More Univ Name Disgust

[dukewayne]

Found this while shopping online for some possible MT products. This kind of crap makes me sick. If the leadership doesn't see a huge problem, what will it take? As for me, I'm growing tired of fighting for the university side only to have to put up with this garbage. The sports teams are about the only thing connecting me or having my interest in anything MT. BTW, from the CBS Sports site http://shop.cbssports.com/CBS_Mid._...ennessee_State_Blue_Raiders_22_Printed_Mirror

 

[SpaceRaider]

Found this while shopping online for some possible MT products. This kind of crap makes me sick. If the leadership doesn't see a huge problem, what will it take? As for me, I'm growing tired of fighting for the university side only to have to put up with this garbage. The sports teams are about the only thing connecting me or having my interest in anything MT. BTW, from the CBS Sports site http://shop.cbssports.com/CBS_Mid._...ennessee_State_Blue_Raiders_22_Printed_Mirror

Good grief...

The name change is not going to happen as long as mcphee sits in Cope.

IIRC, someone was speculating a few years back that mcphee might retire after the Science Building was finished. Damn, I wish that was true.

 

[TeKEraider]

Careful what you wish for. Mcphee is a big supporter of athletics. Look a couple of hours south to see what can happen with an administration that sees the schools mission differently. I realize there are different and extreme politics in play down there but it could still negatively affect our athletics if we get the wrong Prez. I also think that the name change is not as pressing issue amongst the masses as it is here on the boards. Personally I don't fault mcphee for not fighting for something that has major opposition on the BOR and luke warm support among students and Alumni. I kinda wish we would just drop it. I know I am in the minority here but I think its just more of our self loathing. I think once our name changed we will have something else to blame for our inferiority complex. Even with a name change crap like a photo shopped mirror on cheap gear site is still going to happen because we are not a major program. I am proud to be an MTSU grad. I am not anti name change but I also have no desire to see it changed. I am pretty meh about the whole thing. I would love to do an experiment and see what the major was of people who are staunch supporters of the name change vs people who are meh or opposed to it. My guess is people that are in fields that MTSU is national recognized like Aerospace or Mass Comm. are not too concerned about a name change. I would rather see our efforts be put into raising our level of pride in the name we have.

 

[MTFNBY5]

While I truly believe that the MT name should be changed (and I'm more pi--ed that Memphis got their name change and not MT rather than at McPhee for not supporting the change) that's not the reason the man should have gone years ago and that I have no respect for him. No person in any position of authority should ever place himself in a situation where he could be suspected of sexual harassment. That accusation and the subsequent "mental" issues which caused McPhee to spend a night in the Marion Co. jail are reason enough for me to look forward to rejoicing when McPhee is no longer at MT. (for those of you too young to remember that was an embarrassing time to be associated with MT)

As for getting a president who is an academician or even anti-athletics. I'll take my chances. If MT athletics isn't strong enough to stand on it's own against such a person so be it. (At least I won't have to listen to: "MTSU President Sydney McPhee and First Lady Liz McPhee welcome you to . . ." whenever I go to a game.)

 

[dukewayne]

I wouldn't call CBS Sports a cheap gear site.

Yep, people just really don't care. While running across things like "Tennessee State Raiders" in the above post brings back the bad taste of the matter, I'm just not really planning anymore to put much of any type of effort into a university where the people just don't care.

I do think it is a shame that the university could be so much more with so much potential and people don't much mind such a wasted opportunity.

 

[TeKEraider]

I care. I care with both my time and my wallet. I just think the "opportunity" you talk about is greatly over estimated. I don't think our potential as a university changes one bit with another name except for maybe the people wasting their time worrying about it may actually use that time doing something that is actually worth while.But I doubt it.

 

[Raiderclyde]

Mirror picture is a severe blunder in many respects. First of all, incorrect name of university; second is misspelling of our state; and third mistake is mascot of "Raiders". If merchandising is utilizing full spelling out of words, one would logically think the full name of "Blue Raiders" be used? Somewhere else (E-bay or another sports merchandising outfit that I can't think of offhand?) , I have seen this stock photo of the mirror. Anybody ordered one of these to find out? It's tempting, but don't want to throw money away on a poorly designed officially licensed product or waste postage shipping one back. Branding is so critical and that is why big conferences and schools are so vigorous in protecting copyrights and license agreements. Our name and likeness SHOULD mean something and not be badly mistaken, as it is above. Someone from BRAA or in charge of branding in athletics needs to verify, especially coming from a nationally recognized sports merchant and presumably a fairly upscale product.

 

[MTFNBY5]

I have to wonder if anyone in the athletic dept. monitors anything. Do they even monitor message boards to see what their most active fans are saying? Is someone checking to make sure all MT merchandise is officially licensed? We no longer have a SID who can be notified if factual errors are spotted in the media. And who listens to (either live or recorded) to the broadcasts of our games to insure they are up to reasonable standards, are professional, and contain timely information (no promos for FB season tickets during a BkB broadcast in Dec., for instance).

You just wonder who is in charge of checking anything.

 

[MTsumner92]

I have to wonder if anyone in the athletic dept. monitors anything. Do they even monitor message boards to see what their most active fans are saying? Is someone checking to make sure all MT merchandise is officially licensed? We no longer have a SID who can be notified if factual errors are spotted in the media. And who listens to (either live or recorded) to the broadcasts of our games to insure they are up to reasonable standards, are professional, and contain timely information (no promos for FB season tickets during a BkB broadcast in Dec., for instance).

You just wonder who is in charge of checking anything.

Agree. SID is the programs glaring weakness.

 

[dukewayne]

Mirror picture is a severe blunder in many respects. First of all, incorrect name of university; second is misspelling of our state; and third mistake is mascot of "Raiders". If merchandising is utilizing full spelling out of words, one would logically think the full name of "Blue Raiders" be used? Somewhere else (E-bay or another sports merchandising outfit that I can't think of offhand?) , I have seen this stock photo of the mirror. Anybody ordered one of these to find out? It's tempting, but don't want to throw money away on a poorly designed officially licensed product or waste postage shipping one back. Branding is so critical and that is why big conferences and schools are so vigorous in protecting copyrights and license agreements. Our name and likeness SHOULD mean something and not be badly mistaken, as it is above. Someone from BRAA or in charge of branding in athletics needs to verify, especially coming from a nationally recognized sports merchant and presumably a fairly upscale product.

Clyde, wondering if you have any educated guesses with your related background on total expenditures by American corps on brand defense? I'm guessing it is no small amount.

 

[dukewayne]

I care. I care with both my time and my wallet. I just think the "opportunity" you talk about is greatly over estimated. I don't think our potential as a university changes one bit with another name except for maybe the people wasting their time worrying about it may actually use that time doing something that is actually worth while.But I doubt it.

I'll take your word for it that you care. I have no reason to believe otherwise. I will submit though that you grossly underestimate the value of good branding or simply have little understanding of branding if you think the name and brand aren't worthwhile. Beyond my own lengthy rambling on the subject over the years, there are others on this board who have smartly written about branding from their professional experience of working in the branding field. While I'll refrain from again delving into the many and vastly important supporting elements regarding branding, I see it as one of the most critical issues facing the university. With all that it represents in attitudes and leadership, I argue it may very well be indicative of the most critical issue facing the university.