Administrators knew it would be a tough sell getting fans to let go of the Fighting Sioux nickname deemed offensive by the NCAA and a local American Indian tribe. But emails between the university’s president and one of its biggest benefactors show just how difficult it continues to be.
The emails between school president Mark Kennedy and Engelstad Family Foundation trustee Kris Engelstad McGarry, whose late father donated money for a $110 million hockey arena, reveal Kennedy’s frustration over the foundation’s resistance to a plan to feature the green and white Fighting Hawks logo at center court in the Betty Engelstad Sioux Center, where UND’s basketball and volleyball teams play. The foundation would prefer just the words ”North Dakota” instead.
McGarry told The Associated Press that the foundation only opposes featuring the Fighting Hawks emblem at center court because it believes there are longtime fans and supporters who ”do not identify with Fighting Hawks as the Hawks’ presence has been” since the logo was unveiled.
”So as to not alienate that side, we elected to put Fighting Hawks on the side of the court and to put the University of North Dakota logo on the center court,” McGarry said. ”We believe that the community should make their own decisions and that the change should happen more organically, over time, rather than have it pushed.”
The issue burst into public view earlier this month when McGarry told the Grand Forks Herald editorial board that Kennedy had been ”very passive aggressive” and ”quite hostile at times” in discussions about the university’s operating agreement with the foundation and said it could lead to fewer donations. McGarry recently backed out of a $14 million pledge to the University of Nevada-Las Vegas medical school over a leadership change.
Kennedy declined an interview request. University spokesman Peter Johnson said in a statement that the school hopes to reach a ”mutually beneficial” agreement.
Ralph Engelstad, a Minnesota native who played goaltender for UND before building a fortune as a real estate mogul and Las Vegas casino and hotel owner, was vehemently opposed to dropping the Fighting Sioux nickname, which the Standing Rock Sioux tribe refused to endorse. At one point, Engelstad threatened to stop construction of the hockey arena if it was discontinued.
McGarry said her spat with Kennedy isn’t tied to the Fighting Sioux logo and that her family doesn’t share her father’s passionate views about the nickname.
The Ralph Engelstad Arena is currently owned and operated independently from the school and won’t be turned over to UND control until 2030. Under that 2000 agreement, the arena manager is tasked with running the facility ”in a manner that best serves UND’s needs” and cooperating with school representatives in ”furthering the interests” of the college. School officials say placing the Fighting Hawks logo at center court would do just that, by promoting the name and helping the sale of merchandise.
The Engelstad Family Foundation was created in 2002 http://www.seahawksauthorizedshops.com/authentic-michael-dickson-jersey , the year Ralph Engelstad died. The nonprofit has donated hundreds of millions of dollars to various causes in several states, focusing on education, health care and childhood issues. Besides donating money for the sports facilities, the Engelstad family has given a $20 million endowment and numerous other donations to UND, including papers of Gen. George S. Patton and portraits of U.S. Supreme Court Justices valued at nearly $127.5 million.
Kennedy also wants to update the operating agreement for the arenas, including revenue sharing. University figures show the school received less than half of the roughly $8 million profit generated by hockey, basketball, football and volleyball between 2010 and 2017.
Erik Hanson, who is set to take over as student body president, said he grew up in Grand Forks as a Fighting Sioux fan. But he said brand identity is important and the Fighting Hawks should be displayed now.
”At this point, I have to look out for the next generation of students and the students of today,” he said. ”All of the student-athletes who are going to play in that arena have been Fighting Hawks from the day they stepped on campus.”
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For the third time, Tom Brady is the NFL’s Most Valuable Player.
Now he goes for his sixth Super Bowl title, and perhaps with it a fifth MVP trophy for the NFL championship.
Brady added The Associated Press 2017 NFL MVP award Saturday night at NFL Honors to his wins in 2007 and 2010. The New England Patriots quarterback was joined as an honoree by three Los Angeles Rams: Coach of the Year Sean McVay Kerryon Johnson Color Rush Jersey , Offensive Player of the Year running back Todd Gurley and Defensive Player of the Year tackle Aaron Donald.
Other winners in voting by a nationwide panel of 50 media members who
regularly cover the league were Los Angeles Chargers receiver Keenan Allen as
Comeback Player; New Orleans running back Alvin Kamara and cornerback Marshon
Lattimore as top offensive and defensive rookies, respectively; and former
Minnesota Vikings offensive coordinator Pat Shurmur, n
ow head coach of the New
York Giants, as Assistant Coach of the Year.
Brady is the second the player in the four major professional sports to win MVP at age 40; Barry Bonds won baseball’s award in 2004.
Wide receiver Julian Edelman, who missed the entire season with a knee injury, accepted for Brady.
”Thanks, thanks. Wait up. I literally just found out I was doing this like 20 minutes ago. So, I’ve got to read the text,” Edelman said.
”No, but I’m joking. But serious, Tom said he wanted to say he’s very honored and humbled that he gets this award for MVP. Also, he wanted to thank his teammates, his friends, his family and the Patriots organization for going out and doing what they do.”
Brady competed 385 of 581 passes (66.2 percent) for 4 http://www.packersauthorizedshops.com/authentic-jaire-alexander-jersey ,577 yards and 32 touchdowns with eight interceptions as New England went 13-3 for the AFC’s best record. At an age when many QBs are deep into retirement, Brady is throwing deep – and short – as well as ever.
Donald was the first pure defensive tackle to win the award since Warren Sapp in 1999. He said it means ”everything. That’s one of the best to ever do it. So, even for my name to be next to that guy’s name is beyond a blessing. This is what you dream about as a kid, dreaming about playing in the NFL to have success like this, to be able to (play good enough) to win this trophy.”
Gurley’s sensational turnaround season in which he ran for 13 touchdowns and caught six TD passes sparked an equally impressive reversal of fortunes by his team, which won the NFC West at 11-5.
”The Saints got the rookies and we took home the offensive and defensive” player awards,” Gurley noted. ”It just tells you the type of players we have on the team. We all help each other out, absolutely. We have some talent, but we’re nothing without the whole nine yards and everybody together. And we also have a coach who’s up for Coach of the Year.”
A little while later, McVay was handed the coaching award.
In his first season running a team and as the youngest head coach in NFL history, McVay led the Rams to a seven-game improvement. McVay, who turned 32 on Jan. 24, ran away with the voting with 35 votes to 11 for Minnesota’s Mike Zimmer.
”What it means is we had a good season that I think we can build on,” McVay said. ”But you have to earn it every single day. It’s a very humbling league.”
The Rams’ hat trick of awards was not unprecedented. In 2003 Authentic Saquon Barkley Jersey , Baltimore’s Ray Lewis was top defensive player, Jamal Lewis won best offensive player, and Terrell Suggs was Defensive Rookie of the Year. And in 1999, the St. Louis Rams had three award winners: Kurt Warner (MVP), Marshall Faulk (Offensive Player) and Dick Vermeil (Coach).
New Orleans’ sweep of the rookie awards was the first since 1967, when Detroit running back Mel Farr and cornerback Lem Barney were honored. That was the first season for the top defensive rookie award.
”You get caught up in the season, you don’t really get time to pat yourself on the back,” Kamara said. ”But when the season is over you realize what you’ve done. I’ve kind of had to time to look back and say, I made some history this season.”
Kamara shared duties with veteran Mark Ingram as the Saints won the NFC South. He rushed for 728 yards with a 6.1-yard average, and scored eight times. He also caught 81 passes for 826 yards, with five touchdowns.
The 11th overall draft pick and first from his position selected, Lattimore was a shutdown defender as the Saints went 11-5. He had five interceptions and 18 passes defensed in 13 games, was a sure tackler and, by midseason Authentic Sampo Ranta Jersey , was someone opposing quarterbacks tended to avoid. He missed three games, one because of a concussion and two with an ankle injury.
Allen returned from two devastating injuries to win the comeback honor. Allen missed half of the 2015 season with a kidney issue, then was lost in the 2016 season opener with a torn right ACL. There were questions if Allen would ever player at a high level again.
He answered those emphatically this season with the best year of his career. Allen caught 102 passes for 1,393 yards and six touchdowns. He was targeted 159 times, nearly 10 per game.
The awards were announced Saturday night at NFL Honors, when Houston Texans defensive end J.J. Watt received the league’s Walter Payton Award as man of the year. Watt, in his seventh NFL season and a three-time Defensive Player of the Year, had the goal of raising $200,000 for Hurricane Harvey relief in Houston. His fundraising did a whole lot more, bringing in an incredible $37 million in 19 days.
”I’ve been fortunate to be on this stage and to win Defensive Player of the Year awards, but.
