Here's A Little Help For The NCAA

By now you've probably heard that the NCAA has deemed that Braves, Chippewas, Choctaws, Sioux, Illini, Indians, Redmen, and Savages are unacceptable nicknames for college teams.

This great site has a comprehensive listing of college nicknames in use to-day. From that list, here are some additional ones that look problematic to me, given the NCAA's current level of thinking:

• Archers ---  Glorification of Violence
• Aztecs --- Insensitivity to Native Americans
• Battling Bishops --- Religious Insensitivity
• Beavers --- Sexist Double Entendre
• Blue Angels --- Religious Insensitivity
• Blue Demons --- Religious Insensitivity
• Blue Devils --- Religious Insensitivity
• Blue Knights ---  Glorification of Violence
• Bombers ---  Glorification of Violence
• Britons --- Ethnic Group
• Buccaneers ---  Glorification of Violence
• Bullets ---  Glorification of Violence
• Canoneers ---  Glorification of Violence
• Celtics --- Ethnic Group
• Celts --- Ethnic Group
• Classics --- Eurocentric
• Colonials --- Insensitivity to Native Americans
• Colonels ---  Glorification of Violence
• Continentals --- Eurocentric
• Conquerors ---  Glorification of Violence
• Cowboys --- Insensitivity to Native Americans
• Crusaders --- Religious Insensitivity
• Deacons --- Religious Insensitivity
• Delta Devils --- Religious Insensitivity
• Demon Deacons --- Religious Insensitivity
• Demons --- Religious Insensitivity
• Devils --- Religious Insensitivity
• Dons --- Religious Insensitivity
• Dukes --- Eurocentric
• Dutch --- Ethnic Group
• Dutchmen --- Ethnic Group
• Explorers --- Eurocentric
• Flying Dutchmen --- Ethnic Group
• Frogs --- Insensitivity to the French
• Friars --- Religious Insensitivity
• Gamecocks --- Sexist Double Entendre
• Generals ---  Glorification of Violence
• Golden Knights ---  Glorification of Violence
• Green Knights ---  Glorification of Violence
• Highlanders --- Ethnic Group
• Horned Frogs --- Insensitivity to the French
• Hustlin' Quakers --- Religious Insensitivity
• Irish --- Ethnic Group
• Jersey Devils --- Religious Insensitivity
• Knights ---  Glorification of Violence
• Matadors ---  Glorification of Violence
• Missionaries --- Insensitivity to Native Americans
• Moccasins --- Insensitivity to Native Americans
• Mohawks --- Insensitivity to Native Americans
• Monarchs --- Eurocentric
• Monks --- Religious Insensitivity
• Moundbuilders --- Insensitivity to Native Americans
• Mounties --- Eurocentric
• Nanooks --- Insensitivity to Native Americans
• Norse --- Ethnic Group
• Pilgrims --- Religious Insensitivity
• Pioneers --- Insensitivity to Native Americans
• Pirates ---  Glorification of Violence
• Praying Colonels ---  Glorification of Violence
• Preachers --- Religious Insensitivity
• Privateers ---  Glorification of Violence
• Prophets --- Religious Insensitivity
• Quakers --- Religious Insensitivity
• Ragin' Cajuns --- Ethnic Group
• Raiders ---  Glorification of Violence
• Red Devils --- Religious Insensitivity
• Saints --- Religious Insensitivity
• Saxons --- Ethnic Group
• Scarlet Knights ---  Glorification of Violence
• Scots --- Ethnic Group
• Scotties --- Ethnic Group
• Sooners --- Insensitivity to Native Americans
• Sun Devils --- Religious Insensitivity
• Swedes --- Ethnic Group
• Vandals ---  Glorification of Violence
• Vikings --- Ethnic Group
• Warhawks ---  Glorification of Violence
• Warriors ---  Glorification of Violence

Seems to me that the NCAA has a lot more work to do.

Comments

[Bob]

Actually, Wisconsin has an offensive nickname

"Badgers" was meant a slam to poor lead miners who came to the state to make a quick buck...they were so poor, they'd just dig a hole in the ground and sleep in it...like a Badger

That's how the state got its nickname...Badgers are not as prolific as you'd imagine in state named after them

Ban the Badgers!

[Woody]

As soon as PETA objects to animal names, the colleges will have to give up Tigers, Bulldogs, etc. Also, for years many people have considered the Rebels of Ole Miss to be offensive--not to the rebels but to people who associated the name, rightly or wrongly, with bigotry. The only school name that might be safe is the Stanford Cardinal, which is a color and not even plural to be birds, unless there is a lobby for colors or the Catholic Church sees some offensive connection. The Georgia Tech Yellow Jackets have not yet offended insect lovers, but the school's use of "engineers" in their fight song might be offensive if the team has a bad year, but it could be especially offensive when they sing about being drunk and a "hell of an engineer" By the time we're finished eliminating offensive names, we can use symbols like Prince did when he had that goofy symbol and was referred to the artist formally known as Prince. Florida State can be the team formerly known as the Seminoles. As an accountant, I am looking for some school that has picked an accountant as its mascot so that I can be offended. Has any school gotten that desperate, yet?

[steveegg]

Actually, the Cardinal is in serious trouble; can't be endorsing religion after all :-P

Pretty soon, everybody will be called the Pansies-oh wait, that's offensive to wimps like Bland Miles.

[Roz]

I see that both the Wolverines and Buckeyes appear to be safe.

I see another problem with the nickname "Cardinals". The name is synonymous with "red," a pejorative nickname for those unfortunates who expected Soviet socialism to bring universal utopia. Unlike groups such as Chippewa or Huron nations who could conceivably be proud to have a team named in their honor, being associated with being a red has got to be insulting.

P.S. Editor of Harvard's Crimson, please call your office.