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NCAA's mascot flap

The NCAA has come to its senses about the Florida State University Seminoles, but only after squandering some of its own moral authority about collegiate mascots.

This was the kind of backflip that turned into a bellyflop, all in just 18 days:

Aug. 5: NCAA calls the Seminole mascot "hostile and abusive" and insists its position is fully researched. "We are very aware of the Seminole Tribe in Florida and their stance and support of that imagery and mascot," says Charlotte Westerhaus, the NCAA's vice president for diversity and inclusion. "(But) it also came to our attention there are other Seminole tribes in other parts of our great nation who are not supportive of that use."

Aug. 23: The same NCAA grants the FSU appeal, offering the following: "In its review of the particular circumstances regarding Florida State, the staff review committee noted the unique relationship between the university and the Seminole Tribe of Florida as a significant factor."

Needless to say, this does not inspire confidence in the way the NCAA goes about establishing rules and sanctions for its member universities. As one executive committee member noted on Tuesday, none of the 18 sanctioned schools was allowed to explain its case prior to the first vote. Clearly, the staff botched its own homework, not fully understanding the nature of the FSU/Seminole relationship and not bothering to verify the accuracy of the claims about other Seminole tribes.

FSU had its own weak moments in this debate, as well, including a trustee's intemperate remark about the Oklahoma tribe, a remark for which he later apologized. But the NCAA, in trying to teach a lesson of tolerance and understanding, let carelessness and imprecision undermine its goals. It needs to be as scrupulous in its own assessments of mascots as it asks universities to be in theirs. Otherwise, it risks offense.

[Last modified August 26, 2005, 01:36:21]