Don't think the SoCon would have ever made this mistake....

[Lehigh Football Nation]

http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20140113/SPORTS/140113001/


The Sun Belt Conference will add four new teams next season with two of the three also causing some confusion when it comes to abbreviations. Appalachian State cannot be ASU with Arkansas State also in the league. The same goes for Georgia State and Georgia Southern, but Benson said the schools were very compliant with what they would like to be called.

However, this will not prompt changes to logos or uniforms.

“The universities have accepted the document and what they do internally is not subject to conference regulation,” Benson said. “We’ve sent out a document to our member universities encouraging them to adhere to the reference guide even though it may not be what they normally or historically or traditionally have referenced, but we are encouraging them to, again, take the broader pieces that let’s from a conference standpoint, a collegiate standpoint, a conference member standpoint reference our conference members as they want to be referenced.”

Appalachian State University Nickname: Mountaineers First Reference: Appalachian State Abbreviation: App

Georgia Southern Nickname: Eagles First Reference: Georgia Southern Abbreviation: GS

Georgia State Nickname: Panthers First Reference: Georgia State Abbreviation: GSU

Uh oh...

http://thegeorgeanne.com/2014/01/sports/sun-belt-conference-rebrands-gsu-to-gs/


Some GSU students are embracing the new change, thinking it will start a new tradition for future students to follow.

“I think its fine, I’m tired of people confusing us with Georgia State. It will be a new identity for a new conference,” freshman C.J Brzail said.

While some don’t mind the new abbreviation, most are passionately against the change.

“I don’t like it, we’ve been GSU for a long time and I think we should have had more input in the decision,” junior Brittany Klassen said.

“Our football team has been around much longer and when I came here we were known as the real GSU and I don’t want that to change,” freshman Paige James said.

The Eagles’ long-time rivals Appalachian State University were not exempt from the change. Formally known as ASU the reference guide now deems them to be referred to as APP.

The change will change how the media refers to GSU, not how the students refer to it. So whether a new tradition of GS or the old of GSU relies entirely upon how current students and alumni want it to continue.

And finally...

http://www.sunbeltsports.org/news/2014/1/24/GENERAL_0124142536.aspx


The Sun Belt Conference office recently issued a "University Reference Guide" that was created to clarify how the Sun Belt office refers to universities in our conference. While each university approved the list of preferred references for specific purposes, the Guide was intended only to be used as an internal document to establish consistency throughout the Conference.

We have observed unintended uses of this guide, specifically as it relates to university abbreviations. Therefore, we have elected to eliminate the reference guide from public display and distribution.

So Georgia Southern will be called GS now, erasing all the years of tradition if being called GSU at the FCS level? Will it not? Will the "University Reference Guide" be used officially? Will it not?

Did Georgia Southern really sign off on this? Or did they not, and the Sun Belt folks simply made the decision and then claim that everyone was on board?

Also, how can this guide be used "unintentionally"?

[cmaxwellgsu]

I have plenty of hats and T shirts with GS on them. In the late 90's when I was a student, a few new logos came out including the GS one (which is my favorite.) The administration that developed these commented on getting away from GSU at that time.

[CID1990]

They wanted to be in the Sun Blet so they'll do as they're told. Beggars can't be choosers.

Besides, everybody knows GSU means Georgia State University. Sheesh

[nwFL Griz]

Is it real that big of a deal? The article is talking about how each school will be referenced at the conference level, to avoid confusion. In the end, it has very little bearing on anything.

[PaladinFan]

Is Georgia Southern one of the only (if not the only) State-then-Direction schools in the Country (Texas Southern?)? Just get it over with and change the name to Southern Georgia University.

Georgia State does not only cause problems in Statesboro. I still think Georgia College and State University is one of the most complex college names around. I mean, which is it?

I don't think it matters much for App State. I understand the university was already trying to move away from "ASU" in their branding, which confuses them with a bunch of other colleges and has not individuality to it.

[JayJ79]

the MVFC/MVC has two ISUs (Illinois St, Indiana St).
Big Ten has two UIs and an IU (or is it two IUs and a UI? In any case, Illinois, Indiana, and Iowa); two UMs (Michigan and Minnesota) and soon another (Maryland); two NUs (Nebraska, Northwestern)

[FCS_pwns_FBS]

Not having an acronym isn't the end of the world.

In a way, I kind of like having a two-letter acronym.

[AshevilleApp2]

Who cares?

[PaladinFan]

Who cares?

The SunBelt?

[walliver]

They wanted to be in the Sun Blet so they'll do as they're told. Beggars can't be choosers.

Besides, everybody knows GSU means Georgia State University. Sheesh

I thought the real GSU was Grambling ;)

This is really a non-issue, that was made into an issue by the front office of the Sun Belt Conference.

The Hillbillies have already recognized that to 95% of US sports fans, ASU is in Arizona (I doubt Arkansas State has any more, and probably less, name recognition than Appalachian).

[AshevilleApp2]

The SunBelt?

Why does the SunBelt concern anyone here? Seriously.

[PaladinFan]

Why does the SunBelt concern anyone here? Seriously.

Why does the FCS concern you? Yet, here you are.

[Skjellyfetti]

Well, since LFN seems to be very interested in the goings-on of the Sun Belt... and there's already a thread on the Sun Belt at the top of the forum... I thought I'd just drop this off here...

Sun Belt had the highest non-AQ BCS bowl revenue this year. xnodx


CBSSports.com obtained documents (seen here and here) detailing the revenue split among those four leagues -- Sun Belt, Conference USA, MAC and Mountain West.


The Sun Belt led those leagues, taking in almost $4 million in BCS revenue. However, the MAC went from potentially first among the non-automatic qualifying conferences to last among the four when it lost an undefeated Northern Illinois in the MAC championship game, then went 0-5 in bowl games.



Performance-based revenue totaling approximately $6 million was dividing by shares. By finishing first, the Sun Belt got four shares, the Mountain West got three, etc.


The take for those schools goes up significantly with the beginning of the College Football Playoff next season. The five power conferences (Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12, Big 12, SEC) will split 71.5 percent of the approximately $400 million revenue in the first year of the playoff's 12-year deal.


The five non-AQ conferences -- the American Athletic Conference drops down after losing automatic status -- will split approximately $86.5 million in revenue from the new playoff poll. That's up from a maximum of $28 million in the BCS. The Sun Belt, for one, will see a 10-fold increase in revenue, from approximately $100,000 per team to $1 million.


Also beginning next season, the highest ranked of those 59 schools -- as decided by the selection committee -- will get an automatic berth in one of the four playoff bowls below the two national semifinals.



The revenue standings were kept by averaging the rank of each school in the six BCS computers. The Sun Belt was No. 1 with average team rank of 77.39. Its top team, Louisiana-Lafayette, averaged 52.5 in the computers. Co-champ Arkansas State finished at 55.66.


Arkansas State jumped from 73 in those average computer rankings after its GoDaddy Bowl win over Ball State. Louisiana-Lafayette went from 66thto 52.5after beating Tulane in the New Orleans Bowl.


The Sun Belt was consistent despite not having a team in the top five average computer ranking among the non-BCS conferences. However, the Sun Belt (with one) was the only non-AQ league without multiple teams with an average rank below 100 in the computers. Not bad for a conference that -- from 2004-2007 -- was dead last in average computer ranking.


It's been an impressive couple of years for Karl Benson. The Sun Belt commissioner held the same position in the WAC for 18 years, leaving for the Sun Belt in February 2012. The WAC finished first in non-BCS revenue distribution that year. The league disbanded in football after the 2012 season.


“I'm looking forward to the competitiveness of [the playoff era],” Benson said. “Whatever competitive gap there had been in the past is definitely lessened.”


http://www.cbssports.com/collegefootball/writer/dennis-dodd/24418974/sun-belt-finishes-first-in-non-aq-revenue-in-last-year-of-bcs

[Lehigh Football Nation]

Of course, if you pay an extra $5 million in expenses to get an extra $1 million in revenues...


It's been an impressive couple of years for Karl Benson. The Sun Belt commissioner held the same position in the WAC for 18 years, leaving for the Sun Belt in February 2012. The WAC finished first in non-BCS revenue distribution that year. The league disbanded in football after the 2012 season.

So Karl Benson should be lauded for jumping out of the WAC right after he drove it into the dumpster fire? That's an interpretation I never thought about.

"The company was great, until the exact moment he resigned with his golden parachute, after which the stock price crashed from $100 a share to 50 cents a share..."

[PaladinFan]

I'm not sure that article says anything surprising. The BCS has a pot of money, and the SunBelt happened to be less bad than the other non-AQ conference (despite having no teams that were particularly good).

Besides, the article talks about revenue, not profits. Even if we assume the SunBelt split that $4million amongst its 8 teams, and took none for itself, you are talking about $500,000 per school. No one on here debates that an FBS gig increases revenues. The question is whether those revenues compensate for what might likely be a ten fold increase in expenses. Probably not.

[Skjellyfetti]

The question is whether those revenues compensate for what might likely be a ten fold increase in expenses.

A tenfold increase in expenses?!? xlolx

We'll go from ~$17,000,000 in expenses to $170,000,000 in expenses?!

****! You're right! We're screwed. No way we can afford to spend $40,000,000 a year more than Texas. :(



In all seriousness... the average expenses in the Sun Belt are ~$18,000,000

App's current expenses are $17,238,578 and current revenue is $18,644,606.

You don't dispute the increase in revenue... so I won't lay it out for you. But, after a few years in the Sun Belt, we'll go from having expenses and revenue in the average for the conference toward the top.

[Bisonoline]

I always thought is was just Georgia Southern. So no big deal to me.

[Apps03]

Is it real that big of a deal? The article is talking about how each school will be referenced at the conference level, to avoid confusion. In the end, it has very little bearing on anything.

THIS. What am I missing here? This is just a guide as to how the schools will be referred to in conference publications and scoreboards. Appalachian State is still going to use ASU, App State, etc. on clothing and whatever else. Georgia Southern is still going to use GS, GSU, whatever else they want on their stuff. Just another, in a long line, of trolling attempts by LFN.

[PaladinFan]

A tenfold increase in expenses?!? xlolx

We'll go from ~$17,000,000 in expenses to $170,000,000 in expenses?!

****! You're right! We're screwed. No way we can afford to spend $40,000,000 a year more than Texas. :(



In all seriousness... the average expenses in the Sun Belt are ~$18,000,000

App's current expenses are $17,238,578 and current revenue is $18,644,606.

You don't dispute the increase in revenue... so I won't lay it out for you. But, after a few years in the Sun Belt, we'll go from having expenses and revenue in the average for the conference toward the top.

Right. I just think it is not quite the whole story just to point to a BCS payout. I imagine even with the $4m payout, some of those schools are just breaking even.

[ccd494]

But how will this affect lehigh's recruiting?

[CID1990]

A tenfold increase in expenses?!? xlolx

We'll go from ~$17,000,000 in expenses to $170,000,000 in expenses?!

****! You're right! We're screwed. No way we can afford to spend $40,000,000 a year more than Texas. :(



In all seriousness... the average expenses in the Sun Belt are ~$18,000,000

App's current expenses are $17,238,578 and current revenue is $18,644,606.

You don't dispute the increase in revenue... so I won't lay it out for you. But, after a few years in the Sun Belt, we'll go from having expenses and revenue in the average for the conference toward the top.

If the majority of App fans are all about the Benjamins then FBS is right where you belong

Enjoy

[Mr. C]

Why does the SunBelt concern anyone here? Seriously.
Because we like to keep you riled up.

[AshevilleApp2]

Why does the FCS concern you? Yet, here you are.

App is still a member of the Southern Conference last time I checked. Here I'll stay.

[AshevilleApp2]

Because we like to keep you riled up.

xlolx

You'll have to work harder to get me riled.

In case you didn't notice the last couple of years, I've been against the move the whole time. I still am. But the decision has been made, so I accept it.

But threads like this strike me as being analogous to someone being dumped and talking about how the dumper will miss them.

[The Eagle's Cliff]

It's been the official policy of the school to be referred to as Georgia Southern by media for years. "GSU" is used by fans as a chant, but "Georgia!"-----"Southern!" is used more often. "GS" has been part of logos for a long time. The frequent threads started by LFN bemoaning the SBC and other non-AQ FBS conferences are funny, especially considering Lehigh's inability to draw fans to games from the millions of people who live within short driving distance of the stadium.
FCS is about football and competing for championships and I love it. FBS is about marketing, money, and being the NFL farm system and the bottom 50 would probably fit better with the top 50 of the FCS. Schools with deep pockets and long histories are very different than teacher-college-turned-universities (directional U's) in terms of alumni giving and activity. Athletics is the best marketing machine for Ga Southern to attract alumni to stay connected and to get our name "out there" to prospective students. Our move to FBS is all about expanding our market and increasing the potential for national exposure.

The move is NOT a slight to the FCS which has been very good for us. I expect the Big Money schools will do something to return to their BCS advantage, but the non-AQ's have a 12-year window in the playoff system to enhance our stock. Staying in FCS would be stagnation for our school.

[CID1990]

It's been the official policy of the school to be referred to as Georgia Southern by media for years. "GSU" is used by fans as a chant, but "Georgia!"-----"Southern!" is used more often. "GS" has been part of logos for a long time. The frequent threads started by LFN bemoaning the SBC and other non-AQ FBS conferences are funny, especially considering Lehigh's inability to draw fans to games from the millions of people who live within short driving distance of the stadium.
FCS is about football and competing for championships and I love it. FBS is about marketing, money, and being the NFL farm system and the bottom 50 would probably fit better with the top 50 of the FCS. Schools with deep pockets and long histories are very different than teacher-college-turned-universities (directional U's) in terms of alumni giving and activity. Athletics is the best marketing machine for Ga Southern to attract alumni to stay connected and to get our name "out there" to prospective students. Our move to FBS is all about expanding our market and increasing the potential for national exposure.

The move is NOT a slight to the FCS which has been very good for us. I expect the Big Money schools will do something to return to their BCS advantage, but the non-AQ's have a 12-year window in the playoff system to enhance our stock. Staying in FCS would be stagnation for our school.

Dude let me give you a hint....

We all know this. We're just channeling our inner Seantaylors.

Well maybe all of us except Lehigh

[taper]

I still think Georgia College and State University is one of the most complex college names around. I mean, which is it?

University of Maryland University College. (http://www.umuc.edu/) Anybody beat this?

[UNH Fanboi]

I can't wait until a Georgia St. player makes the NFL (anything can happen, right?) and announces their alma mater as THE GSU on Sunday Night Football.

[PAllen]

I still think Georgia College and State University is one of the most complex college names around. I mean, which is it?


I think Virginia Tech has that one covered. :)

The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

[ThompsonThe]

Remember there is an automatic $1,000,000 per team per year that is added to
the earned money by being in an FBS conference also.
Not to mention the much larger money games.

[DFW HOYA]

I think Virginia Tech has that one covered. :)

The Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University

This evolved out of a hackneyed plan in the late 1960's to rename Virgninia Tech, officially the Virginia Polytechnic Institute, as Virginia State University. After opposition, the state decided to compromise and combine the VPI and the SU.

The VSU title is now held by the former Virginia State College, a Division II HBCU.

[Apphole]

Not sure I understand why brand clarification is a mistake.

[UAalum72]

University of Maryland University College. (http://www.umuc.edu/) Anybody beat this?
Indiana University Purdue University of Indianapolis (also IUPU of Fort Wayne)

Meanwhile, is the Patriot League going to issue a directive as to whether Bucknell or Boston is the real BU?

[Laker]

University of Maryland University College. (http://www.umuc.edu/) Anybody beat this?

Pretty confusing. Started in 1947. From their website.

"In 1949, at the request of the U.S. Department of Defense, we became the first institution to send a team overseas to teach college classes to active-duty servicemembers."

"In the 1990s, UMUC took the lead in transforming higher education by becoming the first university in the United States to offer online degree programs."

[CID1990]

Remember there is an automatic $1,000,000 per team per year that is added to
the earned money by being in an FBS conference also.
Not to mention the much larger money games.

Good for you guys- there needs to be a home for schools where money is a priority in football

[The Moody1]

Good for you guys- there needs to be a home for schools where money is a priority in football


Just like there needs to be a place for those that can't get into the Naval Academy or West Point. xsmiley_wix

[CID1990]

Just like there needs to be a place for those that can't get into the Naval Academy or West Point. xsmiley_wix

I did get into the USNA so I'm not sure what you mean

[The Moody1]

I did get into the USNA so I'm not sure what you mean


Cograts. To get accepted to the USN requires Ivy League caliber credentials. Other than not wanting the military obligation your choice would seem odd. Anyway, I know graduates of both schools and they are great people.

[CID1990]

Cograts. To get accepted to the USN requires Ivy League caliber credentials. Other than not wanting the military obligation your choice would seem odd. Anyway, I know graduates of both schools and they are great people.

Actually, it doesn't require those creds. It is much easier than you think. And you can be an obligore ate El Cid, VMI and Texas A&M as easily as at the academies.

I chose The Citadel because I thought it was tougher and it was single gender.

[Skjellyfetti]

I chose The Citadel because... it was single gender.

http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/oh-please.gif.pagespeed.ce.xTF9-gU-4-.gif

[WM2001]

The "who's the real GSU?" has been a messageboard battle for years. I think the winner of the annual football game should get rights to "GSU" until the other wins it back.

[Baldy]

http://www.thenewsstar.com/article/20140113/SPORTS/140113001/



Uh oh...

[/FONT][/COLOR]http://thegeorgeanne.com/2014/01/sports/sun-belt-conference-rebrands-gsu-to-gs/



And finally...

http://www.sunbeltsports.org/news/2014/1/24/GENERAL_0124142536.aspx



So Georgia Southern will be called GS now, erasing all the years of tradition if being called GSU at the FCS level? Will it not? Will the "University Reference Guide" be used officially? Will it not?

Did Georgia Southern really sign off on this? Or did they not, and the Sun Belt folks simply made the decision and then claim that everyone was on board?

Also, how can this guide be used "unintentionally"?

No reason to get your panties in a wad LFN...
http://findlogo.net/images/G/georgia%20southern%20logo%20logo.jpg
http://www.thelogoapproach.com/NCAA/Georgia-Southern-Eagles/Georgia-Southern-Eagles95001.jpg
http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41SL8KvA8eL._SY300_.jpg

Even some of our teams use GS in their logos, and have been for years now.

http://gallery.mailchimp.com/e68807777857085c9c435c1f0/images/cheer.jpg
https://fbcdn-profile-a.akamaihd.net/hprofile-ak-ash2/t1/c27.25.307.307/s160x160/375153_10150619976972304_1247340411_n.jpg
http://media.morristechnology.com/mediafilesvr/upload/connectstatesboro/article/031211_GSU_BASEBALL_03_web.jpg

We don't seem to care. Why do you? xeyebrowx

[PaladinFan]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think the "GS" is also on the front of the Eagle's football jersey.

[PaladinFan]

University of Maryland University College. (http://www.umuc.edu/) Anybody beat this?

Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis?

[Baldy]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think the "GS" is also on the front of the Eagle's football jersey.
Nice catch PaladinFan.

We have in the past, but I think it's been quite a few years since we did. I believe this picture of Teddy Craft (RIP) with the GS logo on the jersey was from either 2003 or 2004. Shhhhhhh...just don't tell LFN. ;)

http://southernsaturday.files.wordpress.com/2011/08/player-accident-football.jpg

[darell1976]

Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis?

IUPUI or pronounced...ooey pooey.xlolx

SDSU..for some its the Aztecs, but for me its the Jackrabbits of South Dakota St.

In college hockey, UND is U. of North Dakota and ND is Notre Dame, but I am sure in the FBS world UND would be University of Notre Dame.

[CID1990]

http://www.reactiongifs.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/oh-please.gif.pagespeed.ce.xTF9-gU-4-.gif


Just because they wouldn't allow you into Mary Baldwin doesn't mean you have to denigrate the rest of us, Analjelly.

[cmaxwellgsu]

Correct me if I am wrong, but I think the "GS" is also on the front of the Eagle's football jersey.

You are correct sir! It was there for the Hatcher and BVG era. It's my favorite logo, but it turns my stomach to see on our jerseys now.

[PaladinFan]

You are correct sir! It was there for the Hatcher and BVG era. It's my favorite logo, but it turns my stomach to see on our jerseys now.

Am I right in noticing that the GSU jerseys now just have an adidas logo on the chest? I realize GSU favors the "less is more" uniform, but lest I recall there's not a school logo anywhere on the kit, even on the pants.

[cmaxwellgsu]

Am I right in noticing that the GSU jerseys now just have an adidas logo on the chest? I realize GSU favors the "less is more" uniform, but lest I recall there's not a school logo anywhere on the kit, even on the pants.

The logo left the chest when Monken came in, as he changed them back to the way they were during the PJ years. The logo left, and the names were returned to the back of the jerseys. Something funny happened in Monken's first year with regards to it. When we played Elon in 2010, Brent Russell destroyed Scott Riddle all game long. Elon lineman literally tore the jersey off him as the refs never bothered to call them for holding. They eventually ripped his jersey bad enough that he had to finish the game in a different jersey. All we had that would fit was one of last year's jerseys with a different number. It was pretty funny looking.