Re: Official 2009-2010 Miami season thread part II: Unfinished Business
'08 I don't think RHBM is saying anyone is owed anything. Rather if support has diminished among some groups because of the change, that's a sad reason for doing so. In other words if I think the current students deserve support, but will withhold it because of a name or a mascot, well that's is not a very good reason in RHBM's opinion (and mine). By the way, there are a lot of things at my undergraduate alma mater I don't like and I would like to see changed, but that does not diminish my loyalty or financial support for the current students there.
I am not a Miami grad (I've worked here for 30 years). I also have had the pleasure of meeting and knowing the late Chief Floyd. Few if any ever thought Miami was "racist" or that the university was disrespectful of the Miami Nation. Certainly Chief Floyd did not (his son is a professor here). On the contrary, Chief Floyd and the Nation was/is proud to have a great university named after the tribe. But, the term redskin was/is considered by many Native Americans as derogatory. There are conflicting stories about who approached whom and how the change got started, but there were some among the tribe and among Native Americans who wanted the name changed, that is a fact, and there was a pc element to it too, that is also certain.
I guess where I come down on this is that the instant the Maimi nation, or a signifcant portion of it, wanted the name changed, for whatever reason, Miami was obligated to look at changing, and did the right thing. I admit it grated on me a little because of the pc element, though.
And one more thing RHBM, don't feel badly about your telehawking failures. My guess is most of the people who took it out on you gave little or nothing anyway and now had an excuse to justify their non-support. (And, by the way, your post is a Hall-of-Famer, IMO).
PS My son has the distinction of being a Redskin and a RedHawk. Of course, if he graduated on time, he would have been only a Redskin.
'08 I don't think RHBM is saying anyone is owed anything. Rather if support has diminished among some groups because of the change, that's a sad reason for doing so. In other words if I think the current students deserve support, but will withhold it because of a name or a mascot, well that's is not a very good reason in RHBM's opinion (and mine). By the way, there are a lot of things at my undergraduate alma mater I don't like and I would like to see changed, but that does not diminish my loyalty or financial support for the current students there.
I am not a Miami grad (I've worked here for 30 years). I also have had the pleasure of meeting and knowing the late Chief Floyd. Few if any ever thought Miami was "racist" or that the university was disrespectful of the Miami Nation. Certainly Chief Floyd did not (his son is a professor here). On the contrary, Chief Floyd and the Nation was/is proud to have a great university named after the tribe. But, the term redskin was/is considered by many Native Americans as derogatory. There are conflicting stories about who approached whom and how the change got started, but there were some among the tribe and among Native Americans who wanted the name changed, that is a fact, and there was a pc element to it too, that is also certain.
I guess where I come down on this is that the instant the Maimi nation, or a signifcant portion of it, wanted the name changed, for whatever reason, Miami was obligated to look at changing, and did the right thing. I admit it grated on me a little because of the pc element, though.
And one more thing RHBM, don't feel badly about your telehawking failures. My guess is most of the people who took it out on you gave little or nothing anyway and now had an excuse to justify their non-support. (And, by the way, your post is a Hall-of-Famer, IMO).
PS My son has the distinction of being a Redskin and a RedHawk. Of course, if he graduated on time, he would have been only a Redskin.
. So to your point for almost every current student (I'm a junior so I was about 8 when the name change took place and lived in metro-Detroit) first heard of Miami as the RedHawks and do not think twice about it. Sure we joke around with "Let's Go Redskins" chants and such but any student who truly feels wronged by the name change is probably just postulating (unless they were in that minority of Miami fans growing up). 
We always will enjoy picking on the Bucks, even if, some day down the road, the tables turn. I truly hope the Buckeyes can find a great coach and build up a great program (though not too great