|
|
|
Forum Guru
 
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 9:17:02 PM
Posts: 1,148,
Visits: 2,108
|
|
WIU fell asleep at the wheel three decades ago with regards to the direction we were going with Basketball.
The likes of Valpo, Green Bay, MSU, UNI, UIC, Cleveland and many more have departed. Even NIU tested the waters in the early nighties and high tailed it to greener pastures.
With regards to Basketball, we have to get a lot better before we can even have a conversation about the Summit.
My point it WIU is actually in one of the most premier D-I FCS conferences in the Nation. While I type this our conference friends are doing a lot to improve their facilities and keep their ears open for other opportunities. I would hate to see the new MVFC be the teams that left the MVFC to form their own conference and just decide not to invite a few teams.
Hey it might be hard to kick a member out but is everyone else forms a new club.
Is WIU doing anything to brand themselves and make improvements?
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Guru
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 9:17:02 PM
Posts: 1,148,
Visits: 2,108
|
|
As far as Branding goes.
We need to drop the whole Western Illinois.
There has become a prejudice against "directional schools". Much like the pejorative coments made about "Mid Major" D-I programs.
When I was in high school WIU,or Western Illinois, was not referrd to by either term but rather WESTERN
Why should our geography in the State take precedence in our title. Hey we can't be the Uof I, title has been taken, but I just think being referred to as WESTERN, sounds more prominent, and evokes romantic images of America growing up and our love affair with all things West: Country Western music, Wild West, Western movies, Moving out West. It evokes a sense of daring and purpose and usually people of great character evolve.
Thoughts?
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 12/24/2010 4:17:08 PM
Posts: 280,
Visits: 1,064
|
|
Interesting idea.
Eastern is Eastern University in Pennsylvania
Northeastern is Northeastern University in Massachusetts
Southeastern University in Florida
Western - now that is how most of us call it anyway, is us - hmmm
|
|
|
|
|
Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Today @ 9:52:48 PM
Posts: 2,649,
Visits: 5,213
|
|
I agree with western-101.
When I went to school back in the 70's, we were referred to as "Western". The team uniforms said "Western" and the dance line (pom squad) was called the "Wranglers".
I don't know when the move began to "Western Illinois". I do remember that it has only been in the last few years that the football uniforms were changed from "Western" to "Western Illinois".
Maybe we can start a grassroots movement to get the reference name changed back to "Western".
Let's Go WESTERN!!
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Guru
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 9:17:02 PM
Posts: 1,148,
Visits: 2,108
|
|
There are four NCAA D-I Universities with the directional designation "Western"
They are as follows:
Western Carolina.....est. 1889
Western Illinois.......est. 1899
Western Kentucky...est. 1903
Western Michigan....est. 1906
The way I see it we are the original WESTERN of the West.
|
|
|
|
|
Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Today @ 9:52:48 PM
Posts: 2,649,
Visits: 5,213
|
|
I would love to see the football team hit the field on September 2nd wearing those purple "WESTERN" uniforms and not the "Western Illinois" of the last few years.
Let's Go WESTERN!!
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 12/24/2010 4:17:08 PM
Posts: 280,
Visits: 1,064
|
|
And we wouldn't have to worry about our men's basketball uniforms having Illinois misspelled 
I remember the big push to always be referred to as Western Illinois University came in this current President/AD administration, but can remember when or the logic behind it, just that it was a virtual mandate. In fact, I also remember when the former SID, Jason Kaufman, started adding it to the post-script of the programs, etc., that we were to be referred to as Western Illinois University in all publications, or at least Western Illinois.
Personally, for me western Illinois refers to the western part of the state of Illinois. Western refers to us - Go Western -rah
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Member
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: 6/9/2010 11:49:06 AM
Posts: 84,
Visits: 159
|
|
How 'bout "The University of Western Illinois"? ... UWI?... or "THEE University of Western Illinois"?? .... What would Rock do?? 
|
|
|
|
|
Supreme Being
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Today @ 9:52:48 PM
Posts: 2,649,
Visits: 5,213
|
|
I believe that fan56 is correct.
The present push for "Western Illinois" came during the Goldfarb and Van Alstine era.
It's time to reverse that trend. It's time to once again be called "Western".
Let's get rid of all of the "Western Illinois" team uniforms and go back to the "Western" that used to be on them.
I would also like to see the "WIU" in the Hanson Field endzones be replaced with "WESTERN".
And I would like to see "WIU" removed from the Hanson Field scoreboard and be replaced with "WESTERN".
Oh well, I can dream, can't I ????
Let's Go WESTERN!!
|
|
|
|
|
Forum Guru
Group: Forum Members
Last Login: Yesterday @ 9:17:02 PM
Posts: 1,148,
Visits: 2,108
|
|
When I was in high school and I knew a guy that was going to WESTERN it sounded like some far off awesome place.
Western Illinois..............not so much.
Good job, administrator douche bags let us set ourselves apart from the crowd by making our formal designation the same as about 20 other public and private universities.
Western Illinois is a Geographic reference.
The University founded in Macomb in 1899 should never again refer to itself as Western Illinois University. (hey we get a good number of Iowa and Missouri Kids)
Give me back my WESTERN. and the mystic association.
|
|
|
|