YouTube: Skit featuring a representation of "Chief Osceola," the Florida State University mascot
Andrew Cohen discusses an on-air segment on ESPN that featured a representation of "Chief Osceola," the Florida State University mascot, being beaten by a football commentator:
We are supposed to be having a particularly earnest conversation with each other (and ourselves) this autumn about whether the continuing use of the nickname "Redskins" for Washington's professional football team perpetuates stereotypes against Native Americans. Of course it does. If you want to better understand why, if you want to better appreciate the enormity of the problem, if you want a sense of the challenge American Indians face as they seek to fight back against these hoary symbols, watch this clip from Saturday's "College Gameday" on ESPN. This unseemly episode is the result of two traditions. The first has to do with Florida State University, which has taken the nickname "Seminoles" from the Native American tribe with a long and unfortunate history in Florida. The university's tradition, since 1978 anyway, is to have a man, dressed up like a tribal "chief" named Osceola (ne` William Powell), ride out atop a horse named "Renegade" onto Doak Campbell Stadium in Tallahassee before home games and throw a flaming spear into the ground at midfield while the crowd goes wild. Here is the list of "Osceolas" (and "Renegades") over the years.Get the Story:
Andrew Cohen: ESPN: No Comment on Talent 'Wearing the Native Equivalent of Black Face' (The Atlantic 10/20)
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