The issue is with the claim of Ohio. You use it for the university. We use it for the state we reside in. Ohio State is Ohio state's University (yes I know that is a different source of anger towards it but I'm not getting into that now.) When they do Script Ohio, it's the State of Ohio. When they have O H I O on the flags, it's the State of Ohio. When they cheer OH-IO, it's the state of Ohio.
We don't give a damn for the whole state of Michigan, we're from Ohio (Notice, it's not Columbus)
Regarding what the ambassadors wear (in this case the cheerleaders) look at the video of the Mascot attack. The cheerleaders plainly have Ohio State written through their uniform. I don't know how far back I'd have to look to see it just say Ohio, but ever since I went to school there (1995) it said Ohio State on the logo.
This is also why we're the Buckeyes. (State Tree)
I realize after I posted how the cheerleader thing could be miss interpreted. I didn't mean to insinuate that they STILL have just Ohio, but that they did at one point. In fact, if I'm not mistaken, it was one of the things that lead up the whole 'who is ohio' lawsuit of the mid 90's.
Spin it how you want, but there's a reason why the OH-IO cheer is done at Ohio State and not at Akron, OU, Miami, Ohio Northern, ODU, et all games. It's an Ohio State cheer, and is refrenced with Ohio State.
Further more, Ohio State does not represent the whole state of Ohio, as much as they would like to think they would. They represent...Ohio State...and possibly Columbus to a certain degree. To say 'we have the o h i o flags because we're from Ohio' is disingenuous at best, incredebly arrogant at worst.