NCAA says tribal approval is key to keeping names

Maybe it won't be the University of Utah "Red-tailed Hawks" after all.

Because of a decision by the NCAA two weeks ago, the U. appeared to be in danger of losing its traditional "Ute" nickname. However, the NCAA is backtracking a bit on its decision to ban the use of American Indian nicknames and imagery at post-season tournaments starting in February.

On Friday, the NCAA said approval from American Indian tribes would be a primary factor in deciding appeals from schools that use Native American nicknames and mascots in post-season play.

That should help the U. The university has received permission from the Ute Tribal Council several times over the years to use the "Ute" nickname, and unless that changes Utah should be able to retain it.

University of Utah President Michael Young said Friday that the latest NCAA statement makes more sense than the original one.

"From our perspective it's good news," Young said. "We have been saying for some time that our impression is that nobody intends to be abusive or offensive (to Native Americans). I've been surprised that the NCAA has been less attentive to that perspective."

The original NCAA decision affected Utah, which is one of at least 18 schools using a nickname associated with Native Americans. The NCAA said mascots from such schools would not be allowed to perform at tournament games, and band members and cheerleaders would also be barred from using Indian images on their uniforms beginning in 2008.

While the U. has continue to use the "Utes" as a nickname, in recent years the university has used as its mascot a red-tailed hawk, called "Swoop." Its sports logo includes a feather attached to a drum.

The NCAA's original ruling also would prohibit schools with American Indian mascots from hosting future NCAA post-season events. Schools that have already been awarded post-season tournaments would have to cover any Indian depictions in their sports venues.

That would directly affect the U., which has hosted more NCAA basketball tournament games than all but one venue in the country and is scheduled to host NCAA first- and second-round basketball games in March 2006.

Perhaps because of complaints and even the threat of lawsuits by schools with Native American nicknames such as Florida State University (the Seminoles) and the University of Illinois (the Illini), the NCAA revisited the issue in a conference call Thursday night.