Maryland wins the chess title?! Get it straight,...

Thu, 15 Apr 2010 10:00:06 -0400
athletics

Full Title: Maryland wins the chess title?! Get it straight, media, it’s UMBC!
A reader, The_Truth, sent in the following media smackdown about the distinction between UMBC and the other schools in the state system. Read it and then let us know your opinion!

As most of you probably know, UMBC chess team won the Final Four tournament, making all of us proud once again for our school. UMBC has been working really hard both in sports and academic fields, and this win will definitely help us to highlight our name throughout the nation once again. Or will it?

This week, several serious and reputable sources came out with headlines claiming that, in fact, it was Maryland that won the title! Obviously, they do not really understand that Maryland is a nickname which historically refers to University of Maryland, College Park and is never really used in reference to UMBC!

For example, here is NPR’s article (Maryland Emerges as Champion Of Final Four Chess Tournament):

Or the story on the front page of the United States Chess Federation (Final Four: Maryland beats Brownsville to retain title):

Even though they specify in the body of the article that they are, in fact, talking about University of Maryland Baltimore County, the damage is effectively done and many readers who do not bother to read the entire article are left to believe that UMD (a.k.a.-Maryland) won the chess title.

What’s your opinion on this subject? Is it UMBC’s destiny to forever get mixed up with UMCP? Should we fight it or embrace it?

P.S.: The subject is further examined in a recent Baltimore Sun article