Charlie Sheen: Fighting Sioux

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Idalski - Recruits' concern real.

University of North Dakota Fighting Sioux athletic logo (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

Next Tuesday "North Dakota" voters will go to the polls to vote on four ballot measures one of the measures is the Fighting Sioux nickname ballot measure 4. My advice to you is to vote with your conscience but there are a few things to remember going forward.

Do not believe the false rhetoric that the sanctions from the NCAA are minimal and or overblown. If the Fighting Sioux nickname is not retired the first team to suffer from the NCAA Sanctions will be the UND Women's Hockey team.

The Fighting Sioux women's team is going to be one of the top teams in Division I hockey during the 2012-13 season - the UND Women have a legitimate chance of winning their first NCAA title based on who is returning to Idalski's squad - they will be hard pressed to make the Women's Frozen Four if they have to travel instead of hosting a quarter final series. The sanctions have more teeth than some want to believe.

Marino Eccher, INFORUM --- They said they wanted to speak out to counter claims by nickname supporters that the consequences of keeping the nickname are overblown.

Idalski said the consequences of the sanctions hit home for him when they came up while recruiting a blue-chip recruit from Canada.

“Her family called me and asked, what does this mean for us?” he said. “Their concerns were very real.”

Before you think about attacking Brian Idalski, or think that he has been told to get in line by the UND Administration, think again, Idalski was speaking out about the NCAA sanctions before the Measure 4 movement became hot and heated - Idalski has discussed this issue before at the Wednesday press conferences and he voiced his concerns about the consequences of the NCAA sanctions and what they meant to his team. As long as UND is known as the Fighting Sioux UND will never be able to host an NCAA tourney event in anything.

That being said, Idalski has been consistent on this issue - the woman's head coach is a realist - he knows that his team will suffer very soon if the name if the Fighting Sioux nickname is not dropped. This isn't a scare tactic or some over blown pontification.

For the record; all of UND's teams were conforming with the settlement and the woman's team was in was the first UND hockey team to wear the new jersey's that said "NORTH DAKOTA" on the front of them, the men's hockey team had to wait a little longer and received their new jerseys right before the West Regional.

None of us want to have to drop the Fighting Sioux nickname - but the cost to the University is good big - teams will not play UND as long as they are under NCAA sanctions. Contrary to what some politicians think, the NCAA is not going to budge from their opinion - the NCAA doesn't care how Sioux Country is going to vote - the NCAA has a signed settlement that was signed by the Attorney General of North Dakota. Al Carlson is clueless if he thinks other wise - before you try to call me a democrat or a liberal think again, think again, I am life long registered republican and I wouldn't vote for Al Carlson, under an circumstances, even if it meant the house or senate would turn from blue to red. I would vote for the Mickey Mouse or Donald Duck instead. My question is; where were this people five years ago when we could have saved the Fighting Sioux nickname?

Here is the Ballot measure again.

The measure as it appears on the ballot reads: This referendum measure concerns Senate Bill 2370 as passed by the Legislative Assembly in the November 2011 special session (Session Laws, Chapter 580). Senate Bill 2370 repealed section 15-10-46 of the North Dakota Century Code, which required the University of North Dakota to use the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo.

YES – means you approve Senate Bill 2370, the effect of which would allow the University of North Dakota to discontinue the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo.

NO – means you reject Senate Bill 2370, and would require the University of North Dakota to use the Fighting Sioux nickname and logo.

Spirit Lake nickname supporters to appeal

Here is the latest in the Fighting Sioux nickname – A notice of intent to appeal was filed with the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals this week by lawyer Reed Soderstrom – I am not a lawyer by any stretch of the imagination, nor did I stay in a Holiday Inn Express last night, but I cant see an appeals courting taking this case. I am going to predict that the appeal will be thrown out as well. Maybe one of our resident lawyers can give us some free legal advice...

Chuck Haga, Grand Forks Herald --- Fighting Sioux nickname supporters at the Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe have signaled they intend to appeal U.S. District Judge Ralph Erickson’s dismissal of their lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association. A notice of intent to appeal was filed with the 8th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals this week by Reed Soderstrom, a Minot attorney who represents the pro-nickname Committee for Understanding and Respect, which sued the NCAA over its efforts to have UND drop the nickname and related Indian-head logo. The committee, authorized by Tribal Council action to speak for the tribe on matters relating to the nickname and logo, had sought at least $10 million in damages from the NCAA. It also sought reversal of the 2005 NCAA policy discouraging use of American Indian names and imagery by member schools.

I love the Fighting Sioux nickname, and there is no way that the school will ever be able to replace the Fighting Sioux nickname with anything that I consider to be acceptable, but I don’t see any way UND can keep the name “unless” the Spirit Lake Tribe wins it’s appeal against the NCAA, the cards are stacked against them this time as well. I also would love nothing more than to see the NCAA lose their law suit – I think they deserved to have that happen to them because I think they are a bunch of hypocrites. I am not holding my breath but I hope the Tribe wins.

(Video) Vote Yes on Measure 4

Here is the video that came out yesterday for the Vote yes on Ballot Measure 4. Someone posted this new video on Sioux Sports this morning, I apologize if you have seen it already.

This story has taken so many twists and turns that sometimes I have to look twice to see who is doing the talking. You probably watched the video above - the Spirit Lake Tribe's Committee for Understanding and Respect is not happy with the UND Alumni Association for running ads in favor of retiring the Fighting Sioux nickname.

Chuck Haga, Grand Forks Herald --- In a lengthy statement released by the Spirit Lake Sioux Tribe’s Committee for Understanding and Respect and the Save the Sioux Ballot Measures Committee, nickname supporters objected to the claim that “our name and likeness” could hurt UND, its student athletes and the athletics program.

“We resent this fabricated distortion and lie as an attempt to disguise the truth by creating a fear in the public,” which according to the statement has shown “overwhelming support” for use of the Sioux name at UND.

“The Sioux name and symbol instilled pride, honor and respect in (UND) athletes and filled them with the Fighting Sioux spirit,” according to the statement.
“We now find 80 years of tradition and culture under a senseless attack by those who have previously embraced these traditions and culture. This is an attack at the heart and soul of UND from within.”

Other diehard nickname supporters, including some UND alumni, have sharply criticized Tim O’Keefe, executive vice president of the alumni groups, for “abandoning” a nickname he once heartily supported and a logo he wore as a UND Fighting Sioux hockey player.

NDSU won’t play UND until nickname situation is resolved

NDSU won’t play UND until the Nickname issue is resolved… Small price to pay right, just like the NCAA sanctions being “manageable.” Wait, what? Someone must have gotten to NDSU, this can't be.

Really it’s a small price for keeping the Fighting Sioux nickname – screw them right! Who needs NDSU, they can go play someone else. Right! It’s really just a marginal and minor cost for keeping the Fighting Sioux nickname.

I am sure that some will say that Gene Taylor is lying – he can’t be telling the truth. I suppose others will accuse Taylor of folding and changing his view to appease Robert O. Kelley and Brian Faison. I suppose we will also have someone file a FOIA request to see what Gene Taylor knows and when he knew it… I can’t wait to read through all of Taylor’s email when they are posted on a blog somewhere in North Dakota. I can only imagine what else will be said.

Jeff Kolpack,Fargo Forum --- Not so fast, says the NDSU athletic director.

“No details have been worked out,” Gene Taylor said.

Taylor said the schools have dates that would work in both years and that he and Faison talked by phone earlier this week about resuming the game. Taylor said both sides talked a few months ago on a few occasions, but communication stopped until UND could get its nickname situation resolved, he said.

“We don’t have a solid contract,” Taylor said.

I want to address a couple of issue that has come up on line a few times.

First off, no one from the University of North Dakota has ever asked me to write against the Fighting Sioux nickname. No one! It has never happened; not once. No one has ever asked me to change my stance on the Fighting Sioux nickname issue. Seriously! If the President of the United States of America is allowed to evolve on an issue, what can’t others?

No one from the University of North Dakota has ever dangled my press pass in front of me and said if you don’t parrot the University Line against the Fighting Sioux nickname, I would have that press pass pulled. UND has been great and nothing but professional with me.

I have also developed relationships with some at the University of North Dakota and they have been nothing but accommodating and personable, they go out of their way to help people from the press, media and writers. UND is a first class organization that I am proud to be an alumnus of (1996, 1999). I find it mind numbing that some people that don’t have all the information calling reputable alumni, coaches and great people liars and toadies.

Lastly, I love the Fighting Sioux nickname and I think it’s the best logo in all of college sports or professional sports – nothing that they replace the Fighting Sioux nickname with will ever be good enough in my opinion. I have never wavered from that opinion, but like other Alumni that have actually attended class at the University of North Dakota, I know that UND can’t go on forever with the Fighting Sioux nickname and I don’t want to see the University hurt by the sanctions.

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