Teaxs A&M to leave Big 12

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by VandalSquirrel

(Full disclosure, the Kibbie Dome is the smallest DI facility, and though I have mad love for it we're going to have to borrow Martin from Wazzu to play big teams who have a good traveling fan base.

Hey, hey, didn't you get the memo? You can't call it Wazzu anymore!

[AXOmom]

^^^LOL. My daughter went to WSU her freshman year. The only time she ever heard it called Wazzu was by people who didn't go there. WSU students and alums always said WSU. I asked and she has no idea why they refuse to call it Wazzu. She just says they never did. I could hazard a guess, but I doubt WSU students and alums would appreciate it, and she still has friends there, so I'll keep it to myself.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by AXOmom

As an added thought - why wouldn't the Big XII consider adding Colorado State (not a great football team currently, but they do have access to the Denver market- well kind of).

SMU averages something like 24,000 people at their football games. The Dallas market is already a B12 market anyway, and SMU's a small school - the alumni base, while fairly wealthy, just isn't big. SMU doesn't offer much to the conference, that it doesn't already have, even though it's a wonderful school with a rich heritage.

Now, CSU is in a similar boat, but without the SMU "pedigree" (and wealth) but with incredible travel issues - and the Denver market clearly isn't super important to the B12 anyway, since they allowed CU to leave without any real interaction.

The B12 is in a position where they can go big, so there really isn't any reason to "settle" for a Houston, SMU or CSU.

[AXOmom]

^^^ Got it. Makes sense as well. Outside of BYU - who do you think they would be inclined to go big with or do you think BYU is the only bigger name that they (or at least Oklahoma fans) are considering?

[VandalSquirrel]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

Hey, hey, didn't you get the memo? You can't call it Wazzu anymore!

Oh, I don't think ASWSU got the memo either http://www.aswsu.wsu.edu/events_wazzu_wednesday.aspx

Nor did part of athletics with the ZZU Crew http://www.wsucougars.com/ot/wast-cru-home.html

Can't forget about their new information portal, named zzusis https://siscontest.wsu.edu/

Rebranding & name change, not that successful I guess.

I think the saddest thing I've seen related to WAZZU recently is the feel good campaign about the football team losing. As a Vandal hey, I've been there, I understand what it is like to have a season where there are only two wins (05, 08) or one win (07), and they don't even have to deal with Bluorange people being butthurt and creating conspiracies about the NCAA keeping them down, while losing! But the http://undefeatedfans.com/ website and campaign on the radio is just well, kind of pathetic. The one ad with the guy talking about seeing the flag and people texting each other, then citing it is everything good about WSU football is not inspiring. They should take a cue from us and promote all the great things that go on when not winning and not dwell on it, nor draw attention to it!

So Cougs, dry yours tears with



Put on a new hat



And order every single cheese from the Cougar Creamery, that's nine in total, to go with your whine. Also make sure to use this before bed.



If the fact that Nike owns Oregon's soul and they always have the fugliest uniforms can't get you through these unfortunate times, nothing will and I suggest eating a lot of Ferdinand's while waving a flag to burn off the calories.

Originally Posted by AXOmom

^^^LOL. My daughter went to WSU her freshman year. The only time she ever heard it called Wazzu was by people who didn't go there. WSU students and alums always said WSU. I asked and she has no idea why they refuse to call it Wazzu. She just says they never did. I could hazard a guess, but I doubt WSU students and alums would appreciate it, and she still has friends there, so I'll keep it to myself.

I'm not sure when she attended, but I'm sure it was post "Don't call it Wazzu!" campaign because I know plenty (not all though) of people who call it Wazzu and bleed Crimson & Gray. Granted this spans faculty, staff, and alumni, no current students, so perhaps her attendance was later and explains her experience. The real problem is their mascot being Cougars as there's this school in Utah who also has that mascot, and people around here have attended that school, or have family/religious ties to it, are covered band wagon fans of it so I'm sometimes not sure which school is being referenced until colors or locations come into play.

Of course we don't have that problem as there are no other VANDALS, and if people say IDAHO instead of UI we're fine. Can't really get us confused with Boizzze or Idaho State, thankfully.

[AXOmom]

She attended in 2007-2008, so that's possible. I've heard it called Wazzu, but she says it was new to her until we moved to Oregon and she heard it called that by UofO students, so I guess the campaign's been a limited success- LOL.

We lived in eastern Washington (Spokane) for 11 years with a pretty heavy Mormon contingent. At least there, confusing it with BYU's cougar was never an issue, but that is admittedly, WSU and Gonzaga territory with a little UW thrown in. When you referred to the Cougars, everyone knew who you meant, but I'm not sure how BYU refers to theirs and WSU almost always says, "Cougs or The Cougs or Butch".

She still misses Butch - the Duck freaks her out for some reason.

As to Nike - no, it doesn't own our soul, technically, Phil Knight owns our soul. Nike just helps him market us. It's working out incredibly well, so we're good with that.

Our "fugly" uniforms are unlikely to comfort them much since they just had Nike redesign them last spring with the clear intent of making them a little more "Oregon-like". No doubt the influence of Bill Moos who is a former Oregon AD.

[shirley1929]

Originally Posted by KSig RC

SMU averages something like 24,000 people at their football games. The Dallas market is already a B12 market anyway, and SMU's a small school - the alumni base, while fairly wealthy, just isn't big. SMU doesn't offer much to the conference, that it doesn't already have, even though it's a wonderful school with a rich heritage.

Now, CSU is in a similar boat, but without the SMU "pedigree" (and wealth) but with incredible travel issues - and the Denver market clearly isn't super important to the B12 anyway, since they allowed CU to leave without any real interaction.

The B12 is in a position where they can go big, so there really isn't any reason to "settle" for a Houston, SMU or CSU.

KSig went into the specifics of it, while I generalized...thanks for putting my thoughts into words!

[utkdce]

Looks like A&M had its chance but wasn't interested:
http://espn.go.com/college-football/...oss-dodds-says

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by AXOmom

^^^LOL. My daughter went to WSU her freshman year. The only time she ever heard it called Wazzu was by people who didn't go there. WSU students and alums always said WSU. I asked and she has no idea why they refuse to call it Wazzu. She just says they never did. I could hazard a guess, but I doubt WSU students and alums would appreciate it, and she still has friends there, so I'll keep it to myself.

The school used to sell tees/sweatshirts with Wazzu on them. I have one, and it was given to me by my brother, a WSU alum. I never wear it, because although I did not graduate from UW, I did put down a deposit there initially and later attended summer classes, so I consider myself an honorary Husky. Plus everyone else in my family is a Husky, and I grew up cheering for no other team.

[KSig RC]

Originally Posted by utkdce

Looks like A&M had its chance but wasn't interested:
http://espn.go.com/college-football/...oss-dodds-says

Yes, Ol' Boy DeLoss has no reason to shade the truth here, it seems exactly like the entire plan was to have ESPN put on the Texas and Texas A&M Network and A&M shot that down.

[AXOmom]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

The school used to sell tees/sweatshirts with Wazzu on them. I have one, and it was given to me by my brother, a WSU alum. I never wear it, because although I did not graduate from UW, I did put down a deposit there initially and later attended summer classes, so I consider myself an honorary Husky. Plus everyone else in my family is a Husky, and I grew up cheering for no other team.

Yeah, I'm sure it is a generational thing because I'd heard it - she hadn't.

As to the Husky thing - what can I say PeppyGPhiB. If you're under 30 - I have to hand it to you for loyalty - the last decade couldn't have been fun for husky fans. I'd like to say I felt for you, but hey, we both know that would be a lie!.

Daughter does have a fairly large group of friends at UW (including one Gamma Phi Beta, by the way). One of them works as a student manager for the football team. She is DYING to go up for the game this year. Told her boyfriend it was all she wanted for Christmas. Wear your brother's Wazzu shirt, and I'll tell her to look for you.

[PeppyGPhiB]

Originally Posted by AXOmom

Yeah, I'm sure it is a generational thing because I'd heard it - she hadn't.

As to the Husky thing - what can I say PeppyGPhiB. If you're under 30 - I have to hand it to you for loyalty - the last decade couldn't have been fun for husky fans. I'd like to say I felt for you, but hey, we both know that would be a lie!.

Daughter does have a fairly large group of friends at UW (including one Gamma Phi Beta, by the way). One of them works as a student manager for the football team. She is DYING to go up for the game this year. Told her boyfriend it was all she wanted for Christmas. Wear your brother's Wazzu shirt, and I'll tell her to look for you.

Alas, I am no longer under 30. I remember the days of trips to the Rose Bowl, the defeat of Miami for our share of the national championship, etc. And we are slowly making our way back!

My university alma mater also has no football team - another reason I can cheer for U DUB. Oh, and my high school's team, which could probably beat a number of (small) college teams. They're down in California this weekend to play Oaks Christian in a big game.

[33girl]

Originally Posted by VandalSquirrel

Rebranding & name change, not that successful I guess.

Is this kind of like when Pitt decided they wanted to be "PITTSBURGH" and Pitt was a dirty word?

[AXOmom]

Originally Posted by PeppyGPhiB

Alas, I am no longer under 30. I remember the days of trips to the Rose Bowl, the defeat of Miami for our share of the national championship, etc. And we are slowly making our way back!

My university alma mater also has no football team - another reason I can cheer for U DUB. Oh, and my high school's team, which could probably beat a number of (small) college teams. They're down in California this weekend to play Oaks Christian in a big game.

Well, of course I'm not going to give you the "on the way back" thing , but I agree that Sark's done a much better job than Willingham. THAT was a disaster (nowhere to go but up from that fiasco).

Bellevue's a great team - I WILL root for them this weekend, so we can agree on that much!

PS - We can't stand Woodinville HS though - long story...my children still visably wretch when they meet someone who went there. Not that has anything to do with anything. Just thought I'd throw it out there.

[KillarneyRose]

Originally Posted by 33girl

Is this kind of like when Pitt decided they wanted to be "PITTSBURGH" and Pitt was a dirty word?

ARGH!! That is still a sore spot for me even though we are "Pitt" once again. I mean, they changed from the script letters to the block letters, changed the colors, demolished the stadium...there is very little left in the way of Pitt football memories for me (and other grads from the prehistoric era). What a way to alienate alumni!