Ever wanted to name a university's mascot? Now's your chance!

[RealSNR]

The University of North Dakota got rid of the Fighting Sioux in 2012, and since that time, they have been simply "The University of North Dakota." No mascot. Fighting Sioux was beloved by the community of Grand Forks largely because of the tradition associated with it in the university's college hockey program, which has been historically and recently one of the top college hockey programs in the NCAA.

The university has finally assembled a committee to look through suggestions and recommend a new mascot to the president of the university. They just need the suggestions. That's where you come in. Simply click the link and fill out the online form: http://und.edu/nickname/

Here are the basic guidelines to consider (from the UND announcement):

Spoiler!

Online suggestions, which must be 25 characters or less (including any spaces), will be accepted from Wednesday, April 1 at 8 a.m. CDT to Thursday, April 30 at 11:59 p.m. CDT. All mail-in submissions must be postmarked no later than April 25.

The Nickname Committee will evaluate submissions based on a list of attributes that the group has developed:

• Be unique, recognizable, inspiring, and distinctly UND’s;
• Promote a sense of pride, strength, fierceness, and passion;
• Be representative of the state and region in a way that honors the traditions and heritage of the past but also looks to the future; and
• Be a unifying and rallying symbol.

Submissions are anonymous; individuals submitting suggestions will not be asked to provide their names. All nickname submissions are subject to North Dakota open records law. Individuals submitting nickname suggestions are not entitled to compensation or anything of value in exchange for the submission, and all submissions become the property of the University of North Dakota.

The Committee will accept suggestions for nicknames only. Drawings, designs, logos, art files, special characters, etc. will not be considered.

Nickname suggestions will be sent directly to PadillaCRT, a group that has national expertise in nickname development and that has been advising the Nickname Committee. Any nickname suggestions known to be trademarked and/or subject to third-party rights or uses may not be considered by the Committee.

Since I'm originally from Grand Forks, I have connections to people who are abuzz with this process. I can tell you that there are already some favorites being championed:

--Flickertails. This was the university's mascot prior to becoming the Fighting Sioux in the 1930s. Given the university's recent goals of expanding into a tier-one research university, it makes a lot of sense to go with rodentia like their counterparts in the Big 10 (gophers, badgers). North Dakota is also known as the Flickertail State.

--Roughriders. The safest bet. Nothing says North Dakota pride like references to Teddy Roosevelt. Would also still manage to piss off a few people, since Teddy Roosevelt probably killed a few Indians when he was out in the North Dakota Badlands. It largely boils down to whether or not the university is cool with proudly stating to people, "Yeah, you might think of condoms when you hear our name, but we're still going to beat you in hockey!"

--Pilots. UND's aviation research and development program is unanimously known as the best in the country. It's odd to pick a mascot based on the strength of an academic program, but eh... weirder things have happened.

--Green Meadowlarks. This one combines creativity with tradition and old-sounding college mascot nomenclature, but it's also kind of weird. The Western Meadowlark is the state bird of North Dakota, and green and white are the school's primary colors. A problem with this is that I believe the Western Meadowlark is also the state bird of like 20 other states. It's still better than Banana Slugs.

--Keep using no mascot. The most likely option, I think. It's the last method that UND fans have to tell the NCAA to go **** itself for making the university ditch Fighting Sioux. There's a rule in place that they can't have a racial mascot, but there is no rule that says the school has to have a mascot, just a nice little memo that says, "It would be really nice if your school had a mascot so we could maintain the entire aesthetic of the neighborhood. Smiley face." It would also make the university stand out and be truly unique.

But that doesn't mean you can't play a role in creating collegiate athletic history! So get in there!

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by SNR

I can give an update:

When I met with the nickname committee member, I started the conversation as, "So, I know you've probably been getting bombarded with people coming up to you talking about their favorite suggestion, but I have one I'd like to discuss. Do you know what an ermine is?"

She gave a throaty laugh that seemed to say that she knew about the suggestion of ermines from the survey data that had come in, but when I asked her, she refused to say what else she knew about the data or how the committee has reacted to the idea.

She did, however, say that personally, from me just asking her, she likes it, but she doesn't know if she can support as a nickname. For one, she said, there are too many people who don't know what an ermine is, and if they're reading or hearing about it for the first time, they won't even know how to pronounce it. She also said that as much as she's against the modern trend of every mascot being something that has to destroy, wreck, maim, kill, eat, or brutalize something else, she doesn't think the student body or the president is emotionally secure enough with losing Fighting Sioux to embrace something as tame-sounding as "ermines."

The only way to make it a good idea is spread it through public support. She'd like to see a couple student/faculty groups in support of ermine as well as some local involvement in getting support for the name before it gets taken seriously. And at this point, what little gets done in that arena will probably be enough. NOBODY in this town really gives a shit, unfortunately, and if they had their way, I think UND going without a nickname would be the popular winner in a poll of the community.

Perhaps we shouldn't tell that ermine are really good at destroying, wrecking, maiming, killing, eating, and brutalizing. Ermine are definitely not tame. I hope you enlightened her.

And do UND students not know what an ermine is? That's a failing of the North Dakota education system if so. This would be the perfect education opportunity about North Dakota's most lethal native predator.

How do we contact student groups?

[Rain Man]

Dang it. My account is still "awaiting authorization" at the Siouxsportsforum bulletin board. I can't post.

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Perhaps we shouldn't tell that ermine are really good at destroying, wrecking, maiming, killing, eating, and brutalizing. Ermine are definitely not tame. I hope you enlightened her.

And do UND students not know what an ermine is? That's a failing of the North Dakota education system if so. This would be the perfect education opportunity about North Dakota's most lethal native predator.

How do we contact student groups?

I think it's more her perception that people are generally stupid and don't know about lots of things that they should.

[Rain Man]

Geez, I'm trying to figure out how to write a letter to the editor of the Grand Forks newspaper, and I don't think it can be done. What kind of hermit kingdom is that place? I'm starting to wonder if they even deserve the ermine nickname.

[RealSNR]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

Geez, I'm trying to figure out how to write a letter to the editor of the Grand Forks newspaper, and I don't think it can be done. What kind of hermit kingdom is that place? I'm starting to wonder if they even deserve the ermine nickname.

Hold on one second. I got this.

[Aries Walker]

I find it ironic that one of her concerns is the danger of mispronunciation, when the former team nickname is one of the most consistently mispronounced Native American tribe names in history.

If they can learn not to say "SI-ocks", they can handle "ERR-minz".

[Rain Man]

Okay, thanks to the kindness of highBoltage, I'm on the sioux sports site and posted my case for the ermines. Let's see if we can get some in-state momentum.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by SNR

Hold on one second. I got this.

I can pull my "as a researcher who has done branding work for universities..." card if I can write a letter. I really want to make this happen.

[RealSNR]

I intend on writing a few letters as well, Rain Man.

Tom Dennis is their op-ed/opinion column guy who will probably end up receiving your letter no matter who you send it to. Here's how you get in touch with him:
http://www.grandforksherald.com/user...nnis-0/contact

The main editor is Steve Wagner. Perhaps try him first? Here's the form to e-mail him:
http://www.grandforksherald.com/user...wagner/contact

I swear I thought I knew how to get in touch with these guys, but that was the personal e-mail address of the person who was former editor. Damn.

I'll keep hunting around to see if I can get a few people to cough up info.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by SNR

I intend on writing a few letters as well, Rain Man.

Tom Dennis is their op-ed/opinion column guy who will probably end up receiving your letter no matter who you send it to. Here's how you get in touch with him:
http://www.grandforksherald.com/user...nnis-0/contact

The main editor is Steve Wagner. Perhaps try him first? Here's the form to e-mail him:
http://www.grandforksherald.com/user...wagner/contact

I swear I thought I knew how to get in touch with these guys, but that was the personal e-mail address of the person who was former editor. Damn.

I'll keep hunting around to see if I can get a few people to cough up info.

I sent this letter, though there was a typo in my name, dammit.


As a researcher who has conducted branding research for universities in the past, I'm enjoying the discussion of a new nickname for UND. I'm an outsider, but I did a little independent research and hope the committee will consider the nickname "Ermines".

From a marketing standpoint, Ermines would be a strong move for UND.
Internally, it's native to the state, it's fearsome beyond its size, and it could work with the current color scheme. It fits the current brand of the school. Externally, it would be a very unique mascot while also being attractive and charming to those who see it. It would also complement UND with the mascots of other regional schools like Badgers, Gophers, and Wolverines, while putting North Dakota's unique signature on the brand. I hope the committee seriously considers it.

[ptlyon]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I sent this letter, though there was a typo in my name, dammit.

How did you **** up the word Rain?

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by ptlyon

How did you **** up the word Rain?

I have a simple last name and somehow it left a letter out. Ermine is going to win and when they interview me about it they're going to screw up my name all throughout the article. I'm going to have to fix this.

[RealSNR]

I'm going to post a Facebook message asking some people to also submit letters. We need to put this idea in print so it permeates the collective Grand Forks conscience.

Can one or two other people also submit a letter to both Steve Wagner and Tom Dennis? Just fill out the forms:

http://www.grandforksherald.com/user...wagner/contact

http://www.grandforksherald.com/user...nnis-0/contact

[ptlyon]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

I have a simple last name and somehow it left a letter out. Ermine is going to win and when they interview me about it they're going to screw up my name all throughout the article. I'm going to have to fix this.

"The winning mascot was submitted by Raining Men "

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by SNR

I'm going to post a Facebook message asking some people to also submit letters. We need to put this idea in print so it permeates the collective Grand Forks conscience.

Can one or two other people also submit a letter to both Steve Wagner and Tom Dennis? Just fill out the forms:

http://www.grandforksherald.com/user...wagner/contact

http://www.grandforksherald.com/user...nnis-0/contact

I'm engaging the Sioux Sports forum as well. Other than the fact that the first comment was a question about how to pronounce it, I'm not hearing anything negative yet.