'Louisiana' nickname has fan support, and The Advertiser support

[NewsCopy]

In the past few days, the furor over whether the University of Louisiana at Lafayette's athletic teams be known simply as "Louisiana" has reached a fever pitch.

Opinions on both sides have been expressed, sometimes heatedly, by members of the community and by some of The Daily Advertiser's columnists.

If the university wants to build its athletic image around the term "Louisiana," and if the move has the community's support — and it does — it has every right to do that.

Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns seems right for our hometown team.

There has been some misleading information being tossed around during the past week. Let's be clear: No one has proposed a name change, legal or otherwise. The school will still be the University of Louisiana at Lafayette, in keeping with guidelines put forth by the Board of Supervisors of the University of Louisiana System. The rules state that a school may call itself the University of Louisiana, only if the name contains the name or abbreviation of its geographic location.

Moreover, The Daily Advertiser made a commitment long ago to refer to its hometown university on first reference as the University of Louisiana at Lafayette and on second reference, as UL.

"Louisiana" would simply be the nickname UL would be known by in the world of sports.

Although UL has been pressing for this simple, one-word identifier for years, a flurry of controversy erupted recently when ESPN2 announcer Joe Davis referred to the Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns team during the game against Western Kentucky as "Louisiana-Lafayette" or simply, "Lafayette."

And it is true that there are those in the community who feel the term, "Lafayette," should be included as an expression of pride in the city that is home to the university. Others believe the "Louisiana" branding is a natural.

Yes, there are two schools in the state with the "University of Louisiana" name. And there was once a time when the University of Louisiana at Monroe had some ambitions of being known by the "Louisiana" moniker. But it has been diligently building the ULM brand in recent years.

And that means UL Lafayette is free to adopt the "Louisiana" identity.

Many universities have been successful at organically growing their programs to the point where they are known by immediately identifiable nicknames.

One example would be the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. That university has not changed its legal name, but national audiences know it as "Carolina." Same for the University of Texas at Austin. Is there any doubt what sportscasters means when they utters the name, "Texas?"

Neither Chapel Hill nor Austin seem the worse for the state branding.

These nicknames weren't adopted by decree. It was the fans who rallied behind their teams and used those nicknames over time, until the nation adopted them.

The same can happen here.

It's not necessary to legally change the university's name — not that anyone has suggested doing that. And besides, no amount of legislation can keep fans or sportscasters from calling a school by whatever name they choose.

We call upon Louisiana Ragin' Cajun fans to rally around their team and repeat the "Louisiana" name until it becomes a household word.

The rest of the story
Advertiser Editor
Kristin Askelson

[barisaxman]

In the past few days, the furor over whether the University of Louisiana at Lafayette's athletic teams be known simply as "Louisiana" has reached a fever pitch.

Opinions on both sides have been expressed, sometimes heatedly, by members of the community and by some of The Daily Advertiser's columnists.

The rest of the story
_ Advertiser sub _

Someone FINALLY gets it!!!!!

[AstroCajun]

Thank you.

May this issue now Rest In Peace.

[DieHard1280]

I approve of this message.

GEAUX LOUISIANA!!!!

[barisaxman]

Thank you.

May this issue now Rest In Peace.

+1 !!

[basinbear]

OK....now lets have the other two schools in our system scream as loud as possible.....and be met by silence.....this..... "Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns"...is who we are....embrace it and move on.....we have business to take up this weekend on our way to a 10 and 2 record....

[UL_Cajuns]

Thank you!!!! It is over now. They get what we are trying to do. Simply to be known as Louisiana Ragin' Cajuns athletically, which we have been using for quite some time.

[CajunEXPRESS]

I clearly recall when the name issue was being hammered out back in the day, SLU got an exemption to simply be allowed to be SLU. Face it BasinBear we are in a state filled with Lilliputians, starting with the biggest Lilliputian Ellis Who, having an inferiority complex against all the other AQ powers. Their battle cry "what about us"? Looks like it rubs off on all of the other little Lilliputians.

[Turbine]

Good move, just a side note; The Advertiser had an Editor resign in the middle of this, and she was close minded on this subject per her email conversations with me.

So while there was a week long delay, in the official editorial, the timing could not have been better.

And I would like to add, thanks Kristin Askelson.

[timlan2057]

Great editorial. Thanks Advertiser.

And ... thanks for listening to your subscribers. The sentiment of the Facebook comments, including some very prominent Lafayette citizens, were all for the "Louisiana" moniker as indicative that the university was trying to progress and better itself.

The DA knows which side its bread is buttered on.

[Hammer58]

Great editorial. Thanks Advertiser.

And ... thanks for listening to your subscribers. The sentiment of the Facebook comments, including some very prominent Lafayette citizens, were all for the "Louisiana" moniker as indicative that the university was trying to progress and better itself.

The DA knows which side its bread is buttered on.

It's good to see the Advertiser take this stance.

I also applaud the local business leaders that commented in favor of Louisiana. I did have to laugh at Mr. Florsheim arguing against this. He is listed as the head of the chamber of commerce of El Dorado. I drew a blank on El Dorado but figured it must be some small town in north Louisiana just outside of Monroe. However, a quick google search revealed that El a Dorado is a small town in ARKANSAS !!!!! What dog does Arkansas have in this hunt?!! I guess all of our jokes about ulm being the flagship of southern Arkansas wasn't far off the mark!

[Turbine]

While I would have liked to see an article one editorial that addressed Tabby's original fairy tale that started all of this (much CajunT did on the radio), it's good to see the Advertiser take thus stance. I also applaud the local business leaders that commented in favor of Louisiana. I did have to laugh at Mr. Florsheim arguing against this. He is listed as the head of the chamber of commerce of El Dorado. I drew a blank on El Dorado but figured it must be some small town in north Louisiana just outside of Monroe. However, a quick google search revealed that El a Dorado is a small town in ARKANSAS !!!!! What dog does Arkansas have in this hunt?!! I guess all of our jokes about ulm being the flagship of southern Arkansas wasn't far off the mark!

ULM by day, ArkLaMo by night.