Bobcat Attack - Ohio Football - From an O-Zone Leader to the "Haters"

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Topic: From an O-Zone Leader to the "Haters"

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Brufus

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Posted: 10/15/2012 4:50 PM

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After hearing about what happened with Optimist on Saturday, I have a message for anyone who has ever complained about the O Zone:

PLEASE QUIT YOUR WHINING RIGHT NOW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

No one I know from the O Zone has attacked a poster on here physically or verbally (even if they had a legitimate reason to do so), every thing I've seen an O Zone member do has been in support of the Bobcats.

Could we clean up some of the things we do? Maybe, but unless I'm horribly mistaken, nobody on here through college acting like a perfect little angel all the time; we're all guilty of saying/doing stupid things when we were 18-23 years old.

Asking a student to sit down in a student section is like asking a person if your dog can relieve itself on him/her. It should not be tolerated!

This also goes for basketball too. With all due respect, 695, you have said you "knew what you were getting into with the black seats." If someone physically or verbally attacks YOU or YOUR FAMILY, that's one issue, but like I've mentioned above, NO ONE went through college acting like a goody-two-shoes.

Also Alan, with all due respect, it was kind of absurd for you to harp on and on about our language last year but fail to actually confront us about it. Could we clean it up? Absolutely, and I for one have been advocating improving our section as a whole.

My point is this: "Before you remove the speck from someone else's eye, make sure you remove the log from your own." I am very impressed with the way that the current O Zone board has led the students so far, and I am confident that they will do just fine during basketball season and in future years.

DISCLAIMER: To anyone who takes personal offense, I apologize, it was not my intention. But to criticize students who a. choose to be very open about their love for the Bobcats, and b. act the same way 99% of college students act is just ludicrous...

JSF

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Posted: 10/15/2012 6:03 PM

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This is... not a good idea.

bobcat695

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Posted: 10/15/2012 6:27 PM

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I'm not sure why you are calling me out today. I do think the OZone was out of line last year. For basketball last season, I think the leadership was pathetic, the cheers were unorganized and the language and behavior was unbecoming of the university. If you're upset because I said it was unacceptable for OZoners to yell things like, "Reggie Keely sucks" and , "Hey Ref, I hope you die in a car wreck tonight", then we are just going to have to disagree about where the line is drawn for acceptable student section behavior. Trying to rationalize horrible behavior simply because someone is a young adult isn't a good reason.

For the record, I was in the 6th Man section every single game I was in school. I have never (yes, never) missed a game in Peden Stadium since my freshman year of college in 1991. That's 22 straight seasons of mostly crappy football. I have rarely missed basketball games during that stretch either. I always show up, I cheer louder than anyone in my section and I have faithfully written checks to the university that my household loves so much. 98% of the time, I am proud of our student section for both football and basketball.

I have offered up suggestions for ways to improve instead of just constantly complaining. If you go back to last week's No Home Field Advantage thread, you will find I was the one who offered the idea for the OU/Oh Yeah chant in Peden, along with exactly how to pull it off. Kudos to the guys that actually did the work to make it happen on Saturday. I am glad to see some new guys taking leadership roles in an organization that so desperately needed it. I have ideas for organizing the basketball cheers to include the entire Convo, also.

There is no reason for you to go after me because of the seats I purchase for basketball. I've proven my value as a loyal fan of Ohio University, as has nearly every single person that frequents this board.

whocaresgobobcats

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Posted: 10/15/2012 6:33 PM

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This post does not represent the views of all current O-Zone members.

AudioCat'13

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Posted: 10/15/2012 6:45 PM

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TT4Heisman wrote:expand_more

This post does not represent the views of all current O-Zone members.

Agreed

Suga Fries

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Posted: 10/15/2012 7:30 PM

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JSF wrote:expand_more

This is... not a good idea.

It is REALLLLLY not a good idea.

ClevelandCat25

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Posted: 10/15/2012 7:42 PM

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Not a good idea at all. The Ozone has had horrible leadership. Completely unorganized and could have been run much better. Not much research on beef on opposing teams being done. Sidenote, the shirts have been horrible. The language can be cleaned up. I agree with 695 completely. The Ozone trips need to be better planned. There have barely been any. The Ozone could be much better than it is. Frankly, it is just a big group of students sitting together to me. Nothing organized.

87OU Alum

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Posted: 10/15/2012 7:56 PM

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It is my humble opinion that these teams belong to the students 1st........not us as Alumni.

We all Love Ohio........that's why we are here.....let's not turn it in to who loves it more.

But it is the students.....not the Alumni that will make it Loud, Proud, and a tough place to play......be it Peden or The Convo.

I want them to raise a little hell........but keepin it respectful

We need to let them run their race!!!! and make us all proud......We have ran ours.

One of the biggest complaints up 33 is the student sections do not have enough impact......do we want to become thar?

Last Edited: 10/15/2012 7:57:17 PM by 87OU Alum

OU-Barker

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Posted: 10/15/2012 9:27 PM

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Well, I will throw my two cents in.

I started at OHIO in 2006 and immediately joined the OZONE for basketball. I got to know a few of the leaders and really respected what they are doing. That is truly a thankless job and they should be commended for both their leadership and their love of their university.

However, last year was my first year of not being a student (after both undergrad and graduate school). I was still in the Athens area and attended many football and basketball games. I have to agree with some of the comments above. The leadership last year appeared completely disorganized. There has become a trend in recent years that seems to promote a line of thinking that more is more as in the more obnoxious, the better.

Don't get me wrong, I am not saying that we should harp on the OZONE for everything. OHIO is not Virgin Mary Holy Cross University or anything. It isn't like we are a school of nuns. However, the un-originality, the vulgarity, and the outright ignorance of some in the group has been mind boggling. Some of the worst attacks have been directed towards those international student athletes. I don't really know when it became acceptable to chant USA USA at a player, especially when KVK was from the Netherlands, but that has to stop.... and that I blame on leadership.

A strong leadership organizes the leadership structure to facilitate the most from the group. Why the leadership stands at center court has never made sense to me. Why not spread out to the front of each section and become section leaders. Organize your cheers by numbers so that people know what they are going to be doing at certain points. Having these section leaders helps to 1) lead organized, meaningful chants and 2) helps to semi-patrol the section for those who need to be asked to restrain themselves or removed all together. There has to be a concerted effort to change or change will never come. You can't simply say, "could we tone it back? Sure" and then not do anything about it.

Like I said before, I know this is a thankless job and you should be commended for your initiative to lead and your love of OHIO. These are just a few things that I have noticed in the last year or two that really needs to be cleaned up, or comments like before are going to continue.

Doc Bobcat

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Posted: 10/15/2012 9:32 PM

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87OU Alum wrote:expand_more

It is my humble opinion that these teams belong to the students 1st........not us as Alumni.

We all Love Ohio........that's why we are here.....let's not turn it in to who loves it more.

But it is the students.....not the Alumni that will make it Loud, Proud, and a tough place to play......be it Peden or The Convo.

I want them to raise a little hell........but keepin it respectful

We need to let them run their race!!!! and make us all proud......We have ran ours.

One of the biggest complaints up 33 is the student sections do not have enough impact......do we want to become thar?

Yes....not sure what thar means unless you're a pirate....but yes.

Deciduous Forest Cat

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Posted: 10/15/2012 10:02 PM

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AudioCat'13

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Posted: 10/15/2012 10:16 PM

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OU-Barker wrote:expand_more

Well, I will throw my two cents in.

+1 Post of the year in regards to the topic of the O Zone

The Optimist

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Posted: 10/15/2012 10:38 PM

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I am thankful for the new leadership this year. In the spring 2 years ago I attempted to spark some interest in new leadership for the O Zone as I was responsible for running elections... Facebook, Twitter, O Zone emails. I was able to recruit 1 new board member to replace a graduating Senior. No one else... The entire board was put on the ballet with no opposition and elected (if you can call it that). At the end of last year the current O Zone leaders stepped up without any prompting from me. I was limited in my involvement due to health issues missing more than one basketball home game winter quarter (not by choice). Elections are normally held in the Spring, but I wasn't even able to go to school Spring Quarter. Definitely not in the state to setup anything with the O Zone though... These guys stepped up though and are now really creating some excitement on the heels of a ton of support for athletics. BIG credit to them.

All that said, I find the criticism of the O Zone from Basketball last year humorous.
Nothing was said that wasn't said in the years prior... All the nasty things said by random fans (who had no official position in the O Zone other than being a member) is the same stuff said by idiotic fans in the O Zone every single year. The O Zone board has 0 control over what a random fan says. They can ask that fans not call out our own team, but they don't have to listen. I knew this would be an issue when the Bobcat Black seats were put in place. You can hear cheers across the Convo, but you can't hear random (stupid) comments said by one person. I can understand why 695 is upset with some of the things that are said with his sons right there, but you were warned. If some "O Zone leader" told me to stop I would give them the finger and yell whatever I was yelling louder. College kids have a problem with authority? I am one of them.

Criticize the lack of coordinated cheers, criticize the noise levels, but understand O Zone board members have no control over what other college kids say.

It wasn't mentioned it this thread, but the lack of bus trips have been an issue the last couple years. I hate to say it, but O Zone leadership almost needs to be not so nice people to make these things happen. Marketing doesn't make it easy to do anything.

edit:
Also, the O Zone in football is 10000x better than it has ever been. That is a credit to winning more than anything, but all the criticism after a noon game that saw the most students ever stay for a full game that wasn't extremely close is a little ridiculous. The whole stadium was dead, not just the O Zone The Temple and Marshall night games last year were ELECTRIC. I fully expect the 2 MACtions games coming up to be insane with student support.

Hell, they implemented an AWESOME OU Oh Yeah cheer and all I hear is "get off my lawn we are Ohio not OU." The other side of the stadium needs as much work as anything. The O Zone is louder than Section 105, and you guys don't have multiple incidents of people getting kicked out for standing over there.

Last Edited: 10/15/2012 10:47:39 PM by The Optimist

OU-Barker

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Posted: 10/15/2012 10:51 PM

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The Optimist wrote:expand_more

I've heard that a few times. I've grown highly critical towards marketing after talking with some previous leadership.

shabamon

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Posted: 10/15/2012 10:56 PM

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As a former O Zone officer, I am interested in knowing what marketing has done in the past to take the group's power, especially as it relates to bus trips. Busing to Virginia Tech in 2007 was one of my favorite memories from college, even if we lost the game. Someone want to shoot me a PM?

Last Edited: 10/15/2012 10:57:07 PM by shabamon

JSF

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Posted: 10/15/2012 11:02 PM

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I've been upset with marketing's power plays (and the board's capitulation) for a couple years now. It started when Brooks was there. Don't know what it's like now, but I saw where it was headed.

Brian Smith (No, not that one)

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Posted: 10/15/2012 11:59 PM

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RPKirtland

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Posted: 10/16/2012 3:04 AM

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Hello. I'd like to take a minute and tell my side of the story. My name is R.P. Kirtland, and I am a semi-official member of the O Zone. I use that term because I am a Freshman from Virginia, and have not yet had an opportunity to run for an official position. However, I regularly help come up with new ideas and help out the "exec board". I have jokingly been referred to as a "Freshman Class Representative" in order to explain and justify why I'm helping so much. Part of my love for cheering and supporting a team is because I am a member of the D.C. United "District Ultras", and am regularly used to treating a game and a team like it is what you live and breathe for, regardless of good times or bad. I bleed Green and White, even though I have not been here but for 8 weeks. I was one of the minds behind the OU Oh Yeah chant, leading on the Student side and making the signs with Ryan to illustrate to the crowd what we were doing.

This year, we're stepping it up. From what I've seen on YouTube and heard from people here, the O Zone has been in a little lull. The current president even admitted to me that he was the only one who applied to be the president. That, ladies and gents, is the sheer definition of being stuck in a rut. But you know what? We're going to get out of it. I have full faith that this exec board will be one to usher in a new era of athletic support at Ohio. We will work tirelessly to make this group better and better every time we get a chance to.

Part of that is pushing people out of their comfort zones. Now, I don't mean by being rude, offensive, and callous to those around us, but by being a positive force. Peer pressure is a powerful tool. A prime example of this is the OU Oh Yeah chant from Saturday. Many people who were sitting on their bums for a majority of their game suddenly came alive and started bellowing the bone-chilling chant from deep inside. People were on feet instead of seats. This is our goal. We will push the typical mindset away. Take a look at Scott Stadium, the home of my former-beloved UVA. 30,000 people on average, and they couldn't touch the sound that this one chant made. Each game is viewed as an opportunity to step up, to raise the ante on what we do and how it goes over. This, hopefully, will create some of the most intimidating home field advantages in college sports that we see.

So, in summation, what I can say to other bobcat fans is this: take a breath. We're nose-to-grindstone trying to improve what we do and how we do it. Some of the changes are not going to be seen suddenly, and some friction may occur. We're working, we love this school and this group, and improvements will happen. The ship is sailing again.

JSF

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Posted: 10/16/2012 3:27 AM

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Love everything you said, R.P. Get it.

RyanAltenbach

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Posted: 10/16/2012 11:10 AM

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Ryan, VP of the Ozone here. I've always felt we're a better basketball school as far as cheering goes, but it was my goal to bring some of that noise to Peden for a change. The 7-0 record has been pretty helpful, and I think the dark days are over as far as getting the students loud. We play our most bitter rival next (on the road, and even though our bus trip fell through, I know plenty of students are heading there on their own) followed by all night games, 2 of which are at home. If you remember the noise at the blackout game last year, imagine the noise level we'll crank out for an unbeaten squad against BG this year.
My plea is that you stick with us, this won't happen overnight. We're looking to vamp the noise, get the tower side a bit more involved, and make sure every student stands and cheers for the entire game (and not have people thrown out for doing that). It might take one game, it might not happen till next year. But it will come to Peden before I graduate, if it's the last thing I ever do.

D.A.

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Posted: 10/16/2012 11:24 AM

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Yeah, it's pretty much impossible to control fan and student behavior, so why even try.

Except for something like this being so easy to implement: http://www.hokiesports.com/respect/

The Optimist

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Posted: 10/16/2012 11:36 AM

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D.A. wrote:expand_more

Yeah, it's pretty much impossible to control fan and student behavior, so why even try.

Except for something like this being so easy to implement: http://www.hokiesports.com/respect/

Easy to implement? I couldn't even get the athletic department to update the O Zone page on ohiobobcats.com when I was working with the O Zone. I'd be all for creating a separate website, the O Zone definitely has the money... But putting something like that together is hardly "easy."

If you want fan behavior controlled, it has to come from Ohio Athletics officials. No one is going to respect another college student in a O Zone shirt telling them to stop cheering. An Ohio Athletics Polo? That is a little different. Stadium security? Well, I sure don't respect those clowns.

Also, +1 to RPKirtland.

bigtillyoopsupsideurhead

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Posted: 10/16/2012 11:42 AM

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The problem with the marketing department running the O Zone, is that the Convo is a revolving door for employees. We had a different marketing member lead us every year that I was on the board.

That being said, its really not that complicated. We're talking about running a cheering section, not a fortune 500 company. Create a shirt, plan some bus trips, make some cheer sheets, and give away some food and people will be happy.

Bobcat36

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