Discuss.

http://thepost.ohiou.edu/main.asp?SectionID=2&SubSect...

God love that kid...

Change has to start somewhere and someone publicly calling attention to it is the first step...

Chin up Vince...You done good no matter what you hear from the lemmings...

GO OHIO!

Oh, come on now, you guys are just envious of tOSU, because apparently that is the only legitimate reason to dislike them.  At least I think I am correctly qouting our resident dual campers.  And by transitive properties, Woody and Buckeye Nation (were) are envious of Michigan, who they hate(d).  It is the only rational reason that Woody wouldn't fuel his car in Michigan, because he envied it.

How disappointing to see so many of the comments on the article attack the author, and justify their suckeye fandom by saying that OSU "represents all of Ohio" and how they root for them "because they are a winner". I moved out of Ohio as soon as i graduated and don't go back often so I think I forgot how prevalent the feeling of low self esteem is for so many people in the state. Years of investing their hopes and dreams into the Bengals, Browns, Red, Indians, and/or Cavaliers, coupled with continual economic decline of the region has left people needing to be associated with a winner. And there's no doubt, OSU is definitely a winner. It's a cultural issue that's bigger than OSU vs OU, and its a disappointing thing to witness.

It's just too bad that OHIO fans can't find that loyalty to the home team the way Cubs fan do. Or maybe it's too bad that OHIO fans don't yet identify with OHIO (the school) first, and Ohio (the state) second. When it comes to school pride among alumni OHIO grads are as fond of our alma mater as anyone you'll find. But that loyalty doesn't always translate to support of athletics, and as its been discussed in other threads, support of athletics= $$$$.

To paraphrase Carly Simon- Buckeye fans, you probably think this song is about you. But its not. And its not about thinking our football team is better than theirs, that would be "unrealistic". It's about loyalty and pride, and support of OUr school first.

Given the amount of red(I refuse to say scarlet) and grey you see everywhere in the state, the comments are to be expected. I posted one in support of the writer's opinion. Do the same if you agree.

I posted, too, but haven't seen my comments yet.

some of these responses are utterly ridiculous. I would specifically like to call out Matt P, Jonah and Craig Hammond for their blatant ignorance. This better be bulletin board material in our locker room. Insulting to all present and former Ohio student athletes, not just the football team.

Some of my high school students asked me why I hated osu so much and what the difference between the schools was. After thinking for a moment I replied that ohio state people are proud of their football team, while Ohio people are proud of their school, which encompases everything about the University!

Bumping to encourage anyone interested to read through the comments that have come out.  It's refreshing to see so many folks stand up and agree!  As I said earlier...Change starts somewhere and this article could be the catalyst we've needed for so long... 

One guy seemed to sum things up appropriately without bias...

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Being a sports fan isn't about just being on the bandwagon of the most successful team, it's about supporting the athletes that represent YOU. It saddens me to see that so many OHIO students think that students from another school represent them instead.

This isn't just about what color t shirt you're wearing, this is about economics- for every dollar an OHIO student or alum spends on OSU athletics, that's a dollar not spent on OHIO University. More financial support for our athletic department allows us to improve our facilities, hire and/or retain better coaches, and in turn attract better student athletes, etc. Better athletics leads to more national recognition which leads to more donations and an increased value in the perception of your degree. But it starts with OUr support.
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The extent of "represents you" depends on your own personal scope. I grew up a fan of the Reds and Bengals, but when the Browns or Indians happen to be good, I can't cheer against them in other games. They represent Ohio. That is where I was born. It is where I was raised. It is where most all of my family still lives. It is my identity.

Thus, I tend to identify more closely with the state than I do a school. Most people spend four to five years at a school. This is hopefully a small portion of one's life. These years also tend to not make up the most formative years. Additionally, Ohio University, nor my current professional school, provided me with an education for charity. I decided the schools would enhance my earning power and knowledge. I paid them for the benefit. They gladly took my money. I consequently feel no duty of loyalty.

Further, I have been to three institutions of higher learning, and enjoyed my time equally at all three. This leads me to believe that my happiness in adulthood is not dictated by location or surrounding people but rather from within myself. Consequently, I tend to identify more closely with my family and home than my school.

I still became an Ohio fan. Though, accessibility and good times made up the core of my reasoning. I certainly did not become a fan because I felt represented. Nor did I feel that I owed anyone a duty. I most especially did not become a fan because I was able to interact with the athletes on campus. While I did know a few of the athletes, seeing the athletes' behavior tended to give me pause rather than reason to cheer. I know others who felt the same way, and this leads me to believe that being insulated from the athlete's personal lives actually improves the likelihood of fanaticism.

The bottom line for me is this: Every individual has a different perspective. Every person has a different reason for making their choices. When it comes to a situation as innocuous as this, I applaud the freedom to not only make those choices, but to use whatever reason necessary to come to that choice. Then again, I am a lover a liberty.

Edit: Only one segment of this issue goes through their sports lives bitter, angry, and annoyed.

Another day and new letters to The Post.  One fine OHIO lady is asking the businesses in Athens to stand up and tell students that they need to be rooting for OHIO this weekend, not tOSU.  Very nice to see a second opinion on this in one week.  Of course this is tempered again by another athletics budget letter, where the writer actually suggests that we look at cutting more sports!  I still don't understand why we have such an anti-athletics stand at oUR university.  Is it because we are such a liberal school?  Or do professors at OHIO have that much sway over their students now?