NCAA Bans "Hostile, Abusive" Nicknames from Postseason

Aug. 5, 2005




INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- The NCAA banned the use of American Indian mascots by sports teams during its postseason tournaments, but will not prohibit them otherwise.

The NCAA's executive committee decided this week the organization did not have the authority to bar Indian mascots by individual schools, committee chairman Walter Harrison said Friday.

Nicknames or mascots deemed "hostile or abusive" would not be allowed by teams on their uniforms or other clothing beginning with any NCAA tournament after Feb. 1, said Harrison, the University of Hartford's president.

"What each institution decides to do is really its own business" outside NCAA championship events, he said.

At least 18 schools have mascots the NCAA would deem "hostile or abusive," including Florida State's Seminole and Illinois' Illini. The full list of schools was not immediately released.

Not all schools with Indian-related nicknames would be on that list. NCAA officials said some schools using the Warrior nickname do not use Indian symbols and would not be affected.

Vernon Bellecourt, president of the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and Media, was pleased with the postseason ban but wanted even stronger action by the NCAA.

"We would have hoped the NCAA would have provided the moral leadership on this issue, but obviously they've chosen to only go halfway," said Bellecourt, a member of the Anishinabe-Ojibwe Nation in Minnesota.

The NCAA two years ago recommended that schools determine for themselves whether the Indian depictions were offensive.

Among the schools to change nicknames in recent years over such concerns were St. John's (from Redmen to Red Storm) and Marquette (from Warriors to Golden Eagles).

The NCAA plans to ban schools using Indian nicknames from hosting postseason events. Harrison said schools with such mascots that have already been selected as tournament sites would be asked to cover any offensive logos.

Such logos also would be prohibited at postseason games on cheerleader and band uniforms starting in 2008.

It's a start, and about damned time!

Better much BS!

Since I am of Irish heritage, I will personally allow the Fighting Irish to continue to use their derogatory name as long as I receive a small percentage of their athletic revenue.

Environmentalists join in on trying to "oust" College Nicknames & Mascots

ANP--Carmel, California
August 6, 2005
Julie Hartnett


As the wind and sea brought the ocean blue crashing on the rocks below, Eliza Greenburg, co-founder of Our Earth, Today; was all smiles after hearing how the NCAA earlier in the day abolished all offending College Mascots and Nicknames from their post-season play in a move to force these schools to change.

"I am so proud on how the other vocal groups were able to fight against these powerful institutions in the name of what is right. The poor souls of our Native Americans have to be healed so they too can earn the respect that is too long over-due."

While we were both enjoying the cool mist of the Pacific bouncing off both rocks and seals, I noticed that Eliza had a chesire grin glowing in the sunset light, I couldn't help but think she had something else in mind.

"This action today finally opened the door wide-open for us and others who want the NCAA to bow-down hard against other Institutions which we feel have offening and harsh nicknames that offends not only those in the Environmental Front, but commeners as well."

Asked which Universities her group will target first, she snapped without hesitation, "Almost all of them."

She wouldn't openly say which ones she would target, but when pressed, she gave a few hints on what schools might be under the microscope first.

"We want to focus first and upmost on Mother Earth, and how all her creatures must be shown in a positive light". Again, when asked about which names offend her group, she replied, "Schools that promote the harsh treatment of our sensitive planet that promotes the destruction of the land we love."

For the 3rd time, I finally got the response that I was looking for. "There are schools that show glee in our destruction like Miners, Buffaloes & Bulls, plus those that use Cowboys, which many of used the free labor of slaves to work their cattle and land."

She went on to say, "Plus those that profit on Natural Disasters and have no empathy to those lost in unfortunate storms like Cyclones and Hurricanes."

While Eliza walked away on left only her foot prints on the cool sandy shore, this movement seemed to find a friend today in the NCAA.

Julie Harnett
Associated Non Press
jharnett@associatednonpress.com

Cowboys? Cyclones? BULLS and BUFFALOES!?!?!

Can Wacko Environmental Freaks be used?

I can almost sympathize if a race of people feel unease over these matters, but to lump Miners, Hurricanes, and freakin' Animals into the mix is just insane. It's no wonder nobody takes these left coast zealots serious.

I think people of this ilk (kids who got picked last at kickball) will always find fault and cause problems for athletics.

This article has nothing to do with the legitimate concerns of racism in college symbolism, but it is a nice effort to equate the two as somehow parallel. Fox News would be proud.

I wonder if logic should be a general education requirement in college? Given the sensationalist, money-driven, politically-charged state of our media, it's a necessary prerequisite to sift through the crap.

ChooChoo Wrote:Cowboys? Cyclones? BULLS and BUFFALOES!?!?!

Can Wacko Environmental Freaks be used?

I can almost sympathize if a race of people feel unease over these matters, but to lump Miners, Hurricanes, and freakin' Animals into the mix is just insane. It's no wonder nobody takes these left coast zealots serious.

I think people of this ilk (kids who got picked last at kickball) will always find fault and cause problems for athletics.

ChooChoo, I believe we're talking satire here!

On a more serious note, the Audubon Society has taken issue with the portrayal of birds in a bad light. While they say it is fine to use birds for non-contact sports, they assert that using bird names for contact sports demeans their very existence and defames their true character. In a petition to Congress, they have requested that the following teams be banned from postseason bowls until they change their nicknames.

Delaware Blue Hens
Stanford Cardinal
Louisville Cardinals
Oregon Ducks
Boston College Eagles
Bowling Green Falcons
South Carolina Gamecocks
Temple Owls
Rice Owls
Youngstown State Penguins
and any other such offensive schools

If the proposed legislation passes, these teams will be barred from postseason play effective December 1, 2005.

In a related question relating to offensive team names, undisclosed sources from Pittsburgh have questioned whether the term "nittany" is socially unacceptable. they claim that it is an unflaterring derivative of the word "nitwit," and should therefore also be banished.

Jim

Stanford's "Cardinal" is a color, not a bird, but your point is taken, Jim.