Hello? Is this thing on??
Well in case this account still works...
BREAKING: USF will kill the new logo on Monday. The @USFAthletics “U” logo will be used university-wide. The Zimmerman Agency headed by USF BoT member Jordan Zimmerman will be active in the transition.
— Collin Sherwin (@CollinSherwin) May 3, 2019
Kind of lame that I don’t have much to add here factually to what’s above, but those of you that remember my rantings around here will be stunned that I have thoughts.
100% true. And it wasn't just Charlie: a lot of current and former @USFAthletics people that did everything within their power to throw themselves in front of this bus.
— Collin Sherwin (@CollinSherwin) May 3, 2019
They'll never get credited by name, but they should be commended for this. They did right by the school. https://t.co/9SX8rBUOPU
There were a lot of people at USF, Mark Harlan included, that went crazy and basically played in traffic and threatened to set fires to make sure that Merrill Lynch Lookin’ Ass logo never got close to anything Athletics-related. They fought with everything they had. And now, ironically, the awesome logo they’ve had for over 15 years that is mostly identified with the school will be used across the campus.
A lot of them are just ordinary folks just doing their jobs in the Selmon Center every day. But they locked arms on this and went to war for what they knew was right. Bringing attention to them by name would actually make things worse for them in their jobs, and that sucks because they deserve such plaudits for fighting so hard on this. They are unsung heroes, and if you know one or see one, say thank you and buy them a beer. They saved the school so much more heartache.
The “Iconic U” is maybe the best thing Athletics has done administratively this century. The guy behind it originally was Tom Veit, a USF alum that was working out of the same trailer as me on a patch of grass east of the Sun Dome when he put it together. It is his lasting contribution to the university, and he can’t be thanked enough for it. From the day it was released, the logo has been tremendous and a total home run.
Tom worked for the Alliance of American Football until a few weeks ago. I’m sure he’s close to finding another job because his resume is longer than a Tolstoy novel, but if anyone ever needs someone for a branding like this, you could do a lot worse than Tom.
And now that logo will brand the entire university, as it should have in the first place. This rebranding was a huge waste of money and time... but it worked out in the end because of those that care about the school.
This only happened because of the passion of the alumni, students, and friends of USF. Because of people like Matt Morrison calling bullshit on their alma mater, a school he loves as much as human walking this planet, when bullshit absolutely needed to be called. There’s a lot of talk about apathy amongst the USF community, especially with attendance down at certain events at a more academically-challenging campus, but without the visible passion some seek.
But check any social media post with the MLLA logo, and tell me there aren’t hundreds of thousands of people that don’t bleed green and gold across the world. See the turnout at events like the Block Party or the USF Gala, and tell me people don’t care so deeply about this school. And see the passion this screw-up foisted upon Fowler Avenue, and tell me that this university isn’t ready to compete with any on earth.
It is that passion which forced this change. It is the masses rising up against and saying “no, this isn’t good enough, do better” and making the school rise to their standards. And it is those people that love their alma mater beyond deeply... but aren’t willing to be served dogshit and be told it’s diamonds.
We are USF graduates. We love our school, but we are taught to think independently. And we expect nothing but world-class both in the classroom and as our brand.
You did good, my fellow Bulls. And the reason the branding will change is the same reason this university is ready to rise higher than it ever has. Because of you.
“Iconic U.”