes the nickname will be fondly remembered.

“The people in Grand Forks are so proud of the university and proud of the athletics and proud of the name, that I’m sure they’re all [ticked] off, too,” he said. “I’ve never been to a place that’s more proud of its athletes and its athletics than there. It’s awesome. I think they’re going to be upset about the whole thing, too. They almost felt that they were a part of it, too. It was great.”

The Grand Forks Herald reported Thursday that the university’s athletic teams will be called the Sioux through the 2010-11 season while the school considers alternatives.

Parise didn’t sound eager to embrace the change.

“It’s stupid,” he said. “Nothing [else] is going to sound right.”

Bemidji State men's hockey: Matt Read forgoes NHL offers, will return for senior season

Coach Serratore just breathed a sigh of relief when he found out that his top player Matt Read is coming back next season for his senior year. Also, good news (or bad news, depending how you look at it) for WCHA fans will get to chance to see Matt Read play for the Beavers.

As collegiate hockey teams end their seasons each year, a list develops naming the players who decided to leave school early to sign professional contracts.

This year was no exception: Jordan Schroeder from Minnesota; Marc Cheverie, Patrick Wiercioch and Joe Colborne of Denver; and Zach Dalpe of Ohio State, to name a few, gave up collegiate eligibility to sign with the pros.

For most of Bemidji State’s 11-year history as a NCAA Division I program, the early departures were mainly high draft choices from the elite programs in the nation. Minnesota, North Dakota, Michigan and the like routinely lost high-end players each year.

Bemidji State lost its first player to the pros last year as goalie Matt Dalton gave up his final two years of college eligibility to sign with the Boston Bruins organization. Dalton’s signing, however, was the result of spectacular stretch run to end the regular season and an amazing drive to the Frozen Four.

But this year, things were different. This time around there was a local connection; a player who was on everyone’s radar from Day 1 of the season.

At Bemidji State, speculation swirled around junior center Matt Read and whether he would return for his senior season. Professional scouts were in attendance at every game the Beavers played this year, evaluating Read, whom head coach Tom Serratore called the most sought-after junior year free agent in the nation.

Read, who became Bemidji State’s first NCAA Division I All-American on Friday, ended all the speculation this week.

“It was the toughest decision I’ve ever had to make,” Read said. “As of now, I’m coming back to Bemidji State to complete my degree and play my final year of college hockey. Something very monumental would have to happen for that to change.

“I turned down some good offers from National Hockey League teams. It all came down to should I play in the NHL now, or come back to BSU and get my degree. Right now, I think it’s the best thing to come back.”
[Bemidji Pioneer]

Bruins score 3 short handed goals in the same penalty kill

Stick Salute to The Hockey Blog Adventure. They say it has never been done again and it is an NHL record. Think about this, the Bruins scored three short handed goals in the same penalty kill in a period of 64 seconds.

Where is Turco going?

As a college hockey fan I have enjoyed watching former Michigan goaltender Marty Turco play in the NHL. Now that his time in Dallas is up you have to wonder where he is going next? There are going to be some teams needing big time goaltenders and Turco will get a look.

Goaltender Marty Turco's time with the Dallas Stars is over.

General manager Joe Nieuwendyk says the Stars will not re-sign Turco, who just completed his ninth season with the team. Nieuwendyk said Tuesday that he felt it was time to go "in a different direction."

Kari Lehtonen, acquired from Atlanta in February, will go into next season as the team's top goaltender.

Turco, 34, just completed a four-year, $22.8 million US contract he signed in January 2006 that kept him from becoming a free agent at the end of that season.

In 509 regular season games for Dallas, Turco won 262 games with a .911 save percentage and 2.31 goals-against average. He appeared in 47 playoff games.
[CBC.COM]

Andy Sutton hit on Drew Stafford

This is the hit that led to former Fighting Sioux forward Drew Stafford's concussion and will cause Stafford to possibly miss the first round of the NHL playoffs against the Boston Bruins. This was a clean hard hit. Andy Sutton is a mountain of a man and he is going to bury anyone that comes across the blue line with his head down.

"Drew’s not doing so well," Sabres coach Lindy Ruff said. "He’s got a little bit of a concussion, and it looks like he’ll miss some time. To me, that looked like a pretty clean hit. It looked like he wanted to lower his head maybe and go inside, and I don’t know if that was a good decision."
[Sabres Edge]

Eschewing The Move On Mentality

Scott Hennen has a really good blog post today over on sayanythingblog.com about the Fighting Sioux name and it's worth a look. I would have to say that I agree with him.

The “move on” mentality is everywhere. “Let it go, Scott…” That’s what I’m starting to hear from some of lackluster Fighting Sioux faithful, and I can’t believe my ears. You would rather abandon 80 years of tradition than continue to fight an injustice being served not only to the Fighting Sioux fan base, but more importantly to the respective native tribes as well. Well fortunately for us real fans, there are still some folks out there who aren’t fazed by the continuation of the controversy.

We’ve all read the papers…the local media has revealed its ho-hum indifference to erasing the identity of our beloved UND athletics, but your Chairman isn’t ready to raise the white flag of surrender quite yet. Not until the real voices in this debate—-those belonging to the Native American tribes—-get their say. Sadly, last week’s board of higher education decision to abolish the Fighting Sioux nickname shows contempt for these voices. 1 board member revealed the pressure from the name change was coming from UND leadership. Not so fast folks! We still have some real leaders on the reservations trying to let their people speak out and put the issue to a vote.

We learned last week that Standing Rock Chairman Charles Murphy is committed to a referendum vote. Archie Fool Bear, Chairman of the judicial committee, has worked tirelessly on the reservation to garner over 1000 signatures asking for a vote. So Standing Rock will soon join Spirit Lake and each Sioux tribe is prepared to allow the people to decide. Then the NCAA objections and lawsuit, which had a November 2010 deadline, will have been answered. But we’re going to tell them it’s too late?

Bruins TV schedule for the playoffs

I just found the Bruins TV schedule for their first round series. I should be able to watch it on NHL Center Ice and or CBC. Versus, yawm! I am predicting the Boston Bruins in 7 games.

Thursday, 7 p.m. (NESN, CBC)
Saturday, 1 p.m. (NBC, CBC)
Monday, April 19, 7 p.m. (NESN, Versus, CBC)
Wednesday, April 21, 7 p.m. (NESN, Versus, CBC)
Friday, April 23, 7 p.m. (NESN, CBC)
Monday, April 26, 7 p.m. (NESN, CBC)
Wednesday, April 28, 7 p.m. (NESN, CBC)

The understatement of the year...

This comment is funny I almost fell off the couch when I saw it. From Mike Russo's end of the season article.

It's not like there's a blue-chip forward or two waiting in the wings. James Sheppard is not going to magically turn into Zach Parise.

Yep, James Sheppard sucks and isn't going to get any better. I hope they cut ties with this worthless stiff or trade him for a bag of pucks.

Gant Shaft; University of North Dakota doesn’t want the nickname any more.

Here is what Rob Port of SayAnythingBlog.com had to say about the Grant Shaft interview on Scott Hennen's radio show last Friday on A.M 1100 the Flag.

There is nothing stopping from state board of higher education from allowing the Standing Rock Sioux tribe to vote on the nickname. If that tribe votes as the Spirit Lake tribe has already, then the NCAA’s requirements for keeping the nickname will have been fulfilled.

The problem here is that university officials don’t even want the vote to happen.

This is Scott Hennen's interview with Jody Hodgson, the manager of the Ralph Englestad Arena. s/t SayAnythingBlog.com

Poll Monday?

USA TODAY/USA HOCKEY MAGAZINE POLL
[April 12, 2010 — final poll]
Team (First Place) Record Pts PR
1. Boston College (34) 29-10-3 510 3
2. Wisconsin 28-11-4 476 2
3. Miami 29-8-7 442 1
4. Denver 27-10-4 373 5
5. St. Cloud State 24-14-5 347 4
6. Yale 21-10-3 307 6
7. North Dakota 25-13-5 290 7
8. Michigan 26-18-1 271 8
9. Cornell 21-9-4 255 10
10. RIT 28-12-1 246 9
11. New Hampshire 18-14-7 179 11
12. Bemidji State 23-10-4 130 12
13. Northern Michigan 20-13-8 122 13
14. Ferris State 21-13-6 44 14
15. Alaska 18-12-9 36 15

Others Receiving Votes: Vermont 22, Minnesota Duluth 18, Union 12.

Analysis: I am not sure why they would even have a final poll. Give me a break RIT isn't the 10th best team in the country, I don't care if they made the Frozen Four before Wisconsin chewed them up and sent them home with the tails with their tails between their legs. They barely made 19th in the final pairwise rankings. I think song really explains the way I feel right now...

Monday morning ramblings...

Someone posted this over on Sioux Sports and it's worth a look, it's easy for opposition team’s newspapers and beat writers to be so smug and take the moral high ground when they are not the ones that are going through this process. Just wait till the political correctness Nazi’s decide that Bison is offensive and has to go. Yeah you laugh now.

Apparently, UND Fighting Sioux woman's basetball coach Gene Roebuck caused quite the stir with these comments, “If given the choice of keeping the name or getting into the Summit,” Roebuck said, “I’d definitely go with the Fighting Sioux. Personally I don’t have a problem with what Gene said; I guess it’s an issue that’s between him and the athletic director. Right now I am not all that happy with Faison or Kelly.

As you probably heard, the University of North Dakota will finally retire the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo, but not without making a scene.

Players, coaches and administrators have all dished out some priceless quotes about the situation. One of the best was women's basketball coach Gene Roebuck saying that he'd rather keep the nickname than gain entry in the Summit League, a conference that has said it won't consider the school for membership until the situation is resolved.

Now, why say that publicly? There seem to be only two reasons: A) He really believes that, which seems unlikely given that passing up a spot in a conference that has automatic bids into NCAA Division I tournaments is illogical or B) He's just saying that to stay on good terms with all the nickname loyalists in Grand Forks. And there are a lot of them. And they are powerful. That's another aspect that is astounding: This development could have been an opportunity for the school and the athletic department to stand unified and rally support for a new chapter, to say, "Sure, this stinks and we tried everything we could to prevent the change, but we're going to make the best of it. We're still going to be UND and we're going to be better than ever."

But it hasn't happened that way; the cringe-worthy comments keep coming. It's reminiscent of 2004, when some UND coaches blasted rival North Dakota State for moving to Division I - only to wind up making the same jump a few years later. [Argus Leader]

Mike Modano an American Hockey Legend.

I watched the end of the Wild and Dallas game after the Frozen Four and I have to admit that this got to me a bit, because I have nothing but fond memories of this guy. In my opinion he is one of the better American hockey players (1459 games 557 goals - 802 assists 1359 points) to play the game of hockey. It was a nice touch that Mike Modano was given the first star of the game.

Personally, I think a fitting end would be for Mike Modano to sign a contract with the Wild and play one more year and end his career in Minnesota with the Wild.

Putting the wraps on the season. Boston College Eagles soar yet again...

I was watching the B.C. and UW title game last night and it was eerily similar to the UND and B.C. game that took place on April 10th, 2008 during a NCAA Frozen Four Semifinal game where UND was spanked, thrashed or run over 6-1 by the freewheeling B.C. Eagles. Last night was no different; the Badgers were a step behind or left chasing the Eagles all night. While I am not using the ice as an excuse for why the Badgers lost, I would have like to see this game on a traditional venue and not in some sweaty football stadium. As I have said in the past I am not a fan of hockey games played outdoors or on nontraditional places. I have had enough of the Winter Classics; just give me more hockey and less gimmick.

As a fan of college hockey I was disappointed with the ice conditions at Ford Field, they had to know going into this game that this was going to be a problem. I am going to go ahead and call the ice conditions an EPIC fail for the NCAA. Sure the NC$$ will look at this as a win because they sold 37,000 seats for the championship game but the fans were cheated because of sloppy ice and that is unacceptable for a NCAA championship. I can't except horrible ice conditions, the NC$$ has to be better and demand perfection. The fans deserve it.

The person that decided that the Frozen Four should be in a football stadium should be slapped, let's not do that again. Pucks were bouncing all over the place and it affected the flow and quality of the game.

Questions going forward

First off I am not a fan of the two week break between the regional championship and the Frozen Four. Having to wait an extra week is a momentum killer and I would rather see the week off after the conference championships. Here is why I say that, the WCHA regular season is a meat grinder and the extra week off between the conference tourney and the NCAA playoffs would be more beneficial than the week off between the NCAA regional’s and the Frozen Four.

I don’t like having teams that back into the NCAA tourney waiting to play a team that played in their conference tourney the week before. Think about it, how many times have we seen a team that took a week off because they lost in their first round matchup win their first NCAA tourney game? Is it really fair that a team that was the loser of their conference tourney be rewarded with a week to rest up for their first round match up in the NCAA tourney?

I also don’t buy the argument that if the NCAA hockey tourney was on the same week as the Final Four it would cut into the basketball tourney attendance or whatever lame excuse the NC$$ uses for having the Frozen Four a week later. Hockey is a niche sport and you might be drawing from two different fan bases and demographics. I personally wouldn’t walk across the street to watch a free basketball game and I didn’t watch the Final Four. Butler who?

So what do we gleam from this weekend results? I don’t know if we figured out anything. Boston College proved yet again that they are the best team in college hockey, when they had to be. Boston College loaded up on little trolls speedsters under 5’9” and were able to break race through around the vaunted Wisconsin Defense. In the end Wisconsin's goaltending let them down, if Wisconsin had a weakness and there wasn't many, it was their goal tending duo of Scott Gudmandson (20-5-4, 2.33 GAA and SV % .913) and Brett Bennett (8-6-0, 2.82 GAA SV% .885) this was not a team that had a Brian Elliot to bail them out.

In retrospect I think this season college hockey was down compared to years past. While the WCHA was again the best conference all season long, the regular season again took a toll on the teams at the end of the season. The McNaughton Cup proved to be an anchor as the last three teams went 0-9 from the Final Five on. I am thinking that maybe they should send the cup back to Michigan Tech and let it sit in a display case on the scrap heap of history. Maybe teams will decline it from now on.

Mike Jacobs; "UND nickname dispute exposes racial attitudes"

If you haven't read this marvelous (yes I am being sarcastic) opinion piece by Mike Jacobs, our beloved Editor of the Grand Forks Herald. I have posted his article from today addition of the Grand Forks Herald. Jacobs admits what we already knew, he is anti logo. Say it isn’t so. I also don’t believe him when he says that he isn't celebrating. Yeah, oh ok Mike! Again, I must ask myself why I am paying money for your miserable newspaper. That’s $15.75 a month that could be better spent on other things. It's not like we need to read your worthless opinion pieces, there are other media options available to us. The only reason I read the Herald anymore is because of the sports coverage. I am seriously thinking about canceling the paper for good.

The more I think about last week’s decision to retire UND’s nickname and logo, the more discouraged I become.

I’ve been opposed to use of “The Fighting Sioux” since students constructed grotesque snow sculptures that depicted Indian people to celebrate something called “King Kold Karnival” back in the 1960s — long before the days of political correctness. In the ’70s, the coffee shop in the Student Union used cups decorated with a caricature of “Sammy Sioux.” There were worse offenses against human dignity — including enthusiasts who did mock dances dressed in loin cloths and little more, whooping and hollering and pretending to be Indians — or what they thought represented Indians. Something similar happened a couple of years ago, when a sorority hosted a party with a cowboys-and-Indians theme.

Clearly, it seems to me, the nickname and logo have long encouraged thoughtless stereotyping of Indian people.

Over the years, I’ve taken quite a lot of heat for this point of view. In fact, I’d say that nothing I’ve written about in more than 30 years at the Herald has brought me so much abuse.

So I should be celebrating last week’s decision to end use of the nickname and logo.

But I’m not celebrating at all.

Instead, it seems to me that the decision only underscores the indifference that North Dakotans feel toward American Indian people.

It says that we just don’t care.

If we cared what Indian people thought, we would have engaged them in this discussion a long time ago — way before the current members of the Board of Higher Education took office.

But we didn’t.

If we cared, we would allow American Indian people to be heard on their own terms and in their own time.

But we won’t, if last week’s decision by the Board of Higher Education stands.

Indifference, more than any other thing, has produced the result that confronts us now.

The campaign against the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo began as a fight against racism, so the activists said.

It ends — if indeed it has ended — exposing racial attitudes in a way that doesn’t flatter the state nor — this must be said — critics of the nickname.

Critics of the nickname argued that there shouldn’t be votes in the state’s Indian communities. One letter published in the Herald last year argued that results of an election at Spirit Lake should be disregarded because Indian communities operate on consensus — even though tribal councils have been elected for more than a century, far longer than nations in which the United States has tried to build democracy (including such countries as Afghanistan and Iraq, not to mention Japan and Germany).

To suggest that Indian people shouldn’t be heard about such a straightforward issue is dismissive in a very disturbing way. It suggests that we white folk know better.

But of course we don’t.

The truth about North Dakota is that it is a rigidly segregated place, and most white North Dakotans like it that way.

Doubt it?

Have a look through the comments about Herald stories posted on our Web site.

Retaliation is a frequent theme. UND should end its programs for Indian students, for example.

And this despite the apparent truth that it is that white society that has failed to engage Indian people rather than the other way around.

So what’s the way out of this dilemma?

That’s far from clear.

In Indian country, both supporters and opponents of the nickname have indicated that they will never give up. Erich Longie, an opponent, said as much in a letter published on April 4, a week ago. Steve Fool Bear, a nickname supporter, said the same in a letter published Saturday in the Herald.

Their message is the same: Listen to us.

But of course that’s not what the Board of Higher Education — representing us white folks — wants to do, not then and not now.

It could be too late to save the nickname, which is a small thing after all, and of little consequence.

What we urgently need is to build a society here that includes all of us.

Are we really interested in that?

Frankly, in the last week any evidence that we really are has been mighty hard to find.[Grand Forks Herald written on 4-1-2010]

Matt "the Hack" Cooke gets what he deserves...

This really makes me very happy and it was a long time coming. I would imagine that Boston Bruins star forward Marc Savard is probably pleased as well. Too bad Savard's own teammates didn't do this the night of the dirty check in question. There is an old saying, 'live by the sword you die by the sword,' eventually if you play a dirty brand of hockey the hand of justice will catch up with you. Evander Kane should be given an award for finally doing to Matt Cooke what he had coming for a very long time. In fact we should make Kane the player of the week.
[Props]

Scott Hartnell vs Daniel Girardi

This is another one of these hits where a guy lays a legal, awesome check by (Scott Hartnell) on an opposition player (Artem Anisimov) and then his teammate Daniel Girardi challenges Hartnell to a fight. My first response is what a bunch of cry babies and hitting is part of the game. I mean seriously I can see fighting someone for a dirty hit but not a legal clean hit. I guess it's illegal to check the Russian born player Artem Anisimov?

Then Scott Hartnell gets worked wearing his shield of course, notice he took his helmet off and carried it to the penalty bench.

Steve Fool Bear - In North Dakota, ‘we are all Fighting Sioux’ - Links on story

In case you haven't seen this article that was in today Grand Forks Herald, this opinion piece kind of speaks for itself. Mr Fool Bear is an enrolled member of the Standing Rock Nation.

FORT YATES, N.D. — Who is responsible for the possible loss of the UND Fighting Sioux nickname and logo? Was it the anti-logo few? Was it the State Board of Higher Education? Was it the president of UND? Was it the Standing Rock tribal council?

Or was it us?

A great coach once told me, “Evil can flourish when good men do nothing.” The blame lies on us all — the vast number of Fighting Sioux supporters who stood by, idling, apathetic and fearful of racist and sell-out labels, and let it happen.

The divisive few gained their foothold and now have disrupted our progressive society.

The great majority of both Sioux nations and North Dakotans support the use of the logo, yet it will be eliminated soon if nothing is done.

Although many anti-logo activists may view this as a victory and the near end of their fight, I can tell them as being one the thousands of Standing Rock tribal members whose civil rights have been trampled on that this fight has just begun.

The movement has been successful in its petty cause of removing a logo, but at what cost?

Indian people’s civil rights once again have been ignored, not only by the Standing Rock tribal leaders and the higher education board, but by anti-nickname activists as well.

Not one anti-nickname activist stood up for the real issues this debate revealed. Not one protested or screamed for his or her people’s rights.

To the contrary, the activists fought tooth and nail to make sure those voices were silenced — all due to a silly idea of some obscure Indian victory.

Political correctness has nothing to do with Sioux values; the activists either had forgotten or ignored the fact that we represent the exact opposite. But those whom the activists ignored will not forget.

It’s now the responsibility of all the people of North Dakota, both Indian and non-Indian, to quit talking and start doing. This is the last act of the show; who will be in it?

It’s amazing what one phone call or letter can accomplish. Imagine what 10,000 can do.

The name and logo will never die, because the real issues concerning them never were dealt with.

The people of Standing Rock will be heard one way or another.

If ever there was a time for North Dakotans to come together in unity, this is it. Common sense and democracy will prevail, but it will take everyone’s efforts.

The truth will be revealed: The Sioux people are neither victims, hypocrites nor the enemies of North Dakota. It is the 21st century, and “We are all Fighting Sioux.”

Steve Fool Bear

Fool Bear is a member of the Standing Rock Sioux tribe.

Links to the story - Developing ...

Wall Street Journal; University Loses Sioux Mascot War

Fan House; University of North Dakota's 'Fighting Sioux' Nickname, Logo Retired

Grand Forks Herald; Nickname fans hold rally at REA

Dickinson Press; Local have mixed reactions over UND nickname

Bismarck Tribune; UND campus resigned to the end of ‘Sioux country’

Huffington Post; North Dakota Retires Fighting Sioux Nickname

Post Bulletin; UND loses Fighting Sioux nickname

ESPN.COM; Court, board decide to retire nickname

MPR NEWS; UND to stop using Fighting Sioux nickname by August

Fargo Forum; Gipp applauds decision to retire nickname

The Chronicle of Higher Education; North Dakota Supreme Court Rejects Appeal by 'Fighting Sioux' Supporters

New York Times; Fighting Sioux Nickname Retired

KXnet.com; Fighting Sioux Reaction

Fargo Hockey Examiner; University of North Dakota "Fighting Sioux" nickname retired

Bismarck Tribune; Former Sioux James Massen weighs in on the name change

Bismarck's James Massen, who played hockey for UND, agreed.

"It's where I wanted to go since I was 5 years old," Massen said. "Being a member of the Fighting Sioux was an absolute honor and a privilege. ... I was hoping and praying it would never change."

Bismarck Tribune; Ruling on Fighting Sioux nickname, logo ruling disappoints governor

NHL.COM; Travis Zajac speaks up about the Fighting Sioux name and logo.

Travis Zajac played two seasons at the University of North Dakota, and was disappointed to hear that the team will be changing its "Fighting Sioux" nickname. The Associated Press reported Friday that a state Supreme Court ruling and Board of Higher Education decision have retired the name for good. The school will stop using the name in August.

"It kind of [stinks] because it’s a great name, it’s been the school’s name for a while," Zajac said. "I felt proud wearing the Fighting Sioux jersey and carrying that tradition. There’s a lot of tradition behind the hockey team and the school. I guess for that to be done it kind of [stinks]."

Zach Parise is also an alumnus of UND, which has seven national titles in men's ice hockey, and 14 WCHA championships. They have used the Fighting Sioux nickname since 1930.

Sioux Nickname: Blais Former UND coach upset with nickname decision

Former UND Fighting Sioux hockey coach Dean Blais is less than impressed with the recent events at the University of North Dakota...

BISMARCK, N.D. (AP) The coach who led the University of North Dakota hockey team to two national championships says when he learned of the decision to retire the school's Fighting Sioux nickname it was one of the saddest days of his life.

Current Nebraska-Omaha head coach Dean Blais (blayz) says he thinks the nickname was used with pride. And he says hockey fans around the country who know nothing about North Dakota know who the Fighting Sioux are.

Blais coached the Sioux for a decade. He has an extensive resume that includes stops in the NHL and with the U.S. Olympic team. He also was a good friend of the late Ralph Engelstad, a UND hockey alum and benefactor who supported the nickname. Engelstad paid for UND's hockey arena, which carries his name.

Blais says he thinks that if Engelstad were still alive, the Fighting Sioux nickname would have survived.