I don't use the term "Roll Bobbies" but I'm not going to let it bother me. I'm fall into "middle aged" now and I don't want to be one of those guys that yells "Get off my lawn" as I get older. Young people can speak, or dress, or listen to whatever music.... that they want. Just because things are different than what I grew up with doesn't make it wrong unless actual testable evidence shows that it is actually harmful.

On the other hand I don't only hate "Ohio U", you could say I totally abhor it or whatever strong adjective comes to mind. I think that its use is usually done in a disrespectful context and only happens because Ohio State sometimes calls themselves Ohio. If Indiana State had "Indiana" in some of its slogans I doubt that some in the media would insist on calling Indiana University "Indiana U." for clarification. If we are called Ohio U. or Ohio University in the context where other schools also have U. or University in their names then it doesn't bother me at all. But If I see Ohio U. on a score ticker or something then I cringe.

Agree 110 percent on the "Ohio U" thing. I also don't like "Roll Bobbies," but to a much lesser extent. I don't see "Roll Bobbies" as an age-related issue. I know some younger people that don't like it either. It just has a tacky ring to it. I don't like O$U doing a knock-off on us, and I feel the same way about us trying to do a knock-off on Alabama.

[For SBH/bobcatsquared: I have a first-cousin who lives in Tuscaloosa. She's a retired librarian from U of A. She and her husband, a retired U of A physic professor, are big Tide fans. You should hear them yell, "Roll Tide" with a Minnesota accent!]

I think our fanbase's obsession with the "Ohio U" thing is weird, little brother behavior and that the average Ohio State fan knows basically nothing about Ohio University, and certainly not enough to know that adding a "U" is somehow insulting to a small, particularly sensitive portion of fanbase.

And nothing but embarrassed Bobcat fans trying to hide their faces in disgust in the background.

I think it's the exact opposite. the only reason Ohio "U." existed was because previous administrations didn't take what was theirs. They accepted a nickname because they weren't strong enough to change things.

Like many threads on this site, I'm not sure how we got here... BUT... nothing bothers me. Because I'm an adult.



GO OHIO U ROLLING BOBBIES



*edit*

I thought of one...

When people say University of Ohio.

That's just awful.

I'm lost.

Maybe I'm just not familiar enough with the case -- what are the things the previous administrations "weren't strong enough to change?"

We are most commonly referred to as Ohio, Ohio University, OU, and Ohio U in that order. Ohio U appears basically nowhere in official university merchandise; "Ohio" appears everywhere. We own the trademark for Ohio, not Ohio U. Ohio State, meanwhile, basically never goes simply by Ohio.

What don't we have that you all want, exactly? Still not seeing why people are so upset about this.

Your posts are unreliable and intellectually dishonest. Posters here -- including myself -- have caught you in lies repeatedly. I'm gonna go ahead and hold out for a better historical source than your post history.

Link to thread referenced above:

http://www.bobcatattack.com/messageboard/topic.asp?FromPa...

ASSAULT

No, I still don't get why something so insignificant that happened between 1930 and 1960 makes people upset on a message board in 2023.

And I still think it's weird little brother behavior that people think it's purposefully insulting when someone refers to us as "Ohio U", as if anybody knows or cares about the history of our trademark battle with Ohio State.

I could read 10,000 words on this (and you'll probably give me the chance) and not understand why anybody cares even a little bit. The truth of it is that we don't have a rivalry with Ohio State in any meaningful way -- at least not one that's felt both ways. We don't compete at the same level as them, rarely play them, and their fanbase doesn't think of us at all. We're just another MAC school to them.

This whole Ohio U trademark thing is just a small portion of our fanbase pretending that a decades old legal battle signifies a rivalry that doesn't exist. As I said, it's weird little brother sh*t. The idea that Ohio State fans think about this even 1% as often as you do is crazy, and the idea that anytime someone says "Ohio U" it's purposefully insulting is crazier.

Nobody cares about this but a very, very small portion of our fanbase who, for some reason, needs to feel like Ohio State cares about us.

Yes, I understand that the period between 1930 and 1960 was a very distressing time for Ohio U fans.

I just don't understand the continued sensitivity. Branding matters, of course. But it only really matters when it's coupled with a good distribution strategy. Johnny casual sports fan doesn't know the difference between us and OSU because Johnny casual sports fan doesn't care about the MAC, and we're not a national brand. And that we aren't has nothing to do with trademarks -- it has to do with budget, and that's not changing. Johnny casual sports fan knows the difference between Oklahoma and Oklahoma State; they know the difference between North Carolina State and North Carolina. And it's not confusing for them, even though their names share some words. They know because they see them on TV and stuff. If Johnny casual sports fan saw us, they'd know the difference.

Again, we own the trademark you all want us to own. Ohio U hasn't been part of our branding in a very long time. What riles you all up is in the distant past. The original poster said Ohio U is "only used as an insult" and that's just a ridiculous statement. We can't just will ourselves or our brand to national recognition; we need the budget and a "distribution" plan to build the recognition.

I assure you that the rest of the world doesn't care enough about this to use it as an insult. I know there's a type of person who is gonna find stuff to get upset about no matter what, and that's fine. But it doesn't make them either right or rational. Just sensitive about weird things.

While this is still true in many instances, it is getting better. When I'm on trips I often wear my Arched OHIO ball cap. That's all it says, just "OHIO" in green and white. I've found that an increasing percentage of people now know right away that it's Ohio University and not the junior institution in Columbus. Yes, I still run into some ignoramuses, and when I do I educate them. But, I've been pleasantly surprised at the number of folks who can now make the distinction between the two institutions.

In terms of BLSS's last post, I'm really much less concerned about educating the average Walmart O$U fan than I am about the rest of the nation. It has nothing to do with the number of times we play A&M. I do, however, relish our victories over them, when they do occur. The most recent I believe was in volleyball.