Don't Think It's as Cut and Dry as Last Name/First Name

Don't Think It's as Cut and Dry as Last Name/First Name
by dillon77 (2024-04-26 14:42:59)

In reply to: A question (about KK Bransford) and a request posted by veets

Communications was my business and for years I'd have an updated stylebook on my desk my typewriter, PC, tablet.

On first reference to a person, you'd spell out a whole name and on second reference just go with the last name. However, certain departments would deviate from that, most notably sports and entertainment; particularly if the player or entertainer had a catchy nickname.

And headline writers would use the nickname to catch your attention or -- in a practical bent -- use the nickname because it was shorter and fit the space for the headline. Hence, Earvin Johnson was Magic or Magic Man.
Oscar Robertson became The Big O and so forth.

In the case of McGraw's Bench, many of us use hybrid approaches. I'll list first and last names often initially, then switch over to first names because this group is familiar with all concerned and heck, we are a fan board. We like these players and write about them on a very frequent basis.

Sill, think about that nickname:

- Sonia Citron --- Citron --- Soni
- Hannah Hidalgo --- Hidalgo -- HH/Hannah
- Olivia Miles -- Miles -- 'Liv
- KK Bransford -- Bransford -- KK

Many of us have been parents/coaches/administrators of female athletes.
Way back in the day when my sister was a kick-ass forward did I see lousy refs, but not when I because a coach and also ran a huge soccer club (in charge of the women's side). BTW, I respected my girls and they became young women, but I very much referred to them by first name or nickname.
When I coached a guys hoops team, same thing.

So, I think most of what you see is familiarity, more than anything else.
I also post on UConn's Boneyard and refer to ND players mostly by last name because that audience don't know the nicknames and/or the first-name references would be out of line. Know the audience...

Continuing on the familiarity track, go the UConn-themed threads and I don't think you'll see the name "Bueckers" or "Fudd" ever typed. "Paige" or "Azzi" is the reference.

I understand and agree to a point...

Basketball teams have small rosters, so you don't get as many players with the same first names as, say, the football team. I also get that we're fans and familiar with the players, so first names should be known and referring to players by their first names shouldn't be confusing.

But...

Look at the linked post from The Pit. Four last names of ND players listed. All are known to the people who frequent the board...but men tend to be called by last names. Women tend to be called by first names. I know many women who find it belittling. (Same with a co-worker who calls his women peers "girls").

Women posters on ND Nation have dropped out over the last several years due to the way men have referred to women (and I'm guilty, but doing better). I don't know all of the posters on McGraw's Bench, but it seems to be 100% men. Do we think that there are no ND Women Basketball fans who are, you know, women? Why are there no women posters?

Click here for link at https://ndnation.com/boards/showpost.php?b=thepit;pid=387528

Interesting point. I didn’t give it any thought but it would

have seemed odd to me to say ‘Logan, Keba, Braeden, Matt made ACC All Academic Team.’ Had it been women I would have said ‘Maddy, Hannah, Sonia, Anna.’ Point taken. I never gave it any thought, to be honest.

Sure it is. Anything else just complicates or confuses some

If it didn't, you wouldn't see posts like the OP's pop up from time to time.

Not sure I've ever seen anybody complain about calling someone by their given name...unless it was somebody calling Tiger, Eldrick.

I understand your point about no one complaining about

calling someone by their given name, but I can come up with another pretty simple counterpoint: I would be disappointed if someone called a former Irish coach Ann.