Similarly, outside of college sports fans who know the two entities, who really stops to acknowledge the different systems in which Arizona and ASU operate, Michigan and Michigan State operate or North Carolina and NC State operate? People who care to learn about it can do so, and that’s fine. Interesting that Auburn is a public state sc…
Similarly, outside of college sports fans who know the two entities, who really stops to acknowledge the different systems in which Arizona and ASU operate, Michigan and Michigan State operate or North Carolina and NC State operate? People who care to learn about it can do so, and that’s fine. Interesting that Auburn is a public state school in Alabama and Rutgers is a public state school in New Jersey. Do their names have more heft because of the single word moniker they use? I could see that argument. Interesting to learn about. But, it seems when we get in the practice of comparing ourselves to other institutions, we sometimes would do well to realize that everything the University of California, Berkeley uniquely encompasses makes our multiple and varied naming ways not such a bad fit. If folks either 1.) envy a special naming custom used by the “prestigious” Ivy League/most private schools (and therefore want to just call themselves “Berkeley”) because it seems more prestigious or 2.) you believe it’s a good idea to officially change the athletic name to incorporate the Berkeley name so you are more widely understood when you say “I went to Berkeley”), I get it. But, I don’t agree it’s a reason to change the athletic branding. The University of California or Cal (for short) is its own thing that’s hella special and wonderful. Leave it alone. Go Bears! (or, will that be changed too, because some people are tired of explaining to people in the Midwest that they’re not referring to the Chicago Bears).
Similarly, outside of college sports fans who know the two entities, who really stops to acknowledge the different systems in which Arizona and ASU operate, Michigan and Michigan State operate or North Carolina and NC State operate? People who care to learn about it can do so, and that’s fine. Interesting that Auburn is a public state school in Alabama and Rutgers is a public state school in New Jersey. Do their names have more heft because of the single word moniker they use? I could see that argument. Interesting to learn about. But, it seems when we get in the practice of comparing ourselves to other institutions, we sometimes would do well to realize that everything the University of California, Berkeley uniquely encompasses makes our multiple and varied naming ways not such a bad fit. If folks either 1.) envy a special naming custom used by the “prestigious” Ivy League/most private schools (and therefore want to just call themselves “Berkeley”) because it seems more prestigious or 2.) you believe it’s a good idea to officially change the athletic name to incorporate the Berkeley name so you are more widely understood when you say “I went to Berkeley”), I get it. But, I don’t agree it’s a reason to change the athletic branding. The University of California or Cal (for short) is its own thing that’s hella special and wonderful. Leave it alone. Go Bears! (or, will that be changed too, because some people are tired of explaining to people in the Midwest that they’re not referring to the Chicago Bears).