Mike, it's funny you should upload that article today, when I
was going to come in and touch on a related subject.
 
The new NC$$ News reports that the (Mpls.) Star Tribune
will no longer publish "offensive" Native American nicknames.
 Which, in the D-I hockey community, will affect NoDak,
Colgate, Miami, Lowell (for now) and Merrimack...have
 I missed anyone?
 
My question was going to be, what is the current debate on
these campuses regarding their nicknames? I guess that
still is the question, actually.
 
I seem to recall U-Minnesota and Wisconsin announcing,
a few years back, that they would no longer schedule games
 against teams with politically incorrect nicknames, with
 the exception of traditional rivals and conference opponents.
 This sounded like an empty gesture to me...if you want to
 make a ballsy stand, forfeit the games to the Sioux! (Like
 Gopher football would ever be stoooopid enough to
 schedule Florida State...)
 
The article Mike uploaded seemed typical for a region of
the country not particularly known for a tradition of racial
 tolerance (busing, anyone?). Massachusetts high schools
 still use many Native American nicknames, and aren't under
 much pressure to change because, well, the Indians were
 all but wiped out of the region quite some time ago. In many
 cases, the *nickname* and symbols used can be tasteful
and respectful, but when it comes to *mascots* and crowd
 rituals (tomahawk chop, etc.) things get messy. Would the
white folks in New England be comfortable with a group of
rowdy Providence fans sprinkling holy water around and
reciting Hail Marys along with Goalie-Sieve chants? I doubt
 it, although it is nice to hear that the Skating Friar is back.
 
It sounds like Mass-Lowell took the right path by allowing
 the university community to CHOOSE the switch, rather
 than having it dictated by an outside group. That's the
 path my present employer will take, if and when we
ever stop using our PI nickname.
 
 
Greg Sorenson
Carthage College (home of the Redmen...just
some eagle feathers in our "C" logo...that's it)
(opinions are mine, not CC's)