NCAA Demands Political Correctness

The NCAA has decided that schools can choose their own nicknames and mascots...as long as they're politically correct. If not, they won't be allowed in postseason tournaments.

Fed up with what it considers "hostile" and "abusive" American Indian nicknames, the NCAA announced Friday it would shut those words and images out of postseason tournaments, a move that left some school officials angry and threatening legal action.

Starting in February, any school with a nickname or logo considered racially or ethnically "hostile" or "abusive" by the NCAA would be prohibited from using them in postseason events. Mascots will not be allowed to perform at tournament games, and band members and cheerleaders will also be barred from using American Indians on their uniforms beginning in 2008.

Major college football teams are not subject to the ban because there is no official NCAA tournament.

Affected schools were quick to complain, and Florida State - home of the Seminoles - threatened legal action.

"That the NCAA would now label our close bond with the Seminole people as culturally 'hostile and abusive' is both outrageous and insulting," Florida State president T.K. Wetherell said in a statement.

"I intend to pursue all legal avenues to ensure that this unacceptable decision is overturned, and that this university will forever be associated with the 'unconquered' spirit of the Seminole Tribe of Florida," he added.

There will be lawsuits coming out of this one. The amazing thing is that according to some information I read awhile ago, many Indians are not the least bit offended by these nicknames, and in fact are honored because the depictions are usually very complimentary. Schools which use Indian nicknames usually depict their mascots as fierce warriors, and image that doesn't demean their culture.

I wonder what's next? Religious nicknames or perhaps even animals? And will this disease of political correctness ever spread to professional sports? Baseball, football, basketball and hockey all have franchises with Indian nicknames, and anyone who remembers the success of the Atlanta Braves in past years will remember the "Tomahawk Chop" that was so popular when the Braves were rallying.

Or perhaps a more modern Indian nicknames would be appropriate, such as the Dealers, Stickmen, Pit Bosses or Gamblers. Given all the Indian casinos springing up on every reservation in the land, these Indian nicknames might be more accurate.