Jay Mohr Has It Right! War FSU!!!!

The following was written by actor/comedian Jay Mohr, aka SlamMan.  This is an excellent read.   I hope the NCAA reads this, and understands what they have done with this whole mascott issue is a joke.   Both the Seminole Tribes of Florida and Oklahoma have come out to support Florida State.   In fact, as you see in this story, the student that gets the honor of riding into The Doak as Chief Osceola must first complete and pass studies in Seminole history.   Also, the Seminoles have a part in desinging FSU's unis.    So, who exactly are offended by FSU use of the Seminoles as it's nickname?  The people they represent have no issue with this:

Lame name game NCAA's ban on "offensive" monikers goes too far

Being a stand-up comic, I am no stranger to falling victim to political correctness. I have seen the people of PC nation go from strange to overzealous to downright crazy, especially when it comes to the NCAA's recent ban on 18 Native American nicknames, mascots and logos in college sports during the postseason. I was grateful to read here at SI.com that Florida governor Jeb Bush lashed out at the yahoos trying to legitimize their existence by rallying against the proud logos of proud institutions.

Apparently the rich white men whose forefathers tried (and nearly succeeded) to commit genocide against the Seminole tribe of Florida now deem Florida State's Seminole logo "hostile and offensive." Come again? The logos in question are not the red-faced, grinning Chief Wahoo of the Cleveland Indians. Nor do they use the disturbing moniker ("Redskins") that the NFL team housed in our nation's capital does. No, the "hostile and offensive" logos that the NCAA finds so troubling include such "slurs" such as "Seminoles" and "Utes" and "Fighting Illini." I ask you, what do these three team names have in common? They all are respectful nods to the people who were run off the land long before the student unions were built.

The Seminole tribe of Florida was led by a fierce warrior, Chief Osceola, who fought bitterly with the white man. While routinely outnumbered, Chief Osceola had the whites in fits as he led his warriors deeper and deeper into the Everglades, where they hid and then defended themselves. Chief Osceola died at 34, roughly the same age another proud Seminole, Chris Weinke, entered the NFL draft.

The student who rides Renegade, Chief Osceola's Appaloosa, through Florida State's stadium on game day, only earns that honor after studying the heritage of the tribe. The Seminole Nation is happy the university is using its name for its sports teams -- so much so that it actually designs the team's costuming and rigging. So what's the problem with using the name Seminole? Why are rich white men putting their noses in business that Native American Seminoles find honorable and fitting?

Native American logos aren't the only ones taking a hit these days. I recently performed at Elon University in North Carolina. The Elon sports teams are known as The Phoenix. Seems fine enough. I learned while on campus that until a few years ago they were called The Fighting Christians. "Fighting Christians" is one of the cooler nicknames I've heard. Too cool, I guess. It fell under the PC inquisition and was changed. Why? Was that also deemed "hostile and offensive"? What is offensive about a Christian defending himself? 

 

The Illini of Illinois and the Utah Utes will have to defend themselves against these jokers in the NCAA offices who think they know what we as a society can handle. Students and boosters must fight the good fight. Stand up to the same people who refuse to give us a college football playoff and keep your nicknames where they belong. On your teams' jerseys. If not, when will it end? Will it end at all?

The Fighting Irish are likely next in line for the chopping block. It is just a matter of time before some wacko finds a public forum to denounce Notre Dame's mascot as "inappropriate and insensitive" to Irish Americans. The Leprechaun is "hostile" -- standing up all straight and strong, with his fists balled up ready to brawl.

Wait until the Catholic church takes offense at the "derogatory" use of the Louisville Cardinals mascot. I can see a church spokesman declaring, "We are not birds!"

You can probably set your watch to the moment the vegetarians of the world come out swinging against the University of Texas' mascot, Longhorn. "Love animals! Don't eat them or make them play for Mac Brown!"

That will certainly be a precursor to the X-Men protesting against Michigan's Wolverines. I hear the cast of M*A*S*H is prepared to take part in a sit-in over the use of Iowa's Hawkeye. The Tennessee Volunteers will be boycotted by people who work for a living. That will be followed immediately by the farewell to the nickname Sooners by people who prefer to arrive Later.

It has to stop. Florida State University vice president Lee Hinkle said, "With the Seminole Tribe and Governor Bush on your side, how can you go wrong?"

Hopefully you don't.

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2005/writers/jay_mohr/08/16/hot.read/index.html