UL's Logo Crisis

[DestinCajun]

I'm sure they would cash it either way, but it specifically says UL Lafayette.

The arguement here is not weather you and the people on this board call us UL. What about our alums? What about our professors? What about our Alumni association? The overwhelming evidence is that we send a very mixed message. My bet is if some random person did 30 minutes of reseach on our University they would come away very confused on what to call us. _

As silly as this name stuff really is (and it really is bullskat), could it be the university has a very fine line it must traverse vis a vis name usage? Is it possible this results in a perceived "mixed message"? I would say in answer to both questions, not only is it possible but it's very likely.

You cite your examples but I can point to the athletic website and the sports media guides. I can point to written communications I receive from the athletic department. I can tell you what I hear on our coaches' shows. In my occasional contacts with university employees outside the athletic department as well as students, all I hear used is "UL".

In short, I see and hear "UL" being used all over the place and, guess what, people in positions of authority at the university are mainly responsible for it. Moreover, I am seeing and hearing it more and more and more.

So, maybe with a keener recognition and understanding of the environment we are in, there would be less confusion.

[Sonsissymia]

_ As silly as this name stuff really is (and it really is bullskat), could it be the university has a very fine line it must traverse vis a vis name usage? Is it possible this results in a perceived "mixed message"? I would say in answer to both questions, not only is it possible but it's very likely.

You cite your examples but I can point to the athletic website and the sports media guides. I can point to written communications I receive from the athletic department. I can tell you what I hear on our coaches' shows. In my occasional contacts with university employees outside the athletic department as well as students, all I hear used is "UL".

In short, I see and hear "UL" being used all over the place and, guess what, people in positions of authority at the university are mainly responsible for it. Moreover, I am seeing and hearing it more and more and more.

So, maybe with a keener recognition and understanding of the environment we are in, there would be less confusion. _

in lafayette and outskirts, i hear ul almost to the exclusion of all others. outside the 'hub,' i almost never hear ul. it is ul l or ul lafayette or just plain lafayette. my work takes me out of town at least a couple days a week, so the out of town experience is not limited. in truth, i hear people use usl more than ul outside acadiana.

[keithj]

i hear people use usl more than ul outside acadiana. _

I hear this often when I go home (lafourche parish) and tell people I went to school in Lafayette. USL is almost brought up exclusively.

I try my best to call us UL as much as possible. Though, most of the time I find myself saying "Yeah, I went to UL...(strange look on people's faces)....in Lafayette."

[DestinCajun]

in lafayette and outskirts, i hear ul almost to the exclusion of all others. outside the 'hub,' i almost never hear ul. it is ul l or ul lafayette or just plain lafayette. my work takes me out of town at least a couple days a week, so the out of town experience is not limited. in truth, i hear people use usl more than ul outside acadiana. _

Then, I gather you would think the university's efforts are bearing some fruit locally. I definitely believe that's the case.

I find that people who presently use "USL" generally pooh pooh the idea of schools changing their names. Why they feel that way is never explained, nor, does it make any sense because in no case does the change affect them. Some like my brother-in-law, who was in school in the 1950's, use "SLI". He gets all bugged eyed when he says "'cause that's where I went to school".

Most people I come in contact with use "Uelel" mainly because someone (like at the Advocate or WAFB) told them that's what it is. That's a typical mindset in Louisiana, it explains a lot about the state we're in.

There's also some apparantly severe regional competitiveness that comes into play here. As such, I don't look for Lake Chucksters or Rustonites to ever support anything that would be good for Lafayette or UL. As a rule, Tulamers and L Staters apparantly think we're not worthy.

Something I don't know is how the names changes at Missouri St. and Texas St. are treated but I suspect there are similarites to what's happened here.

[HoustonCajun]

_ Only you could consider one of the school’s many deficiencies, redirect blame/fault, and determine that the solution is for the fan to try harder.

It’s not my responsibility to try harder. There are people who are employed at the school who are paid to do a job so that we shouldn’t have to try harder. To relate this to another thread, if any of those restaurants you mention ever served you a dish that was unsatisfactory and you told them as such...what would your response be if they told you to “try harder” to enjoy it?

The fan shouldn’t have to try hard to get to the University Bookstore during its limited hours…which I’ve done. The fan shouldn’t have to get so discouraged every time they shop for merchandise to show off their school pride, that they go out to have it made…which I’ve done. The school has a responsibility to the fans to provide the merchandise that they want, and a responsibility to itself to provide merchandise that sells so that they don’t miss out on a potential revenue source.

Your suggestion to try harder is like a person thinking they’ll lose weight by adding Diet Coke to their Value Meal, i.e. the effort might be helping them feel a little bit better, but there is a much bigger issue that they’re failing to see. It doesn’t matter how hard I try because for every item I have made, that is meant to represent my Alma Mater as a Major University, there’s another hideous creation thrown out there by some dumbass company that cancels all of that out, such as the attached picture from Academy (pic credit to CaliCajun). Do you know how many variations of the UT, UH, Texas A&M, or Texas Tech logo’s I see around here? Pretty much one each, and they’re always very simple and 2-3 colors (depending on how white is used). And, when I visit the Academy near my house, all of the UT merchandise (for example), is either White or Orange, has the Longhorn logo on it somewhere, and there’s never any mistake as to which school is represented. On the other hand, the UL Hot Wheels logo, with its 5 colors, an FDL with flames, 3 words, and overall clutter, enables us to go to the Lafayette Academy and see this or the cap that was attached in a previous post.

But I’M the one who needs to “Try Harder”. _

Good post. That pretty much sums up UL's attitude in athletics. The university does nothing to make it easier for fans to support the school. That is why we are where we are. Most people just don't get it when it comes to operating a 1A program. We operate more like a JC and wonder why we don't have the support we need. If businesses operated that way, they wouldn't be around long. It's not the fans who need to "try harder", its the university.

[CajunCanaille]

_ Then, I gather you would think the university's efforts are bearing some fruit locally. I definitely believe that's the case.

I find that people who presently use "USL" generally pooh pooh the idea of schools changing their names. Why they feel that way is never explained, nor, does it make any sense because in no case does the change affect them. Some like my brother-in-law, who was in school in the 1950's, use "SLI". He gets all bugged eyed when he says "'cause that's where I went to school".

Most people I come in contact with use "Uelel" mainly because someone (like at the Advocate or WAFB) told them that's what it is. That's a typical mindset in Louisiana, it explains a lot about the state we're in.

There's also some apparantly severe regional competitiveness that comes into play here. As such, I don't look for Lake Chucksters or Rustonites to ever support anything that would be good for Lafayette or UL. As a rule, Tulamers and L Staters apparantly think we're not worthy.

Something I don't know is how the names changes at Missouri St. and Texas St. are treated but I suspect there are similarites to what's happened here. _

Not to mention it's what is printed on all of our merchandise......

[rhineaux]

"It’s not my responsibility to try harder."


That statement right there speaks volumes.

_ Enlighten me. What does it tell you? _

I think your inability to respond and/or refute anything I said, says a lot more than anything you think you were able to infer.

[DestinCajun]

_ Not to mention it's what is printed on all of our merchandise...... _

What's printed on all our merchandise?

[CajunCanaille]

_ What's printed on all our merchandise? _

ULL aka UL Lafayette. Not too much merchandise says just UL or Louisiana. Lafayette is always on the merchandise.

[DestinCajun]

_ ULL aka UL Lafayette. Not too much merchandise says just UL or Louisiana. Lafayette is always on the merchandise. _

As stated above that is or could be an unavoidable consequence of the name law. Folks may simply have to come to grips with that for now. The stuff that emphasizes "UL" or "Louisiana" or "University of Louisiana" and minimizes "Lafayette" looks good for the most part.

Certainly, there's a lot of crap out there but there's some good stuff. Vendors become aware of what sells and what doesn't pretty quickly.