Should we change our conference name?

[UNIFanSince1983]

Aren't there quite a few big time conferences with regional names? Pacific 12, Atlantic Coast Conference, Big East, Southeastern Conference...

And as MoValley said changing name seems small time to me. Although maybe there is something we can do that can distance ourselves from the Ohio Valley. I guess our level of play has done that, but still too close for my liking.

[SHOXMVC]

There really needs to be a major chance in conference names. It is getting out of control from a geographical point of view in many conferences. Marquette and ND aren't exactly "Big East." Missouri and TA&M aren't exactly Southeast, etc... Hell, the Big 10 hasn't been the Big 10 since Penn St. was added. At least the Pac-10 had the decency to change to the correct digit last year with the two additions. And the prospects of some of the newer additions of these conferences is crazy.

[Haha]

You're probably right. We should change our name to Cedar Falls State to make it to the big time...

You fail to see my point,

I assume that was a hit at Wichita State. At no time was Fairmount College, Municipal University of Wichita, Wichita University, or Wichita State a directional school or normal school. So I really don't mind your attempt at insult. There is a reason Missouri State fought so hard to get rid of their directional name.

All I was pointing out was that it seemed a little silly to worry about the conference name when, I assume, Ali is a fan of a program that has the exact same connotation associated with it's name.

Northern Iowa is one of the better mid major programs, just like the Missouri Valley is one of the better mid major leagues. I can't see name changes having such an effect that it would make a difference.

I did see your point. You took a shot at UNI, I shot back. Going to Cedar Falls State or even University of Iowa-Cedar Falls or something like that is not that far off, we have been Iowa State Teacher's College, Iowa State Normal School, and the State College of Iowa, so some combination from those is not far off. I don't have a problem with Northern Iowa, as I doubt Southern California has any issue with being 'Southern' or South Florida with being 'South'

You will also note that I was the one who pointed to the long history of the name Missouri Valley and that altering it didn't seem necessary.

If you think I took a shot you failed to see my point. Also of my second point, you are not a metro university so why would you have such a name, nor is Wichita State originally a directional/normal school so why would they have a directional name?

You are obviously sensitive on the issue, too bad.

[UNIFanSince1983]

If you think I took a shot you failed to see my point. Also of my second point, you are not a metro university so why would you have such a name, nor is Wichita State originally a directional/normal school so why would they have a directional name?

You are obviously sensitive on the issue, too bad.

I don't really want to get into this argument because truthfully I don't care. In fact I love being the University of Northern Iowa. I would never want our name changed especially to Cedar Falls State as no one even realizes Cedar Falls is a town outside of Iowa.

However, I am curious if you think there are no former normal schools named after metros? Because unfortunately that is not true.

[Khan4Cats]

If you think I took a shot you failed to see my point. Also of my second point, you are not a metro university so why would you have such a name, nor is Wichita State originally a directional/normal school so why would they have a directional name?

You are obviously sensitive on the issue, too bad.

You are clearly sensitive as well considering how hard you are trying to separate yourself from being associated with the Emporia State, Fort Hays State and Pittsburg State's by trying to make direction being something to be embarassed about. Too bad.

You see no need to change the name of Wichita State because the university has made a name for itself as such, fans of Northern Iowa see no need to change the name of UNI for the same reasons. Neither of our fan bases consider ourselves small time because of our name or any other reason, for that matter.

I would again point out that I think we are on the same side of the argument for keeping the conference name as is, but maybe we are not. I see no reason to associate a region (in this case Missouri Valley) as being small time just as I see no reason to think that having "Big" in your conference name somehow makes you big time. If people are so small minded as to associate a direction, city, Big, number something as meaning you are better or worse than someone else just because of a name, that's their issue, not mine.

[UNIFanSince1983]

I would again point out that I think we are on the same side of the argument for keeping the conference name as is, but maybe we are not. I see no reason to associate a region (in this case Missouri Valley) as being small time just as I see no reason to think that having "Big" in your conference name somehow makes you big time. If people are so small minded as to associate a direction, city, Big, number something as meaning you are better or worse than someone else just because of a name, that's their issue, not mine.

As I have already pointed out there are most of the big conferences that have some sort of region associated with them. There is also a very small time conference with Big in it's name (Big West, Big Sky, Big South). Let's face it the perceived bigness or smallness of your conference is determined by the teams in your conference and not the name.

[Haha]

If you think I took a shot you failed to see my point. Also of my second point, you are not a metro university so why would you have such a name, nor is Wichita State originally a directional/normal school so why would they have a directional name?

You are obviously sensitive on the issue, too bad.

You are clearly sensitive as well considering how hard you are trying to separate yourself from being associated with the Emporia State, Fort Hays State and Pittsburg State's by trying to make direction being something to be embarassed about. Too bad.

At half I will explain the difference.

Edit:

Wichita State was already University of Wichita, it was never state southern normal school of emporia, etc. It is a metro University, follow the difference?

Again I simply wanted to point out how ironic the original statement was. You responded with a barb that really doesn't make any sense.

[Khan4Cats]

At half I will explain the difference.

Edit:

Wichita State was already University of Wichita, it was never state southern normal school of emporia, etc. It is a metro University, follow the difference?

Again I simply wanted to point out how ironic the original statement was. You responded with a barb that really doesn't make any sense.

You attempted to point out an irony by comparing that the Northern in Northern Iowa might seem small time in the same way that the original poster was questioning whether the Missouri in Missouri Valley was small time. I pointed out that going by a city-state name is not any more big time than a direction. There is a difference but no distinction. Having a city name no more makes a school big time than having a direction in the name. Nor does either make them small time.

Now you are trying to argue that because Wichita has been in the name of the school for 86 years it is somehow more distinguished than a school that has had Iowa as part of its name for its entire existence of 136 years and whose current name is only 3 years younger than Wichita State's. Or that because it was called a normal school or teachers college that is somehow diminished? Sorry, I don't buy it, but go on with your superiority complex if it makes you feel all warm and fuzzy inside.

[Snaggletooth]

Does having "Missouri Valley" as a league name denote small time athletics? The Summit and Horizon have changed for that reason. If we just became "The Valley" I think that would be cool.

How about "Big Valley" - an american favorite, and we have to hire a commisioner named "Hoss"

Or maybe Big 10s (e.g. Big 10south)

You need to brush up on your TV-Land channel. Hoss is associated with Bonanza...Heath would be a good name for the "Big Valley" commish.

[Aargh]

It's threads like this where I always manage to upset a lot of posters.

The Missouri Valley Conference is one of the longest-running leagues in college athletics. There are still some sportscasters who remember when the Valley was the best basketball league in the nation, and the Valley still gets some run from that historical fact.

Some of the long-term members of the Valley are rightfully proud of their association with the Missouri Valley Conference and its' 60-year tradition of being a solid basketball conference.

Some of the recent D2 upgrade schools (this side of 1970 or so), have received a HUGE boost from joining the Valley. Recruiting to the Valley has been more difficult than recruiting to the Big10 in the D1 history of many MVC members. It wasn't always that way. Recruiting to the Missouri Valley Conference has always been easier than recruiting to the Horizon League, or the Summit League, or any of the other "no name" leagues in the Midwest.

The Missouri Valley Conference is not a "no name" league. Bradley, Drake, and WSU established the name of the Valley as a top conference. The MVC's having Cincinnati, Memphis, and Louisville in the league for a while gave the Missouri Vlley Conference a great reputation.

That reputation was established quite a few years ago, but long-term reputations is what creates traditions. When some of the top teams in the MVC left, they were replaced with teams transitioning to D1 ball. Those teams got a huge boost by joining a well-respected conference. Now, some fans of those schools want to change the name of the conference because the name is not thaat respected any more.