Just three weeks after banning what it deemed to be “hostile” or “abusive” Indian nicknames and mascots in post season play the NCAA has backed down and granted a waiver to the Florida State Seminoles. Why the change of heart? According to the NCAA Florida State has a unique relationship with the Seminole Tribe of Florida. Well duh! It wasn’t exactly a state secret that the university had an agreement with the tribe on the use of the name.
So now the NCAA probably figures that now that they granted the waiver to the most vocal critic of this silly rule that all is well and other colleges and universities will fall in line. Not so fast. There are still the Utah Utes, the Central Michigan Chippewas and the North Dakota Fighting Sioux who all have the backing of the various tribes. Of course the use of the word fighting may be politically incorrect in the eyes of the NCAA.
The NCAA in its zeal to be politically correct actually made things worse (big surprise) and they need to rescind this policy immediately and let the teams play ball.
Don Irvine is the chairman of Accuracy in Media, Accuracy in Academia’s parent group.
