The University of North Dakota got rid of the Fighting Sioux in 2012, and since that time, they have been simply "The University of North Dakota." No mascot. Fighting Sioux was beloved by the community of Grand Forks largely because of the tradition associated with it in the university's college hockey program, which has been historically and recently one of the top college hockey programs in the NCAA.
The university has finally assembled a committee to look through suggestions and recommend a new mascot to the president of the university. They just need the suggestions. That's where you come in. Simply click the link and fill out the online form: http://und.edu/nickname/
Here are the basic guidelines to consider (from the UND announcement):
Spoiler!
Online suggestions, which must be 25 characters or less (including any spaces), will be accepted from Wednesday, April 1 at 8 a.m. CDT to Thursday, April 30 at 11:59 p.m. CDT. All mail-in submissions must be postmarked no later than April 25.
The Nickname Committee will evaluate submissions based on a list of attributes that the group has developed:
Be unique, recognizable, inspiring, and distinctly UND’s;
Promote a sense of pride, strength, fierceness, and passion;
Be representative of the state and region in a way that honors the traditions and heritage of the past but also looks to the future; and
Be a unifying and rallying symbol.
Submissions are anonymous; individuals submitting suggestions will not be asked to provide their names. All nickname submissions are subject to North Dakota open records law. Individuals submitting nickname suggestions are not entitled to compensation or anything of value in exchange for the submission, and all submissions become the property of the University of North Dakota.
The Committee will accept suggestions for nicknames only. Drawings, designs, logos, art files, special characters, etc. will not be considered.
Nickname suggestions will be sent directly to PadillaCRT, a group that has national expertise in nickname development and that has been advising the Nickname Committee. Any nickname suggestions known to be trademarked and/or subject to third-party rights or uses may not be considered by the Committee.
Since I'm originally from Grand Forks, I have connections to people who are abuzz with this process. I can tell you that there are already some favorites being championed:
--Flickertails. This was the university's mascot prior to becoming the Fighting Sioux in the 1930s. Given the university's recent goals of expanding into a tier-one research university, it makes a lot of sense to go with rodentia like their counterparts in the Big 10 (gophers, badgers). North Dakota is also known as the Flickertail State.
--Roughriders. The safest bet. Nothing says North Dakota pride like references to Teddy Roosevelt. Would also still manage to piss off a few people, since Teddy Roosevelt probably killed a few Indians when he was out in the North Dakota Badlands. It largely boils down to whether or not the university is cool with proudly stating to people, "Yeah, you might think of condoms when you hear our name, but we're still going to beat you in hockey!"
--Pilots. UND's aviation research and development program is unanimously known as the best in the country. It's odd to pick a mascot based on the strength of an academic program, but eh... weirder things have happened.
--Green Meadowlarks. This one combines creativity with tradition and old-sounding college mascot nomenclature, but it's also kind of weird. The Western Meadowlark is the state bird of North Dakota, and green and white are the school's primary colors. A problem with this is that I believe the Western Meadowlark is also the state bird of like 20 other states. It's still better than Banana Slugs.
--Keep using no mascot. The most likely option, I think. It's the last method that UND fans have to tell the NCAA to go fuck itself for making the university ditch Fighting Sioux. There's a rule in place that they can't have a racial mascot, but there is no rule that says the school has to have a mascot, just a nice little memo that says, "It would be really nice if your school had a mascot so we could maintain the entire aesthetic of the neighborhood. Smiley face." It would also make the university stand out and be truly unique.
But that doesn't mean you can't play a role in creating collegiate athletic history! So get in there! [Reply]
Originally Posted by Rain Man:
I have a simple last name and somehow it left a letter out. Ermine is going to win and when they interview me about it they're going to screw up my name all throughout the article. I'm going to have to fix this.
"So, how did you come up with the name, Mr. Sith?" [Reply]
Although I am on board with the Ermines movement has any market research be done to find out how the Ermines feel about this? Well they accept it or be offended? I was thinking that just in case the Ermines reject such a idea we should have a alternative. I propose the NDU Frackers, we are some bad ass Mother Frackers! [Reply]
Originally Posted by TrebMaxx:
Although I am on board with the Ermines movement has any market research be done to find out how the Ermines feel about this? Well they accept it or be offended? I was thinking that just in case the Ermines reject such a idea we should have a alternative. I propose the NDU Frackers, we are some bad ass Mother Frackers!
I kind of wonder how well-received oil field personnel are in North Dakota. It's pretty much the wild west over there. [Reply]
Originally Posted by TimBone:
I'll fire off a letter on one of my overnight shifts this week. When does this contest end?
April 30th is the decision date, so we need to keep hammering them until about the 29th.
I don't think the newspaper has printed my letter to the editor yet, but it's not yet the peak time anyway. I want it to appear in about three days.
We've gotten some traction on the Sioux Sports forum, but they're all over the place over there. No consensus at all, and some of the names being bandied about are atrocious. If we're going to make the ermine thing happen, it's up to us. [Reply]
Okay, people. This is it. The last day. Can I have a big ermine push here? Go to the link and give them every reason you can think of to become ermines. [Reply]
Originally Posted by ptlyon:
If cute and cuddly and will rip your face off isn't good enough for them, **** em.
With the whole Native American naming thing going on, I'm going to start suggesting it for the Chiefs after this. I shall not rest until there is a sports team named after the Ermines, and I will avidly root for any Ermine team. [Reply]
Originally Posted by Rain Man:
With the whole Native American naming thing going on, I'm going to start suggesting it for the Chiefs after this. I shall not rest until there is a sports team named after the Ermines, and I will avidly root for any Ermine team.
Might want to try one of the baseball teams first. Especially the Cleveland Indians. They're probably the closest to breaking. [Reply]
Originally Posted by SNR:
Might want to try one of the baseball teams first. Especially the Cleveland Indians. They're probably the closest to breaking.
Hmm. I kind of hate to waste the Ermine name on a baseball team, but maybe we have to start small. [Reply]
Originally Posted by SNR:
Might want to try one of the baseball teams first. Especially the Cleveland Indians. They're probably the closest to breaking.
Cleveland Ermines doesn't have the same ring as UNDermines. [Reply]
