Pants, Bulldogs don't need no stinkin' pants.
Not so much a logo story, but...
was in Alex yesterday, took one of our granddaughters to the Alex Zoo and then ran some errands. While at the Home Depot one of their employees notices my wife decked out in purple and orange, NSU Demons garbs, and me in red & blue, all TECH stuff! He says, "Wow! how do y'all deal with those differences at home?" I realize he was half joking. But, I just said, "It's okay. It's all the same." Moments later I encounter him again, this time with another employee, and he comments to that fellow, "This guy is for Tech and his wife for NSU, amazing." So, this time, I couldn't let it go. I say...
"And you think Tech and NSU are rivals, or something?" He looked puzzled, and replied sheepishly, "Well, yeah. Aren't they?"
"Are NSU and LSU rivals?" I ask. The guy smiles like I just said a good joke, "No, of course not."
"Well, Tech has left NSU behind...decades ago. The last State Fair game was in 1987 (I think, wasn't it??). That's 30 years ago." He then realizes I was none too happy with his assertion. So, he tries to salvage it by saying something to the effect, "Yeah, Tech is playing Division I football, that's right." And then he quickly bids me a "Have a good day." And moves on.
Point? This guy represents the mindset of many college football fans (which I'm sure is all he "knows" and cares about) in Louisiana. First, NSU also plays "Division I" football, but no way was I gonna try to explain that to him. Next, notice how it's LSU at one level, and every other school in the state, all lumped together, at a lower level. He thought it was ridiculously funny for me to have to ask if NSU and LSU are rivals. Yet, he thinks, even if only half jokingly, that the "rivalry" between Tech and NSU would/should cause marital issues...
This is why we need an AD who isn't from this swamp of mind-numb "Walmart college football" fans. No, this is not ALL in the hands of the AD, whoever it might be. But the AD is supposed to be the leader of athletics at a school. If your AD shares this mind-set that Tech is JUST another non-LSU school in the state then that will affect his performance. He will set his sights too low thinking well, if I can get Tech to that 18,000 foot base camp, that's good enough for little ole Tech.
Some of you might be thinking...right about now....so, some worker at Home Depot makes a comment, and Dawg80 makes the connection all the way to TMAC. Yep...that's how my mind works.
Any of you ever watch that show, "Connections" that used to be on the Discovery Channel, or maybe the Science Channel? It was one of the best shows ever. Obviously too cerebral for the average cable TV watcher. It only lasted a few seasons. The host would show how events in history, advances in science, were linked together. Well, to me, that worker at the Home Depot in Alex is symptomatic of the problem we face in lifting Tech Football, especially, and indeed the entire athletic department, to new heights.
Back to the logo, and marketing in general. We need a good, consistent marketing plan.
Many NSU folks don't have a problem with sporting LSU gear and calling the Tigers "their team". It's very similar to how you rationalize having no conflicts with your wife's support of NSU. The rub is when Tech people don't see a conflict with supporting their alma mater and LSU. Those 2 actually do compete for students and in the "money sports" (football, basketball). That's why I think it would be extremely valuable for Tech to beat LSU in football and/or basketball. It's not "just another game" against a P5. There is more at stake.
Have you considered those Dogs?
Unless I'm missing the point you were trying to make....
I don't see any similarities between my wife's support for NSU and the Walmart crowd's support for LSU. My wife went to NSU for her undergrad degree and was in the stands most Saturdays supporting Demon football. Later she returned and earned a Master's degree from NSU. For the past 30 years she has been employed at NSU. She has every right to support NSU, which she does. Rationalize her support???? I wouldn't dare do otherwise, anyway! Have to keep the peace on the home front, ya know.
I can explain the rationale of this being "just another game" but I can't understand it for you. But, let me try this...
Other than the obvious importance of the game, and the fact it's a rivalry, do Florida and Florida State, Auburn and Alabama, etc. view their matchup as more than just another game? Does Auburn say, hey! we need to beat Bama so football fans here, in the state of Alabama, will take us seriously? Of course not! They already view themselves as equals, on par. Well, when Tech fans give a game vs. LSU "our Super Bowl" status, you play straight into the hands of casual fans, like that guy at Home Depot, that see Tech as "just another state school." Why shouldn't they view us as such, when we view ourselves that way? Point is, will you ever see Auburn fans saying "Bama is our Super Bowl!" or UF fans proclaiming, "we have to beat FSU to be taken seriously in Florida." Ah...no!
No one else is going to simply convey onto us a status of equality with LSU. We have to see ourselves that way, and live it every day.
I'm glad your wife supports NSU, she should! My point is your remark that LaTech and NSU really don't compete anymore (because of Tech's progress) is true. The comparisons you're making b/t other state schools and Tech/LSU are not appropriate at this time. We need to establish ourselves as the 2nd strongest school in this state and beating LSU would go a long ways. It's not a super bowl. It's an opportunity. Maybe we aren't good enough to challenge them, but maybe we are.
More appropriate comparisons would be Marshall vs West Va, Houston vs Texas, Memphis vs Arkansas.
Have you considered those Dogs?
It's an opportunity, yeah. But, taken by itself, it's a fleeting one. There will be every excuse imaginable given if Tech beats LSU...oh wait, I just fell into the trap. It will NEVER be looked at as "Tech beat LSU." It'll only be viewed thru the prism of "LSU lost to in-state school, and how the hell did that happen!? Fire Ed O now!!!" Tech will not get any credit, even if we win the game on our own merits. It'll be because LSU was looking ahead to next week, or some such excuse as that.
This game is NOT for annual bragging rights....the exact reason I used the Auburn-Bama example. Tech will not be given credit or shown any measure of respect afterwards. And that is why it is, in 2018, just another road game at a good SEC team. A win in BR will have no less, and no more, impact than a win at Ole Miss, or Arkansas, or even at Auburn would have. It might get the attention of a couple HS players, who might then put Tech on their radar. It will be a quality win, that hopefully, the Dawgs can ride to a 10-win season or some such success. Other than that....nada, zilch! And such a win will lose whatever boost it'll give, if Tech doesn't follow it up with a great season.
We have two sets of Jags to get past too. No, Pawdawg, I am not saying we fans have to focus on those games or the team might lose 'em. I am saying everyone needs to focus on those games...or we might lose 'em, or one of 'em anyway. And then, that will greatly diminish any success in BR later.
I can see the headline now.....
“Bye week propels dawgs to victory over the lsu tigers”
Anyone who halfway knows our history understands that bye weeks and red out games are our cryptonite, meaning we would have overcome every hurdle to win. We would be the refs, the tiggers, and overcome our own deficiencies.
What could tech possibly accomplish this year that wouldn’t be seen as a fleeting thing that can be explained away? Even an access bowl appearance could be seen as a fluke. That’s a function of our spot in the pecking order. The only cure is winning “biggly” for 10 years or so.
If the question is what would be most impactful THIS year, it’s LSU. Access Bowl isn’t happening without beating either MSU or LSU.
The potential impact I'm thinking about relates to alumni and other football fans in this region who need permission to completely identify with LaTech and throw in their lot with us. We need bandwagon fans! For many, it's more of a social issue than anything else. If they sense more of a social payoff for supporting Tech, they will buy some blue at Academy and make the shorter drive on Saturdays.
That's true Boxer, it's mostly the social aspects casual fans are concerned about. They want to be accepted by "the crowd," and if "the crowd" is sporting purple and gold, then by God! so they must too. I have some neighbors who moved here from Florida about 15 years ago. I remember them flying Florida Gators and Tampa Bay Bucs flags. They were ostracized, not invited to neighborhood parties. Today, they are all LSU and Saints! They act as if they have been lifetime LSU and Saints fans, yeah baby!
We have made some progress in Ruston. The gameday experience is much improved from eons ago, and we do have a core of very loyal and very proud supporters. It's baby steps... But! winning, and I mean winning BIG, will jumpstart the movement. Tech needs something akin that others have achieved, like UCF last year!
I live in North Bossier and have noticed more people in this area conspicuously identifying with Louisiana Tech. Like you said, winning would do wonders. We don't have to go undefeated but beating a reputable P5 school this season would be nice.
Have you considered those Dogs?