Thanks to an injunction issued by a state judge the University of North Dakota’s sports teams will get to keep using their nickname The Fighting Sioux for a little while longer. Last year the NCAA issued a rule requiring all schools that had Indian based mascots or nicknames to drop the supposedly offensive images and names or they would not be allowed to participate in any NCAA post season events that they may qualify for. Most schools acquiesced, but others like UND have fought vigorously to maintain their mascot and nickname. So far it’s the UND 1, the NCAA 0. While the injunction doesn’t guarantee victory, it does give the university some breathing room and hope as the judge ruled that delays any penalties until the suit is tried or settled. A trial isn’t likely until April so the football team will be able to “fight” their way through the playoffs that start this Saturday without having to cover up their mascot or name. This case will be an important test of just how far the NCAA can enforce its politically correct dictum and if they prevail will only open up the floodgates to names that lack emotion but don’t offend a single soul. Maybe the NCAA can just allow the teams to take on the names of the sponsors of their stadiums. For example, the Maryland Terrapins could just become the Bankers or ATM’s reflecting the $20 million that Chevy Chase Bank just agreed to pay for stadium naming rights. Hewlett Packard could have teams with such great names as Printers and Toner. It may sound ludicrous, but in politically correct world, northing is impossible.
Don Irvine is the chairman of Accuracy in Media.
