Outside view of MU

[MU82]

So I'm on a golf course in N.C. yesterday when a guy sees my Marquette cap and we have this conversation. (Quotes are approximate; I wasn't taking notes.)

Him: "You went to Marquette? I thought they played the most exciting game of the tourney, the one against Murray State."

Me: "That was a good one. Glad the right team won. Wish we could have kept winning after that, though."

Him: "I love that big forward with the hair."

Me: "Yeah, Jae Crowder. He became quite a stud this season."

Him: "Is he a senior? How are you guys gonna be next year?"

Me: "He's done now and so is our other really good player. We need to find a couple of scorers but I think we'll be pretty good again next season."

Him: "I hope so. I like your coach, Buzz. Where is Marquette, anyway? Michigan."

Me: "No, it's in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. You're thinking of the town of Marquette in the Upper Peninsula."

Him: "Oh yeah ... I knew that."

Conclusion: Lots of people who don't even know where Marquette is know that Marquette exists because of our basketball team.

[dw3dw3dw3]

That's obviously a common thought of our geographical spot in the world, but I would argue many other universities have the same geographic identity crisis.  If you go through the major conferences, selecting the city that the team is from, unless it's obvious like Louisville, is not the easiest quiz in the world. Granted, the state should be easier, but the UP is basically upper WI anyway.

[Goose]

What do you shoot?

[PuertoRicanNightmare]

I had no idea Murray State was in Kentucky until this year.

[Tugg Speedman]

You think he could not name the location of Depaul, Vilanova, Georgetown, Creighton, Murray State, Notre Dame and Xavier?

And since this conversation took place in NC (North Carolina).  Did he look like he was married to his cousin?

[frozena pizza]

Yep, I've had a ton of conversations like that.  I say I went there, other person says they like Buzz / Al McGuire (if its an old person) / Dwyane Wade / had us going far in their bracket, then ask where the school is and suggest Michigan.  I say Milwaukee and they say that's what they meant...drinks his beer.

[MU82]

As I came to find out, he is a well-compensated, college-educated transplant from the Boston area. I didn't directly ask about his dating/marrying habits as they relate to his relations. Had all of his teeth, or reasonable facsimiles thereof.

I consider it a very good round if I break 90. So Rory and Tiger don't have to worry about me contending for a green jacket any time soon.

As for MU's name recognition, I've had hundreds of similar conversations over the years.

I'm from Connecticut and, as a 17-year-old faced with a college decision way back when, I wouldn't even have known there was such a thing as Marquette had Al's Warriors not just won the national title. Academecians who try to claim that high-level athletics don't help a university's overall profile should have to give their diplomas back.

[warriorchick]

You think he could not name the location of Depaul, Vilanova, Georgetown, Creighton, Murray State, Notre Dame and Xavier?

Add to that list:

St. Johns
Fordham
Rutgers
Temple


On a related note, did you ever notice that with the exception of  St. Joseph's and Holy Cross,  almost none of the Jesuit Schools' names sound like they are Catholic institutions? Here are some other examples:

University of Scranton
University of Detroit
All the Loyolas (which one would never identify as Catholic unless one was familiar with St. Ignatius)
Spring Hill College
Santa Clara, U of San Francisco, St. Louis U. (all saints' names, but also the name of the city they are in)


 If I am ever asked if a particular Catholic University is Jesuit,  and I don't know for sure, whether it "sounds" Catholic is my primary criteria for guessing whether it is or not.

[warriorchick]

And since this conversation took place in NC (North Carolina).  Did he look like he was married to his cousin?

And while I have made my own jokes on this forum about Southerners,I can tell you that what is true about the economically vibrant cities in the South (Nashville, Charlotte, Atlanta, Birmingham, Dallas, etc.).  No one is "from" there.  Most of the professionals are either transplants from the North or Midwest, or have southern roots that are only one-two generations deep.  So yes, almost all of them have teeth and shoes, and as a general rule, do not go to family reunions to pick up chicks.

My family moved to Nashville in 1972 from Illinois, and we were constantly accused of "talking funny".  A midwestern accent doesn't even get noticed there any more.

[Warriors4ever]

Maybe the Jesuits knew they had to "hide" the names a bit to be successful......
I'm not entirely sure right now exactly where Temple is.
Milwaukee, Michigan, they both start with M, it's all the same to some people anyway.  Just somewher in flyover country.

[WellsstreetWanderer]

Univ of San Francisco,University of San Diego both Catholic , USD is not Jesuit ,not sure about USF

[NersEllenson]

Academecians who try to claim that high-level athletics don't help a university's overall profile should have to give their diplomas back.

Perhaps the wisest thing written here in weeks.  Well said.

[warriorchick]

Univ of San Francisco,University of San Diego both Catholic , USD is not Jesuit ,not sure about USF

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesuit_universities

[mileskishnish72]

After Flutie, admission applications soared at Boston College (Jesuit). He made them MILLIONS!

[dearest friend]

Maybe the Jesuits knew they had to "hide" the names a bit to be successful......
I'm not entirely sure right now exactly where Temple is.
Milwaukee, Michigan, they both start with M, it's all the same to some people anyway.  Just somewher in flyover country.

As someone who live in Michigan (the Detroit area), I don't think it's the Ms that makes this confusing. The problem is that people literally stop listening after they hear the word 'Marquette' and then comment about how much snow you must have experienced. Even after correcting the person, they don't seem to believe you- like they know better where your college was located.

[MU82]

Perhaps the wisest thing written here in weeks.  Well said.

Well, one of the only benefits of old age is that wiseness comes with it.

Or so I like to think.

[Warriors10]

Surprised he didn't ask about the drinking tickets since it is a hugeeee program problem.

[Warriors4ever]

For some reason, I never think of Holy Cross as Jesuit - always assumed it was run by the Holy Cross fathers. 
Some interesting names in that list.

[T-Bone]

Maybe the Jesuits knew they had to "hide" the names a bit to be successful......
I'm not entirely sure right now exactly where Temple is.

I'd guess some of the names were chosen to integrate the University better with the community. 

[chapman]

Conclusion: Lots of people who don't even know where Marquette is know that Marquette exists because of our basketball team.

Let's change our nickname to the Marquette Milwaukeeans.  That'll fix that.

[AZWarrior]

Let's change our nickname to the Marquette Milwaukeeans.  That'll fix that.

The Marquette Beer?   

[warriorchick]

I'd guess some of the names were chosen to integrate the University better with the community. 

At least no one ever asks where University of Detroit is (at least, I hope not!).

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

The Marquette Beer?   

The Marquette Schlitzes.

[WellsstreetWanderer]

"The School that made Milwaukee Famous"

[lab_warrior]

What do you shoot?

I consider it a very good round if I break 90. So Rory and Tiger don't have to worry about me contending for a green jacket any time soon.

I don't keep score, I measure myself against other golfers by height. 

/am 5'11"
/still doesn't score well