I-AA Name Changes?

[TexasTerror]

Are there any name changes going on throughout the I-AA landscape prior to this season or projected for the next few years?

I saw that Southwest Missouri State is now becoming Missouri State. Was that met by any problems by other universities in their system? I am not sure who is in their system. And I am guessing that goes into effect this season?

What got me is they point to Southwest Texas become Texas State Univ - San Marcos as one of the schools that benefits greatly. Not sure how that could possibly be true!

[Saluki_man]

SMS had been trying to change it for a few years. The big hiccup, University of Misourri in Columbia had been fighting it tooth and nail.

[TexasTerror]

Why would Missouri care?

I know Univ of Texas didn't care when SWT went to Texas State - San Marcos. Then again, Texas State (-San Marcos) is like being a Tennesse State or Georgia State. Not heavyweights in any sense...

[Retro]

I think the name changes for Missouri State and Texas State are a plus to I-AA! 1. It sounds better than the multi-directional names so prevelant among I-AA schools. 2. It does make it easier for the general public to accept simplier names in that one of I-AA's perception problems is that many schools with multi-directional names are considered small schools with no real impact on the college football scene and not taken seriously by not only the public, but the larger media outlets as well.

I think it sounds much better when saying Mcneese state vs. Texas State than Mcneese State vs. southwest texas state? I'm sure some schools change their name in hoping to be considered big time (ul-l), but in my opinion is much easier to market I-AA football with these more acceptable, simple school names..

It may take the general public to fully figure out who they are, but they will take notice more now than they would've with se missouri state and sw missouri state, etc.. At least in Mcneese and Sam Houston's case, among others, having your school named after a person is real unique and you don't ever having to worry about those issues.

[chattanoogamocs]

The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga alums have been making a push the last couple of years to return the name back to just the University of Chattanooga...it has not been a terribly well coordinated effort, but another push will be made (I am on the alumni council) when the new Chancellor is selected. The outgoing Chancellor told me that he felt that the people up in the orange temple in knoxville did not seem overly opposed to the idea (I don't think they care enough about Chattanooga to really give a crap what we want to call ourselves). All sports teams are already officially known as just "the Chattanooga Mocs" anyway...no UT-Chattanooga, TN-Chattanooga, or Tennessee-Chattanooga if you please :)

For those who don't know, the school was UofC (private) for over 80 years and has now been apart of the UT system for about 35 years.

[TexasTerror]

I don't see why Tennessee would be opposed to it at all. Sounds like a good move and with all these name changes across the country and more notably, UNCC becoming just Charlotte in the last few years in a similar move, seems like the Mocs should go ahead for it whenever your Legislature meets again unless the Regents are for it too.

[Saluki_man]

Why would Missouri care?

I know Univ of Texas didn't care when SWT went to Texas State - San Marcos. Then again, Texas State (-San Marcos) is like being a Tennesse State or Georgia State. Not heavyweights in any sense...


It was some squabble, apparently Missouri had a plaque on campus that said The State University of Missouri (or something to that fact; a bear fan will have to give all the details). Also another thing that Missouri was worried was recruiting.

[GannonFan]

You have to figure, if a recruit was going to mix up Missouri with Missouri St (formerly SW Missouri St) then were they really the best recruit to bring in? No offense to either, but they're vastly different schools - one would think a campus visit could solve that.

[TexasTerror]

You have to figure, if a recruit was going to mix up Missouri with Missouri St (formerly SW Missouri St) then were they really the best recruit to bring in? No offense to either, but they're vastly different schools - one would think a campus visit could solve that.

I like that analogy! Perhaps the folks at Texas State (-San Marcos) should get a lesson in that one. People are smart enough to tell the difference between an Ohio State and a Missouri State. A Florida State and a Georgia State.

Yes, better than double-directional, but some of the arguments I am hearing are downright ridiculous and ego-driven.

[Saluki_man]

It just was a nasty squabble. Recruting, research grants, and some educational issues were major issues. In my opinion it was just a bunch of hot air comming from Columbia, MO.

[blackfordpu]

I had heard that about the time that SWT was getting its name changed, there was a motion to change all of the "middle ranked" universities to Texas State - "". Sam Houston was in danger of being changed to Texas State - Sam Houston or Texas State - Huntsville. SFA was also in the same position where they would be changed to Texas State - Nacogdoches.

Supposidly the alumni for SHSU and SFA fought hard and threatened to stop contributing to the schools if the name change took place.

[TexasTerror]

I had heard that about the time that SWT was getting its name changed, there was a motion to change all of the "middle ranked" universities to Texas State - "". Sam Houston was in danger of being changed to Texas State - Sam Houston or Texas State - Huntsville. SFA was also in the same position where they would be changed to Texas State - Nacogdoches.

Supposidly the alumni for SHSU and SFA fought hard and threatened to stop contributing to the schools if the name change took place.

You need to check your facts there! None of what you stated was anywhere close to true.

First off, SFA is not in the Texas State University System nor have they been since the 1960s. They would not have changed names. No way, no how. This was not a state-wide initiative, but a system-wide though.

Secondly, Sam Houston State would not have changed to Texas State - Sam Houston or Texas State - Huntsville. The bill that was in the Legislature was solely for the name change of Southwest Texas State to Texas State University - San Marcos, which did occur.

SHSU alums did NOT step up in mass to stop that which is why it passed. I criticized the student leaders at the time for their failure in uniting everyone against the change as well. There was a worry that if the name change passed, all schools in the system would change names. That is what the Chancellor of the TSUS said as he felt all schools should be unified like the Texas schools and the A&M schools. Perception he said, perception. For the record, six Senators voted against the name change (which did not include SHSU's own Senator) and one representative (representing SHSU's district) voted against.

A year later, it was brought up to change Angelo State to Texas State - San Angelo. The President there balked at it and half the alums were against it, so it did not occur. The new Chancellor is against name changes of the schools so it will not happen. I did draft a piece of legislation that would make it where Sam Houston State, Lamar and Sul Ross, all named after Texas icons would not get changed. This addendum would be added to the bill protecting Prairie View A&M from being changed to Texas A&M - Prarie View. If the bill were to pass, it would make it impossible for regents to change the name and put that power in the Texas Legislature where they would face heat if trying to change the name of historical figures.

Trust me on all the above facts. I've fought the name change battle in Austin, in Huntsville and acoss the state!

[kats89]

TT,

You are right about ego driven. Tx State faithful now think that they are too good for the SLC since the name change. I say good riddance.

[TexasTerror]

You are right about ego driven. Tx State faithful now think that they are too good for the SLC since the name change. I say good riddance.

Funny is it not that they have had a budget twice the size of our budget and have continued to lose to us in football? And this year they might even be toppled by the Bearkats in the SLC Commish Cup race. Must be an embarassment for their ego to suffer defeat to a university that gets nowhere near as much money as they do, not even half!

[blackfordpu]

Thanks for clearing that up Terror.
What is the SLC Commish Cup? Never heard of it so I am curious.

[TexasTerror]

What is the SLC Commish Cup? Never heard of it so I am curious.

Commish Cup is basically standings for overall results -- both mens' and womens' for SLC programs. All conferences do something similar. SHSU won the All-Mens' trophy for best all around mens' program based on results in 1999. This year, the program is in contention for first place overall. It all really comes down to baseball and staying close, if not topping San Marcos and their sports budget that outdistances ours by double.

I am surprised you have no clue about the Commish Cup. It's the biggest deal in the eyes of our AD and is all he talks about in WWW and in his profile as an AD.