Yukon?

[Mick Fan]

I know there are more pressing problems in the world, but --

Why are the Universities of Connecticut and Massacusetts referred to as UCONN and UMASS? Was Yukon Cornelius the first president of Connecticut?

Why aren't the Universities of Tennessee and California called UTENN and UCAL?

[Dr T Non-Fan]

Worse, all those Big12 teams that can't even spell their initials correctly: OU, NU, CU, KU.

[Han Solo]

How about UGA? Isn't that the mascot's name?

[Troy McClure]

On 2002-03-12 15:27, Mick Fan wrote:
I know there are more pressing problems in the world, but --

Possibly the greatest understatement ever!

[Drewby]

And what about all those big nasty football teams that would go beat-up on that poor couple?...What were their names...Oh yeah, William and Mary! They did score some points as I recall, maybe even won a game or two!

<font size=-1>[ This Message was edited by: Drewby on 2002-03-12 22:02 ]</font>

[Actuary321]

Most of you probably know that BYU is Brigham Young University, but there was another Mormon pioneer that they could have named the university after, but thankfully they didn't. His name was Orson Pratt. BYU is a bit better.

[Elessar]

Well, I don't know the answer to why we call UConn and UMass as we do, but as a graduate of UConn )

[Mick Fan]

Thanks for the responses! I didn't know about the accent thing, Studly. When Conn and Mass played one year, didn't Mass Mutual sponsor the game for TV and call it the "Mass Mutual UGame"?

As for the other initials, the college located in Findlay, Ohio used to be called "Findlay College." When they became accredited as a University, they changed their name to the "University of Findlay" to avoid any giggling for their initials.

[switched]

There's a Quaker college in Wichita called "Friends University". I heard that, up until about 1900, it was called the "Friends University of Central Kansas".

[Actuary321]

My daughter went to the Women's NCAA basketball tourney games at the University of Utah last year and came home wholly offended because some of the fans kept yelling Go FU. They were from Fairfield University. She hadn't figured that part out.