MU in the A10? Irritating...

[AZWarrior]

I'll one up you guys. On the West Coast, I'm lucky if I get a response, "Marquette? Is that in Michigan?" Because after I inform them that it is in fact in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, I usually get the response, "Oh, the East Coast is all the same to me."

People in CA seem to think everything east of the Rocky Mountains is right next to the Atlantic ocean.   

[Ready2Fly]

The summer before freshman year, when the first question from everyone's mouth was "where are you going next year" I would say Marquette. They would say, "I've heard of that, where is it again?" I would respond, "Milwaukee." On more than one occasion, I got the follow up response, "Oh cool, what city?"

[Buzz Williams' Spillproof Chiclets Cup]

I can go everyone one better.  I tell people I went to law school at Washington University, and everyone thinks I mean the Northwest, rather than the one in St. Louis, and I'm in Chicago.

That's kind of annoying, because I can't tell you the number of times that I tell people I go to law school at "Saint Louis University" and the first words out of my mouth after that are usually "No, not Wash U, SLU."

[asdfasdf]

I can't speak for the East Coast, but I agree that West Coasters don't know much about anything east of the Rocky Mountains. I was touring a college campus in Oregon when I had this exchange with the tour guide:

Her: So where are you from?

Me: St. Louis.

Her: That's in Louisana, right?

Me: (Blank stare) The Louisiana Purchase

[Jay Bee]

In a similar vein, I've asked girls I've dated (primarily Texan girls) to show me where Wisconsin is on the map..during the weather segment of the news...and it is shocking that the "success rate" is about 40%..but then again I overachieve every now and then and land some pretty girls, and as a result, they aren't always blessed with the most intelligence.  A sad phenomonen.

How could you not land pretty girls when you offer hot date ideas such as watching the weather segment of the news?!

[LA]

Apparently keeping the clock for UW-Stevens Point qualifies one as "knowing mid-major college basketball very well."

I wouldn't worry too much about people knowing/not knowing where Marquette is.  Here's a list of the AP Top 25 teams who's locale is not part of their name:

Duke
Purdue
Villanova (kind of)
Butler
Vanderbilt
BYU
Gonzaga
Georgetown (arguably)
Temple
Baylor
Xavier

You give this list to your average person (read: not a college sports junkie) asking them what state each is in, and I guarantee you that at least 75% miss at least one.  Ask them what city, and 99 out of 100 will miss at least four.

Don't believe me?  Give this list to your wife/significant other and see how well they do.

+1 Great list. It is not just the coasts though, I am from Seattle and when I first came to MU I had multiple people (well women) respond "oh Seattle Oregon right?" Also completely mispronouncing the state of Oregon.

[MountainCreek19]

I'm amazed that many people know about Marquette Michigan, actually.

also university of northern michigan is there.... i always get that. "i go to marquette."  "oh my son goes to UNM too."

[96warrior]

There was a group of boys at the SHU game who kept telling the Marquette fans seated nearby to "go back to Michigan". Also they looked to be about 10 years old, were in full face paint and had their shirts pulled up over their heads....so you know, take it for what it's worth.

[Robyrd5]

also university of northern michigan is there.... i always get that. "i go to marquette."  "oh my son goes to UNM too."

I had a similiar conversation on a plane to Milwaukee returning from Christmas break my freshman year. Once I finally figured out that the man I was talking to thought I went to school in Marquette, Michigan, it was too late to point out the mistake. So I had to pretend I went to school in Michigan for the next 2 hours to avoid embarrassing him. So awkward.

[slingkong]

That's kind of annoying, because I can't tell you the number of times that I tell people I go to law school at "Saint Louis University" and the first words out of my mouth after that are usually "No, not Wash U, SLU."

If I were going to law school at SLU, I wouldn't correct them.  SLU's rapidly sinking in the rankings - almost down to John Marshall (where I went and really wish I hadn't).

[Chicago_inferiority_complexes]

After I finished school (Aug '08) and before I got my job I interviewed a bunch of times in Chicago (also for Chicago companies on the phone). I repeatedly would get asked where Marquette University is. I kid you not. One guy told me he had heard about "Beer fest" (read: Summerfest) from Milwaukee. This was from life-long Chicago residents.

[TallTitan34]

Google results for "Where is Marquette".

http://www.google.com/search?q=where+is+marquette&sourceid=ie7&rls=com.microsoft:en-US&ie=utf8&oe=utf8

[AZWarrior]

It looks COLD!

[mu_eyeballs]

I live in Columbus O-H-I-O...so often when I wear my MU and Blue/Gold gear, I have buckeye fans giving me crap for wearing Michigan gear...despite the fact the Michigan is UM

[IAmMarquette]

I live in Columbus O-H-I-O...so often when I wear my MU and Blue/Gold gear, I have buckeye fans giving me crap for wearing Michigan gear...despite the fact the Michigan is UM

On a related note, a close friend of mine is a graduate of UM. I once mentioned, in jest, that our colors (Marquette's and UMichigan's) were essentially the same. She did not take it well. "You are NOT maize."

[JWags85]

The summer before freshman year, when the first question from everyone's mouth was "where are you going next year" I would say Marquette. They would say, "I've heard of that, where is it again?" I would respond, "Milwaukee." On more than one occasion, I got the follow up response, "Oh cool, what city?"

My freshman year of college in Ohio, I had a girl sincerely and truthfully ask me if Milwaukee was in Canada.  She was then quite offended as I laughed in her face.

I live in Columbus O-H-I-O...so often when I wear my MU and Blue/Gold gear, I have buckeye fans giving me crap for wearing Michigan gear...despite the fact the Michigan is UM

My sister got jeered at a Miami (OH) hockey game my freshman year of college cause she was wearing a blue and gold Marquette shirt.  We were playing Michigan and people just naturally assumed.  That state is programmed to reaction to yellow and blue the way a bull "reacts" to red.

[mviale]

What really cooks my noodle is when I tell people in Wisconsin that I graduated from Marquette and they ask: "Marquette, Michigan?" It's unbelievable.

This happens 90% of the time.  Then I say Al Maguire. 

[Avenue Commons]

What really cooks my noodle is when I tell people in Wisconsin that I graduated from Marquette and they ask: "Marquette, Michigan?" It's unbelievable.

A comment like that says more about that person than it does about Marquette University.

I probably couldn't tell you what city/state all of the Ivy League schools are in, and that doesn't make them any less of exceptional institutions.

[Buzz Williams' Spillproof Chiclets Cup]

If I were going to law school at SLU, I wouldn't correct them.  SLU's rapidly sinking in the rankings - almost down to John Marshall (where I went and really wish I hadn't).

Don't need to tell me.

[Skitch]

I had a similiar conversation on a plane to Milwaukee returning from Christmas break my freshman year. Once I finally figured out that the man I was talking to thought I went to school in Marquette, Michigan, it was too late to point out the mistake. So I had to pretend I went to school in Michigan for the next 2 hours to avoid embarrassing him. So awkward.

Something similar happened to me except it was the woman that cut my hair.  I didn't want to embarrass her so I played along.  Luckily she remembered it and everytime I was home and got my hair cut she would ask me about all the skiing I was able to do when I went back to school.

[Dawson Rental]

I was shooting hoops in SJU's Alumni Hall with a fellow Johnnie buddy (during MU's spring break I was in NYC) and I met Felipe Lopez.

My buddy told him I went to Marquette.

Felipe said, "The Super Marquette?"

I crap you not.

I just know that you replied: "no, no, the super MAR CAT!"

[Norm]

The Super Marquette???