MBB: Michigan Intercollegiate Athletic Association

[WUPHF]

Hope and Calvin may be considered more "conservative" in the college landscape comparatively, but they have definitely shifted noticeably left and liberal in the last decade.

The attitudes, beliefs and values of the average, traditional-age college student seemed to move substantially to the left beginning around 5-6 years ago.

The thought that the students at a majority university would want to do away with Greek life because of concerns over systematic is nothing I ever expected (maybe they are right, I have no idea). Might they say the same about varsity athletics if a program is not diverse enough?

[pointlem]

Perhaps those conversations will come, but there's a big difference between naming your mascot after the ethnicity and identity of the founders of the school (Hope, sort of Notre Dame) and naming your mascot after an unrelated and historically marginalized group (Cleveland baseball, Washington football).

Agreed. There's obviously a difference too between a racial slur and a genuine attempt to honor a people group.

Agreed. And while one might argue that in today's world, using a Native American name as a mascot is tone-deaf, it's not intended as a slur, since the point of a school's mascot is to have one that is celebratory and honored. That's why Red Mesa HS in Teec Nos Pos, AZ uses it, sporting a logo that is virtually identical to the one formerly used by the Washington Redskins, uh, Football Team:  https://www.facebook.com/redmesahighschool/  (FYI: The school population is almost entirely Navajo).

KnightSlappy makes a good point about the distinction between an institution honoring its own historic heritage--the Irish of Notre Dame, the Hope College Dutch mascot, or the Navajo community high school's identity--and an institution co-opting someone else's heritage.

[Mr. Ypsi]

Perhaps those conversations will come, but there's a big difference between naming your mascot after the ethnicity and identity of the founders of the school (Hope, sort of Notre Dame) and naming your mascot after an unrelated and historically marginalized group (Cleveland baseball, Washington football).

Agreed. There's obviously a difference too between a racial slur and a genuine attempt to honor a people group.

Agreed. And while one might argue that in today's world, using a Native American name as a mascot is tone-deaf, it's not intended as a slur, since the point of a school's mascot is to have one that is celebratory and honored. That's why Red Mesa HS in Teec Nos Pos, AZ uses it, sporting a logo that is virtually identical to the one formerly used by the Washington Redskins, uh, Football Team:  https://www.facebook.com/redmesahighschool/  (FYI: The school population is almost entirely Navajo).

KnightSlappy makes a good point about the distinction between an institution honoring its own historic heritage--the Irish of Notre Dame, the Hope College Dutch mascot, or the Navajo community high school's identity--and an institution co-opting someone else's heritage.

EMU was a special case.  The Huron nation specifically petitioned the regents NOT to change the name (and the logo was very respectful; not the generic (plains) Indian, but one that to those who knew history was specifically a Huron Indian).  But it went anyway.  And, to compound the abomination, the replacement was the Eagles (a bird sacred to many Indian nations, including the Hurons), with a logo that was (and is) a cartoonish eagle that I for one find extremely demeaning.

I taught at EMU pretty much my whole career, but only vaguely follow their teams today, and would not even consider donating to the school (with perhaps an exception to a scholarship fund for Hurons, if such a fund existed).

[sac]

They had a brief debate (it may be ongoing, idk) about changing the nickname of Okemos High School away from Chieftans.  Its hard to make an argument that it was/is offensive when the town is literally named after Chief John Okemos.

[Mr. Ypsi]

They had a brief debate (it may be ongoing, idk) about changing the nickname of Okemos High School away from Chieftans.  Its hard to make an argument that it was/is offensive when the town is literally named after Chief John Okemos.

Besides which, the 'headman' in MANY cultures is known as a 'chieftan' - that has little to do with American 'Indians'.

If only people could save the outrage for those nicknames that ARE specifically demeaning.  I grew up in Peoria IL, 20 miles from Pekin.  Until only about 20-25 years ago, the high school teams were the 'Chinks' (Pekin was named under the false belief that it was exactly opposite Beijing (then known as Peking) China) - now THAT is a nickname worth fighting!

[DBQ1965]

But this goes beyond church denominations. I think every college/university is challenged to define, and often re-define, themselves in today's internet based, globalized, ever-changing world. I'm actually a little shocked there wasn't more traction in 2020 to change Hope, Alma, and Albion from the ethnic mascots of Dutch, Scots, and Britons when a growing proportion of their students do not identify with those ethnicities. Hope has already rebranded themselves away from an RCA college, to a more inclusive Christian Liberal Arts college. But I wonder how long they'll cling to being "Dutch" when almost 20% of the student population is non-white and surely a large percentage of the remaining 80% identify as something other than Dutch.

Not sure that a school's mascot is all that relevant to this conversation.  It's not like some large percentage of University of Michigan students are wolverines.  Heck, it's not like there are even any wolverines in Michigan any more.  If it were true that the mascot somehow represented the majority of the student body, I surely wouldn't look forward to meeting any UC Santa Cruz students 

Plus karma for that one.  A most amazing mascot.

[WUPHF]

I took quite a hit to my karma yesterday after my last post.  That is perfectly fair.  Maybe it was because I was talking about something other than basketball or that my post was misinterpreted.

I would prefer an arrangement in which anyone who smites has to offer an explanation as to why.

[Dutchman17]

Best Hope JV team ever?  So much talent.  All of these guys can get minutes on varsity next year except one or two, and that's no knock on those guys either.  Has to be the best recruiting class for Hope since 2013

[pointlem]

Personally, I've been impressed by the players that Mitchell has been able to recruit to Hope. I also know there is a long list of players that Hope was very very close on getting, many of which could have made big impacts. I'm excited to see how Dykhouse and Thomas develop over the next two seasons and what kind of team Mitchell can build around them.

Support for HOPEful's optimism comes from the caliber of Hope's first-year players who are most of the jv game players. After a 1 point loss at Trine, they have displayed considerable promise . . . dominating Olivet by 31, Albion by 32, Alma by 23, and today Trine by 32. With six graduating seniors (assuming all graduate) there will, it seems, be opportunities for them, along with sophs Thomas and Dykhouse, to form the core of a talented team the next two to three years.
[P.S. Dutchman17 and I were writing simultaneously, with similar thoughts.]

[sac]

Trine 73 Hope 67 F

Pretty great effort by Hope today, stayed in the game the whole way until very late.  Basically stayed in it by dominating the rebounding.  They will rue they're many, many, many chances in this one.  Another sub 30% day from the 3-point line, under 60% FT shooting which included I believe missing the front end of FIVE one for ones.  Trine forces you into a lot of turnovers, Hope was -14 for the day here as well.  Probably the hardest Hope has played all year and quite a turnaround from the first meeting.

Hope:  George 22, Dykhouse 11, Granger 10
Trine:  Cox 23, Bowman 21, Geller 11

[sac]

Just wanted to pass my thoughts, prayers and condolences to those in the Unity Christian community.  Just terrible news.

[almcguirejr]

Just wanted to pass my thoughts, prayers and condolences to those in the Unity Christian community.  Just terrible news.

Devastating

https://www.hollandsentinel.com/story/sports/2021/02/20/t-j-vankoevering-remembered-champion-after-dying-snowmobile-crash/4529773001/

[Knight2Day]

I think there will always be a market for a Calvin and a market for a Hillsdale and I would not be surprised to see it grow as colleges and universities move further left of 2008-2016 era Obama leftism. 

The growth of the classical school movement signals that this may be the case.

For sure, there will always be a market for a Conservative Christian education, but changing with the demands of today's generation doesn't necessarily mean becoming more liberal in thought or identity.

I can't speak for hope, but as a Calvin alumni, the school has trended pretty wide astray from traditional values and biblical principles regarding gender and sexuality in the name of "inclusivity," especially in the last 5-7 years. I can't count how many "Calvin" families I know that are looking elsewhere because of this.

[Knightmare]

I think there will always be a market for a Calvin and a market for a Hillsdale and I would not be surprised to see it grow as colleges and universities move further left of 2008-2016 era Obama leftism. 

The growth of the classical school movement signals that this may be the case.

For sure, there will always be a market for a Conservative Christian education, but changing with the demands of today's generation doesn't necessarily mean becoming more liberal in thought or identity.

I can’t speak for hope, but as a Calvin alumni, the school has trended pretty wide astray from traditional values and biblical principles regarding gender and sexuality in the name of “inclusivity,” especially in the last 5-7 years. I can’t count how many “Calvin” families I know that are looking elsewhere because of this.

I haven't posted here in years but still lurking, reading and following Calvin bball. I'm another of those families that has had multiple generations attend Calvin and I'd be hard pressed to encourage my kids to attend in light of the trend in biblical values and principles that Calvin has veered away from.  I think you hit the nail on the head.

[wiz]

I think there will always be a market for a Calvin and a market for a Hillsdale and I would not be surprised to see it grow as colleges and universities move further left of 2008-2016 era Obama leftism. 

The growth of the classical school movement signals that this may be the case.

For sure, there will always be a market for a Conservative Christian education, but changing with the demands of today's generation doesn't necessarily mean becoming more liberal in thought or identity.

I can't speak for hope, but as a Calvin alumni, the school has trended pretty wide astray from traditional values and biblical principles regarding gender and sexuality in the name of "inclusivity," especially in the last 5-7 years. I can't count how many "Calvin" families I know that are looking elsewhere because of this.

I haven't posted here in years but still lurking, reading and following Calvin bball. I'm another of those families that has had multiple generations attend Calvin and I'd be hard pressed to encourage my kids to attend in light of the trend in biblical values and principles that Calvin has veered away from.  I think you hit the nail on the head.

While you have been lurking, have you been able to determine which MIAA school has better principles and biblical values?