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

[RealSNR]

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

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

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

Spoiler!

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by SNR

My preference for the final names (even though these were all bottom-half submissions in the first place)

1. Sundogs- It's the only acceptable and original name left that combines creativity in the mascot design with something that makes North Dakota identifiable

2. Roughriders- Like I said before, it's not perfect or preferable, but if you're going to get made fun of for condoms and BB guns, own it with pride

3. North Stars- Boring. Really ****ing boring

4. Nodaks- Dumb. Nobody knows what the **** a Nodak is, but they won't be intrigued enough to research it like they would with Sundogs. They'll just assume it's a truncated combination of NOrth and DAKota. ****ing idiotic.

5. Fighting Hawks- It took a nickname committee to come up with THIS SHIT? I'm going to find where Karl Goehring lives and I'm going to fork his lawn if they really pick that shit.

I'd swap 1 and 2.....but pretty much my thoughts.

[ThaVirus]

I had to Google sundogs. They're actually quite beautiful and weather phenomena are underrepresented in the world of sports teams mascots.

[RealSNR]

Today is the first day current and former students, employees, and some other big money-donating entities (no clue what their standards are) can vote for a new nickname.

Trying to get all the alumni I know from UND to do the right thing and vote for Sundogs. If they go with Roughriders, it will be mayhem in Grand Forks until the local high school is forced to change their nickname.

North Stars is boring, but it's mildly acceptable.

**** the Nodaks.

And **** the Fighting Hawks.

[TimBone]

Once the wrote off ermines, the school was dead to me.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by ThaVirus

I had to Google sundogs. They're actually quite beautiful and weather phenomena are underrepresented in the world of sports teams mascots.

Yeah, they're pretty cool if you're in the 1% percent who'll look them up. Unfortunately, the other 99% will think of the picture below. But it's still the best or second-best name left.

They really should go with Ermines.

[The Franchise]

Fighting Hawks picked as University of North Dakota nickname

By The Associated Press From page B2 | November 19, 2015

FARGO, N.D. — Wednesday’s news that the University of North Dakota’s new nickname would be Fighting Hawks was greeted matter-of-factly by some UND players and coaches.

The mascot received 57 percent of the vote compared to 43 percent for Roughriders in the two-name runoff. The new nickname replaces Fighting Sioux, which was retired by the state Board of Higher Education in 2012 after the NCAA deemed it “hostile and abusive” and said the school could not host playoff games if it kept the controversial moniker.

“I think this name underscores the tremendous competitive spirit of our athletic teams, our student athletes and the entirety of the University of North Dakota, expressing our state spirit and the fact that UND continues to ascend to new heights on a daily basis,” President Robert Kelley said of Fighting Hawks.

The endorsements were not quite as rousing inside the athletic department. UND hockey coach Brad Berry and football coach Bubba Schweigert did not volunteer opinions.

“Obviously it’s been a long process and finally here today,” Berry said. “I just want to make sure we remain who we are as far as preparing for our team and dealing with our players.”

Schweigert said he and his players have discussed the nickname issue and thought it was best that they focus on football.

“It really doesn’t change anything in our office and how we go about things,” Schweigert said. “We have a lot of pride in our football program. That’s what we talk about.”

Hockey team captain and UND junior Gage Ausmus said it’s “just a nickname,” adding he would have “picked something else” if it were up to him.

The vote was open to people with UND ties, including students, staff and alums, and 27,378 votes were cast.

[Rain Man]

That's pretty funny. Early in the process, several people on the UND forum were talking about how every school that switches names ends up with "Hawks" in the name. It's apparently a very bland and safe name, so everyone picks it.

[RealSNR]

Go Fighting Cawks

[The Franchise]

UND Fighting Ermines was a way better option.

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

UND Fighting Ermines was a way better option.

This...

[RealSNR]

When my older sister was a student at a newly-formed middle school, the staff allowed them to vote on their own mascot. One of the kids suggested "Fuzzballs," the name of our classroom hamster. Everyone thought it was hilarious and voted for it. So they were the St. James Fuzzballs for exactly one hour and then the powers that be told them they weren't responsible enough to choose their own mascot apparently, so the school went from Fuzzballs to the Panthers.

Fuzzballs would be a better name than Fighting Hawks

[Rausch]

Originally Posted by Rain Man

That's pretty funny. Early in the process, several people on the UND forum were talking about how every school that switches names ends up with "Hawks" in the name. It's apparently a very bland and safe name, so everyone picks it.

Or some version of a tiger...

[The Franchise]

Originally Posted by RealSNR

When my older sister was a student at a newly-formed middle school, the staff allowed them to vote on their own mascot. One of the kids suggested "Fuzzballs," the name of our classroom hamster. Everyone thought it was hilarious and voted for it. So they were the St. James Fuzzballs for exactly one hour and then the powers that be told them they weren't responsible enough to choose their own mascot apparently, so the school went from Fuzzballs to the Panthers.

Fuzzballs would be a better name than Fighting Hawks

Any of these would have been better.

http://www.scout.com/story/1593906-o...very-u-s-state

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by Pestilence

UND Fighting Ermines was a way better option.

I really am kind of crushed by that. Ermines would have been awesome. Now we have to look for some other racist school with tundra that will consider it.

[Rain Man]

Originally Posted by RealSNR

When my older sister was a student at a newly-formed middle school, the staff allowed them to vote on their own mascot. One of the kids suggested "Fuzzballs," the name of our classroom hamster. Everyone thought it was hilarious and voted for it. So they were the St. James Fuzzballs for exactly one hour and then the powers that be told them they weren't responsible enough to choose their own mascot apparently, so the school went from Fuzzballs to the Panthers.

Fuzzballs would be a better name than Fighting Hawks

I actually kind of like Fuzzballs. It's better than Panthers.

There are too many non-creative people in positions of power these days.