This Story is in the papers today, in yesterdays Palm Beach Post the story ran with the history of the mascot vote:
The "Seminoles" nickname was chosen by a vote of the student body in 1947. Statesmen finished second, followed by Rebels, Tarpons, Fighting Warriors and Crackers, according to the university's football media guide.
For more information read on:
NCAA bans Indian names during post-season play
By Ted Hutton
Staff Writer for the South Florida Sun-Sentinel
Posted August 6 2005
Chief Osceola may be a point of pride with Seminole fans, but the NCAA on Friday said that it considers Florida State's nickname and mascot "hostile or abusive" and banned the university from using American Indian symbols during postseason competition.Chief Osceola, the university's mascot, is banned, and the band could not lead the fans in the Tomahawk Chop war chant.
Along with FSU, 17 other universities use American Indian nicknames and are affected by the NCAA's policy.The announcement of the NCAA rule, which takes effect Feb. 1, stunned FSU, which had hoped its close association with the Seminole Tribe of Florida would protect it from any potential NCAA action.FSU President T.K. Wetherell vowed to fight, and said he intends to pursue "all legal avenues" to overturn the decision, noting that Seminole Tribe of Florida supported the university's use of the tribe's name and imagery."That the NCAA would now label our close bond with the Seminole people as culturally `hostile and abusive' is both outrageous and insulting," Wetherell said."The rules as we understand them would have us cover the Seminole name and symbol as if we were embarrassed, and any committee that would think that is a proper and respectful treatment of Native Americans should be ashamed."But the NCAA anticipated lawsuits and is confident it will prevail in any court action."Everyone has recourse through the courts. We feel this is reasoned and solid and are prepared to defend it," said Walter Harrison, Chairman of the NCAA Executive Committee that adopted the policy.Harrison said the NCAA cannot control what nickname or mascot a university chooses, but as an association the NCAA can take a stand in events it controls."What we are trying to say is that we find these mascots to be unacceptable for NCAA championship competition," Harrison said.The NCAA took into consideration the July 17 resolution the Seminole Tribe of Florida passed supporting FSU.
But the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma has strongly opposed Florida State's use of the name, and that didn't escape the NCAA's attention."That is great news and wonderful to hear. The whole movement is going in the right direction now," said David Narcomey, a member of the Seminole Nation of Oklahoma who has been lobbying Florida State to drop the Seminoles nickname for years.
Vernon Bellecourt, an official of the American Indian Movement and president of the National Coalition on Racism in Sports and the Media, agreed that Friday's announcement marked a turning point for a broader movement that also targets professional teams such as the Washington Redskins and the Cleveland Indians."It's a very major milestone in our efforts that have been going on for decades," Bellecourt said. "It should be a wake-up call for Florida State, Illinois, Utah and North Dakota, which we consider the big four.
"North Dakota President Charles Kupchella said his university, where more than 400 Native Americans are currently enrolled, would wait to see "what the NCAA really means" before deciding the fate of the Fighting Sioux.
Teams would have to alter uniforms by removing nicknames and symbols, such as a spear or tomahawk, when they play in NCAA-sponsored tournaments after Feb. 1 to meet the policy. By 2008, all dance team, cheerleader and band uniforms would also have to be altered when teams appear in postseason play.The NCAA does not control the college football bowl system, but Harrison said he hoped the Bowl Championship Series would follow the same policy. Big 12 Commissioner Kevin Weiberg, currently chair of the BCS, said through a spokesman that he did not yet know enough about the NCAA's announcement to comment.
Local FSU boosters were angered by the NCAA's stance."We take pride in being Seminoles. It is not mockery," said Melissa Dee, a member of the Seminole Club of Broward County. "Having gone to school there and to many games, it is such a part of our culture.""I don't know why the NCAA is getting into this," said Sandy Golson, past president of the Palm Beach County Seminoles Club. "We have nothing to be ashamed of."
If Florida State and the other affected universities don't successfully overturn the NCAA's policy, it may prove more convenient and less costly to simply change their mascots all together. Schools that have made that transition in the past decade have often reaped large financial windfalls from the sale of new merchandise.That option though wasn't broached in Tallahassee on Friday, when Wetherell vowed to ensure that "this university will forever be associated with the unconquered spirit of the Seminole Tribe of Florida."
Orlando Sentinel Staff Writer Emily Badger contributed to this report.
Saturday, August 06, 2005
Will FSU have to become the Fighting Crackers or the FSU Statesmen?
Posted by LCYD at 10:49 AM
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2 Comments:
Under no circumstances will we change our nickname nor should we. The Seminole Tribe of Florida has gone on record as supporters of Florida State using the nickname.
I am proud to be a Seminole!
Nickname Ruling Lacks Common Sense
T AMPA - From its headquarters in Indianapolis -- no pun intended -- the NCAA last week handed down a ruling that smacks of political correctness gone haywire.
So what do you think?
The Florida State Bulldogs?
The Florida State Tigers?
The Florida State Gold?
The Florida State Bowdens?
No, they are the Florida State Seminoles. Always have been. Always should be.
Not according to the NCAA's executive committee, which pointed to 18 schools using Indian mascots or nicknames that it deemed "hostile or abusive." The NCAA said those schools wouldn't be allowed to host NCAA-run championship events unless changes were made.
What's more, teams "must take reasonable steps" to cover up the "offensive" logos at championship events. (Like an NCAA Tournament basketball game, when media members are prohibited from going to press row with a drink, unless the cup carries the logo of an NCAA-sponsored beverage.)
Rendered irrelevant, at least in the NCAA's eyes, is this: The Seminole Tribe of Florida finds the Florida State Seminoles to be neither hostile nor abusive. The tribe has encouraged and endorsed FSU's use of "Seminoles."
In fact, tribe members have worked with FSU in designing the clothing of Chief Osceola and the staging of his pregame ride aboard the horse, Renegade. Does that sound hostile or abusive?
Seminoles: Not A Stereotype
Here's the problem: The NCAA ruling actually lacks sensitivity -- and common sense.
It fails to differentiate between the Southeastern Oklahoma State Savages and FSU Seminoles.
Savages? An ugly-sounding stereotype, downright offensive to an entire race.
Seminoles? It's a lesson in Florida history. The Seminole Tribe was unconquered, never losing a war, never signing a treaty. Seminoles? Not a derogatory term. It's the actual name of the tribe.
Seminoles. Not to be confused for Redskins. Or Redmen. And certainly not Savages.
Here's a mixed message. Earlier this year, the Seminole Tribe of Florida spoke to a lower NCAA committee, which decided against an outright ban of Indian mascots.
But the executive committee has handed down this overruling ultimatum, saying the Oklahoma Seminole Nation, the largest group of Seminoles outside Florida, was not supportive.
Sensitivity Gone Overboard
Immediate reaction to the NCAA ruling was borderline comical. Would Notre Dame dispense with its "Fighting Irish" leprechaun because it offended Irish people? Do the Miami Hurricanes offend the hurricane-ravaged residents of Florida?
Coming soon to Gainesville, just before the fourth quarter: "We Are The Persons Of Old Florida."
When Chief Osceola (an FSU student) rides into Doak Campbell Stadium and plants his flaming spear at midfield, it continues a popular pregame tradition that began in 1978.
From an outsider's perspective, maybe that could be toned down. Is it offensive? Not according to the Seminole Tribe of Florida, which had a hand in the development of that tradition. I'll trust its judgment over the NCAA's.
"It's only a name," FSU free safety Pat Watkins said. "We don't walk around outside of football saying 'We're Seminoles!' or trying to be Native Americans."
You know where this is headed. To the courts. Who has the best lawyers? Meanwhile, common sense -- and the Seminole Tribe of Florida -- is being ignored.
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