I join those who praise the work of the UND nickname committee. I am much less charitable to their consultants and legal advisors.
First, legal counsel and the committee's consultant eliminated "Nokota" because "the word 'Nakota'-spelled slightly differently-is a Native American tribe," and UND's general counsel "said it was excluded because of NCAA stipulation that prohibits the use of Native American imagery," the Herald reported in May.
Sadly, the committee was not provided with the factual origin of the name.
The horse breed name "Nokota" may sound American Indian - "Lakota" and "Nocona" are real words - but it is a fabrication. Leo Kuntz came up with it by merging the state name, North Dakota, into one word.
The committee should request a second opinion from its new counsel, now under the direction of the attorney general.
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As to the growing support for Roughriders: Really? After Teddy Roosevelt? "Nowadays, we undoubtedly ought to break up the great Indian reservations, disregard the tribal governments ... The settler and pioneer have at bottom had justice on their side; this great continent could not have been kept as nothing but a game preserve for squalid savages." Did the consultant provide these Teddy Roosevelt quotes to the committee?
While I am neutral on the nicknames, I do think it is time for the committee get rid of the current consultants and get fresh legal advice.
C.T. Marhula
Grand Forks
