The reaction out of the Sunshine State about the NCAA decision
to ban "hostile and offensive" nicknames and mascots, which affects the
Florida State Seminoles, is reaching a boiling point quite early.
FSU's President T.K. Wetherell, a former football player
himself, has hired attorney Barry Richard, who successfully argued George Bush's
case in the 2000 election. And President Bush's brother, Florida governor
Jeb Bush, has also taken a stand, calling it "offensive to native Americans."
Whatever you think of the controversy, Gov. Bush was probably
correct when he said "[y]ou know what they ought to be worried about? The graduation rates of most college
athletes. Maybe if they had some suggestions on that, that universities could apply and could implement, they could be doing a service to all of us."
Maybe he could be a little less politically correct himself
and cut to the chase and say that whatever nickname or mascot Florida State
chooses, they put athletics above academics, from the President on down, and
until they can make more of an effort to educate their athletes, they really
shouldn't worry about other issues.