Had the pleasure of sitting in the O Zone as a sib vs NIU. First game I've made it to this year. I spoke with some current O Zoners and also briefly logged into BA chat. I was told some interesting stories...

Historically, the O Zone has published the "Bobcat Bulletin" which is an informational pamplet that utilizes social media and (in Akron and Kent's case) the police blotter to better understand the mindset of opposing visitors to the Convo. In the past, this has provided talking points during the game...

As the story goes, at some point (last year?) a MAC rival had a player particularly offended by O Zone comments... His mother was even more offended. In my professional opinion, I would have characterized it as a rather bland remark. This mother made a telephone call to the administration and ruffled some feathers. O Zone leadership was encouraged it was in their best interest to discontinue publication of the Bobcat Bulletin. I completely understand tne tough position these guys were put in... As a college kid losing your season tickets is a pretty big deal...

I found that the O Zone was pretty much the same typical group of 18 to 22 year olds (ish) you would expect... Provided with proper information, I'm sure they could do big things. Fortunately, I'm not too concerned with what the administration thinks of me. I don't see the harm in providing current Ohio University students with public information. Kids these days all seem to have smartphones... Seems like it wouldn't be too difficult for the O Zone to go paperless with the Bobcat Bulletin...

I thought I saw you down there.

I won't call them the O Zone because I counted maybe six O Zone shirts, but the group of students that were there were fine yesterday.

I'd be curious to know what was offensive from last year. Your report from the guys you spoke with is congruent with some conversations I've had with recent O Zone members: that administration is getting in the way of them being a truly disruptive force. That's really too bad.

So the Ozone has been transformed into the safe zone. Sounds like a great story for an investigative reporter from The Post.

Let's not beat around the bush, putting the O Zone under athletics marketing/promotions has proven to be a horrendous decision.

Why post this here? Tell McDavis or Schaus.

This story of the O Zone being "censored" is laughable. The O Zone still makes the bulletins...I've seen them most every game this year. And having actual conversations with those in the AD offices (Drake Bolon, Tricia Perry, Schaus, etc), they love students being loud and creative. In fact, they want students to take more ownership of the O Zone...but it sounds like there's just not much leadership in the current crop.

Sometimes the wild conjecture on here gets pretty funny when you actually know some of the backstory.

To me, it just comes down to no one (or ones) willing to step up from the student body to help lead the O Zone. There's some passionate students down there but they keep to themselves largely.

The OZone was created under marketing/Promotions, so not sure where you get this

I don't anymore than I like the new Budweiser campaign. What I was talking about was interference in first amendment rights by the ad. Go back and read the optimist's original post in this thread.