Tallahassee, FL (U-WIRE) -- The following is a reproduction of a letter sent to National Collegiate Athletic Association President Myles Brand in July. An NCAA statement forbidding American Indian nicknames, mascots, and logos that are "hostile" or "abusive" from postseason tournaments (starting in February 2006) was released this month.

Dear Beloved Mr. Brand:

Normally, I'm not a racist. But I chose to attend Florida State University because of the "Seminole" nickname. A school dedicated to the mockery of one of Florida's largest American Indian tribes sounded like the place for me.

During my time there, I met hundreds of others that came to Tallahassee for the same reason! None of us believed the hype that FSU's nickname was chosen because of the "unconquered spirit" of the Seminole Tribe. We knew the name was a joke and intended to treat it as such.

I recently found out we weren't the only smart ones. Would you believe students at 17 other universities are also having fun with their respective school's Native American nicknames?

At our school, the most fun came at Florida State sporting events. We came up with this type of "war chant" that we would yell in unison at all the games. It caught on quickly, and most people actually thought we did it to support our "Seminoles."

Clearly, this was just one of our ways to poke fun at someone else's expense. Some of us also got into Seminole character! We painted our faces garnet and gold and wore feathers in our hair.

However, Mr. Brand, we didn't want the truth to leak out so quickly. In order to have our fun, we had to create some semblance of true dedication to this Seminole Tribe.

We hired a guy to dress up like a Native American from head to toe to serve as our mascot. He carried a spear and everything! We called him Chief Osceola and even gave him a horse named Renegade to ride. Before football games, Chief Osceola would get the crowd to rise to its feet, almost like a Native American ritual. He would ride to the center of the field and throw his flaming spear into the center of the Seminole logo. We also got the real Seminole Tribe of Florida to play along. They accepted the nickname and endorsed our use of the "Seminole" moniker.

But, Mr. Brand, this was just part of our plan. We created an illusion and everyone bought it. Good thing the NCAA is too dumb to figure us out. We don't need political correctness when it comes to mascots and nicknames, especially since our ultimate goal is trying to offend as many people as possible.

But we have to protect what we can Mr. Brand. I hear People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals sent you a letter asking you to get rid of the nickname "Gamecocks" that is used by South Carolina and Jacksonville (Alabama) State. According to USA Today, the letter says Gamecocks "are named after the birds used in cockfighting, a hideous 'blood sport' that, similar to spousal abuse, bank robbery and driving while intoxicated, is illegal in both South Carolina and Alabama."

I urge you to block this from happening. We must be as offensive as possible to everything and everyone.

Thank you, Mr. Brand, for your concern on this matter. It's good to know you realize the nickname of a school is the most important thing, rather than the upholding of traditional educational values and the fostering of competition with our student-athletes.

Best regards,

Seminole "Supporter"

(C) 2004 FSView & Florida Flambeau via U-WIRE