Photo courtesy: Jon Fuller, Twitter, UB

One could describe UB Athletic Director Danny White as… ambitious?  Driven?  Full of Ideas?

I agree with all of them and ever since taking over at UB, White has made a number radical moves all in an effort to rise the stature and name of UB athletics.  However, he may not be a part of “UB” athletics for much longer.

White’s latest move has me thinking of just one word.  Really?

White and the University have begun a rebranding process to change from The University at to a name centered around the State of New York.  Ideally, the name thrown around has been speculated as The New York University at Buffalo or the “New York Bulls,” with the emphasis being put on New York.

Really?  It just doesn’t have any ring to it.  There’s no flavor.

This is not New York University.  The key word in the name of the University is Buffalo.  If you take that out, you take the heart out of the school.

Call me corny.  Call me unwilling to accept change, but this is not Ohio State.  This is not Florida State.  This is the University at Buffalo and it should stay that way.

I can’t picture the Alumni Arena floor without the blue UB logo in the middle.  I can’t picture the side of a football helmet without the UB logo and instead an outline of the State of New York.

A point was made on a UB message board that by inserting the New York title, there is no way to emphasize New York without deemphasizing Buffalo.

But I’m also not blind to the world of college athletics.  Changing from Buffalo to New York will bring about a number of changes including a higher influence on recruits, a stronger and more well known reputation, and not to mention an increase in revenue – Something that is never opposed.

Maybe I’m selfish.  Out of all teams in from college to professional, I find myself pulling for the Bulls far more than any other.  There’s something about the culture that was instilled when I first began noticing them.

Turner Gill came to Buffalo and took a football program that was six feet under and brought them to the top of the MAC in just three years.

Reggie Witherspoon was just “the local guy” who was given a shot to coach basketball and after 14 seasons, became one of the most successful coaches in program history, winning 198 games (T2) including four 20-win seasons and four postseason appearances, highlighted by a 2005 NIT berth.

Warde Manuel guided the Bulls from the bottom up when he held the Athletic Director title from 2005 – 2012.  He was then able to leave the program in good hands and take his rightfully earned step to the University of Connecticut.

Even now, the Bulls baseball team finished a tremendous season after no one gave them a shot before the season started.  They finished 33-24 (19-7 MAC) and second in the regular season conference standings.

It’s hard not to root for these teams.  They’re always underdogs and they always battle and prove someone wrong.  It’s a program with high-character individuals and that continues with White at the top.

So regardless of the name of the University, the mindset and culture will never leave and it will always be… UB.