Nickname madness gone mad?
INDIANAPOLIS (AP)- Possibly emboldened by the recent announcement that the University of Illinois will be retiring its long-time mascot, Chief Illiniwek, on February 27, the Associated press has learned that the NCAA Executive Committee has now decided to take aim at two institutions with seemingly innocuous monikers: the University of Miami Hurricanes and the Rutgers Scarlet Knights.
The NCAA has recently taken issue with nicknames and mascots deemed to be ‘hostile or offensive,’ most of them associated with Native American tribes. NCAA member institutions who continue to be identified with such mascots and emblems are currently banned from having those mascots participate in the 88 NCAA-sanctioned championship events and the schools themselves are prohibited from serving as host sites for post-season tournament and championship events.
The University of Illinois was one of eighteen schools cited by the NCAA during August 2005 for its use of ‘Native American imagery or references.’ Florida State University, which possesses a high-profile football program, has been permitted to continue use the nickname ‘Seminoles’ with the formal permission of the local Seminole tribe. The Illini, citing pressure from the NCAA and local groups, will retire its mascot after a basketball game against the University of Michigan this month. Chief Illiwek has served as the school’s mascot since 1926. Another institution, the University of North Dakota, has filed suit against the NCAA in order to keep using its ‘Fighting Sioux’ nickname.
“With the exception of Florida State, we haven’t bought the argument that these institutions were attempt to honor local Native American tribes,” said Myles Brand, the NCAA’s president. “It was racism, plain and simple. Now that we have eliminated the Native American problem, we’re trying to take aim at nicknames that are similarly offensive, but in more subtle ways.” Brand cited the decision of Syracuse University to change their nickname from the ‘Orangemen’ to simply the ‘Orange.’ Most were unaware that ‘Orangemen’ was once used as a derogatory term for Protestants. “People just see this kind of fluffy, smiling, feminine-looking orange walking around the Carrier Dome, but the nickname ‘Orangemen’ actually represented something much deeper and offensive,” said Brand.
“In the aftermath of what happened to New Orleans and the Gulf Coast, we have to question whether it is appropriate for University of Miami to continue to be known as the ‘Hurricanes,’” continued Brand. “Hurricanes are responsible for the deaths of a number of people each year and can cause an enormous amount of damages. It’s criminal, really. Then there are also the actual storms themselves, such as Katrina, Rita and others.”
In the case of Rutgers University, we have to look more critically of what exactly is a Scarlet Knight,” Brand stated. “Knights are most often associated with the Crusades, which was a blatant attempt by largely-white Europeans to slaughter non-Christian and mostly-ethnic Muslims for no reason other than their religion. We’re well aware of Rutgers’ ties to the First Dutch Reformed Church, a Christian church, and we’ve asked both [Rutgers President] Richard McCormick and [athletic director] Robert Mulcahy to study whether their mascot, imagery and iconography is based upon murderous Crusaders.”
Mulcahy was lukewarm to Brand’s concerns and proposals. “We’ve only been the Scarlet Knights for a half-century, but we are finally achieving some national recognition,” said Mulcahy, alluding to the Texas Bowl champion football team that finished 11-2 for the season. “The NCAA has suggested using the Scarlet or our original nickname, the Queensmen. I wouldn’t want to put our players in the position of being known as the ‘Queensmen.’ I think opposing teams and their fans would have a field day with it. We might as well run out of the tunnel in pink jerseys and leather pants. How could the cheerleaders possibly top that?”
Brand took umbrage with Mulcahy’s response. “The veiled homophobia in [Mulcahy’s] comments is sickening and offensive,” he stated. “I fought with Hawai’i when they decided to drop the ‘Rainbow’ from their ‘Rainbow Warriors’ nickname and change to all-black uniforms. There’s nothing wrong with an association with homosexuality, especially when it is tenuous at best. My daughter likes rainbows. I like rainbows. They’re colorful. They warm the cockles of my heart. I also like pink cotton candy and I drink my tea with my pinky pointing out. Does that make me gay? Does it make me want to remove my clothing in the presence of other men? Does it? Does it? I think not. Mr. Hardaway, I mean, Mr. Mulcahy, should really rethink his words.”
When questioned as to whether is overstepping its bounds with regard to the mascot issued, Brand was adamant in his response. “Absolutely not,” he stated firmly. “We have a responsibility here to both our nation and the world at large. We have to be fully conscious of the images that our member institutions are broadcasting to the entire planet.”
The only nickname which Brand stated is certainly ‘off-limits’ is the Notre Dame Fighting Irish. “The NCAA has done some research, and people simply do not find the nickname ‘Fighting Irish’ to be offensive. Most of all, there is some truth in the stereotype of a drunken, fighting Irishman. It is a pride thing for those people.” While nicknames such as the ‘Gangster Italians’ or the ‘L.A. Riot TV-Looting Negroes’ would be ‘clearly offensive,’ says Brand, the NCAA has no plans to quarrel with the Irish anytime soon. “Have you seen their bowl record lately?” joked Brand with a smile. “We’re only really concerned right now with teams that win.”
