Killing "Southern Methodist"

[CalallenStang]

since I have time to kill, maybe someone could elaborate on the decision of uw Milwaukee and uw green bay and UNC charlotte to simply go by the name of the city..ditto Memphis st and troy st

Memphis and Troy changed the names of the universities, whereas UWM, UWGB, and UNCC simply decided to shorten their athletics names to make them shorter to say and make the school seem more big-time. Similarly, Fresno State uses Fresno State rather than their standardized name, California State University-Fresno.

[ObeyMyDog]

Southern Methodist sounds refined, but to too many it sounds like a backwoods bible college teaching the earth is 6000 years old. We need SMU to highlight us as a national university.

If Texas Christian University didn't win the rose bowl last year and did not have the past 5 years of football they have had, I am sure people would say the exact same thing about them. It's all about high profile wins/games/bowl games.

When you are playing high profile games and winning, you get to choose. Until we are recognized nationally, for better or for worse, we are Southern Methodist. Go look at espn's college teams page.

They are TCU, we are Southern Methodist. We have to be because we aren't on the national scene.... yet.

[Bergermeister]

USC
LSU
BYU
UNLV

USC
LSU
BYU
UNLV
Southern Methodist

[RGV Pony]

I don't know, I think the 'official stance' is right...Southern Methodist just like the diploma says, but when it's athletics use SMU. Simply a matter of communicating it to the media & masses. How long did it take before everyone quit using the logo with italicized SMU and Mustangs, and nothing more? Hell, Moody still has the crappy dropped S 'SMU' logo. These kinds of things happen when there's no Brand Manager, marketing dept, etc.

[Oldmins]

What about Notre Dame (Our Lady)?? Does anyone think this makes them sound like a college for priests, and argue for ND instead?

[NavyCrimson]

Good point, Oldmins.

In fact, some of their sweatshirts, t-shirts, caps, et al., use both "ND" & "Notre Dame" - like us.

Like one poster said, as we win more, more outlets will use "SMU" but does it really matter?

The winning will take care of all this anyway.

[EastStang]

Hey we're Southern Methodist. Don't mind the use of both names, don't care. When people ask where I went to college I always say "Southern Methodist University, or you might have heard of it, as SMU".

[NavyCrimson]

Same here.

Funny but if you say "USC" on the east coast, they tend to think of South Carolina; here on the left coast, Southern Cal or "SC" or "USC".

Confusing times we live in??? LOL!!!

[mrydel]

Same here.

Funny but if you say "USC" on the east coast, they tend to think of South Carolina; here on the left coast, Southern Cal or "SC" or "USC".

Confusing times we live in??? LOL!!!

At least they always know who we are by our school colors, right Navycrimson?

[NavyCrimson]

LOL!!!

[Bergermeister]

Same here.

Funny but if you say "USC" on the east coast, they tend to think of South Carolina; here on the left coast, Southern Cal or "SC" or "USC".

Confusing times we live in??? LOL!!!

At least they always know who we are by our school colors, right Navycrimson?

Cardinal and Royal?

[Longtime]

TCU has been pretty vigilant about being referred to as "TCU" by the media. I believe there's a blurb about it in their notes to the media before every game, and it's certainly in their media guides. I suspect the TV networks get a call the next day every time they get it wrong.

SMU hasn't been nearly as vigilant about this (or with using the correct Mustang logo). The worst is seeing "So. Methodist" - I think I've even seen "So. Meth."

I wouldn't worry about us being confused with Southern Miss, aka USM (although it happens all the time on e-Bay). SMU has always been referred to as SMU and Southern Miss never has.
It's not nearly as confusing as there being two USC's, two UT's, two BU's, two UH's, etc.

You can thump your chests about heritage, but marketing and branding experts will tell you "Southern Methodist" hurts us on two fronts. One, it's directional, something no school wants to be because it sounds subsidiary, as if a lesser branch of a university system. Two, it's religious which, like it or not, tends to be exclusionary. You don't want to turn off Catholics, Baptists, or even atheists if they can run a 4.3 in the 40.

We would have a triple-whammy if we were called Southern Methodist State. Look at all the schools that have dropped "State" from their names. Again, it sounds subsidiary.

While I am both Southern and Methodist, there is logic in wanting us to be known as SMU in all instances of the sports universe. Those who already know us, know us as SMU. Those who don't know us will only get confused by seeing "So. Methodist" on scoreboards and TV crawls.

[NavyCrimson]

SMU hasn't been nearly as vigilant about this (or with using the correct Mustang logo). The worst is seeing "So. Methodist" - I think I've even seen "So. Meth."

Funny & interesting. The more things change - the more they stay the same. I have a lot of old stuff from the 20's through the early 60's & that is seen an awful lot. They do say "SMU" but "So. Meth." is, too. That was our era!

Winning will take care of all this stuff & who reallly cares? When we win, we'll be known as "SMU", "Southern Methodist", "So. Meth." et al. The important thing is that we win & the 'name' branding will follow. The only thing to really be concerned with is the logo & how we protect it much like UT has with the horn on the helmet. Now that makes a difference for sure.

[PK]

...and using the correct school colors would be nice too.

[ReedFrawg]

I agree. It has always annoyed me how we are called Southern Methodist and TCU is called TCU by every news source.

The New York Times always calls us Texas Christian. It happens from time to time - you guys and gals just don't see it.