“Controversy,” “acrimony,” “backlash,” and “dissention” are ridiculous buzzwords in media designed not to encourage harmony, but fight it; they create nonsense and noise in a vacuum of idiocy that pushes people into corners (and NOBODY does well in a corner). Such is the nature of a generation-old squabble over the “Fighting Sioux” of the University North Dakota.

It’s understandable that the “fighting” bit could have been taken out, but don’t the Sioux have a say in this argument? Coming from Florida, the Seminole Nation benefits from My Beloved ’Noles’ arrangement with a proud group of people who wanna manifest their-own destiny on their-own terms. Thus, the age-old arrangement with a university in a small-town in the Florida Panhandle way-back-when it was meaningless to the dynamic of college-football, and — certainly — “mascots,” (and the Seminole Nation ain’t mascots; they are standard-bearers since 1947, when my Mom was born) … or the previously-named buzzwords that currently suck all the air out of any room-for-conversation.

While it’s hard to hear common-sense in a nonsensical world, and even harder-still to connect in a society without connection, the Seminole Nation prolongs — despite the bitter-ridiculousness of the dynamic the media has designed for dissention — and thrives. (Yes, I know I’m a member of “THE MEDIA,” but Gaylon-and-they don’t agree all-that-much, routinely.) And, upon mild examination of the North Dakota history over the “Fighting Sioux,” I see a couple instances where somebody might have left some sense (and more than a few cents) on the table.

Just.

Not.

Right.

Nor is it correct, even via opinion. Heck, if you wanna go back to the “cents” part of “sense,” I’d be willing to bet the Sioux Nation would benefit from such an arrangement, and I even heard people in Native-American culture are irritated at the removing of the Washington NFL nickname in much-the-same way they are making fun of a certain company for “removing-the-Indian-while-keeping-the-land” on a pack of butter/margarine.

It sounds sillier by the day, but North Dakota people are far from silly and Native-Americans are FAR from fools. Y’all are both: salt-and-earth … and I foresee a way to bring back some pride for not-only a football team with a solid, gridiron history but-also a Proud Nation with something to gain. Maybe it could work for both? I’d bet one of my toes the original decision probably happened in a media-driven world that grinded to a halt because of a lack of verbal-lubrication.

Yes, in that world, the squeaky-wheel always has gotten the grease, but what happens when the wheel stops moving? And nobody is standing by with the oil-can?

Nothing-good-happens. That’s what.

Perhaps it’s time to start moving towards a positive arrangement, while looking backwards towards history and who can benefit from a universal arrangement for the future of both. I’m not “Fighting” over it, and that part of the moniker can be left to others to grapple over. But the Sioux deserve the same representation — which the Seminoles receive, annually — as much as the University of North Dakota probably would love to have them back, while having-their-back.

U.

N.

D.

Sioux.

Catchy, isn’t it?

Gaylon is a sportswriter who originally is from Jensen Beach, Fla. and his column generally appears on Mondays. He can be reached at and/or 701-456-1213.