Is It Too Much To Ask Science Hill To Refer To Themselves as “Science Hill?”
What’s with the basketball uniforms reading “Johnson City?”
Is anyone aware at Science Hill High School they are not the only high school in Johnson City?
This comes to mind when the Johnson City Press pictured the Hilltoppers in basketball uniforms reading “Johnson City” in the boys team’s season-ending loss to Sevier County this week.
One wonders what the folks at University High thought about that.
Granted, this is hardly the first time the Hilltoppers have been referred to as “Johnson City.” Opposing coaches often refer to Science Hill by this alternative identification, though perhaps not as much in recent years as in the past.
Dobyns-Bennett has historically worn basketball uniforms merely reading “Kingsport” as well, despite the fact Sullivan North is also located within the confines of the metropolis.
And unlike University High and Sullivan North both Science Hill and Dobyns-Bennett are run by their respective city’s school system.
No matter. Both are examples of arrogance. Nor are they the names of their respective schools.
Does Duquesne, whom Science Hill was involved in a trademark dispute with earlier this decade, stamp “Pittsburgh” across their basketball teams’ chests? Does Vanderbilt identify as “Nashville?” Does Marshall, “Huntington?”
Perhaps Science Hill feels they need the identity. It’s been nearly 60 years since the high school was, in fact, located on said hill. For all intents and purposes, the name of the school should be “Liberty Bell High.”
But that sounds like something serving the teenagers of Philadelphia.
The Hilltoppers’ identity crisis continues. So if the school asks to be referred to as “Johnson City,” then is it too much to ask for them to go by the name “Johnson City High” like Greeneville or Abingdon?
Perhaps, when Sullivan North becomes West View next year it will be more acceptable for Dobyns-Bennett to refer to themselves as “Kingsport.”
But in Johnson City, there’s still University.
What should the Junior Buccaneers do? Perhaps adopt the old Vanderbilt chant: “That’s all right. That’s okay. You’re gonna work for us one day?”
Marky Billson lives in Johnson City. And graduated from University High in 1989. And can be viewed weekdays 12–2 p.m. ET live or archived here.
