North Dakota to NCAA: Prepare to lawyer up

Idaho · Jun 13, 2006

http://www.universityrelations.und.edu/logoappeal/openletter_6-07-06.html
From the school president:

I have chosen to communicate with you in this way for several reasons.Â Since you have had what you say is the â€œfinalâ€ word on the issue of our nickname and logo, we must now consider legal action.Â I want you, as well as University of North Dakota stakeholders and the general public, to know why we must.Â The NCAA leaves us no recourse but to consider litigation to make the point that the policy you have instituted is illegitimate and that it has been applied to the University of North Dakota in an unfair, arbitrary, capricious, fundamentally irrational, and harmful manner.

Despite some of the hard-edged language I have had to use in this letter, I bear no animosity toward any of the NCAA committee members or staff, who, I am certain, are all good people.Â I suspect that a few people were the driving force and that the issue took on an organizational life of its own.Â I’m sure that those doing the pushing were motivated by personal conviction.Â Whatever the origin, what emerged was, unfortunately, a kind of organizational self-righteousness.Â Self-righteousness has wreaked havoc in the guise of good throughout history.Â Once the self-righteous come to believe in the absolute correctness – political or otherwise – of their point of view, they proceed with a zeal that leaves no room for reasonable doubt, thoughtful consideration, or fairness.Â Â

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flaming_mo · Jun 13, 2006

That's a great letter. The comparisons to Florida State are a fair point.

trounced · Jun 13, 2006

Idaho said:

http://www.universityrelations.und.edu/logoappeal/openletter_6-07-06.html
From the school president:

I have chosen to communicate with you in this way for several reasons.Â Since you have had what you say is the â€œfinalâ€ word on the issue of our nickname and logo, we must now consider legal action.Â I want you, as well as University of North Dakota stakeholders and the general public, to know why we must.Â The NCAA leaves us no recourse but to consider litigation to make the point that the policy you have instituted is illegitimate and that it has been applied to the University of North Dakota in an unfair, arbitrary, capricious, fundamentally irrational, and harmful manner.

Despite some of the hard-edged language I have had to use in this letter, I bear no animosity toward any of the NCAA committee members or staff, who, I am certain, are all good people.Â I suspect that a few people were the driving force and that the issue took on an organizational life of its own.Â I’m sure that those doing the pushing were motivated by personal conviction.Â Whatever the origin, what emerged was, unfortunately, a kind of organizational self-righteousness.Â Self-righteousness has wreaked havoc in the guise of good throughout history.Â Once the self-righteous come to believe in the absolute correctness – political or otherwise – of their point of view, they proceed with a zeal that leaves no room for reasonable doubt, thoughtful consideration, or fairness.Â Â

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Good for them.

Bubba Fett · Jun 13, 2006

Count me as a member of the Charles E. Kupchella fan club.

Ace · Jun 13, 2006

What does the constitution say about seceding from the NCAA?

2muchcoffeeman · Jun 13, 2006

The key paragraph in the whole letter is this:

Although we thought it strange – perverse actually – to assume guilt until innocence was proven, or at least objectively indicated, we offered the facts that (1) our nearest Sioux Tribe gave us written permission (which still stands despite repeated attempts by the NCAA staff itself and other nickname opponents to ask the Tribal Council to rescind its resolution) to use the name; (2) we have over four hundred American Indian students going to school here, many of whom are just fine with the nickname and none of whom would be here if the environment were really hostile and abusive; (3) it was reported to you, directly by the Chair of the Tribal Council Judicial Committee that, at the only other Sioux Reservation based in North Dakota, a district-by-district referendum resulted in nearly unanimous support for UND’s use of the Sioux nickname; and, (4) the Office for Civil Rights of the U.S. Department of Education spent a week here investigating earlier â€œhostile environmentâ€ charges made by our local nickname opposition group – and made no such finding – as clear indications that our handling of the nickname is in no way hostile and abusive.
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The rest is just filler.

And here's something that stands out to me: "(1) (which still stands despite repeated attempts by the NCAA staff itself and other nickname opponents to ask the Tribal Council to rescind its resolution)"

I leave it to reporters who cover the NCAA to bring this hypocrisy into the public spotlight.

alleyallen · Jun 13, 2006

Take it to 'em North Dakota.

micropolitan guy · Jun 13, 2006

Let's go sue,

and

Let's go Sioux!

The state that once was the third-most powerful nation in the world (had it seceeded) will not be intimidated!

linotype · Jun 13, 2006

Suggested hammerhead: Law-Siouxt

slappy4428 · Jun 13, 2006

It would be nice to see the NCAA get knocked down for this... Howmany people would be doing the happy dance to see Miles Bland -- hell, political correctness everywhere -- get trumped

suburbanite · Jun 13, 2006

I hope UND kicks their ass. The comment about 'self-righteousness' is particularly apt. The NCAA is the biggest bunch of self-righteous, self-aggrandizing, pocket-lining blowhards in sports, edging out the IOC, of course.

Hockeyscribe · Jun 13, 2006

I'm with North Dakota.

Speaking of lawsuits, I'm surprised Notre Dame hasn't sued North Dakota for using the interlocking "ND" on the Sioux's hockey jerseys.

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