When political correctness runs amok it can create a situation so ludicrous that even its adherents must be hard-pressed to suppress a derisive laugh.

Such was the case last weekend, when the National Collegiate Athletic Association – the ruling body of college athletics – announced that it is fed up with what it considers “hostile” and “abusive” American Indian nicknames and will prohibit use of those words and images in its post-season tournaments.

As a result, come next February it will be considered tasteless for the University of North Dakota to call its sports teams the “Fighting Sioux” and wrong for it to display its familiar warrior logo, but it will be OK for Notre Dame to continue to call its teams the “Fighting Irish” and flaunt a logo of a stereotypical green-clad leprechaun with his dukes up.

Offending mascots will not be allowed to perform at tournament games, and band members and cheerleaders will be barred from using American Indians on their uniforms beginning in 2008, the NCAA announced from its headquarters in, of all places, Indianapolis.

In the NCAA crosshairs are teams such as the Florida State University Seminoles and their popular mascot, “Chief Osceola.” Florida’s Seminole Indians, having given permission to FSU to continue using the name, mascot and logo, are not offended in the least. So the NCAA has vowed to feel offended for them. It doesn’t matter that the Florida tribe is OK with FSU’s nickname and mascot, the NCAA said, because what counts is that Seminoles elsewhere do not approve. Protecting the Florida Seminoles from themselves is a thankless job, but someone has to do it.

When asked why his outfit could not summon the indignation required to be equally offended in behalf of the Irish, the NCAA spokesman said no one had complained about the Notre Dame nickname or logo. (Ah, well. You know those rowdy Irishmen. Born to brawl, and proud of it.)

Eighteen college mascots, including the FSU Seminole and the Illinois Fighting Illini, have n cited as offensive to civilized society. The schools were quick to complain, precious little good though that might do them, considering the NCAA’s awesome power to have its way in such matters.

“That the NCAA would now label our close bond with the Seminole people as culturally ‘hostile and abusive’ is both outrageous and insulting,” Florida State president T.K. Wetherell declared. He promised to “pursue all legal avenues to ensure that this unacceptable decision is overturned, and that this university will forever be associated with the ‘unconquered’ spirit of the Seminole Tribe of Florida.”

The NCAA has not defined what constitutes a “hostile” or “abusive” team nickname or logo. And since one man’s hostile and abusive nickname can be another man’s friendly and complimentary gesture to another culture, some colleges have been left wondering where they stand.

What might happen to Wake Forest’s Demon Deacons, for example, or to Louisiana-Layfayette’s Ragin’ Cajuns in the inevitable next round of PC mania is difficult to predict.

And God only knows what havoc the PETA (People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals) crowd might raise should it discover that the bears that inhabit the Greenville town dump feel terribly offended and defamed whenever some University of Maine Black Bear team gets creamed.

Rotsa ruck to Florida State and the others in their fight to retain their identity. But the smart money is on the NCAA and the forces of political correctness in this one. The die has been cast by too many other schools that have caved in to similar pressure – some justifiably so, some not – in earlier go-arounds on the issue.

The name-switching boondoggle eliciting the biggest hoot from the peanut gallery occurred years ago when the University of Massachusetts deep-sixed its politically incorrect nickname – “Redmen” or some such, if memory serves – in favor of “Minutemen,” only to have the flaming-feminist contingent on campus demand that Minutemen be changed to “Minutepeople.” UMass women’s teams are known as “Minutewomen.” Historically inaccurate, but properly PC.

The most mind-boggling wimp-out in the name of political correctness was made by Hofstra University, which once enjoyed one of the coolest nicknames in college sports – the Flying Dutchmen. Presumably, the vast numbers of non-flying Dutchmen in New York took umbrage and so the school’s teams are now known as the Hofstra Pride. As in a pride of lions.

It is unknown whether any local lions find the new name offensive, although there reportedly are a few Kiwanians whose feelings have been hurt. And a couple of Rotarians who are having a hard time coping, as well.

NEWS columnist Kent Ward’s e-mail address is olddawg@bangordailynews.