Fighting the good fight...

[Big D]

I don't know why, but this morning, when I read the Trib article on the UIC/Detroit game, I was particularly annoyed at the use of "Illinois-Chicago" instead of "UIC"....maybe because in the very same article, the author used UDM's preferred name ("Detroit") without ever referring to it as "Detroit-Mercy".

I decided to email the author, and here's the exchange we had. Let's just say that based on the nonsense this guy wrote back to me (and I still have no idea what point he's trying to make), we won't be getting our abbreviation in the paper anytime soon.

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While all UIC fans fully appreciate you taking the time to write a story about our school, we ask that you please follow the requests of the UIC athletic department and the Horizon League and refer to the school in acceptable fashion: as "UIC".

UIC is not to be referred to as Illinois-Chicago, Ill-Chi, Ill. (Chi), UI-Chicago, etc. That dash in the name is seen as a negative among college hoops media and fans. Hence, the reason for "UIC". People don't call UCLA "California-Los Angeles", people don't call Illinois "Urbana-Champaign", and people don't call Charlotte "UNC-Charlotte". The list goes on and on.

See page 8 at grfx.cstv.com/photos/schools/hori/genrel/auto_pdf/07_brand_id_guide.pdf

I also found it amusing that you couldn't respect the wishes of a school in your own town, yet you respected Detroit's wishes of being called Detroit, despite their name being Detroit-Mercy. Why didn't you use the dash there?

Please spread the word at the Tribune. UIC is UIC....and that's it.

Thanks.

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Your logic actually would seem to be that your school be called 'Chicago', which unfortunately is already pretty much taken. California schools, if I'm not mistaken, are referred to as UC-Davis, UC-Santa Barbara, etc on first references. Actually, UCLA-Los Angeles would be a bit redundant. I have not used or even seen Ill-Chi, Ill. (Chi), or UI-Chicago so you may have the Tribune and me confused with some other outlet. In any case, thanks for the note.

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I don't understand your email. The pdf I sent you is a media guide saying that the only acceptable reference for UIC is "UIC". "Illinois-Chicago", which is what you used in your article, is the most commonly used inappropriate reference. I did not get you confused with another media outlet. Though you didn't use Ill-Chi or Ill. (Chi), for instance, ESPN often does. My point is that everything but "UIC", including "Illinois-Chicago", is incorrect.

If you're going to refer to UIC as "Illinois-Chicago", then you should also refer to Detroit as "Detroit-Mercy", UCLA as "California-Los Angeles" (since they are University of California-Los Angeles), and Illinois as "Illinois-Urbana-Champaign".

I don't really see how my logic leads to UIC being called Chicago. It should simply be called what it wants to be called. You can't use "Illinois-Chicago" without using the others I listed above. Just in your article alone, you used Detroit's accepted name instead of their unacceptable equivalent of "Illinois-Chicago", i.e., "Detroit-Mercy".

Thanks.

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It is not practicable to use everyone's preferred full title or name, for a variety of reasons - space and clarity, for example. If there were another 'Detroit' with which Mercy could be confused, likely it would be 'Mercy' in common usage. The Angels may wish now to be called something like the Los Angeles Angels at Anaheim, not the the 'Los Angeles Angels' as they are; the White Sox may now prefer to be called 'The 2005 World Champion Chicago White Sox' - in their own publications, they certainly can be. Thanks for the note.

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Can anyone explain his response? Anyone? Were my emails that unclear?

[uic53]

Interms of this guys argument, he would actually save space if he used UIC, as requested, instead of Illinois-Chicago! He is a total douche bag!

The funny thing about it is that Pankow actually works for the Trib! The Sun Times actually gets it right more than the Trib does.

[flyin30]

Amazing that this guy survived the Trib's budget cuts...

[axaguy]

I'm cancelling my subscription to the Trib. What a moron!!!!!!!!! None of his defensive arguments for failing to refer to an institution by it's correct name make any sense at all. No way I'm paying to read his rubish anymore!!!!!!!!!!! I guess his editors don't give a s@#! either!! I think I'm going to start referring to their paper as "the other paper in town!!!!!!!!!" See how they like it!!!!!!!!!!

[The Tribune Blows]

I have always found it interesting that you NEVER hear the term "Illinois-Chicago" on TV, even by the sports reporters, nor by the Tribune editorial department, nor by regular reporters at any of the major newspapers anywhere.

On an unrelated note, if anyone wants to chime in about UIC in general, or the College of Engineering in particular, a couple of prospective students would like to hear from you:

www.city-data.com/forum/chicago/560118-what-university-illinois-chicago-like.html

[FuryJP]

Big D,

The writer has NO argument here. In fact, you're right, in his own town he should respect the wishes of the teams he's writing about...at least. I don't understand why he can't just say "OK I will keep that in mind. Thank you for reading my article."

I don't even bother with the Tribune, though. The only good thing they have going for them, as far as our generation goes....is the Red Eye.

[axaguy]

We are our own worst enemy.... As much as I dislike John Mullin's (Trib) reference to Illinois-Chicago instead of UIC, (actually both references were used) as well as his stupid defense on the issue, we, too, are to blame. I recently visited the school bookstore on campus and found a couple of items still sporting " Illinois-Chicago" somewhere on it.

[UICJohn]

Watching the Northwestern / UIUC game on ESPN 2 and they were talking about how it's a big game for Northwestern with other Chicagoland teams struggling. I believe it was Stephen Bardo talking when he mentioned DePaul and, believe it or not, UIC. No Illinois - Chicago or anything like that, but UIC. Just was glad to hear.

[circle70]

Feb 12, 2009 20:55:47 GMT -6 UICJohn said:

Watching the Northwestern / UIUC game on ESPN 2 and they were talking about how it's a big game for Northwestern with other Chicagoland teams struggling. I believe it was Stephen Bardo talking when he mentioned DePaul and, believe it or not, UIC. No Illinois - Chicago or anything like that, but UIC. Just was glad to hear.

Speaking of that game, NU blew a 14 point lead with 5 + minutes left in the game (6 point lead with one minute left) because they couldn't get the ball over the timeline when UI pressed. They had several turnovers and burned 3 timeouts in an effort to hold on.

Point of the story: nice to see we're not the only Chicagoland team that pisses away a double-digit lead late in the game because we can't handle pressure.

[Bad Santa]

I have noticed on the ESPN Crawl when they show results that "UIC" has been used over the past week or two, instead of "ILL-CHI." Sadly, it may take time, like it took time people to stop referring to UIC as "Circle Campus," which happens, albeit rarely.

[UICJohn]

Well, it will take time, that's for sure. However, it will also take teams to succeed before they use UIC also. People at those publications think nobody will know who UIC is and has to use the more proper name. If you check out a majority of college sites and message boards, you would see that UIC is used a lot more than Illinois - Chicago.

[Big D]

I emailed John Mullin again about his latest article in which he again used "Illinois-Chicago" but then referred to SIU as "Southern Illinois".

I brought up the issue of clarity and space, which he cited as being the reason for using what he uses.

I told him that you could save more space if you write just UIC, and it's just as clear.

I also questioned why he used "Southern Illinois" when it's not clear whether he's referring to SIU-Carbondale or SIU-Edwardsville, two D1 programs.

He wrote back and told me he's tried to explain to me and that I simply can't understand. This guy has to be one of the dumbest reporters at the Trib.

[axaguy]

UICJohn you are right. We are a young university compared to many other "acronym u's" who people more easily recognize because of their familiarity and national exposure, over time. At least we are not referred to as "The Circle" or "Circle Campus" anymore, worse yet, "The Pier!!"
As I posted earlier, there is clothing, today, in the bookstore with Illinois-Chicago on it. The university's web site has UIC prominently on it but also has "University of Illinois at Chicago" on the same opening page on the very top. It is our proper name...
As you mentioned, time and exposure will help with the issue..........

[John Mullin sucks]

John Mullin is a piece of crap! His arguments suck and I don't like his high and mighty tone. He's lucky anyone even reads his articles. Soon he will be joining the other 8.1% in the unemployment line! Maybe he can get a job at Ill-Chicago! Piece of s@#t!

[uic53]

Everybodies favorite reporter John Mullins seems to rub a little salt in UIC's wounds today. How did he do it? He decided to write an article about Butler!

www.chicagotribune.com/sports/chi-09-butlermar09,0,2538588.story