RoR: Forum

I wonder if the affected schools could rally a boycott of the NCAA by sympathetic schools. The boycott sword cuts both ways.

Post 21

Monday, August 8, 2005 - 5:31am

So are the Oklahoma State Cowboys offensive toward white guys? Pistol Pete is a pretty cartoonish portrayal of a Cowboy, and everybody whooping it up and waving their "pistol hands" around is not a very true-to-life depiction of what a real-life Cowboy does.

HEEEERE COMES BULLET!
Yee Haw Go Pokes!

Post 22

Monday, August 8, 2005 - 10:35am

Below is the letter I sent to Miles Brand, President of the NCAA:

Mr. Brand,

I have just read with great disdain the press release concerning the prohibition of the use of indian mascots during NCAA sporting events.

I am not writing to ask you to reverse this decision. The decision, I am sure, is final and beyond any use of reason to correct. I AM writing, however, to ensure that the NCAA enact this policy to the full extent, in accordance with the principles associated with that decision.

To remain fully principled in this choice the NCAA must, without hesitation, ban all fans from attending NCAA events while wearing or otherwise displaying "hostile" team mascot paraphernalia or attire. Failure to authorize these bans would amount to condoning the very acts you are trying to prohibit.

Only when you fully implement this policy directive (which you will not) can you feel certain that you have looked after your stated interests completely. I understand that you might run into legal troubles, but for an organization that wishes to "do the right thing", that concern should be secondary.

I eagerly await the enactment of my request and the reduction of ill-gotten revenue garnered by the NCAA.

Best regards,

Rick A. Pritchett

Graduate, University of Illinois-1990

Edited to change font type and color.

(Edited by Rick Pritchett on 8/08, 11:18am)

Post 23

Monday, August 8, 2005 - 12:03pm

Ashley Frazier wrote: "So are the Oklahoma State Cowboys offensive toward white guys? Pistol Pete is a pretty cartoonish portrayal of a Cowboy, and everybody whooping it up and waving their "pistol hands" around is not a very true-to-life depiction of what a real-life Cowboy does."

Right you are! See my Post 13 in this thread.

The "pistol hands" thing is pretty stupid, too. Do you really mean that you will shoot to kill? I think that is against the rules in college sports.

Here's one: Why not make your Sign a motion where you tuck your right hand under your left arm -- concealing the ball, you see, perfectly in line with your team's "force or fraud" attitude toward athletic competition. Oh.... That's not what you had in mind? Well, what did you have in mind?

Post 24

Monday, August 8, 2005 - 11:59am

If you want natural forces: The Lightening, The Earthquakes, The Volcanoes, the Storm, the Hurricanes, the Tornadoes, the Heat ... The Supernovas!

But Michael, wouldn't those who have survived or lost loved ones to these natural forces despise the glorification of these nicknames?

They all must go! No more team identification lest one person feel uncomfortable.

Where's that "Age of Umbrage" article again? I think now is a good time to re-read that gem.

Post 25

Monday, August 8, 2005 - 2:40pm

>The "pistol hands" thing is pretty stupid, too. Do you really mean that you will shoot to kill?

It is an homage to "Pistol Pete" Frank Eaton...

Frank Eaton's family moved down South from Connecticut when he was a kid and his father - a Union soldier - was harassed and then killed by a gang of Confederates. Frank witnessed the murder and after a friend of his father's challenged him to right this wrong, he devoted his time to becoming an expert marksman. At the age of fifteen he set out to find and kill the five murderers and over the next six years did the job. He became a U.S Marshal at the age of 18 because some of the outlaws he was after were also wanted by the gov't. Frank Eaton could throw a coin in the air and shoot it with either hand before it hit the ground. He is the spirit of the old west. The pistol hands honor that, and nothing more. They mean no more violence toward opponents that Kansans chanting "Rock, chalk, Jayhawk" (although if someone could explain this one to me I would appreciate it).

Post 26

Monday, August 8, 2005 - 3:31pm

I just read this.

Instead of being The Fighting Irish, Notre Dame could call itself The Inquisition or The Inquistors. That would put the fear of God in the opposition like SMU or BYU ... unless they were playing Fordham or Boston College ...

This would be so frightening and amazing I almost want to see this happen.
=)

---Landon

Post 27

Monday, August 8, 2005 - 8:48pm

Rick Pritchett wrote: "But Michael, wouldn't those who have survived or lost loved ones to these natural forces despise the glorification of these nicknames? They all must go! No more team identification lest one person feel uncomfortable."

Well, yes, I agree, actually. I mean, why have teams? Why give them names? These are collectivisms. When you participate in a solo competition, such as a 5K race, do you change your name? Then why does an athlete subsume their personhood beneath the name of the team? Is the team an entity that it gets a proper name with Capital Letters?

Post 28

Thursday, August 11, 2005 - 1:29am