Underdog Dynasty - Texas State

[BobcatDis]

I wanted to share this piece by Will Butler.  It's in regards to the performance pains of Texas State's Athletic department and how they routinely fail on building the brand.

Here is the link:

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

 

 

 

[Peppermint Patty]

Awesome. Thanks for sharing. IMO, TX State aka SWT,  lost its identity the moment the regents elected to change the schools name. 

[BobcatDis]

Thought this quote was spot on:

"An entire generation of SWT alumni from the mid 1980's to 2003 are still mostly scattered to the wind, and their bitterness over the shoving aside of the SWT name played a role in their estrangement. The continued lack of respect paid to what they perceive as "their" alma mater certainly won't galvanize them to shed their burnt orange gear and head back to San Marcos."

 

GCM, I respect your opinion and understand some of what you just shared about the school losing its identity.  Can you please answer this question?  Can you describe what exactly is the "lost identity"?  Beyond the obvious SWT disconnect, what other negative results has the name change caused?

Edited July 7, 2015 by Bill Brasky

[BobcatDis]

This is the hidden content, please

• Sign In
• or
• Sign Up

Here is the latest edition to the series.  The writer discusses gaining market share in both the Austin and San Antonio markets. 

[Peppermint Patty]

Thought this quote was spot on:

"An entire generation of SWT alumni from the mid 1980's to 2003 are still mostly scattered to the wind, and their bitterness over the shoving aside of the SWT name played a role in their estrangement. The continued lack of respect paid to what they perceive as "their" alma mater certainly won't galvanize them to shed their burnt orange gear and head back to San Marcos."

 

GCM, I respect your opinion and understand some of what you just shared about the school losing its identity.  Can you please answer this question?  Can you describe what exactly is the "lost identity"?  Beyond the obvious SWT disconnect, what other negative results has the name change caused?

Basically my school no longer exists. My claas ring says SWT. I undestand progression and that things change. The campus is bigger, the buildings are beter, and there are 10K more students. But when I go to San Marcos, my school is gone.

[BobcatDis]

Those are personal comments you are making, that's not a school identity.  You said the school's identity was loss and you can't even give me a description of that.  And since you can't I will give you some examples.  You see it described by posters all the time on this forum.  The identity that is loss or that is disappearing is the "Party School" Identity; that's the reoccurring theme SWT has left behind.  What is also disappearing is the perception that the vast majority of students are there because they couldn't get in elsewhere.  The identity that alumni and students wear burnt orange and support UT is disappearing; in fact you will not see one student repping any other collegiate gear besides SWT or TXST.  The identity that noone attends athletic events and that there is no tradition, is disappearing too.  The FACT is that the identity wasn't really all that great compare to the identity that is occurring now.  The name change is not about the campus being bigger, buildings getting better, and more students enrolling.  The name change erased the directional school title.  It made the academic departments relevant and attracted better educators, plus better students.  It also increased the educational funding, corporate research money, and has made the school nationally relevant in academics.

SWT history very much exists, it still has alot of the same buildings, the same square, the same hill country beauty, same river, and same easy going spirit.  It still has the famous Strutters, the same National Championships, same Conference Championships, the same colors, same fight song, and same mascot.  It's the same school that honors SWT Alumni of years past every year whether it be for sports, business, service, or academic successes achieve outside of San Marcos.

Sorry for the long soapbox speech, there should be no doubt that I'm a supporter of both SWT and TXST; hell I attended both and when I go to San Marcos I see one school and one school only...MY Alma Mater

[Peppermint Patty]

Those are personal comments you are making, that's not a school identity.  You said the school's identity was loss and you can't even give me a description of that.  And since you can't I will give you some examples.  You see it described by posters all the time on this forum.  The identity that is loss or that is disappearing is the "Party School" Identity; that's the reoccurring theme SWT has left behind.  What is also disappearing is the perception that the vast majority of students are there because they couldn't get in elsewhere.  The identity that alumni and students wear burnt orange and support UT is disappearing; in fact you will not see one student repping any other collegiate gear besides SWT or TXST.  The identity that noone attends athletic events and that there is no tradition, is disappearing too.  The FACT is that the identity wasn't really all that great compare to the identity that is occurring now.  The name change is not about the campus being bigger, buildings getting better, and more students enrolling.  The name change erased the directional school title.  It made the academic departments relevant and attracted better educators, plus better students.  It also increased the educational funding, corporate research money, and has made the school nationally relevant in academics.

SWT history very much exists, it still has alot of the same buildings, the same square, the same hill country beauty, same river, and same easy going spirit.  It still has the famous Strutters, the same National Championships, same Conference Championships, the same colors, same fight song, and same mascot.  It's the same school that honors SWT Alumni of years past every year whether it be for sports, business, service, or academic successes achieve outside of San Marcos.

Sorry for the long soapbox speech, there should be no doubt that I'm a supporter of both SWT and TXST; hell I attended both and when I go to San Marcos I see one school and one school only...MY Alma Mater

Well I attended SWT and it's gone. There's nothing left. It was too "directional". BS! 

 Do they not "party" at TX State? I have a feeling  that's not true. That's the first hurdle in every conversation I have about MY Alma mater- oh, the party school. Like my education is somehow diminished. They did not give out degrees with every beer purchase. 

 I support the school financially. My wife and I are proud to be Bobcats.  It's just not the same.

 

 

 

 

[BobcatDis]

The conversation you describe doesn't take place as often as it used to for me.  I'm sorry that after well over a decade you still hold resentment towards the new name and choose to knock it openly.  For me as a SWT and TXST alum, I choose to support, honor, and show respect to both the past and present.  I think as a model alumni its the right thing to do, especially in the public eye.  We represent the school past or present just as much as it represents us.

 

[Peppermint Patty]

The conversation you describe doesn't take place as often as it used to for me.  I'm sorry that after well over a decade you still hold resentment towards the new name and choose to knock it openly.  For me as a SWT and TXST alum, I choose to support, honor, and show respect to both the past and present.  I think as a model alumni its the right thing to do, especially in the public eye.  We represent the school past or present just as much as it represents us.

 

I'm not mocking it. I voted "no" when it was proposed and I still believe the change was not necessary.  

I have the "Party School" conversation with every student that sees my SWT posters in my classroom. It's usually the one thing they have heard about San Marcos.  

It's a great school with a lot of distractions- Sewell Park, Austin, San Antonio, New Braunfels,  etc...

It's  also a great learning institution.