What's in a Name: The Big East

[brewcity77]

Everywhere you look these days, there are articles about the "New" Big East. We see posts on here using the term "New Big East" and "NBE" has become one of the most frequently used monikers to describe our conference. Maybe it's just me, but I think it's time we stop with the "New". Our conference is the Big East. It is not new, it has been around since 1979.

Wikipedia has divided us into two conferences. ESPN, SI, JSOnline, and other outlets seem to have a difficult time posting an article about our league without the title "New" added on. But the schools that make up this league fought hard to retain the name of this conference. A conference that began with just 8 schools and grew into a powerhouse before returning to its roots. This isn't the "New" Big East any more than the addition of Marquette, DePaul, Louisville, and Cincy made this league the "Middle Aged" Big East or the founding of the league was the "Prehistoric" Big East. It's all just the Big East.

Why the gripe? Because every time someone adds "New" to the name of the league, they are (whether intentionally or not) reminding everyone that this isn't the same league that sent double-digit bids to the Dance. But it is. This is the same league that did that, the same league that sent three teams to one Final Four, and the same league that was Dave Gavitt's brainchild 30+ years ago.

It's time we take some pride in the work that the heads of these universities did and treat this league with the respect it has earned over the past 34 years. It's not the New Big East, it's just the Big East.

Cue people making as many "New Big East" and NBE references as they can possibly make...

[Eldon]

I totally agree, which is why I think we should keep the current logo for at least as long as people in the media continue to use "new."

[Dawson Rental]

I totally agree, which is why I think we should keep the current logo for at least as long as people in the media continue to use "new."

Excellent suggestion.

[GGGG]

From a legal perspective it actually is "new."  The AAC is the old organization. And I think it is fine. "New" comes off as fresh and exciting. We can still claim the past and be new.

[Coleman]

I get what you're saying, but I think this is just the way it will be for the first year or two. There's been a lot of change and it takes a little while for people to catch up. Don't worry too much about it, and take the long view: A couple years from now it will just be the Big East.

[MU82]

Doesn't bother me in the slightest.

I'd rather be called the New Big East than the AAC!

[Oldgym]

I get what you're saying, but I think this is just the way it will be for the first year or two. There's been a lot of change and it takes a little while for people to catch up. Don't worry too much about it, and take the long view: A couple years from now it will just be the Big East.

Correct.  For those who frequent this board, it's been a freakin eternity getting the conference to this point.  But come December plenty of fans will be wondering why Syracuse or UL don't show up in the BE standings.