Shake Down the Thunder (Will the Lep be leaving us?)

[GoshenGipper]

Shake Down the Thunder

In his Ash Wednesday homily Archbishop Sean Brady of Armagh, the primate of All Ireland, asks:

Has the time not come for us to ditch, once and for all, the caricature of the drunken Irish and to consign it to the realm of history along with the slur of the Fighting Irish? [emphasis added] Slur? Does that mean the term shouldn't be used?

American college football fans have already seen Redmen and Warriors morph into politically-correct birds and mammals. But if the day comes when you see the leprechaun in the South Bend unemployment line, you can kiss the Notre Dame endowment goodbye.

 

[brownkj002]

Shake Down the Thunder

In his Ash Wednesday homily Archbishop Sean Brady of Armagh, the primate of All Ireland, asks:

Has the time not come for us to ditch, once and for all, the caricature of the drunken Irish and to consign it to the realm of history along with the slur of the Fighting Irish? [emphasis added] Slur? Does that mean the term shouldn't be used?

American college football fans have already seen Redmen and Warriors morph into politically-correct birds and mammals. But if the day comes when you see the leprechaun in the South Bend unemployment line, you can kiss the Notre Dame endowment goodbye.

We are what we are. I take no offense to people making fun of me for being Irish. People have to admit that the Irish have a proven track record. I however would be beyond pissed if the NCAA ever tried to mess with ND.

 

[TexasDomer]

Do you think he meant "Fighting Irish", or just "fighting Irish": more as a stereotype of Irish as angry folks who get into fights?

 

[stonebreakerwasgod]

Being Catholic, I believe the church has bigger issues to tackle than a university that provides good publicity for them.

 

[Junkhead]

Being Catholic, I believe the church has bigger issues to tackle than a university that provides good publicity for them.

True that. There are more pressing issues! Does it really offend Irish people? I have no idea....

 

[LOVEMYIRISH]

True that. There are more pressing issues! Does it really offend Irish people? I have no idea....

I can only imagine that it would NOT offend about 90% of the Irish.

 

[portlaNDgal]

I think our mascot is a good example of a group taking on a derogatory assignation themselves and turning it into a positive. I know some Irish Americans are offended (including Monk Malloy), but the majority of Irish Americans I know (myself included) are not offended.

 

[stonebreakerwasgod]

People know stereotypes are foolish, it will not go away just because ND decides to remove it. The only thing lost is tradition. Those who want everything PC'd in order to make themselves feel good, ruin it for those who actually have a stake in the matter.

 

[NDgettysburg]

I think our mascot is a good example of a group taking on a derogatory assignation themselves and turning it into a positive.

That's why you see "No Irish Need Apply" signs in Irish pubs...it's not derogatory, it's a reminder of how we were once viewed. It's the same reason the license plate on my Jeep says SHINNER....well, that and because UNREPENTANT FENIAN BASTARD wouldn't fit.

 

[notredomer23]

IM 50% Irish(damn proud to) I went to Notre Dame and im not offended. My dad 100% irish not offended my grandpa 100% irish not offended.
btw my dad my grandpa and my sister all went to ND to

GO IRISH

 

[tgolden]

I could be wrong, but I heard somewhere that the university's official nickname is the "fightin' irish" not the "fighting irish." not that it really makes any difference.

oh, and I'm part Irish, and neither I, nor anyone in my family, is offended.

 

[GoshenGipper]

Those Stupid Bucknuts.

ND & "Fighting Irish" Mascot?

 

[The Fly]

The most Irish folks aren't offended by the mascot because they are very good at laughing at themselves. There more important thing in the world to worry about then some farcical leprechaun and most of us realize that.

 

[leprechaun4life]

I'm part Irish and I love the image that it gives me. It is assumed that I can drink anyone and their mother under the table, and if you piss me off, I'll rip your fuckin' head off. Everyone loves a badass and the image that Irish people get only helps.

Team mascots are not meant as insults, they are all meant as a form of respect to the local tradition, or the heritage of the natives. If the nicknames weren't offensive fifty years ago, I don't see why they should be considered so now. Fuvk political correctness.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Do you think angels in heaven are offended by the New Orleans Saints (their nickname not their pitiful football history) or the Los Angeles, California Angels of Anaheim? Should people who have ancestors that were known Pirates, Raiders or Buccaneers be offended? Well maybe for the Buc's original unies; those were offensive. What if the Giants (NY or SF) were called the Midgets? Are the New York Metropolitans really looking down on their suburban fans by not incl. them in their nickname? Why is Chicago's baseball team on the south side called the White Sox, but then referred infamously as the Black Sox after conspiring to throw the 1919 World Series? Gotta be racism. Isn't the Penn U. team mascot the Quakers? Are they offended? I believe there is a small college in North Carolina, Elon maybe?, that recently referred to themselves as the "Fighting Christians". I'm sure one of you bright young men or women can confirm this for me (it is acceptable to say "men &/or women" isn't it?). The silliest PC change of a nickname, at least professionally, has to be the Washington Bullets changing to the Wizards. Yeah, those damn bullets are the reason for DC's high murder rate, not the unlicensed gun toters who are pulling the trigger. That's like saying matches are the cause for arson, not the criminals who actually set the fire. Where's the personal responsibility these days? How come the Dallas COWBOYS never get any grief...just the Cleveland INDIANS? P-L-E-A-S-E don't take this post seriously...yeah I'm talking to you Golde....(Argh, I just threw up in my mouth).

 

[irishfan]

I know this will never happen, but what would our new nickname be if somehow the NCAA took away "Fighting Irish" from us. I would vote for "Golden Domers."

 

[tgolden]

nice. good post, irishdodger.

and as for elon, this is what i got:

"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? "

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


so I guess that got nixed too.

but too bad Penn isn't the "fighting quakers." now wouldn't that be ironic.

and then there's wilmington college in ohio. they are the quakers, in fact, they are (or maybe just where) a quaker affiliated school. and they are sometimes referred to as the fighting quakers. although it's not official.

and Irishfan, the dome might get offended.

 

[GoshenGipper]

Believe it or not I've heard of PETA protesting animal nicknames, claiming that they are demeaning, and that "Animals are people too." and "What about their rights?".

 

[TexasDomer]

I know this will never happen, but what would our new nickname be if somehow the NCAA took away "Fighting Irish" from us. I would vote for "Golden Domers."

If we wanted to bust it out old school, we'd call ourselves the Ramblers, which was a common nickname when Rockne invented, "anyone, anytime, anywhere" as a scheduling strategy.

 

[johnnd05]

Whatever. His Excellency has no say in what goes on at Notre Dame. He should pull the stick out of his butt and concern himself with more important things.

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Believe it or not I've heard of PETA protesting animal nicknames, claiming that they are demeaning, and that "Animals are people too." and "What about their rights?".

Well even the ultraliberal Keith Olbermann agreed today on ESPN radio that the native American nicknames should be left up to the repective nations. He said he saw no problem w/ nicknames like the Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves b/c their history is either honoring a native American or misperceived as having anything to do w/ American Indians. He did make the exception w/ the nickname "Redskins" which I believe everyone on the previous thread agreed was offensive.

 

[caoimhe07oconnor]

I can't believe that a priest would even say something like that to the general public, like it's a big deal. I live in Tipperary, Ireland and everyone here doesn't seem to mind the Fighting Irish Leperchaun, they think it's rather cute. I also brought this up with my priest and he thinks that Notre Dame is a great institution and it would be foolish to change anything about it, especially the leperchaun.

 

[TexasDomer]

I understand where the Prelate was coming from. In context, he's wanting people's understanding of Ireland to come from real people rather than caricatures. He might have been poor in his choice of examples, but I can see his point.

PS: "It's a long way to Tipperary..."

 

[stonebreakerwasgod]

Believe it or not I've heard of PETA protesting animal nicknames, claiming that they are demeaning, and that "Animals are people too." and "What about their rights?".

Does that mean I can't call a cow pasture "burger world" anymore?? Damn feminazis!
BTW- I'm a 1/4 Irish (only on the bad side) and I am usually too drunk to take offense to the slur. Go Irish!

 

[stonebreakerwasgod]

Well even the ultraliberal Keith Olbermann agreed today on ESPN radio that the native American nicknames should be left up to the repective nations. He said he saw no problem w/ nicknames like the Cleveland Indians, Atlanta Braves b/c their history is either honoring a native American or misperceived as having anything to do w/ American Indians. He did make the exception w/ the nickname "Redskins" which I believe everyone on the previous thread agreed was offensive.

Thank goodness a former sportscaster from L.A. can actually take a postion on anything. I normally just take the opposite side of whatever he says. Nice 2 know he can formulate an actual thought.

 

[tommy]

how is it that the nations capitol had arguable the most offensive nicknames for their teams redskins and bullets

 

[GoshenGipper]

how is it that the nations capitol had arguable the most offensive nicknames for their teams redskins and bullets

Because to most people aren't so overly sensative and it didn't become in vogue to be so PC untill recently.

 

[tommy]

Because to most people aren't so overly sensative and it didn't become in vogue to be so PC untill recently.

hey when kids are dieing in the street by the second from gun fire I get PC

 

[IRISHDODGER]

Thank goodness a former sportscaster from L.A. can actually take a postion on anything. I normally just take the opposite side of whatever he says. Nice 2 know he can formulate an actual thought.

I agree, but he does get props for his baseball history knowledge. Dude knows his stuff.

 

[RichardRiot]

Believe it or not I've heard of PETA protesting animal nicknames, claiming that they are demeaning, and that "Animals are people too." and "What about their rights?".

PETA do have a point: Just the other day my dog was telling me that he is so pissed off with what has happened with that team in Seattle that he is going to protest that the name be changed to Washington Purple & Gold Team. My cat on the other hand has a hairball because there are no teams named after domestic felines; how about the University of LSU Tabbies??