PC NCAA FUBAR

Prince Charles apparently considers political correctness as a form of intellecual communism (a term I thought I had invented - silly me). If the Prince is right (and who am I to argue with the Crown), then the new PC Politburo is the National Collegiate Athletic Association's (NCAA's) Executive Committee.

That committee recently approved a report by the Minority Opportunities and Interests Committee (MOIC) and the Executive Committee Subcommittee on Gender and Diversity Issues that criticizes colleges and universities who use Native American nicknames and/or mascots. (You can read the full report here).

The report identifies schools with such mascots, and puts them into three categories - those who, upon inquiry from the NCAA, dumped there nicknames/logos, those who allege a close relationship with Native Americans, and those who said "go to hell." (Let's hear it for the Fighting Sioux of the University of North Dakota!!).

The report approves of the use of the name "Braves" by the University of North Carolina-Pembroke because it 21% of its 5,027 students are Native American and 24% are African-American, and because it has Native Americans on its board of trustees. This is like saying it's okay for African-Americans to use the word "nigger" because they're black. (Bill Cosby - quite rightly - thinks otherwise).

Everybody else, however, must be punished. The report notes that:

"the staff received several written responses from numerous Native American
organizations, tribes, interest groups, and individuals stating their opposition
to the use of Native American culture in their athletics programs.
Although several of these institutions have reached out to Native Americans in
their local communities, several Native Americans in and outside of those
communities are opposed to the use of Native American culture in intercollegiate
athletics. "

However, NCAA President Myles Brand acknowledges that, at least insofar as Florida State University (Seminoles) is concerned, the Seminole Indian Tribe of Florida supports FSU's use of the nickname and imagery. In an August 11, 2005 press release, Brand says:

"To be fair, some American Indian tribes have expressed their approval of the
manner in which their names and imagery are used by specific institutions.
Florida State University is a well-documented case in point, and that will
likely be the basis for any appeal. The Executive Committee must take such
claims seriously."

Well, if the FSU case is "well-documented," why is there no mention of it in the report? (FSU, for its part, intends to sue). It seems that the report's authors were selective in their analysis in an attempt to justify their conclusions. In short, they cheated. I'm pretty sure the NCAA does not condone cheating.

The report recommended that schools with "hostile or abusive racial/ethnic/national origin macots, nicknames or imagery" be prohibited from hosting NCAA national championship events, or displaying their macots, nicnames or imagery at NCAA national championship events.

The report suggested schools follow the examples of the Universities of Wisconsin and Iowa, who do not schedule non-conference games with other schools who use such macots, etc., and to remove such references from NCAA member publications.

(As an aside, this is, admittedly, less dumb than some univeristy's ban on the Trojan guy from USC brandishing his sword while galloping around the stadium on Charger because of the school's no-tolerance policy for weapons - or so I recall).

Here's the sticky part (aside from the non-sensical, biased, intellectually dishonest analysis contained in the report) - what constitutes "hostile or abusive"? The report does not provide a definition. Hotile or abuse to whom? What about Notre Dame? "The Fighting Irish" and their little drunken, brawling leprechaun mascot? Here is my short list of other possible offensive nicknames and their schools (who are also not on the list) and who they might offend:

Appalachain State Mountaineers (rural, mountain folk);
Arizona State Sun Devils (religious folk);
Central Arkansas Sugar Bears (women; men's teams are called Bears);
Earlham Hustlin' Quakers (Quakers and anti-gambling oatmeal lovers);
DePaul Blue Demons (religious folk and demons who are blue);
Furman University Paladins (French surrender monkeys);
Hawaii Rainbow Warriors (Gays, Hawaiians);
Hawaii-Hilo Vulcans (Vulcans, e.g. Mr. Spock);
Hofstra Flying Dutchmen (Dutch and drug addicts);
Idaho Vandals (criminals, law enforcement types);
Illinois College Blue Boys (boys?);
Iona Gaels (Scottish);
Jamestown Jimmies (anybody named Jim)

Etc, etc. This could take all day.

In any event, for all the hullaballoo, these changes don't affect the one sport where such mascots, icons, etc. take center stage - college football. You see, the NCAA doesn't sponsor a college football championship. The bowl games are independentl entities, and the FNC (fictional national champion) is now "decided" by the BCS bowl series, which is also independent of the NCAA.

Here's an additional interesting tidbit - and proof positive that the NCAA was looking at a pre-determined outcome here: As I noted above, NCAA President Myles Brand pointed out that Florida State University has a "well documented" situtation wherein the Florida Seminole Indian Tribe supports FSU's use of the nickname "Seminoles." As I also noted, this is not in the NCAA's report - rather, Brand suggests that FSU must now appeal - in effect saying, you can appeal based on information we ignored, and we will take you serious. Oh really. The Florida Seminole Indian Tribe approved the use of Seminoles back in June, months before the NCAA draft policy (dated in July). Why wasn't it taken seriously the first time around?

I feel compelled to make this point because of its Orwellian aspect - namely the blatent disregard for the truth in order to achieve a "politically correct" result. (See, e.g., NARAL's discontinued ad campaign against John Roberts). In any event, college football season kicks off here shortly. I, personally, now hope to see my beloved Oregon Duck sporting war paint and wearing a headdress. (Hey, does anybody remember the "Tommy-hawks" from the mid-90's, where when Oregon kicker Tommy Thompson took the field, people would hold yellow foam hatchets (sold by the UO) and make a chopping motion? Don't recall any protests then. Darn).