Why do we get referred to as "Ames" all the time?

[Freebird]

I've noticed that both local and national media often refer to ISU simply as "Ames."
I can't think of another school off the top of my head that is referred to by the city they are in. Maybe South Bend, but not often and not in the same way.

So why do I hear or read things like "so and so lost to "Ames" last night" so often? I've heard Murph do it. I've seen it on Twitter.....

Just a nickname we picked up somewhere? Maybe historical reasons? It just seems strange.

 

[chuckd4735]

Ive never heard anyone say so and so lost to Ames last night. I have heard so and so lost IN Ames last night.

 

[3TrueFans]

Nope, never heard that.

 

[zwclones51]

Wait what?

 

[DeereClone]

They always do this.

Seems like a few popular ones I have noticed are: Blacksburg (VT), Eugene (Oregon), Lincoln (Neb), Morgantown (WVU), Tuscaloosa (Bama), Chapel Hill/Tobacco Road) (UNC), South Bend (ND)

I kind of like it, not sure why, but I do.

EDIT: By always do this, I mean they just refer to the town the college is in, I don't think I have actually heard them refer to the school by the town it is in.

 

[bostrem00]

Just a shot in the dark, pretty farfetched.....Maybe it's because Iowa State is located within the city limits of Ames?

 

[tejasclone]

If people do say that, most likely it's meant pejoratively. "lol, did you see Okie State lost to AMES last night? lmfao."

 

[bgprest]

Just a shot in the dark, pretty farfetched.....Maybe it's because Iowa State is located within the city limits of Ames?

You just might be on to something there!...

 

[geburgess]

It's because we Ames to please.

 

[MeanDean]

There is historical precidence.

Way back when ISC was often refered to as "Ames".

I mostly hear very very old people do it.

I have a book, published in 1923, containing songs/music from and about Iowa State College. Many of the songs sing of "dear old Ames" refering to the school and not the town. The front cover has a drawing/illustration of a choral group of 4 with the letters "A" "M" "E" "S" on their sweaters, one letter per person.

By the way, it bugs me too.

 

[theshadow]

I've noticed that both local and national media often refer to ISU simply as "Ames."

I'm impressed that you have the technology to post on CF while living in 1928.

 

[JUKEBOX]

They always do this.

Seems like a few popular ones I have noticed are: Blacksburg (VT), Eugene (Oregon), Lincoln (Neb), Morgantown (WVU), Tuscaloosa (Bama), Chapel Hill/Tobacco Road) (UNC), South Bend (ND)

I kind of like it, not sure why, but I do.

EDIT: By always do this, I mean they just refer to the town the college is in, I don't think I have actually heard them refer to the school by the town it is in.

Ames
Blacksburg
Eugene
Gainseville
Lincoln
Manhattan
Morgantown
Tallahassee
Tuscaloosa
Chapel Hill
South Bend
Norman
Stillwater

These seem like the most used...

 

[Freebird]

There is historical precidence.

Way back when ISC was often refered to as "Ames".

I mostly hear very very old people do it.

I have a book, published in 1923, containing songs/music from and about Iowa State College. Many of the songs sing of "dear old Ames" refering to the school and not the town. The front cover has a drawing/illustration of a choral group of 4 with the letters "A" "M" "E" "S" on their sweaters, one letter per person.

By the way, it bugs me too.

Thank you. That makes sense.

 

[CycloneNorth]

Ames
Blacksburg
Eugene
Gainseville
Lincoln
Manhattan
Morgantown
Tallahassee
Tuscaloosa
Chapel Hill
South Bend
Norman
Stillwater

These seem like the most used...

That's not bad company to be in.

 

[CloneCone21]

A lot of the colleges you mentioned (UNC-Chapel Hill for example) are referred to by the city because there are a lot of schools in that state's college system. UT-Knoxville in Tennessee, UT-Austin in Texas, UL- Monroe, UC- Berkeley, etc. I've never heard anyone call us just "Ames" though.

 

[cyhiphopp]

Like other, I hear "in Ames" a lot, but not just "Ames".

I think it has a lot to do with Ames being built around Iowa State. There's a lot of other things in Iowa City besides EIU, but Ames is a pure college town.

I like it because a lot of fringe sports fans probably have no clue what city ISU is in. Also, when we beat Oky State, it wasn't just exageration to say that all of Ames was rocking!

 

[GoCubsGo]

I think this comes from states that have one university system with different campuses, such as Wisconsin, e.g. UW-Madison, UW-Milwaukee, etc. I have a buddy whose girlfriend went to Nebraska. She always refers to it as "Lincoln," which I'm guessing it is to distinguish it from UN-Omaha. But when she first started talking about it, I thought she meant she went to Des Moines Lincoln high school. She refers to ISU as "Ames."

 

[cyclonedave25]

In my 26 years of existence, I have never heard anybody refer to ISU as Ames. I have heard people say "they lost in Ames" but never "they lost to Ames."

 

[MeanDean]

Thank you. That makes sense.

You're very welcome.

See, sometimes old people CAN be useful.

 

[JUKEBOX]

I think Ames is said a lot because it's easy to pronounce, and I'm sure broadcasters love that.