Great work, Charlotte 49ers

    Charlotte 49ers, I salute you. You have been criticized by almost every constituency in the state for daring to start a football program. And now it's offiical; you have it.

Detractors constantly claim that the economy is terrible, so why would you invest in football now? But when was the economy football friendly? The expenditure was always going to be criticized.

    Football is a way to introduce Charlotte, a town that often considers you peripheral, to what you have. If there's a more effective way to advertise, tell me what it is. If there's a more effective way to give graduates a reason to return to campus, what is it?

    Much of the criticism supersedes the economy and the cost of football. Eliticism is at work here. The established schools in the N.C. system get to have football. Charlotte ought to be content with volleyball, perhaps.

    Detractors want you to know your role.

    By standing up to them, 49ers, you have shown that you do.

   Congratulations.

Comments

[Stanton]

You've been supportive since day 1 Tom. It's too bad some of your coworkers at the O continue to be proxies for certain schools to the east. That last paragraph has a lot more substance than most realize or want to admit. Just wait till we try to get this city a real medical school, then you'll see the anti-Charlotte bias in the east of this state on full display.

Great day to be a 49er!

[Brandon]

Well put, Tom!!

[Gill]

You are the man. Thank you for your support Tom!

[Freedom Huggins]

thank you Tom

[Sportsdon]

Well speaking for a fan of the redheaded stepchild of NC, the ECU Pirates. I say full speed ahead UNCC, we will put you on our schedule unlike the other schools that will be "too good" for the likes of you. Actually they will schedule unless you win a few then it will literally take an act of congress to make them play you again.

Nothing tops a football Saturday for a college. Welcome to the club 49ers.

[Kenneth]

When is Tom going to be Sports Editor over that damn Mike PP?

[Chip]

Tom, I assume you attended a school other tha UNC-Chapel Hill. Great writeup.

[tom makes mistakes sometimes]

You left off the most important part.

UNC-Charlotte 49ers.

[Bill]

You are the man Tom! Go Niners!!!

[justsayin]

@tom makes mistakes sometimes: UNC Charlotte Athletics are branded as the Charlotte 49ers, and UNC Charlotte hasn't been hyphenated since the early 70's. Tom nailed it.

[Ben Hemingway]

Here here! *toast* Well put Mr. Sorensen.

As a student I voted for football, and I'm coming back to get my master's. My last semester will be our first of football!!!

[Michael Schubert]

Thanks Tom...I agree, you have been supportive of the Charlotte 49ers since the beginning when everyone in the state was not on board. Even one of your co-workers at the O wrote a column against it. Tom, thanks for being a Niner like the rest of us. Sportdon, I look forward to the day when Charlotte and ECU will be admitted to the Big East Conference. Go Pirates!!

[Thomas]

Thanks Tom

[Huge Niner Fan]

This is a dream come true for all of us Charlotte fans. As for as our athletic name, you got it (when everyone else seems to be clueless). We will become relevant soon enough. We also need to drop the UNC from the university itself. We need our own identity! We are CHARLOTTE! Tom, you rock.

[Steve]

Many thanks Tom. Nice article.
Cheers to the NEW Niners.

[tom makes mistakes sometimes]

Judy Rose came up with this classless nickname for the sports program and it has been despised by 90% of the alumni since. No other Division One school in America uses these gimmicks to belittle their school but this one.

UNCC 49er 2001

[Stanton]

Tom, perhaps you can convince some of those "worthies" at the O Editorial Staff that complained about us getting football to show their REAL committment to academics at UNC Charlotte and start writing some pro-University articles. Especially on the topic of a UNC Charlotte Medical School. They remain mostly silent when the school to the east tries to muscle its way into the Charlotte medical market.

[UofC9er]

Thanks for the lone voice of support from the Observer, Tom! So much for the local newspaper supporting the local team! The ONLY reason I've subscribed for 20+ years is to follow the small bit of coverage we do get. We are the CHARLOTTE 49ers... bring on football! By the way, what could be classless about naming a team for the city it's located in???

[Michael Schubert]

It may read UNC Charlotte...however, we all realize that it actually means The University of Charlotte!!

[Ryan]

"No other Division One school in America uses these gimmicks to belittle their school but this one."

Ummm, Chapel Hill branded themselves as North Carolina for sports.

Official name: University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill

Sports Name: North Carolina Tarheels.

Nice try though.

[Freedom Huggins]

Tom, I hope to see you at the first home kickoff! I'm proud to be a Niner! UNIVERSITY OF CHARLOTTE

[Bobby]

Ryan, really? The "they branded themselves as North Carolina" thing?

UNC Chapel Hill fielded a varsity baseball team in 1867, at the time the school was known as the University of North Carolina. The sports teams took this name as well, for obvious reasons.

In 1963 the state decided to make the university system coeducational, this meant rebranding the Women's College in Greensboro to something more fitting. The name UNC at Greensboro was selected, as a result the suffix "at Chapel Hill" was added to the flagship to avoid confusion. The athletics programs continued to carry the old name.

The rebranding was done to the academic institution, the athletic institution kept the old name. If you're going to insult them, insult something factual. Please.

Nice try though.

[KevinMc]

Go Niners, shout from NJ, Class of 89!!!!

[ken]

No one is insulting UNC-CH. Simply pointing out that calling athletics something other than the official school name is not unique to UNC Charlotte. Saying that 90% of alums hate the name or that it belittles the school is just not factual. Anyone is entitled to disagree with Judy's decision to go with "Charlotte", but to state that that opinion is shared by the majority (with no proof) is just wrong.

[Mac E.]

Well said Tom. Thanks for your support throughout this process.