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):

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 fuck 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!

[Beef Supreme]

The Fighting Irish

[The Franchise]

Roughriders should be it.

Never knew you were from Grand Forks. That's where I was born.

[ptlyon]

tell the NCAA to go **** itself for making the university ditch Fighting Sioux.

This

[RealSNR]

Roughriders should be it.

Never knew you were from Grand Forks. That's where I was born.

Wow. Holy shit. Were you an air base kid?

[The Franchise]

Wow. Holy shit. Were you an air base kid?

That I was.

[Hootie]

I think Wichita State should have to change their name, too. Shockers? Every time I see that name I feel like finger banging a drunk college chick and then ramming my pinky up her meemaw hole!

[Beef Supreme]

I think Wichita State should have to change their name, too. Shockers? Every time I see that name I feel like finger banging a drunk college chick and then ramming my pinky up her meemaw hole!

How is this a bad thing?

[Hootie]

How is this a bad thing?

cuz every time i watch the shockers i can't stand up without having a boner

it's EMBARRASSING

[ptlyon]

I got a buddy from Grafton

[cosmo20002]

--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 both 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!

All of those are bad.
If this university has an ounce of sense, they pick an animal that can be made into as many novelty items as possible.
Something quirky but cool, that people will want to wear on t-shirts and hats.

North Dakota is pretty much known as "the Dakota without Mt Rushmore", but aren't there any cool animals there, even if extinct?

[RealSNR]

My mom came up with this one:

Prairie Panthers.

It's alliterative and kind of catchy. It sounds kind of old and traditional (good), and while the choice of a panther isn't that original, it at least separates itself from Northern Iowa's panthers. I'm also pretty sure a Prairie Panther (whatever that is... a mountain lion presumably) would be a predator to bison, the mascot of North Dakota State. It's also a lot more fierce than a meadowlark or a flickertail.

[RealSNR]

All of those are bad.
If this university has an ounce of sense, they pick an animal that can be made into as many novelty items as possible.
Something quirky but cool, that people will want to wear on t-shirts and hats.

North Dakota is pretty much known as "the Dakota without Mt Rushmore", but aren't there any cool animals there, even if extinct?

Something like 40% of the wooly mammoth skeletons in natural history museums across the world were excavated in western North Dakota. Does that count?

[Beef Supreme]

Seriously though, how is Fighting Sioux against the rules and Fighting Irish isn't?

[Hootie]

because we didn't force the Irish onto reservations and pillage their women, damnit!

[ThaVirus]

Why are Orca never used as the mascot for sports teams? I think Killer Whales have to be the most underused animal mascot.

Also gorillas. And ocelots.

[cosmo20002]

Something like 40% of the wooly mammoth skeletons in natural history museums across the world were excavated in western North Dakota. Does that count?

That could work.

I did some research, and it appears to be slim pickings up there for interesting animals.
I think your only options are going to be the North Dakota Mammoths (the ladies teams will love that one) or the North Dakota Eared Grebes.

Sorry, those are your only choices.

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/1/10/Black-necked_Grebe_Schwarzhalstaucher.jpg/220px-Black-necked_Grebe_Schwarzhalstaucher.jpg
It's not a duck--it is a grebe.

[ptlyon]

Da Nort Dakota Sucmakakawillas

[cosmo20002]

Why are Orca never used as the mascot for sports teams? I think Killer Whales have to be the most underused animal mascot.

Also gorillas. And ocelots.

http://www.collegeflagsandbanners.com/images_products/pittsburg_state_gorillas_house_flag_66701sma.jpg

[The Franchise]

North Dakota Complacent Sioux?

[KC native]

Fighting Frackers

or

Firey Frackers

[Zebedee DuBois]

Mascots are overwhelmingly mammals - usually predatory ones. Birds are probably second, followed by amphibians and reptiles. Predation is preferred for the implication that they will consume the opponent.
Vegetative ones like Stanford and Wichita State are very rare.

Still there are a lot of life forms that are not represented, some very predatory ones. Some that I would have thought ThaVirus would have listed.

[cosmo20002]

Seriously though, how is Fighting Sioux against the rules and Fighting Irish isn't?

The school was afraid of being Siouxed.

[eDave]

Fighting Sue

[Eleazar]

Perhaps they should be the Adult Undergarments in honor of the bedwetting liberals who plied them to change the name in the first place.

[eDave]

The school was afraid of being Siouxed.

Far less painful than being Irished.

[Zebedee DuBois]

c'mon. The virulent Pox should inspire fear.

[The Franchise]

c'mon. The virulent Pox should inspire fear.

Just make it simple. The North Dakota Plague.

[alnorth]

Something like 40% of the wooly mammoth skeletons in natural history museums across the world were excavated in western North Dakota. Does that count?

Ooh, thats a good idea. If they had a wooly mammoth mascot, they'd probably sell lots of mammoth toys and trinkets with their name on it.

[Hootie]

Fighting Sue

yeah but then when that team gets knocked out we open a whole new can of worms with this domestic violence b.s.

[alnorth]

Just make it simple. The North Dakota Plague.

The North Dakota AIDS. Have the mascot be a guy wearing a big fuzzy HIV virus costume.

[Beef Supreme]

Ooh, thats a good idea. If they had a wooly mammoth mascot, they'd probably sell lots of mammoth toys and trinkets with their name on it.

And headgear with tusks and 70's shag carpet.

Also, the obligatory "Mammoths will be offended. They were wiped out by humans."

[The Franchise]

The North Dakota AIDS. Have the mascot be a guy wearing a big fuzzy HIV virus costume.

North Dakota Small Pox Blankets

[RealSNR]

Seriously though, how is Fighting Sioux against the rules and Fighting Irish isn't?

Technically "Sioux" isn't the name of the tribe. If you went on a reservation and asked somebody if they were a member of the Sioux tribe, they would all say "no." Sioux was a shortened version of some Algonquin word that French fur traders in the 18th/19th century used as a derogatory term. I'm not sure if it actually means "snake" like the rumor is, but it's not good.

It's kind of a different situation from the Illini or the Seminoles, which are actual tribe names. The Fighting Lakota would have been the better comparison if UND had the hope of getting the reservations' approval to use the name.

[Mojo Jojo]

Why are Orca never used as the mascot for sports teams? I think Killer Whales have to be the most underused animal mascot.

Also gorillas. And ocelots.
The Vancouver Canucks have an orca as a mascot.

[ptlyon]

That settles it. The North Dakota Fighting Fur Traders

[Eleazar]

Ooh, thats a good idea. If they had a wooly mammoth mascot, they'd probably sell lots of mammoth toys and trinkets with their name on it.

I like Mammoths too. It's a rare unique mascot name. I think there might be a NLL team with that name, but it's still fairly unique. Lots of merchandising opportunity there too. Lots of opportunities for jokes about the size of women in Nodak. Everybody wins.

[Rain Man]

Why are Orca never used as the mascot for sports teams? I think Killer Whales have to be the most underused animal mascot.

Also gorillas. And ocelots.


The North Dakota Orcas would be pretty cool.

[Beef Supreme]

The North Dakota Orcas would be pretty cool.

Land locked state doesn't seem to fit the aquatic theme.

[ptlyon]

The North Dakota Oil Barons

[kepp]

cuz every time i watch the shockers i can't stand up without having a boner

it's EMBARRASSING

https://c1.staticflickr.com/1/56/153273330_8f824a7f30.jpg

[RealSNR]

Mascots are overwhelmingly mammals - usually predatory ones. Birds are probably second, followed by amphibians and reptiles. Predation is preferred for the implication that they will consume the opponent.
Vegetative ones like Stanford and Wichita State are very rare.

Still there are a lot of life forms that are not represented, some very predatory ones. Some that I would have thought ThaVirus would have listed.

I thought this was interesting:

http://www.slate.com/blogs/the_eye/2015/01/13/university_of_north_dakota_is_in_search_of_a_nickname_and_logo_to_replace.html

What, then, will be next for North Dakota? The university has established a “Nickname and Logo Process Recommendation Task Force,” which may in turn appoint yet another committee to help select a new name this year.

In my opinion, universities have often not done a good job of replacing Native American nicknames and logos. Fearful of controversy and hamstrung by committee decision-making processes, they have often selected names and marks that are bland, generic, uninspiring, and lacking in distinctiveness.

Birds are a typical choice. Of Division I schools that dropped Native American nicknames, 39 percent subsequently adopted bird mascots. By comparison, among other Division I schools, only 15 percent have bird mascots.

Colors are also popular in post–Native American nicknames. Fully half feature some reference to color, compared with just 7 percent of other schools’ nicknames.

Sometimes, birds and colors are combined, as in the case of the Miami RedHawks, Seattle Redhawks, Southeast Missouri State Redhawks, and Marquette Golden Eagles. UND would do well to avoid these clichés by selecting a name that is distinctive and memorable.

Logos can be very important to universities, and not just for their symbolic value; just ask the University of Texas, which makes more than $10 million a year by licensing its Longhorn mark. In designing a new logo, North Dakota would be wise to avoid a visual trend that has been plaguing college sports in recent years: the “mean mascot” logo. While mascots have long been depicted in aggressive postures that imply competitiveness, college mascot logos of late have adopted a succession of dour grimaces and pained expressions that seem to suggest that athletic competition could never involve an ounce of fun.

http://www.slate.com/content/dam/slate/blogs/the_eye/2015/01/12/150113_EYE_5.jpg.CROP.original-original.jpg

And this parade of gruff forest creatures, pissed-off men in hats, and angry birds doesn’t just connote joylessness, but may also signify insignificance: While 54 percent of schools in the NCAA’s “Power Five” conferences, the true big-time schools of college sports, have mean-mascot logos, fully 73 percent of the other Division I universities, the more small-time schools, do. And 19 percent of the Power Five have smiling, happy mascot logos, compared with just 5 percent of the smaller schools. In some sense, a mean mascot may be a sign of being small-time: The more prominent college athletic programs are more likely to have the confidence to go with a less “intimidating,” more relatable, happy mascot.

http://www.slate.com/content/dam/slate/blogs/the_eye/2015/01/12/150113_EYE_6.jpg.CROP.original-original.jpg

I submit that if UND wishes to be perceived as a powerful sports program, it should avoid a logo with a cranky mascot and instead opt for one that suggests confidence, positivity, and fun.

The most fertile ground for creative, fun sports nicknames and logos currently exists around minor league baseball teams. These organizations, compared with universities, are relatively unencumbered by tradition and the need for solemnity. They seem to pick names and logos that will draw fans and sell T-shirts through attractive design and good humor.

http://www.slate.com/content/dam/slate/blogs/the_eye/2015/01/12/150113_EYE_7.jpg.CROP.original-original.jpg

[The Franchise]

The North Dakota Tortugas

http://images.sodahead.com/polls/002202933/253204461_1005f81511690b4392efa57c0519063e_sc_xlarge.jpeg

[ThaVirus]

Land locked state doesn't seem to fit the aquatic theme.


Sports teams that have relevant mascots certainly deserve praise, but there are tons that don't make any sense whatsoever.

Detroit Lions? Pitt State Gorillas?

[ThaVirus]

Now that I think about it, there are tons of fierce and dangerous animals that never seem to be used as mascots. Elephants, hippos, any type of shark, any type of snake, any type of arthropod, etc.

You see bears a lot but they're generally depicted as brown or Grizzly. How about polar bears?

Leopards and cheetahs are woefully underrepresented as big cats. Lions, tigers and Jaguars get all the love.

THIS IS BULLSHIT.

[ptlyon]

Sports teams that have relevant mascots certainly deserve praise, but there are tons that don't make any sense whatsoever.

Detroit Lions? Pitt State Gorillas?

The Tennessee Volunteers? When have them lazy fuckers ever volunteered for anything?

[gblowfish]

The Smallpox Blankets?

[Bugeater]

The Fighting ICBMs? :shrug:

[The Franchise]

The Smallpox Blankets?

Q

[TrebMaxx]

The Fighting Politically Correct Pussies

[cosmo20002]

The Wounded Knees



Shit, never mind. Wrong one. Seriously, North Dakota makes South Dakota seem spectacular and exciting.

[Rain Man]

Land locked state doesn't seem to fit the aquatic theme.

There's a river in North Dakota. Maybe they could be the river Orcas.

[Rain Man]

Actually, there's a huge opportunity here. Think about this: the Ermines.

First off, ermines are really tough little critters, and they are paradoxically soft and furry.

But the big win here is that the university would be the UNDErmines. Now you have a mascot that's not just fierce and furry, but also one that has Machiavellian undertones.

[Rain Man]

The ermine is also a cold-weather mammal. It may not quite reach North Dakota, but hey, there are no lions in Detroit and no bears in Chicago.

http://www.mbgnet.net/sets/taiga/animals/erminer.gif

[Rain Man]

Guys, we have to go ermine here. Join with me and let's flood them with suggestions for it.

[Rain Man]

Okay, I submitted ermine with this justification. Help me out here, folks. This is my Ferguson. This is where I make my stand.

The ermine is fierce, it thrives in cold weather, and it's cute and furry. Plus, UND Ermines (undermines) is delightfully Machivellian.

Please submit some variation of this language in your own words. If they adopt the ermine, I'll rep everyone who helped.

[sedated]

<img src="http://s2.quickmeme.com/img/79/797e630732df3fc8710e0a68ff7abeb36348d9bb6467510db1fa7747873b0518.jpg" height=400>

<img src="http://25.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_md13h3vcsi1rp73x6o1_500.jpg">

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Cartoon TucanSamQuakerOats

[RealSNR]

I knew I could count on Rain Man to come up with the best solution.

That's why you should only ever let Chiefs Planet solve your problems.

[RealSNR]

Guys, we have to go ermine here. Join with me and let's flood them with suggestions for it.

I'm on it. I submitted for my first and second suggestions.

[BucEyedPea]

For the Patriots: Revolutionary WASPs!
(White Anglo Saxon Protestants)

I LIKE it!

[BucEyedPea]

Oh wait it's for a university....now lemme see:

Boston University—Red Jesuits

[Rain Man]

...

Did you vote for ermine?

http://animal-backgrounds.com/file/3248/600x338/16:9/ermine-hq-wallpaper_1619406720.jpg

[Rain Man]

I'm on it. I submitted for my first and second suggestions.

Excellent! Let's make this ermine thing happen.

http://icons-ak.wunderground.com/data/wximagenew/a/akdale/4.jpg

[Rain Man]

Oh wait it's for a university....now lemme see:

Boston University—Red Jesuits


Ermine. Get on board the ermine train.

http://goeddelphotography.com/uploads/photos/_large/1_Weasel-Ermine-Yawning-in-Tree.jpg

[BWillie]

Flying Squirrels.

Perfect mascot name.

http://iliketowastemytime.com/sites/default/files/southern-flying-squirrel1.jpg

[Pablo]

The North Dakota Snow Sadness

[The Franchise]

Ermine. Get on board the ermine train.

http://goeddelphotography.com/uploads/photos/_large/1_Weasel-Ermine-Yawning-in-Tree.jpg

In and submitted.

[Rain Man]

Oh, hey. The ermine is actually native to North Dakota as well: http://gf.nd.gov/wildlife/fish-wildlife/id/mammals/carnivores/weasel.

Can someone include this in their nomination?

Errrrrrmiiiiiiiiiine!

http://www.falconphotos.com/Mammals/Small-Mammals/i-grM78HT/0/L/42489-L.jpg

[Rain Man]

In and submitted.

Excellent work.

[BucEyedPea]

because we didn't force the Irish onto reservations and pillage their women, damnit!

No but we had signs allowed saying "Irish need not apply" in job ads.

[Rain Man]

As far as my initial research shows, UND would be the only ermines in college sports. I can't even find a high school with the name, which astounds me. Ermine are fearsome predators.

https://elationcreations.files.wordpress.com/2011/09/ermine-black-tail-tip-winter_16094_600x450.jpg

[ThaVirus]

Excellent! Let's make this ermine thing happen.

http://icons-ak.wunderground.com/data/wximagenew/a/akdale/4.jpg

Physical characteristics say ferret but the eyes say "I WILL RIP YOUR FUCKING HEART OUT".

[Rain Man]

Physical characteristics say ferret but the eyes say "I WILL RIP YOUR ****ING HEART OUT".


Undoubtedly. If ermine were a little bit larger, I bet mankind wouldn't have survived the Ice Age.

[Rain Man]

I've been needing a cause, and this is it. It's time to give the ermine the accolades that it deserves. I'm going to post this on my Facebook as well.

[alnorth]

I have submitted a suggestion for a new mascot which I just thought of, independently, and without any influence from this board: the Ermine.

http://nature.ca/notebooks/images/img/127_p_ermine_4893_p.jpg

[Sorter]

The University of North Dakota River Otters: They'll Fuck You Up


<iframe width="560" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/01iWx4476pY" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

http://ak-hdl.buzzfed.com/static/2014-06/24/11/enhanced/webdr06/anigif_enhanced-22431-1403623830-6.gif

http://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/s--l8DSM33F--/q3rgimrgm0lrfm4wlhgd.gif

[Sorter]

I knew I could count on Rain Man to come up with the best solution.


http://dailyotter.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Otter-Yawn-GIF.gif

[Rain Man]

I have submitted a suggestion for a new mascot which I just thought of, independently, and without any influence from this board: the Ermine.

http://nature.ca/notebooks/images/img/127_p_ermine_4893_p.jpg

Ermine power!

[Mike in SW-MO]

Let's go with the full FU and go, the North Dakota

7th Cavalry.

Celebrate the frontier heritage and all.

[alnorth]

http://dailyotter.org/wp-content/uploads/2014/09/Otter-Yawn-GIF.gif

Thats just repulsive.

The Ermine is both adorable and vicious.

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcTOkcfw1afPjscOlczlzBlBWvwYYFwKpQpXVCh6q73QirnuFJST

[Pablo]

That was awesome. Otters are really cool.

[Rain Man]

That was awesome. Otters are really cool.

Just wait until you see an ermine.

https://encrypted-tbn3.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcQliFSdtqYS2QIGK8XqIr-xjVnqRjwilNRSoXcWuZB6zswwLZWK

[The Franchise]

Ermines come from royalty.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Elizabeth1England.jpg

[ThaVirus]

Speaking of otters, I saw one recently in one of the ponds in my apartment complex. I had never seen one in the wild before..

That took me to Wikipedia where I learned that, apparently, they can be spotted as far north as Ohio.

[BWillie]

Not going to lie, I like the Otters just as much as the flying squirrels.

Nobody knows what the hell an Ermine is nationally, so that idea is stupid.

[Rain Man]

Not going to lie, I like the Otters just as much as the flying squirrels.

Nobody knows what the hell an Ermine is nationally, so that idea is stupid.


That's why Ermine is so cool. It's a great branding opportunity for both the mammal and the school. Ermine will become synonymous with the University of North Dakota. I'll bet the Ermine name and mascot will boost applications by 25 percent at least.

http://www.nature-in-focus.de/newshoots/wp-content/uploads/2014/08/Etienne.jpg

[The Franchise]

Not going to lie, I like the Otters just as much as the flying squirrels.

Nobody knows what the hell an Ermine is nationally, so that idea is stupid.

What's a zip?

How about a chanticleer?

Maybe you can tell me what a Billiken is?

[lewdog]

The University of North Dakota Fighting Pheasants.

[Sorter]

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/bBF2qXEIStw" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

http://gifrific.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/07/Otter-Gets-Drink-Out-of-Vending-Machine.gif


River otters perfecting their WR drills.

http://i.imgur.com/xAMJ3cR.gif

http://old.seattletimes.com/ABPub/2014/01/16/2022688599.jpg

[Rain Man]

We've already reached consensus, people. We're going with ermine. Please form an orderly line and go to the link to nominate ermine.

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRCTzFx-y_0Hkf7WvLjYVO8LlbdGh-XHLo3vCRZiq5SNofwW73eCQ

[Sorter]

We've already reached consensus, people. We're going with ermine. Please form an orderly line and go to the link to nominate ermine.

https://encrypted-tbn1.gstatic.com/images?q=tbn:ANd9GcRCTzFx-y_0Hkf7WvLjYVO8LlbdGh-XHLo3vCRZiq5SNofwW73eCQ

What the fuck!?

http://i.imgur.com/ilv7Dxn.gif

[alnorth]

Don't mess with the ermine, he'll eat anything

http://m1.i.pbase.com/o6/80/486280/1/92814551.IPfpIZK3.ermine5.jpg

[DaNewGuy]

Im on bored with the otters, those were some crisp routes they were running

[digger]

http://37.media.tumblr.com/tumblr_maobwyJ0mb1r752j0o1_500.gif

[Rain Man]

Im on bored with the otters, those were some crisp routes they were running

We can with the otters for some riverine college, but ermine is definitely the way to go for UND. UND is the ermine - small, fierce, and mostly white.

We probably shouldn't include the "mostly white" part in our nominations, by the way.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zM_i3k0tbCk/StpTMl3FWMI/AAAAAAAAAss/TwcpOPorvuU/s400/Ermine.jpg

[RaiderH8r]

The Conquerors would be awesome. I would also endorse the Norsemen. Or the Horde. The Northern Horde. The Oilers. White Devils would work too. Really appease those whiny ****s.

Let's list them:
Conquerors
Norsemen
Horde
Northern Horde
Oilers
White Devils
Roughnecks
Round Eyes (again, for the whiny cunts)
Pumpjacks

[RealSNR]

The Conquerors would be awesome. I would also endorse the Norsemen. Or the Horde. The Northern Horde. The Oilers. White Devils would work too. Really appease those whiny cunts.

Norsemen is already taken.

Luther College, baby!

[Bob Dole]

BWillie doesn't know what something is, so it's automatically stupid.

Good to know that about 90% of Bob Dole's knowledge is stupid.

[KC native]

Actually, there's a huge opportunity here. Think about this: the Ermines.

First off, ermines are really tough little critters, and they paradoxically soft and furry.

But the big win here is that the university would be the UNDErmines. Now you have a mascot that's not just fierce and furry, but also one that has Machiavellian undertones.

Posts like this are why you are the Chiefsplanet MVP.

LET'S GO ERMINES!

[TimBone]

Okay, I submitted ermine with this justification. Help me out here, folks. This is my Ferguson. This is where I make my stand.

The ermine is fierce, it thrives in cold weather, and it's cute and furry. Plus, UND Ermines (undermines) is delightfully Machivellian.

Please submit some variation of this language in your own words. If they adopt the ermine, I'll rep everyone who helped.
I'll submit shortly.

Also, Dicky was murdering this thread with his suggestions. Small Pox Blankets was wonderful.

[TimBone]

Done.

[SPchief]

Some guy doing analytics at Google is probably trying to figure out why all of a sudden Ermines are a poplar search right now.

[Psyko Tek]

because we didn't force the Irish onto reservations and pillage their women, damnit!

we should have
I like redheads

[displacedinMN]

Flatlanders

Oilers

Coal Miners

Next stop, Montana

LVTM-Lives vicariously through Minnesota

[displacedinMN]

Norsemen is already taken.

Luther College, baby!

True, Luther may have an issue with it


the carbon based life forms.

Just nothing with cats. Tired of cat mascots.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

The Ocelots

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Scientologists. Tom Cruise would make a great mascot.

[ptlyon]

Flatlanders

Oilers

Coal Miners

Next stop, Montana

LVTM-Lives vicariously through Minnesota

And the Gophers should be named the Minnesota Rabbit Chokers

[Perineum Ripper]

I was going to suggest Badlanders but now I am torn between Otters and Ermine

[KC native]

I have put in Ermine 4 times. Get to work fuckers. Ermine needs to happen.

[ptlyon]

I have put in Ermine 4 times. Get to work ****ers. Ermine needs to happen.

Rep whore

[RealSNR]

Colorized logo attached.

The turned head conjures up more predatory symbols like that of a serpent. The close shot decontextualizes its small stature, a problem with the Gopher and Badger logos, where you zoom out to the goofy bodies and they become silly and cartoonish. The squint and flattened ears are intimidating and fierce, yet also approachable. It seems to say, "If you're one of us, you're cool, but if you're a vole or something else we like to eat, you better sleep with your eyes open, because one night I'm going to come to your habitat and gnaw your throat." I could also see this fitting nicely on a football helmet.

[RealSNR]

Fuck. Here. This is it.

[displacedinMN]

And the Gophers should be named the Minnesota Rabbit Chokers

Ugh, The U of M. Sports program is a consistent mess. The best thing they can do is go back to 1860 and move the campus out of Minneapolis so there is less competition and distraction from the metro area.

[Frosty]

North Dakota Ice Holes

[stumppy]

Fuck. Here. This is it.

It needs to look more like an aging female singer that belts out show tunes from the 1950's............named Ethel. Ethel Ermine.

[displacedinMN]

The North Dakota Flyovers.
Hey, I like ND, but this is what people think of the midwest

[Gonzo]

They've got a shit ton of pheasant in ND. Maybe they could go with fighting ring-necked cocks.

[Rain Man]

Colorized logo attached.

The turned head conjures up more predatory symbols like that of a serpent. The close shot decontextualizes its small stature, a problem with the Gopher and Badger logos, where you zoom out to the goofy bodies and they become silly and cartoonish. The squint and flattened ears are intimidating and fierce, yet also approachable. It seems to say, "If you're one of us, you're cool, but if you're a vole or something else we like to eat, you better sleep with your eyes open, because one night I'm going to come to your habitat and gnaw your throat." I could also see this fitting nicely on a football helmet.


Question for you: will the new nickname lead to selecting new team colors? Right now, it looks like they're going with green and white. But if they go with the Ermine, I would suggest a change to red and white: white for the ermine, and red for the blood of everything that encounters the ermine.

[alnorth]

Question for you: will the new nickname lead to selecting new team colors? Right now, it looks like they're going with green and white. But if they go with the Ermine, I would suggest a change to red and white: white for the ermine, and red for the blood of everything that encounters the ermine.

I really doubt they would change colors, but it works for this mascot. White ermine maybe wearing a green hockey jersey, or mid-pounce among the trees of an evergreen forest.

[Rain Man]

I really doubt they would change colors, but it works for this mascot. White ermine maybe wearing a green hockey jersey, or mid-pounce among the trees of an evergreen forest.

I guess the nice thing is that everything goes with ermine.


I hope people are still nominating it. I hope that ermine will be so strongly suggested that it cannot be ignored. If we can get it into the finals, then I'm sure it'll win.

[highBOLTage]

I guess the nice thing is that everything goes with ermine.


I hope people are still nominating it. I hope that ermine will be so strongly suggested that it cannot be ignored. If we can get it into the finals, then I'm sure it'll win.

Just submitted.
Option1: Ermines
Option 2: Ermines. Make it happen.

[Rain Man]

Just submitted.
Option1: Ermines
Option 2: Ermines. Make it happen.


Excellent work. Hopefully the UND administration is taking note.

[Whosurdaddy]

Engines

[Rain Man]

Engines

No, no, it's spelled ermines.

[Superbowltrashcan]

My vote is in! Don't you dare mess with a stoat! (uhhmm... ermine)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Stoat_and_chipmunks.png

[Rain Man]

My vote is in! Don't you dare mess with a stoat! (uhhmm... ermine)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/a/a6/Stoat_and_chipmunks.png


Ermine power!

[Rain Man]

Did anyone know that Leonardo Da Vinci only painted four portraits of women, and one of those featured an ermine? I bet the Mona Lisa was just one or two beers away from posing with an ermine.

Here's an interesting article about Da Vinci's painting, "Lady With An Ermine". Apparently she didn't initially have an ermine, and then he added a gray one, and then later changed it to a white one. Just like the future UND mascot.

https://news.artnet.com/art-world/secrets-of-da-vincis-lady-with-an-ermine-finally-revealed-117891

https://news.artnet.com/wp-content/news-upload/2014/09/Leonardo-Lady-with-an-Ermine.jpg

[Frosty]

Ermine power!

The Fighing 'ermans

http://assets.amuniversal.com/fecd45502fe40132a3ab005056a9545d

http://www.tvacres.com/images/munster_herman_face.jpg

https://www.animationfestival.ca/archives/2005/images/prog_peewee_01.jpg

http://skepticism-images.s3-website-us-east-1.amazonaws.com/images/jreviews/Goering-1935-a.jpg

[Mr. Flopnuts]

North Dakota Complacent Sioux?

ROFL

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Bangmaids. Who wouldn't like to have a maid that you bang?

[lewdog]

They've got a shit ton of pheasant in ND. Maybe they could go with fighting ring-necked cocks.

Yup, I submitted Fighting Pheasants for my choice.

[Frosty]

We can with the otters for some riverine college, but ermine is definitely the way to go for UND. UND is the ermine - small, fierce, and mostly white.

We probably shouldn't include the "mostly white" part in our nominations, by the way.

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_zM_i3k0tbCk/StpTMl3FWMI/AAAAAAAAAss/TwcpOPorvuU/s400/Ermine.jpg

The North Dakota White Weasels has a nice ring to it.

[Rain Man]

Bangmaids. Who wouldn't like to have a maid that you bang?

Yup, I submitted Fighting Pheasants for my choice.

these are great moves. If we plant some terrible ideas it will make ermine seem that much more cool.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

The Rain Men

[TimBone]

these are great moves. If we plant some terrible ideas it will make ermine seem that much more cool.
ROFL

[Aries Walker]

Ermines come from royalty.

https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/e/e5/Elizabeth1England.jpg
It hasn't gone out of style, either.

http://myincarnations.com/bard/coronationqe2.jpg

[Aries Walker]

North Dakota Small Pox Blankets
Geez, it was one time, and they weren't even Americans. Harrumph.

[lewdog]

these are great moves. If we plant some terrible ideas it will make ermine seem that much more cool.

You've clearly never been to North Dakota.

I WIN! Or is that lose???

[Aries Walker]

As appealing as the idea of the University of North Dakota Virulent Pox is, I am fully on board the Ermine Train. I submitted it as first and second, promised to buy a shirt if they select it, and am currently pimping the shit out of the idea on my Facebook page.

Ermines!

[Aries Walker]

Also, the Underminer approves.

https://s-media-cache-ak0.pinimg.com/originals/43/c5/98/43c598e9799463cb482e11f1e454f663.jpg

[RealSNR]

Now that this simply HAS to be a reality (the committee can't ignore the numbers on this one), I think it's time to start legitimizing your University of North Dakota Ermines according to the desired attributes of the committee representatives. Copy and paste these if anybody ever asks why you think this is a good idea:

Again, from the UND nickname suggestion form website:

The Nickname Committee will evaluate nickname suggestions based on a list of previously suggested attributes, including:

1. Be unique, recognizable, inspiring, and distinctly UND’s.
2. Promote a sense of pride, strength, fierceness, and passion.
3. 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.
4. Be a unifying and rallying symbol.

Well, let's break this down, shall we?

1. Be unique, recognizable, inspiring, and distinctly UND's. Done. Rain Man has already done the research. There are no high schools, colleges, or universities with an ermine mascot. Think about that. There are 26,407 public high schools, 10,693 private high schools, and 4,140 colleges and universities (public and private, 2-year and 4-year institutions) in the United States. I'm not going to do the math, but that's a lot of opportunities to select "ermines" as a mascot. Not a single one has it. Until now. If that isn't unique, recognizable, inspiring, and distinct to UND alone, then I don't know what is.

2. Promote a sense of pride, strength, fierceness, and passion. They eat everything and can take down predators far larger than they are. They have a brilliant and sleek appearance to them as well. So yes, I think we got this covered.

3. 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. The first European settlers in North Dakota were here primarily for the fur trade. As unfortunate as that is to the ermine, they must have been the top-of-the-line animal to get in your trap. Any asshole can collect beaver pelts, but if you've got ermine fur, you're making a shit ton of cash. And it definitely looks to the future-- like I said, North Dakota should follow in the footsteps of Gophers and Badgers in its endeavors to become a tier one research institution. Glory awaits the school both academically and athletically. Well... academically, anyway. Unless we're talking hockey.

4. Be a unifying and rallying symbol.

I've got one word for you: UNDermine.

[RealSNR]

The official colors (green and white) are going to look fantastic.

Look at my avatar. Imagine the ermine against a background of a deep, dark forest green. It would look pretty damn sharp, wouldn't it? Well, that deep, dark forest green is already the primary color in UND's color scheme. And then we've got the white of the ermine. We're already covered. UND doesn't have to change a damn thing with its colors.

I can't wait to see this ermine in my avatar on football helmets and at center court/center ice in a college athletic season in the near future.

[RealSNR]

UND lost in the Frozen Four tonight.

This could have been prevented if they had a spirit animal to rally around.

Adopting "ermines" as their mascot will win them more hockey championships.

[Rain Man]

UND lost in the Frozen Four tonight.

This could have been prevented if they had a spirit animal to rally around.

Adopting "ermines" as their mascot will win them more hockey championships.


What else should we do to make this happen? I want to see an Ermine mascot prowling the sidelines next season.

[RealSNR]

What else should we do to make this happen? I want to see an Ermine mascot prowling the sidelines next season.

The committee is going to "recommend" a name to the president. I think numbers are the way we're going to get ermines into this thing.

[Rain Man]

The committee is going to "recommend" a name to the president. I think numbers are the way we're going to get ermines into this thing.

I just submitted ermine for the third time. I'll try to do it every few days. I hope others will, too. We need to feed the committee a steady stream of ermine until the suggestion period closes.

[Rain Man]

Here's the committee. Does anyone know any of them?

http://und.edu/university-public-affairs/nickname/

Karl Goehring, UND alumnus and former men’s hockey goal tender, Investment Consultant, Alerus Securities, Committee chair (Goehring also served on the previous Task Force, which recommended that the Task Force be represented on the new Committee)

Jazmyn Friesz, UND Health Sciences student, Student Body Chief of Staff, Committee vice chair

Landon Bahl, UND Entrepreneurship and Marketing student

John Bridewell, UND Professor of Aviation

Carla Christofferson, UND alumna, Executive Vice President and General Counsel at AECOM, Los Angeles, Calif.

Diane Hillebrand, CRA (Certified Research Administrator), UND alumna, Grant and Contract Officer for UND’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences, current Past President of Staff Senate and Chair of the Bylaws/Elections Committee

Dayo Idowu, UND Chemical Engineering student and current men’s football student athlete

Dr. Leander “Russ” McDonald, three-time UND alumnus and President, United Tribes Technical College

Chelsea Moser, UND Accountancy student and current women’s volleyball student athlete

Lowell Schweigert, UND alumnus and football letterwinner, long-time Champions Club member, current UND Booster Chair, Financial Consultant and Business Owner, Northern Plains Financial

Dave St. Peter, UND alumnus and President, Minnesota Twins

Susan Walton, UND’s Vice President for University and Public Affairs, serves as project manager for the Committee. Communications support will be provided by University & Public Affairs personnel.

The Nickname Committee will not engage a professional facilitator. However, based on recommendations from the previous Task Force, collegiate branding expert Kelly O’Keefe, who provided branding counsel to that group, will join the Nickname Committee’s meetings by phone to provide counsel and discuss best practices.

[Rain Man]

I'm trying to register on this forum to drum up more support for the ermine, but I keep getting errors. Can anyone else register?

http://forum.siouxsports.com/topic/18030-why-cant-und-have-a-new-nickname-yet/

[ClevelandBronco]

Service Unavailable

The server is temporarily unable to service your request due to maintenance downtime or capacity problems. Please try again later.

[RealSNR]

Here's the committee. Does anyone know any of them?

http://und.edu/university-public-affairs/nickname/

Karl Goehring, UND alumnus and former men’s hockey goal tender, Investment Consultant, Alerus Securities, Committee chair (Goehring also served on the previous Task Force, which recommended that the Task Force be represented on the new Committee)

Jazmyn Friesz, UND Health Sciences student, Student Body Chief of Staff, Committee vice chair

Landon Bahl, UND Entrepreneurship and Marketing student

John Bridewell, UND Professor of Aviation

Carla Christofferson, UND alumna, Executive Vice President and General Counsel at AECOM, Los Angeles, Calif.

Diane Hillebrand, CRA (Certified Research Administrator), UND alumna, Grant and Contract Officer for UND’s School of Medicine and Health Sciences, current Past President of Staff Senate and Chair of the Bylaws/Elections Committee

Dayo Idowu, UND Chemical Engineering student and current men’s football student athlete

Dr. Leander “Russ” McDonald, three-time UND alumnus and President, United Tribes Technical College

Chelsea Moser, UND Accountancy student and current women’s volleyball student athlete

Lowell Schweigert, UND alumnus and football letterwinner, long-time Champions Club member, current UND Booster Chair, Financial Consultant and Business Owner, Northern Plains Financial

Dave St. Peter, UND alumnus and President, Minnesota Twins

Susan Walton, UND’s Vice President for University and Public Affairs, serves as project manager for the Committee. Communications support will be provided by University & Public Affairs personnel.

The Nickname Committee will not engage a professional facilitator. However, based on recommendations from the previous Task Force, collegiate branding expert Kelly O’Keefe, who provided branding counsel to that group, will join the Nickname Committee’s meetings by phone to provide counsel and discuss best practices.
I know a couple people, actually. One of them is a member of the church I used to play at, and the other is a family friend.

No, I'm not just making that up.

I didn't even consider going directly to the source of the decision making on this. I think we just got a huge boost.

[Aries Walker]

I encouraged - okay, dragooned - a few of my friends into voting. I'm half a country away and have of those people, but I'm really hoping they win, and I'm totally buying a t-shirt when they do.

[Rain Man]

Service Unavailable

The server is temporarily unable to service your request due to maintenance downtime or capacity problems. Please try again later.

I got that message, but it apparently put me into the system. When I shut the page and then opened it back up I was able to log in, but I'm in the "waiting for approval" stage right now. Maybe you're in the same situation.

As soon as I'm in, I'll start working that crowd. The choices they're bandying about aren't very original.

[Rain Man]

I know a couple people, actually. One of them is a member of the church I used to play at, and the other is a family friend.

No, I'm not just making that up.

I didn't even consider going directly to the source of the decision making on this. I think we just got a huge boost.


If I may quote Salt n Pepa from that bad commercial, push it.

Y'know, my firm actually did research for another college mascot a couple of years ago, and we've also done research for two colleges that were considering new names for the whole school. So I'm kind of an expert on this if you need to play that card.

[RealSNR]

If I may quote Salt n Pepa from that bad commercial, push it.

Y'know, my firm actually did research for another college mascot a couple of years ago, and we've also done research for two colleges that were considering new names for the whole school. So I'm kind of an expert on this if you need to play that card.

I know you probably can't release the names of the places you did work for, but can you at least say if the schools are happy with the changes you suggested?

[Rain Man]

I know you probably can't release the names of the places you did work for, but can you at least say if the schools are happy with the changes you suggested?

Yeah, they're all happy. In one case we did the initial branding research that justified a name change, and then the school picked the name and moved forward. It was an East Coast school.

In another case, we got involved because there was controversy about a name change. The administration wanted one name and the students rallied around another name and there was also a tussle with a nearby school that was worried about an overlap in names. There were short-term battles but they died out pretty quickly.

On the mascot one, we just did some vetting of a mascot and a couple of variants that were already under consideration, and I don't think there was any controversy about the options.

I'm tempted to write to UND and offer our services for concept testing, but it might cause controversy if they find out that I'm an ermine proponent, even though I could still be quite neutral about it.

[bigbucks24]

Yeah, they're all happy. In one case we did the initial branding research that justified a name change, and then the school picked the name and moved forward. It was an East Coast school.

In another case, we got involved because there was controversy about a name change. The administration wanted one name and the students rallied around another name and there was also a tussle with a nearby school that was worried about an overlap in names. There were short-term battles but they died out pretty quickly.

On the mascot one, we just did some vetting of a mascot and a couple of variants that were already under consideration, and I don't think there was any controversy about the options.

I'm tempted to write to UND and offer our services for concept testing, but it might cause controversy if they find out that I'm an ermine proponent, even though I could still be quite neutral about it.

When have you ever been quite neutral about anything?

[bigbucks24]

http://s22.postimg.org/jwqgqqym9/image.jpg

[Rain Man]

When have you ever been quite neutral about anything?

I'm passionately neutral about everything. Neutrality is the thing I love most.

[RealSNR]

Yeah, they're all happy. In one case we did the initial branding research that justified a name change, and then the school picked the name and moved forward. It was an East Coast school.

In another case, we got involved because there was controversy about a name change. The administration wanted one name and the students rallied around another name and there was also a tussle with a nearby school that was worried about an overlap in names. There were short-term battles but they died out pretty quickly.

On the mascot one, we just did some vetting of a mascot and a couple of variants that were already under consideration, and I don't think there was any controversy about the options.

I'm tempted to write to UND and offer our services for concept testing, but it might cause controversy if they find out that I'm an ermine proponent, even though I could still be quite neutral about it.
Is concept testing related to what this group is already doing for UND?

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.

[Steron]

Muthafucking Ermines, baby.

Option 1 & 2 (without the muthafucking and baby)

[Rain Man]

Is concept testing related to what this group is already doing for UND?


Yeah, concept testing would generally involve some combination of...

1. General perception survey

likely a survey or focus groups with a non-North Dakota sample that will give you neutral feedback


2. Stakeholder survey

same as above, but you do it with an audience that has more identification with the issue, such as students, alumni, or the North Dakota public


You certainly don't have to do all of that - our mascot research was just some focus groups with current students at the school, for example. It depends on how much controversy you might have and how much risk there might be.

When we did the name change research for a big university, the work was much broader because it was a much bigger deal. We did branding research with eight distinct populations: current students, staff, alumni, major donors, the general public, career counselors, state legislators, and professional associations.

And the truth is that you'll get grousing about any type of change of this sort. Alumni generally hate re-naming a college, so you have to keep that in mind, and mascots are pretty integral with the identity of a college. You just have to find the one that's most liked and least disliked, and if they're different you have to make the call.


Edit: I just went back and looked at our mascot project, and it actually ended up not being about the mascot itself, but rather a logo using the mascot. My bad.

[RealSNR]

Yeah, concept testing would generally involve some combination of...

1. General perception survey

likely a survey or focus groups with a non-North Dakota sample that will give you neutral feedback


2. Stakeholder survey

same as above, but you do it with an audience that has more identification with the issue, such as students, alumni, or the North Dakota public


You certainly don't have to do all of that - our mascot research was just some focus groups with current students at the school, for example. It depends on how much controversy you might have and how much risk there might be.

When we did the name change research for a big university, the work was much broader because it was a much bigger deal. We did branding research with eight distinct populations: current students, staff, alumni, major donors, the general public, career counselors, state legislators, and professional associations.

And the truth is that you'll get grousing about any type of change of this sort. Alumni generally hate re-naming a college, so you have to keep that in mind, and mascots are pretty integral with the identity of a college. You just have to find the one that's most liked and least disliked, and if they're different you have to make the call.


Edit: I just went back and looked at our mascot project, and it actually ended up not being about the mascot itself, but rather a logo using the mascot. My bad.

Question: Did you come up with "Banana Slugs" for UC Santa Cruz?

[Rain Man]

Question: Did you come up with "Banana Slugs" for UC Santa Cruz?

I wish. That's an inspired name.

[TimBone]

SNR, did you call your people yet? Seal the deal, bud.

[RealSNR]

SNR, did you call your people yet? Seal the deal, bud.

Better than that. I'm in Grand Forks visiting family this weekend. I'll pay them a visit.

[Rain Man]

Better than that. I'm in Grand Forks visiting family this weekend. I'll pay them a visit.


OH YEAH, BABY! Let's get this thing done. I'm sincerely convinced that it'll be a huge marketing coup for the university.

[KC native]

Better than that. I'm in Grand Forks visiting family this weekend. I'll pay them a visit.

FUCK YEA.

LET'S GO ERMINES! CLAP CLAP CLAPCLAPCLAP

[Rain Man]

We can probably also emphasize that fans can hold up signs of an ermine on a motorcycle in a black leather coat with twin guns, labeled, "(T)ermine(ator)".

[Rain Man]

It would be kind of cool if the front of the football helmets looked like the face of the ermine, with those little fierce eyes staring at the opponent from above the facemask.

[Pasta Little Brioni]

Mighty Dicks

[Sorter]

Better than that. I'm in Grand Forks visiting family this weekend. I'll pay them a visit.

Fuck yes.

[Rain Man]

Reminder for people to cast your vote today. You can vote for ermine multiple times.

[Superbowltrashcan]

I was wondering do they likely look at where the votes are coming from? Thinking I could get all my students to do a little "extra credit project"on opinion polling. Might be a bit suspicious if there are 1000+ votes from the high school where I work though.... Maybe a contest between the classroom teachers on site to see who can generate the most votes. I'll take the Pepsi Challenge....

[Rain Man]

I was wondering do they likely look at where the votes are coming from? Thinking I could get all my students to do a little "extra credit project"on opinion polling. Might be a bit suspicious if there are 1000+ votes from the high school where I work though.... Maybe a contest between the classroom teachers on site to see who can generate the most votes. I'll take the Pepsi Challenge....

They might look, but even if they do, it'll just show a lot of national support. Go for it. Fighting Ermines Forever!

[TimBone]

I was wondering do they likely look at where the votes are coming from? Thinking I could get all my students to do a little "extra credit project"on opinion polling. Might be a bit suspicious if there are 1000+ votes from the high school where I work though.... Maybe a contest between the classroom teachers on site to see who can generate the most votes. I'll take the Pepsi Challenge....
Do it, bud. My co-workers and I have been voting from the same computer. At work.

[Rain Man]

How are we coming along on this, people?

We need to feed them a steady diet of ermine. I'll propose the following schedule of submitting ermine as a name.

If your username begins with this letter...then submit your nomination on these days.

A, B, Y, Z - April 19, 25, 27
C, D - April 20, 26, 28
E, F, G, H, I - April 21, 27, 28
J, K, L, M - April 22, 27, 28
N, O, P, Q, R - April 23, 27, 28
S, T, U, V, W, X - April 24, 28, 29

Various themes that you can emphasize include:

Cute and furry
Matches large rodent theme of other nearby schools (Wolverines, Badgers, Gophers)
Fierce
Fierce for its size
Eyes that appear excited about causing panic and pandemonium
Native to North Dakota
Unique, not used in any other known schools
Marketing value of being unique (e.g., Fighting Irish, Buckeyes, etc.)
Very recognizable
Can match current UND color scheme
Highly energetic, which matches the passion theme
Has subliminal connection to royalty as old-time kings often had ermine trim on their kingly robes
No political controversy in the name
Strong unifying symbol given its uniqueness and positive traits
Has strong mascot potential

[RealSNR]

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.

[RealSNR]

Not sure if this affects anything right now, either:

She said that the president of UND got a bizarre vote of no confidence from the student senate at UND earlier this week because the undergrads are pissed about rumors surrounding a tuition hike. A few student government leaders e-mailed the entire campus and made baseless accusations that the administration was going to raise tuition by absurd amounts beyond the possible 2% that was being publicly considered. So the administration had to do damage control on that this week.

At the end of this month, if there isn't some visible outcry of support for ermines from around the university and community, I think it will be really hard for the president to select anything other than a really boring and dry nickname that doesn't piss anybody off. I really don't think such a name exists, because they all have their problems, but there will be the moron athletic boosters that won't accept anything less fierce-sounding than UND AIDS-infesting Giant Velociraptors.

[Rain Man]

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]

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]

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]

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/users/tom-dennis-0/contact

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

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/users/tom-dennis-0/contact

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

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


How did you fuck up the word Rain?

[Rain Man]

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/users/steve-wagner/contact

http://www.grandforksherald.com/users/tom-dennis-0/contact

[ptlyon]

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]

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/users/steve-wagner/contact

http://www.grandforksherald.com/users/tom-dennis-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.

[Rain Man]

Quick. Can someone give me a photograph of an ermine with a gopher in its mouth?

Here's a base.

https://skvarlafalconry.files.wordpress.com/2014/01/presentation1.jpg

[RealSNR]

They're definitely open to it

http://forum.siouxsports.com/topic/20420-predict-the-new-nickname/?p=785138

[Aries Walker]

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.
"So, how did you come up with the name, Mr. Sith?"

[TrebMaxx]

Although I am on board with the Ermines movement has any market research be done to find out how the Ermines feel about this? Well they accept it or be offended? I was thinking that just in case the Ermines reject such a idea we should have a alternative. I propose the NDU Frackers, we are some bad ass Mother Frackers!

[TimBone]

I'll fire off a letter on one of my overnight shifts this week. When does this contest end?

[Nightfyre]

Although I am on board with the Ermines movement has any market research be done to find out how the Ermines feel about this? Well they accept it or be offended? I was thinking that just in case the Ermines reject such a idea we should have a alternative. I propose the NDU Frackers, we are some bad ass Mother Frackers!

I kind of wonder how well-received oil field personnel are in North Dakota. It's pretty much the wild west over there.

[Rain Man]

I'll fire off a letter on one of my overnight shifts this week. When does this contest end?

April 30th is the decision date, so we need to keep hammering them until about the 29th.


I don't think the newspaper has printed my letter to the editor yet, but it's not yet the peak time anyway. I want it to appear in about three days.

We've gotten some traction on the Sioux Sports forum, but they're all over the place over there. No consensus at all, and some of the names being bandied about are atrocious. If we're going to make the ermine thing happen, it's up to us.

[Rain Man]

Okay, people. This is it. The last day. Can I have a big ermine push here? Go to the link and give them every reason you can think of to become ermines.

[ptlyon]

If cute and cuddly and will rip your face off isn't good enough for them, fuck em.

[Rain Man]

If cute and cuddly and will rip your face off isn't good enough for them, **** em.


With the whole Native American naming thing going on, I'm going to start suggesting it for the Chiefs after this. I shall not rest until there is a sports team named after the Ermines, and I will avidly root for any Ermine team.

[KC native]

Submitted two more Ermine suggestions.

[RealSNR]

With the whole Native American naming thing going on, I'm going to start suggesting it for the Chiefs after this. I shall not rest until there is a sports team named after the Ermines, and I will avidly root for any Ermine team.


Might want to try one of the baseball teams first. Especially the Cleveland Indians. They're probably the closest to breaking.

[Rain Man]

Might want to try one of the baseball teams first. Especially the Cleveland Indians. They're probably the closest to breaking.


Hmm. I kind of hate to waste the Ermine name on a baseball team, but maybe we have to start small.

[KC native]

Might want to try one of the baseball teams first. Especially the Cleveland Indians. They're probably the closest to breaking.

Cleveland Ermines doesn't have the same ring as UNDermines.

[Infidel Goat]

The Fra(c)kers.

And the mascot should don Battlestar Galactica gear.

[RealSNR]

Get your friends to submit this! I found out the qualitative software that UND uses to get their submissions DOES keep track of IP addresses. It's not a big deal if you've submitted about 5000 entries for ermines, but it does mean it can't hurt to get more submissions from different people.

[alnorth]

Sent Ermines in from my work computer

[Rain Man]

Okay, suggestions are closed, and they've published the judging criteria:

http://und.edu/university-public-affairs/nickname/screening.cfm

Screening/Filters For Nickname Suggestions
as requested by the Nickname Committee on April 16, 2015

The following is the combined list of attributes and functional categories that will be used by the Nickname Committee to screen, filter and evaluate nicknames received through the suggestion process. In addition, a scoring system of assigning 1, 0 or -1 points will be used to evaluate nickname suggestions. This combined list was produced at the request of the Nickname Committee at the April 16, 2015 meeting.

1. Be unique, recognizable, inspiring and distinctly UND’s

2. Promote a sense of pride, strength, fierceness, and passion

3. 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.

4. Be a unifying and rallying symbol

5. Ease of Depicting/Personifying Physical Mascot:

1 - Easy; mascot and fans can easily dress as nickname, e.g. Vikings, Lumberjacks

0 - Moderate; easy to depict graphically and create physical mascot, however fan participation more difficult, e.g. Eagles, Bears

-1 - Difficult; challenging to depict graphically and physically, e.g. Vandals, Tarheels

6. Cheer/Battle Cry Considerations:

1 - “Built-in” cheer, battle cry, e.g. Spartans, Wildcats

0 - More difficult, e.g. Cornhuskers, Lumberjacks

-1 - Difficult, e.g. Vandals, Tarheels

7. Meaning of Nickname:

1 - Obvious, e.g. Eagles, Grizzlies

0 - Moderate, e.g. Vandals, Cornhuskers

-1 - Requires explanation, e.g. Sooners, Hoosiers

8. Linguistic Considerations – Pronunciation:

1 - Easy, e.g. Lumberjacks, Thunderbirds

0 - Moderate, e.g. Hoyas, Zias

-1 - Difficult, e.g. Chanticleers, Gaels

9. Linguistic Considerations – Likelihood of name being abridged resulting in different name or name similar to existing name:

1 - Not likely or not possible, e.g. Bears, Eagles

0 - Possible, e.g. Thunderbirds to ‘Birds,” Bobcats to “Cats”

-1 - Likely, e.g. Catamounts to “Cats,” Chanticleers to “Chants”

[Rain Man]

The way I see the scoring for Ermines is:

1. Be unique, recognizable, inspiring and distinctly UND’s

Clearly a +1 and I don't see how it's not the top option.

2. Promote a sense of pride, strength, fierceness, and passion

Clearly a +1

3. 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.

Certainly meets the first part. Looking forward is tough, but in an age of conservation and ecological awareness, Ermines works.

I think it's a +1, but a skeptic might give it a 0.

4. Be a unifying and rallying symbol

I'm not sure how you decide this without research, but I think its uniqueness works for this. I'd give it a +1.

5. Ease of Depicting/Personifying Physical Mascot:

1 - Easy; mascot and fans can easily dress as nickname, e.g. Vikings, Lumberjacks

0 - Moderate; easy to depict graphically and create physical mascot, however fan participation more difficult, e.g. Eagles, Bears

-1 - Difficult; challenging to depict graphically and physically, e.g. Vandals, Tarheels

Clearly a +1 and it's hard to imagine it not being the top choice based on other suggestions I've heard.

6. Cheer/Battle Cry Considerations:

1 - “Built-in” cheer, battle cry, e.g. Spartans, Wildcats

0 - More difficult, e.g. Cornhuskers, Lumberjacks

-1 - Difficult, e.g. Vandals, Tarheels

I have no idea how to judge this for any mascot. Why is a Vandal difficult while a Spartan isn't? If they're just looking for recognizable nouns, Ermines is clearly a +1.

7. Meaning of Nickname:

1 - Obvious, e.g. Eagles, Grizzlies

0 - Moderate, e.g. Vandals, Cornhuskers

-1 - Requires explanation, e.g. Sooners, Hoosiers

Should be a +1. Maybe some uneducated people would give it a 0, but come on. It's a mammal. We learn mammals in 5th grade.

8. Linguistic Considerations – Pronunciation:

1 - Easy, e.g. Lumberjacks, Thunderbirds

0 - Moderate, e.g. Hoyas, Zias

-1 - Difficult, e.g. Chanticleers, Gaels

Again, we learn mammals in 5th grade. This should be easy. But based on the examples I could see it being a 0 and a critical person might give it a -1.

9. Linguistic Considerations – Likelihood of name being abridged resulting in different name or name similar to existing name:

1 - Not likely or not possible, e.g. Bears, Eagles

0 - Possible, e.g. Thunderbirds to ‘Birds,” Bobcats to “Cats”

-1 - Likely, e.g. Catamounts to “Cats,” Chanticleers to “Chants”

It can't really be shortened, but I could see some heathen opponents using the "vermin" rhyme. This is probably the only weakness of the name, so this might be a -1. But any name is going to be co-opted by opponents. Chefs, Faiders, Donkey, Dolts ... it's going to happen to any name.



Thoughts? Do you agree or disagree with my assessment?

[RealSNR]

That has to be a shoo-in, mostly for its uniqueness and rallying symbol criteria. North Dakota has two nicknames-- The Sunflower State and the Flickertail State. The word on the street is nobody wants to go back to Flickertails, and Sunflowers are an even worse idea. The state bird is the Western Meadowlark, which is also the state bird for like, 20 different other states. It's hardly a unique and distinctly North Dakota name. Therefore, we have to get into the natural wildlife and qualities of North Dakota. I'm pretty sure they don't want to be the UND Geographic Continental Centers or the UND Large Gorilla Statues. So I guess we have to go to the wildlife. Ermines it is.

At the very least, we've submitted it enough times for the committee to give a hard consideration of it. You can't deny the numbers in this.

[The Franchise]

Let's - Go - Er- Mines. *clap* *clap* *clap clap clap*

Sounds good to me.

[Frosty]

-1 - Difficult; challenging to depict graphically and physically, e.g. Vandals, Tarheels

UI doesn't seem to have a problem with Vandals. Not sure what that's about?

[RealSNR]

It's been decades since I attended a UND sporting event, but there are two main Fighting Sioux chants that I recall, and neither of them were really that original or brilliant:

1. At hockey games, they did a call and response: "SIOUX YEAH YEAH!" followed by the large crowd chant: "YEAH SIOUX SIOUX." That will have to go away permanently with a new two-syllable mascot, but I welcome that change.

2. At football games (possibly a ripoff from the Chiefs) the stadium announcer would say, "Alright fans, let's make some noise, because that's a Fighting Siooooux..." and the crowd would shout back "FIRST DOWN!" This one we can still keep. "Alright fans, let's make some noise, because that's an Ermiiiiiines..." "FIRST DOWN!" sounds just fine.

We just need something new for the hockey games and we're good to go.

[alnorth]

UI doesn't seem to have a problem with Vandals. Not sure what that's about?

Without having the word "Vandal" prominently displayed on or under the mascot, how do you depict a vandal?

[Frosty]

Without having the word "Vandal" prominently displayed on or under the mascot, how do you depict a vandal?

The Vandals were a Germanic tribe that sacked Rome. They are portrayed kind of like Vikings, so you can use that imagery.

http://www.vandalcamps.com/images/pic.jpg

http://idaho.laxallstars.com/files/2012/01/Joe-Vandal.jpg

[alnorth]

The Vandals were a Germanic tribe that sacked Rome. They are portrayed kind of like Vikings, so you can use that imagery.


Nope, sorry, doesn't work.

Go Vikings! Go.... Raid<font>ers? Go.... hairy guys with funny hats?

You were confused why Vandals was -1 on that criteria. This is why. You get a bonus point if everyone knows what your mascot is just by looking at it, without being told. You get a minus point if it is very, very unlikely that someone would be able to tell what your mascot is without being told.

[Aries Walker]

I have to say it's rather sad how the choosing of a mascot seems to have become so much of an exercise in marketing. It feels like before long every team will be winnowed down to lowest-common-denominator names like the Eagles or the Bears.

[Rain Man]

I have to say it's rather sad how the choosing of a mascot seems to have become so much of an exercise in marketing. It feels like before long every team will be winnowed down to lowest-common-denominator names like the Eagles or the Bears.

Yeah, I agree about the dumbing down. One of the risks of allowing a lot of public input is that most of the public is not very creative. Then you add to that the concern of the leaders to not be too "out there" and you end up with generic stuff.

On that note, I'm facing a little blowback on the Sioux Sports site. A small minority of posters over there can't wrap their brains around something that's not 'business as usual'. I'm trying to educate them. But it's attitudes like that that could make UND end up with something boring.

[alnorth]

I have to say it's rather sad how the choosing of a mascot seems to have become so much of an exercise in marketing. It feels like before long every team will be winnowed down to lowest-common-denominator names like the Eagles or the Bears.

Fortunately, it works out for us in this case. I can think of few animals more marketable than the cute, lovable, but fierce ermine.

Just think, they could have their own bin in the toy shop filled with beady eyed huggable fluffy white weasels with the UND logo on its chest, can you just imagine how many kids could be brainwashed into wanting to go to that school in the frozen north?

[Rain Man]

Okay, people, we have completed the first leg of our journey. The venerable Ermine has made the first cut.

http://und.edu/nickname/consideration-list.pdf

There are a bunch of names that passed the first test, but here are the ones that were suggested 10 or more times, and constitute our most likely competitors. I think we stack up really well.

Aeros
Aviators
Badlanders
Berserkers
Big Green
Blackhawks
Blizzard
Bombers
Cavalry
Dakota
Dakotans
Dragons
Drillers
Ermines
Explorers
Fighting Dakotans
Fighting Farmers
Fighting Warriors
Fire
Flame
Flames
Flickertails
Flood
Force
Frackers
Frost Giants
Green Machine
Homesteaders
Hunters
Kodiaks
Legends
Mallards
Meadowlarks
Nighthawks
Nodaks
Nordics
Norse
North Dakota
North Stars
Northern Lights
Outlaws
Paratas
Pilots
Polar Bears
Predators
Pride
Pronghorns
Raptors
Rattlers
Reapers
Roughnecks
Settlers
Snowy Owls
Sodbusters
Spirit
Stallions
Stars
Storm
Sundogs
Thrashers
Tomahawks
Trailblazers
Trappers
Tsunami
Tundra
Warriors
Warriors of the North
Wind
Yeti

[The Franchise]

The North Dakota North Dakotas?

[RealSNR]

The North Dakota North Dakotas?

If you read the comments, those are people that want to keep no nickname.

[TimBone]

Ermine detroys all of those. This really is a no brainer.

[RealSNR]

Given that the non-consideration list had so many "NO NICKNAME" entries, I think it's fair to say that UND is GOING to get a new mascot. We're in the clear there, and honestly that was our biggest competition that I was afraid of.

I think you can also get rid of all the non-corporeal WNBA-style nicknames. "Force of the North" was UND's secondary moniker in the 90s/2000s that some people used, but you just can't do that. It's stupid and goes against the overwhelming "tradition" criteria. All that stuff is out.

The weather shit is out, too. How the fuck are you supposed to depict that? Blizzard, Blizzards, Flood, Floods, Tsunamis (Good fuck, there are 10 people in the world dumb enough to identify Tsunamis with North Dakota? It would be funny if they spelled it Siouxnami, but still...) All those are gone.

You can forget about all the vaguely tribal names. They're going to steer clear completely. Warriors, Warriors of the North, Tomahawks... all gone. They're also likely going to take away all the names that can be tied to manifest destiny. No Trailblazers, Pioneers, Settlers, or shit like that.

Get rid of the names that are already recognizable mascots from other franchises and universities. Thrashers, Raptors, North Stars are gone. Get rid of the retarded ones like Fighting Farmers. And get rid of Flickertails, because the university isn't going to go through all this trouble just to say, "Oh hey let's just use our former nickname that we ditched before," like it was some revelatory spark of genius that only could have been revealed through a large-population search like the one they just conducted.

Here are the names I'm most frightened of:

Aviators
Badlanders
Flames
Frost Giants
Green Machine
Kodiaks
Mallards
Meadowlarks
Nighthawks
Rattlers
Reapers
Snowy Owls (or perhaps Barn Owls, which are a far more common species found in ND)
Sodbusters
Stallions
Sundogs
Trappers
Yeti

[RealSNR]

I've put in green all the names I think could pose a serious threat to ermines:

Aviators
Badlanders
Flames
Frost Giants
Green Machine
Kodiaks
Mallards
Meadowlarks
Nighthawks
Rattlers
Reapers
Snowy Owls (or perhaps Barn Owls, which are a far more common species found in ND)
Sodbusters
Stallions
Sundogs
Trappers
Yeti

Badlanders is cool, but you should give that one to Dickinson State University out on the west side of the state. Besides, the South Dakota Badlands are the ones that an overwhelming number of people recognize.

Frost Giants is a bit too quirky, and it's too easy to just shorten to "Giants."

Green Machine-- Gay.

Kodiaks? As in Kodiak bears I assume. Wrong part of the continent, dipshit.

The Western Meadowlark is the state bird of like 20 different states. It's far from a unique North Dakota thing.

Reapers-- I get the farming imagery, but it's too much like Rapists.

Snowy Owls-- Easily abbreviated, not a good identifier of the prairie

Stallions-- Fuck all horse mascots. Also, there has GOT to be a Stallions nickname somewhere

Trappers-- Too French, too easy to change to Crappers

Yeti-- Cute, but doesn't roll off the tongue. Pretty sure you don't want a missing link-type humanoid figure representing your scholastic pursuits as an institution.

[Rain Man]

Given that the non-consideration list had so many "NO NICKNAME" entries, I think it's fair to say that UND is GOING to get a new mascot. We're in the clear there, and honestly that was our biggest competition that I was afraid of.

I think you can also get rid of all the non-corporeal WNBA-style nicknames. "Force of the North" was UND's secondary moniker in the 90s/2000s that some people used, but you just can't do that. It's stupid and goes against the overwhelming "tradition" criteria. All that stuff is out.

The weather shit is out, too. How the **** are you supposed to depict that? Blizzard, Blizzards, Flood, Floods, Tsunamis (Good ****, there are 10 people in the world dumb enough to identify Tsunamis with North Dakota? It would be funny if they spelled it Siouxnami, but still...) All those are gone.

You can forget about all the vaguely tribal names. They're going to steer clear completely. Warriors, Warriors of the North, Tomahawks... all gone. They're also likely going to take away all the names that can be tied to manifest destiny. No Trailblazers, Pioneers, Settlers, or shit like that.

Get rid of the names that are already recognizable mascots from other franchises and universities. Thrashers, Raptors, North Stars are gone. Get rid of the retarded ones like Fighting Farmers. And get rid of Flickertails, because the university isn't going to go through all this trouble just to say, "Oh hey let's just use our former nickname that we ditched before," like it was some revelatory spark of genius that only could have been revealed through a large-population search like the one they just conducted.

Here are the names I'm most frightened of:

Aviators
Badlanders
Flames
Frost Giants
Green Machine
Kodiaks
Mallards
Meadowlarks
Nighthawks
Rattlers
Reapers
Snowy Owls (or perhaps Barn Owls, which are a far more common species found in ND)
Sodbusters
Stallions
Sundogs
Trappers
Yeti

I'm of very similar mind. I just put up a big post in the Siouxsports site about it.

My thoughts on your semifinalists:

Ermines - Meets every criteria by far. It's a powerhouse.
Aviators - No. Too common
Badlanders - No. Too South Dakota.
Flames - No. Too Calgary and too common.
Frost Giants - This is a very good suggestion. It meets every criterion. It's a little esoteric, but very strong.
Green Machine - I don't even understand this one. No.
Kodiaks - You'll win a lot of games when the visiting team flies to Alaska and can't find the arena. No.
Mallards - Not a bad name. Doesn't strike fear, but not bad. Meets the criteria.
Meadowlarks - See Mallard. I actually like it better than Mallards because it's more distinctive. But good point about how common the bird is in western states.
Nighthawks - Is this a real animal? I just thought it was a Hopper painting. I think it's not well known enough.
Rattlers - Good name, but way too common.
Reapers - Too Blue Oyster Cult. Too close to rapist.
Snowy Owls (or perhaps Barn Owls, which are a far more common species found in ND) - It's a good name. I think ND won't want the word 'snow', though.
Sodbusters - While I don't think it'll win because it's not going to sell well, it's a pretty good and unique name and should move to the next round.
Stallions - Too common.
Sundogs - This name is actually clever. I had to look it up, but I like it. I think it shouldn't win because it's not going to be understood at all outside the state, but it's worthy of consideration.
Trappers - The modern public doesn't like envisioning animals chewing off their paw on blood-stained snow.
Yeti - Wrong continent

What did you think about Northern Lights? It's a hard one to make a mascot for, but I kind of like it. I also like Pronghorns and Homesteaders a lot.

If I'm on the committee, the finalists are:

Ermines - Meets every criterion perfectly.
Frost Giants - Meets every criterion perfectly.
Homesteaders - Might not sell well, but meets criteria.
Northern Lights - Hard to make a mascot, but creative.

It should be an Ermine/Frost Giant battle for the championship.


Edit: You bring up a great point about shortening Frost Giants. That might kill it.

[RealSNR]

I'm of very similar mind. I just put up a big post in the Siouxsports site about it.

My thoughts on your semifinalists:

Ermines - Meets every criteria by far. It's a powerhouse.
Aviators - No. Too common
Badlanders - No. Too South Dakota.
Flames - No. Too Calgary and too common.
Frost Giants - This is a very good suggestion. It meets every criterion. It's a little esoteric, but very strong.
Green Machine - I don't even understand this one. No.
Kodiaks - You'll win a lot of games when the visiting team flies to Alaska and can't find the arena. No.
Mallards - Not a bad name. Doesn't strike fear, but not bad. Meets the criteria.
Meadowlarks - See Mallard. I actually like it better than Mallards because it's more distinctive.
Nighthawks - Is this a real animal? I just thought it was a Hopper painting? I think it's not well known enough.
Rattlers - Good name, but way too common.
Reapers - Too Blue Oyster Cult. Too close to rapist.
Snowy Owls (or perhaps Barn Owls, which are a far more common species found in ND) - It's a good name. I think ND won't want the word 'snow', though.
Sodbusters - While I don't think it'll win because it's not going to sell well, it's a pretty good and unique name and should move to the next round.
Stallions - Too common.
Sundogs - This name is actually clever. I had to look it up, but I like it. I think it shouldn't win because it's not going to be understood at all outside the state, but it's worthy of consideration.
Trappers - The modern public doesn't like envisioning animals chewing off their paw on blood-stained snow.
Yeti - Wrong continent

What did you think about Northern Lights? It's a hard one to make a mascot for, but I kind of like it. I also like Pronghorns a lot.

If I'm on the committee, the finalists are:

Ermines - Meets every criterion perfectly.
Frost Giants - Meets every criterion perfectly.
Sodbusters - Might not sell well, but meets criteria.
Northern Lights - Hard to make a mascot, but creative.

It should be an Ermine/Frost Giant battle for the championship.

Here's the thing about "Flames." Yes, it's common and generic, but I believe it's unique to most universities. I don't know any other Flames at other schools. Also, North Dakota has this thing/tradition/culture revolving around an eternal flame of knowledge. I don't know where it's from, but it's been embedded into the university's identity since pre-1900. It's even in the official UND logo-- the little flame spark in the D of UND. I don't think Flames will win, but they might try to marry color into it and become Green Flames. Ermines will beat this.

Northern Lights to me is too cumbersome. University of North Dakota Northern Lights. North north north. That's very Northy. It's also complicated, because it's a mascot that ends in an S like any reasonably good nickname should do to indicate plurality, but it sounds weird to call individual UND athletes a "Northern Light." Because the Northern Lights are a visual phenomenon-- a stretch of light. You may as well make them a non-corporeal mascot. But that's just my personal opinion. In any case, Ermines will take this out.

[RealSNR]

My final four:

Ermines (obviously)

Mallards- If I ding them for not being fear-striking, I also have to ditch Ermines. They will easily get eliminated, though, because there are too many outdoor enthusiasts on the committee who will want to avoid shootable/huntable animals. I think if a hunter saw an ermine in the North Dakota wild, he wouldn't know what to do with it or if he even had a license to shoot it.

Sodbusters- It's a strong name. Very unique. Of the words for farmers that people submitted, this is by far the best one. Gives off a persona of tradition. It's quite fearsome given the sharp cutting tools a sodbuster would be armed with. It's also fun. This is our toughest competition, I think.

Sundogs- Very cool idea. Obviously they wouldn't want to go with a prism of light for the mascot, so they'd probably combine the two and turn the logo into some sort of flying sky dog thing. It fits the originality criteria very well. Ermines is still better, though, plus it has the potential to be a massive flop just as much as it has the potential to be the best.

[TimBone]

Mallard stuck out to me for some reason. I personally don't like it, but I think it's gonna be tough competition.

[RealSNR]

Mallard stuck out to me for some reason. I personally don't like it, but I think it's gonna be tough competition.

It's taken by the Madison Mallards, the minor league baseball team. That's another strike against it.

[TimBone]

It's taken by the Madison Mallards, the minor league baseball team. That's another strike against it.

There you go. That helps. I think you nailed the final four, though.

Granted, I had to have Sundog explained to me by a buddy at work, but it's a cool idea.

[Rain Man]

Good thinking, good thinking.


Another X-factor that we haven't considered is women's sports. That's a huge political issue, so any name has to be be gender neutral. I don't think that women's teams will accept "Lady _____s" any more or "______ettes".

Which of these names crosses the gender line easily?

Mallards doesn't because males have brighter plumage.

Sundogs just sounds male to me. I don't know why.

Northern Lights is gender-neutral, but I hadn't thought about the double use of "North", which I think could kill it.

While sodbusters may be gender-neutral, I don't think women will vote for it.

While Giants can be female, the mascot will have a gender and women probably won't like it.


And now we have the Ermine. If you ask a woman what an ermine is, she'll know. It's a mink coat (kind of). It's luxury. It's soft and warm. It's that Lexus SUV that swaddles women in comfort. Women are going to vote for the ermine.

[RealSNR]

Another problem with Northern Lights.

It makes it sound like UND sold its soul to some beer company for advertising money.

[Frosty]

Sorry Ermine people but I like Sundogs the best, though, admittedly, a logo may be difficult. People would probably think of prairie dogs.

[Rain Man]

Sorry Ermine people but I like Sundogs the best, though, admittedly, a logo may be difficult. People would probably think of prairie dogs.

It's clever, but I don't think it'll fly nationally. People will think it's a cartoon dog on a surfboard or something. I think it's a top-ten contender, though.

[displacedinMN]

Minneapolis paper today

http://www.startribune.com/nation/302582501.html

[Rain Man]

Minneapolis paper today

http://www.startribune.com/nation/302582501.html

A public vote? Really? I wonder if they mean a scientific public survey or if they mean it's going to be a big ballot stuffing contest. If it's the latter, I think we start mobilizing the Ermine Army.

[RealSNR]

Minneapolis paper today

http://www.startribune.com/nation/302582501.html

"Roughriders" and "Rough Riders" were popular suggestions that were excluded for reasons that weren't immediately clear. Both were meant to highlight the state's links to President Theodore Roosevelt, who ranched in the North Dakota Badlands. The Rough Riders was a cavalry unit he led during the Spanish-American War.

What a shitty fucking reporter.

Do some fucking investigating. That is, after all, your job, isn't it?

The Roughriders already belong to one of Grand Forks' public high schools. It would be confusing for the community if UND also became the Roughriders.

[RealSNR]

Deadspin got ahold of this, mostly to laugh at the rejected names. But check out this comment! We got some national support!

http://deadspin.com/what-should-the-university-of-north-dakotas-new-nicknam-1702176684

[RealSNR]

In all these news links, reporters are picking out a chosen few and sharing them with people to give them a taste of what's on the PDF files.

None of them are mentioning ermines.

This is a problem. How the fuck are we supposed to gain national support for this cause if nobody's fucking reporting that "Ermines" is an option?

[Rain Man]

Yeah, the good news is that a lot of the media discussion right now involves making fun of the ludicrous suggestions. Ermines isn't being mentioned in that vein because it's considered a legitimate selection.

But at this point we need to start getting the name out. The Sioux Sports forum has discovered that the p.r. firm that's involved has been buying up a bunch of domain names, and it doesn't appear that they've purchased ermine-related names yet. If it's a fair process they should be buying all serious contenders, so we need to force the issue.

[Rausch]

As a previous owner of multiple ferrets I'm all behind the ANGRY ERMINE!

[Nightfyre]

Aviators is very probable given the unique aspect their aviation program provides to the school identity.

[Rain Man]

As a previous owner of multiple ferrets I'm all behind the ANGRY ERMINE!

The Ermine Army is gathering momentum! Let this be the greatest poll pushing that Chiefsplanet has ever initiated.

Ermine Power!

http://wallpapermine.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/10/ermine__.jpg

[RealSNR]

Aviators is very probable given the unique aspect their aviation program provides to the school identity.

As a former faculty member at UND (albeit briefly) let me just say that the Aviation department and its students can go die in a plane that broke apart in mid-air.

Bunch of fucking assholes and dweebs that wouldn't know the value of applying yourself in college if it bit them in their brains, which for them are located in the lower large intestine.

It wasn't necessarily the case for people doing air traffic control and flight engineering, but for the assholes who just wanted to fly planes? They couldn't give a flying (pun intended) fuck about even TRYING in college.

If the committee decides to name the university after THOSE fucking assholes, I'll drive to Grand Forks and kick everybody's dog.