(04-03-2017 08:12 PM)HawaiiMongoose Wrote:  

(04-02-2017 08:13 PM)billybobby777 Wrote:  

(04-02-2017 07:58 PM)rtaylor Wrote:  

(04-02-2017 07:28 PM)ECBrad Wrote:  go away wilkie

Seriously. What is this? Thread # 879 about the same freaking topic.

Yes but it's only Wilkie's 234th thread on this topic.

As summer approaches there will be many more "best of the rest" conference threads to shoot down proposing lineups involving the AAC, the MWC, BYU, and occasionally other random puzzle pieces like Army. It's like some kind of seasonal insanity.

To all purveyors of such notions, please try to control yourselves. It's not gonna happen, for many reasons that have been repeated over and over (and over) on this board.

Mongoose,

I think these are all from 4chan guys, who live in the basement and line up every paperclip in a nice neat order, and whatever other compulsive disorder makes them do. Schools are just names and lists. They have no concept of what goes on there. So they make lists. And other lists. Someday they think they will make the perfect list. Unfortunately there is no Gestappo to employ them, so mom's basement will have to do. In the meantime another list. (This is the Mel Kiper Jr. story only he doesn't get a job on ESPN).

The American is fundamentally a failed conference. As FTT said, it's the sum of it's parts. It's nothing more, it didn't build anything. To me the failure is branding. The American is a lame name. It must have come to us from the same people who gave us Conference USA and USA Today. Bland and tasteless. It's a Chevrolet trying to tell us it belongs in the same luxury class as the Lexus, Mercedes Benz, Porsche and Bentley. "They have steering wheels and tires, and so do we," seems to go the cry. But for whatever reason there is a synergy in the other brands, more than the parts, a feeling, a style, a something. It's just not there in the American. The SEC, B1G and even the Pac-12 have a certain regional pride in them. The South, the Midwest, the West. But the American is nowhere. It's leadership thinks it's a NYC based group, but the geographical midpoint is somewhere between Atlanta and Chattanooga. When Wichita State joins it will be someswhere in the northern part of Alabama. There is no identity. The schools have little in common except ambitious athletic departments. The name American was picked I suspect because so little is in common. No identity means minimal cohesion.

The list makers will make lists, and nobody bothers thinks about identity, which is the real problem with the AAC.

(04-04-2017 12:30 AM)Stugray2 Wrote:  The American is fundamentally a failed conference. As FTT said, it's the sum of it's parts. It's nothing more, it didn't build anything. To me the failure is branding. The American is a lame name. The list makers will make lists, and nobody bothers thinks about identity, which is the real problem with the AAC.

Dumbest thing I ever heard. EVERY conference name is bland and lame. Often its either a directional name or has big in it. Some time its both Big and Directional.

American is simply another way of referring to a geographical location. American is not the same as "United States". In the NFL, they have American and National. In MLB, they have American and National. They aren't referring to the United States with those brands either.

It's obvious why 'National Athletic Conference' wasn't chosen for the AAC. It's a different connotation.

They simply wanted a bland name that was a placeholder in the sports section. They succeeded. All of the directions, coasts, and 'bigs' were taken.

Stop thinking so hard.

As someone who studies branding, the conference actually did well. The chosen name is a well known brand in the sports vernacular and it wasn't already taken in that sequence by a collegiate conference. There are other conferences with American in the name but its often proceeded by a descriptor. It also didn't bind the identity of the conference to a certain geographical section. Many have done that and betrayed the scope of their names.

All things considered, it was at least a triple. The 'A' shows well on telecasts and on playing surfaces.

If you have to explain it you have already failed.

Point proven

(04-04-2017 01:04 AM)Stugray2 Wrote:  If you have to explain it you have already failed.

Point proven

What's there to explain. If you watch football, you're pretty well familiar with the usage.

(04-04-2017 12:51 AM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  American is not the same as "United States". In the NFL, they have American and National. In MLB, they have American and National. They aren't referring to the United States with those brands either.

So if I say to someone in Beijing, "I'm American", I am not talking about the United State of America? I am talking about just North and South America in general?

What are you smoking? Of course they were references to the United States. Neither the National Football League nor the American Football League were referring to the Nation of Sweden or to Latin America, for crissake.

(04-04-2017 01:14 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(04-04-2017 12:51 AM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  American is not the same as "United States". In the NFL, they have American and National. In MLB, they have American and National. They aren't referring to the United States with those brands either.

So if I say to someone in Beijing, "I'm American", I am not talking about the United State of America? I am talking about just North and South America in general?

What are you smoking? Of course they were references to the United States. Neither the National Football League nor the American Football League were referring to the Nation of Sweden or to Latin America, for crissake.

Try going to Brasil and tell people they aren't American. It's a hemisphere.

Both National and American are purposefully vague. They aren't patriotic.

Think about the reason why they were used in sports. How do you reference competing locales that are under one umbrella, without being so specific that you exclude one?

Try coming across the boarder from Mexico into Texas when asked by a border officer " what nationality are you" and you say " American" errr' no , wrong answer, time for a cavity search! Yikes
The correct answer is "Iam a United States citizen "
If you are in Mexico and a local asks you where are you from and you say " I am from America", they will say so am I, same goes for Canada or any country in the north or south country's of the americas
Just saying

(04-04-2017 05:05 PM)JHS55 Wrote:  Try coming across the boarder from Mexico into Texas when asked by a border officer " what nationality are you" and you say " American" errr' no , wrong answer, time for a cavity search! Yikes
The correct answer is "Iam a United States citizen "
If you are in Mexico and a local asks you where are you from and you say " I am from America", they will say so am I, same goes for Canada or any country in the north or south country's of the americas
Just saying

I say I am Texan.

(04-04-2017 12:51 AM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(04-04-2017 12:30 AM)Stugray2 Wrote:  The American is fundamentally a failed conference. As FTT said, it's the sum of it's parts. It's nothing more, it didn't build anything. To me the failure is branding. The American is a lame name. The list makers will make lists, and nobody bothers thinks about identity, which is the real problem with the AAC.

Dumbest thing I ever heard. EVERY conference name is bland and lame. Often its either a directional name or has big in it. Some time its both Big and Directional.

American is simply another way of referring to a geographical location. American is not the same as "United States". In the NFL, they have American and National. In MLB, they have American and National. They aren't referring to the United States with those brands either.

It's obvious why 'National Athletic Conference' wasn't chosen for the AAC. It's a different connotation.

They simply wanted a bland name that was a placeholder in the sports section. They succeeded. All of the directions, coasts, and 'bigs' were taken.

Stop thinking so hard.

As someone who studies branding, the conference actually did well. The chosen name is a well known brand in the sports vernacular and it wasn't already taken in that sequence by a collegiate conference. There are other conferences with American in the name but its often proceeded by a descriptor. It also didn't bind the identity of the conference to a certain geographical section. Many have done that and betrayed the scope of their names.

All things considered, it was at least a triple. The 'A' shows well on telecasts and on playing surfaces.

Love this ^^^ part... +3 BigEastHomer

(04-04-2017 01:14 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(04-04-2017 12:51 AM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  American is not the same as "United States". In the NFL, they have American and National. In MLB, they have American and National. They aren't referring to the United States with those brands either.

So if I say to someone in Beijing, "I'm American", I am not talking about the United State of America? I am talking about just North and South America in general?

What are you smoking? Of course they were references to the United States. Neither the National Football League nor the American Football League were referring to the Nation of Sweden or to Latin America, for crissake.

Yes, in China you say, "I am an American" (Wǒ shì měiguó rén 我是美國人)
It means United States. That is a unique case, and měiguó is a transliteration of American (their phonic system does not translate the "r' well, and the initial "am" is dropped, hence měi; the guó means country, and rén is person).

(04-04-2017 05:08 PM)Pony94 Wrote:  

(04-04-2017 05:05 PM)JHS55 Wrote:  Try coming across the boarder from Mexico into Texas when asked by a border officer " what nationality are you" and you say " American" errr' no , wrong answer, time for a cavity search! Yikes
The correct answer is "Iam a United States citizen "
If you are in Mexico and a local asks you where are you from and you say " I am from America", they will say so am I, same goes for Canada or any country in the north or south country's of the americas
Just saying

I say I am Texan.

Yeah I tried saying Iam a Texan also, didn't work out at least not in Acuna/Laredo,to...

(04-04-2017 06:00 PM)JHS55 Wrote:  

(04-04-2017 05:08 PM)Pony94 Wrote:  

(04-04-2017 05:05 PM)JHS55 Wrote:  Try coming across the boarder from Mexico into Texas when asked by a border officer " what nationality are you" and you say " American" errr' no , wrong answer, time for a cavity search! Yikes
The correct answer is "Iam a United States citizen "
If you are in Mexico and a local asks you where are you from and you say " I am from America", they will say so am I, same goes for Canada or any country in the north or south country's of the americas
Just saying

I say I am Texan.

Yeah I tried saying Iam a Texan also, didn't work out at least not in Acuna/Laredo,to...

Tell them you are a sovereign citizen. That works even better

(04-04-2017 06:00 PM)Pony94 Wrote:  

(04-04-2017 06:00 PM)JHS55 Wrote:  

(04-04-2017 05:08 PM)Pony94 Wrote:  

(04-04-2017 05:05 PM)JHS55 Wrote:  Try coming across the boarder from Mexico into Texas when asked by a border officer " what nationality are you" and you say " American" errr' no , wrong answer, time for a cavity search! Yikes
The correct answer is "Iam a United States citizen "
If you are in Mexico and a local asks you where are you from and you say " I am from America", they will say so am I, same goes for Canada or any country in the north or south country's of the americas
Just saying

I say I am Texan.

Yeah I tried saying Iam a Texan also, didn't work out at least not in Acuna/Laredo,to...

Tell them you are a sovereign citizen. That works even better

It will be an excitingly sovereign day when y'all visit tdecu stadium this fall, what a difference a new coach might make

How about this.

12 in football. 16 in hoops.

Eastern Division
Connecticut
Temple
East Carolina
Central Florida
South Florida
Navy - football / Virginia Commonwealth - basketball
UMass - basketball
Rhode Island - basketball

Western Division
Memphis
Houston
Tulane
Tulsa
Southern Methodist
Cincinnati
Dayton - basketball
Wichita State - basketball

(04-04-2017 01:19 AM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  

(04-04-2017 01:14 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(04-04-2017 12:51 AM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  American is not the same as "United States". In the NFL, they have American and National. In MLB, they have American and National. They aren't referring to the United States with those brands either.

So if I say to someone in Beijing, "I'm American", I am not talking about the United State of America? I am talking about just North and South America in general?

What are you smoking? Of course they were references to the United States. Neither the National Football League nor the American Football League were referring to the Nation of Sweden or to Latin America, for crissake.

Try going to Brasil and tell people they aren't American. It's a hemisphere.

But neither the Major League Baseball Leagues nor the original National and American Football Leagues played in Brazil. They were all four American sports leagues, not Brazilian.

Quote: Both National and American are purposefully vague. They aren't patriotic.

The Major League Baseball Leagues were deliberately patriotic.

Quote: Think about the reason why they were used in sports. How do you reference competing locales that are under one umbrella, without being so specific that you exclude one?

Which gets back to the original point ... the American Athletic Conference name was picked as a vanilla "doesn't mean anything in particular" name because there was not much to hang a more meaningful, memorable brand on. And at least it's vaguely patriotic in a fairly jingoistic period of our history, which goes along with have a Military Academy as a FB-affiliate member.

(04-04-2017 05:32 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  

(04-04-2017 01:14 AM)BruceMcF Wrote:  

(04-04-2017 12:51 AM)BigEastHomer Wrote:  American is not the same as "United States". In the NFL, they have American and National. In MLB, they have American and National. They aren't referring to the United States with those brands either.

So if I say to someone in Beijing, "I'm American", I am not talking about the United State of America? I am talking about just North and South America in general?

What are you smoking? Of course they were references to the United States. Neither the National Football League nor the American Football League were referring to the Nation of Sweden or to Latin America, for crissake.

Yes, in China you say, "I am an American" (Wǒ shì měiguó rén 我是美國人)
It means United States. That is a unique case, and měiguó is a transliteration of American (their phonic system does not translate the "r' well, and the initial "am" is dropped, hence měi; the guó means country, and rén is person).

If you're in Canada, don't say that you're an American. It pisses some (not all) Canadians off.

Just think - the Toronto Blue Jays are in the American League, and to my knowledge that makes perfect sense to most Canadians.

Well, I always thought Canada was a fake country. Or three countries. 1) French (most of Quebec), who are the real Canada, 2) anti-Americans who have been carrying a grudge since 1782 (Ontario or remnants of Britain and the Hudson Bay company), 3) confused Americans who are on the wrong side of the border (the rest of Canada).

The Natives up in the Northwest Territories, not really in my mind.

I remember rooting for Quebec Independence, and getting totally pissed at Newt Gingrich for saying NAFTA wasn't automatic for them, I thought Canada would fall apart and the US would get 8 more applicants for States (a political mix, Vancouver would be typical Pacific Coast leftist, the western provinces typical GOP and the small east coast provinces Maine/New Hampshire like toss ups). Ah, world conquest.

Bottom line who gives crap what Canadians think.

Bigger IS better, but you're going in the wrong direction Wilkie.

Well, my brother and I were always for the annexation of Baja. Under new management that place could be a 2nd California. Although the coastline is longer it would shorten the border.

The Canadian move would increase the number of Americans and decrease the number of "eh" speakers.

When you are going world conquest, no half measures! Siberia is next. Undo Seward's folly. He should have bought Siberia too.

(04-05-2017 12:09 PM)Stugray2 Wrote:  Well, I always thought Canada was a fake country. Or three countries. 1) French (most of Quebec), who are the real Canada, 2) anti-Americans who have been carrying a grudge since 1782 (Ontario or remnants of Britain and the Hudson Bay company), 3) confused Americans who are on the wrong side of the border (the rest of Canada).

The Natives up in the Northwest Territories, not really in my mind.

I remember rooting for Quebec Independence, and getting totally pissed at Newt Gingrich for saying NAFTA wasn't automatic for them, I thought Canada would fall apart and the US would get 8 more applicants for States (a political mix, Vancouver would be typical Pacific Coast leftist, the western provinces typical GOP and the small east coast provinces Maine/New Hampshire like toss ups). Ah, world conquest.

Bottom line who gives crap what Canadians think.

90% of Canadians live within 100 miles of the US border. It would be an easy annexation.