Why would a school have a logo featuring the one thing they have in common with almost every other school in the country: the word "University?" Why should Miami be THE University, free of qualifier? As obnoxious as THE Ohio State University sounds at least it's true. Not the case with Miami.
But I suspect that this nickname caught on because Miami was the only school audacious enough to put it right there on their helmets. While almost every 1-A school calls themselves a "university"--thanks for dissenting Boston College--only Miami was dumb enough to put it on their helmets so, despite the fact that they're not even the only University of Miami in the country, the Canes get the gig. (I would argue that Miami would be better known as "The (FL)" but I'll save it for another day).
Why is any of this important? Because it came up in a Nebraska football discussion a friend and I were having last week. I failed to save the actual emails so I will dramatically recreate them below:
ME
What's the story with Will Compton? Is he coming or not?
YUN BALL COACH
Press conference later today but rumors are he'll be wearing to The N.
ME
The N?
YUN BALL COACH
I get tired of typing Nebraska.
And with that conversation, a new era in Nebraska football dawned. Why should Miami and Ohio State have all the definite article induced fun? It was so simple but something I'd never even considered which is a bit shocking when I started to think about it.
Thanks to this blog, I tend to type the words Nebraska and Cornhuskers a couple of hundred times a year and, because of that, I'm constantly looking for alternatives. Luckily, Nebraska has a pretty rich nickname history--Bugeaters, Rattlesnake Boys, Old Gold Knights, Mankilling Mastodons--I use all of them interchangeably but as wonderful as those options are they don't exactly roll off the tongue(or the fingers). THE N, however, is strong, easy to say and can be typed more quickly than a capital 'q'. No problems so far but is it appropriate?
It is. There's only one other school in the NCAA Crappy Way of Deciding a National Champion that Isn't Technically Recognized by the NCAA Subdivision to carry the 14th letter of the alphabet into battle upon their heads and that school is Northwestern. I trust that, in this football context, you will have no problem disregarding them. The rest of the country doesn't.
That leaves Nebraska. The N. The football team that made the letter famous. So simple and unadorned but intrinsically ours. I urge you to use it and espouse its validity. I urge you to buy a t-shirt right here on this very website and proudly wear this dramatic new identity on your chest*. Don't be the only person at the Spring Game (Eine Kleine Nachtmusik?) without it.
* All proceeds from these sales will go directly to the Yun' Ball Coach**
** Lacking the means of production for these shirts, "all proceeds" shall be a portion of the proceeds determined solely by HiPlainsDrifter.com
What's the story with Will Compton? Is he coming or not?
YUN BALL COACH
Press conference later today but rumors are he'll be wearing to The N.
ME
The N?
YUN BALL COACH
I get tired of typing Nebraska.
And with that conversation, a new era in Nebraska football dawned. Why should Miami and Ohio State have all the definite article induced fun? It was so simple but something I'd never even considered which is a bit shocking when I started to think about it.Thanks to this blog, I tend to type the words Nebraska and Cornhuskers a couple of hundred times a year and, because of that, I'm constantly looking for alternatives. Luckily, Nebraska has a pretty rich nickname history--Bugeaters, Rattlesnake Boys, Old Gold Knights, Mankilling Mastodons--I use all of them interchangeably but as wonderful as those options are they don't exactly roll off the tongue(or the fingers). THE N, however, is strong, easy to say and can be typed more quickly than a capital 'q'. No problems so far but is it appropriate?
It is. There's only one other school in the NCAA Crappy Way of Deciding a National Champion that Isn't Technically Recognized by the NCAA Subdivision to carry the 14th letter of the alphabet into battle upon their heads and that school is Northwestern. I trust that, in this football context, you will have no problem disregarding them. The rest of the country doesn't.
That leaves Nebraska. The N. The football team that made the letter famous. So simple and unadorned but intrinsically ours. I urge you to use it and espouse its validity. I urge you to buy a t-shirt right here on this very website and proudly wear this dramatic new identity on your chest*. Don't be the only person at the Spring Game (Eine Kleine Nachtmusik?) without it.
* All proceeds from these sales will go directly to the Yun' Ball Coach**
** Lacking the means of production for these shirts, "all proceeds" shall be a portion of the proceeds determined solely by HiPlainsDrifter.com
9 comments:
There are 4 other Division-I schools which don't have University as part of their name:
Georgia Institute of Technology
United States Military Academy
United States Naval Academy
United States Air Force Academy
So don't just be hating on BC. 8-)
I wasn't hating on BC, I actually softly applauded the Eagles inside for sticking with the old college try, but I did definitely miss Ga. Tech.
As for the service academies, I thought that went without saying.
Thanks for keeping me in check.
instead of 'the N,' just type 'N'. it sound like 'in' and huskerboard uses it indicate that someone just joined or signed with nebraska.
example...
"what's the word on compton?"
"he's N."
if you wanted to get fancy about it, make sure the 'N' was sans serif, bold and in scarlet.
Never type "N" that just sounds like something you would hear on Saved by the Bell or something. Where "The N" sounds tough and people would cower in fear!
Great post. I actually run the Northwestern football blog, Lake The Posts. So, I've got to let you know my mission is to help make the rest of the country actually care about "the other "N" - however we're still reeling from the Alamo bloodbath in 2000. Would actually love to see an 08 rematch as I think it is one of the very few years when I'd think we have a chance.
Keep up the great work...fun read.
Let us discuss the style of The N. I was quite pleased to see that you chose for your t-shirt the same simple N that adorns the team's helmet.
An N with serifs and other fancier versions, including those used in the University's official logos, just don't cut it.
Lake,
Thanks for stopping by. Despite what I said above I delighted in Northwestern's Rose Bowl year.
Love to see you get back there.
edensker,
Discuss we shall.
The serifs are a pretty big deal with me. Last time I was back in Nebraska(USC, ugh) I delighted in the fact that I was able to find a simple red hat with the same helmet 'N' you speak of. I'd been looking for three or four years.
When will the athletic department wise up and make that 'N' our identity?
blv, I have shared your search for the holy grail simple "N" hat. I have been successful a time or two over the years, and have also been successful in finding a jacket and a couple of shirts as well. It is like finding a needle in a haystack.
And even if the athletic department won't give us the good "N" all the time, couldn't they at least offer it at all times as an alternative?
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