OT - Something MSU and UM fans can both agree on: Michigan > Ohio
Since 1979, in the major sports: NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, CF, CB:
The state of Michigan has 12 championships.
The state of Ohio has 2.
Ohio has an extra NFL and MBL team to better it's odds and to counter the fact that the Blue Jackets have not been in existence the entire time span.
In college sports, Michigan has two major schools vs. Ohio's one. Yet Ohio State does not suffer the same dilution of talent UM/MSU do within their own state, and thus would be expected to have a backyard edge toward winning championships.
The Tigers will soon make it 13 championships.
It's good to be a Michigander!
October 23rd, 2012 at 5:33 PM ^
Ohio professional sports, top to bottom, have got to be about as poor as any state's in the country. I actually think that this clearly fuels the statewide religious devotion to Ohio State
October 23rd, 2012 at 5:35 PM ^
Probably true for football. Browns and Bengals have not done much more than a couple SB appearances and AFC Champ. appearances combined and nothing since the turn of the century sans a few playoff appearances. OSU was the only positive for football during this time.
October 23rd, 2012 at 5:42 PM ^
October 23rd, 2012 at 6:00 PM ^
I realize that. I have alot of family in Cleveland so I've educated myself on the history of Ohio professional sports. I was speaking only of the 1979-present timeline that the OP presented (and later referenced since the turn of the century).
October 24th, 2012 at 2:15 AM ^
October 23rd, 2012 at 5:42 PM ^
October 24th, 2012 at 12:38 PM ^
...is exactly right. I am 30 years old and have lived in Ohio all my life, so I see it daily. The buckeyes clearly have more fans (albeit many bandwagon fools) than any sports team in this state and since they are the only consistently successful team, everyone is obsessed with them.
October 23rd, 2012 at 5:37 PM ^
October 23rd, 2012 at 6:42 PM ^
That was the first championship of relevance for the state that I remember as a kid - when Magic won it over Bird for MSU. Didn't hate MSU back then, but even as a kid I loved Bo long before attending UM.
October 23rd, 2012 at 10:51 PM ^
October 23rd, 2012 at 5:39 PM ^
Indians fan here. It's worse than you can imagine. Endless existential futility for all eternity.
October 23rd, 2012 at 9:17 PM ^
Didn't the Indians win five straight Central Division titles in the 1990s, as well as 2001 and 2007? They've certainly scratched the surface of the playoffs a few times in the recent past.
October 24th, 2012 at 4:17 PM ^
and managed to blow a 9th-inning lead in game 7 of the '97 series.
Jose Mesa, you're dead to me.
October 23rd, 2012 at 5:56 PM ^
At least they have the Mud Hens.
Oh wait. The Toledo strip should be ours in the first place.
October 23rd, 2012 at 6:00 PM ^
Michigan and Ohio go to war, Wisconsin loses.
October 23rd, 2012 at 9:39 PM ^
Michigan and Ohio go to war over Toledo, Ohio wins, Toledo is part of Ohio anyway.
October 23rd, 2012 at 6:10 PM ^
We stand poised on the edge of greatness. As we have every year since 1964 I might add....
October 23rd, 2012 at 6:56 PM ^
Indeed.
October 23rd, 2012 at 6:17 PM ^
The Ohio State University: 8-0
Ohio University: 7-0
University of Cincinnati: 5-1 (loss to Toledo)
University of Toledo: 7-1
October 23rd, 2012 at 6:45 PM ^
Too bad The Vest had to cheat and deprive them of a chance this year to... oh who are we kidding? OSU is mediocre at best this year.
October 23rd, 2012 at 10:48 PM ^
October 23rd, 2012 at 6:29 PM ^
October 23rd, 2012 at 6:40 PM ^
....while their teams are usually notoriously bad/choke-artists, especially Cleveland teams, the fans themselves are very passionate.They are the complete opposite of the type fans you find in areas such as Miami etc. I currently go to Miami (Ohio) and there is a lot pride in all their teams, whether deserved or not.
Ok positives over, let's go back to ragging on them please.
October 23rd, 2012 at 6:57 PM ^
is a shit-hole state. They have no reason to live a life of a sports fan (unless they are Blue).
October 23rd, 2012 at 9:48 PM ^
...when he reads something like this?
His family lives in Hudson, Ohio. Between Cleveland and Akron. His brother plays football for Harvard. Ben wants to go to Michigan, to play at a higher level, but also get an education on a par with his older brother.
Hudson is a beautiful old town; a kind of an Ohio version of Saline, or Chelsea or Plymouth.
Do you think that comments like yours are a good representation of the University of Michigan? What do you suppose the Gedeon family would think?
October 23rd, 2012 at 11:13 PM ^
Come on man. Are you kidding me right now? The entire country knows that ohio has the worst sport teams ever. The Indians havent made the playoffs in years, the Blue Jackets are a joke, the Cavs cant even keep the best player in the league: an he is from Cleveland. The Reds made the playoffs but got bounced early.
The only thing going for that state is osu. It pains me to say it but its true. So you think people that live in ohio dont know this? Do you think they have never discussed King James leaving?
Frankly Im surprised by you Section 1. You are better than this.
October 24th, 2012 at 3:06 AM ^
Truth be told I agree with Section 1. I can understand bagging on OSU and specific sports teams, but I wouldn't call the place from whence came Charles Woodson, Elvis Grbag, Desmond Howard, Bo Schembechler, etc., a shithole.
October 24th, 2012 at 10:01 AM ^
...telling Dymonte Thomas and Gareon Conley (among a half-dozen others) that they come from a "shit hole" no-sport state is going to be a part of Michigan's continuing efforts to hold their commitments.
What do you think? I'll let you consider that one. I'll let even think about ways to re-phrase it, as long as you include the option of, "On second thought, don't even write such stupid stuff at all."
October 24th, 2012 at 9:20 AM ^
For the record I also live in Hudson, Ohio and have since 1987. It is very nice and would remind most readers of Bloomfield Hills in addition to the cities you listed.
October 23rd, 2012 at 7:00 PM ^
So I'm guessing an Ohio team won something in 1978 and that's why you picked 1979 to start the comparison...?
I don't have a problem with people picking dates if they're an important shift in history. For example, most people use 1936 as the start of the "modern era" in college sports because that's when the AP poll started.
Picking a random date to prove a point makes you look extremely biased.
October 23rd, 2012 at 7:54 PM ^
The Cincinnati Reds won World Series titles in 1975 and '76. But they're only barely in Ohio.
Fans of Cleveland pro teams haven't seen a championship since the Browns in 1964.
October 23rd, 2012 at 8:55 PM ^
Cincinnati is actually part of Kentucky, thank you very much.
October 23rd, 2012 at 11:31 PM ^
October 24th, 2012 at 8:27 AM ^
October 24th, 2012 at 11:55 AM ^
Ohio fans claim the modern era of football started in 1950. Football before that year was not football (except in 1942), but more a club sport with no real way of selecting the best team in the country. And if you really want to get technical, Ohio only recognizes 1951-1987 and 2001-2010 as countable years. Hmmm.... I wonder why that is?
On another note, for all the grief they give us about a split title in 1997 they sure won't ever discuss the following:
1942 title: AP Poll #1, Georgia #1 in all other polls. Ohio had 1 loss and didn't even go to a bowl game; Georgia won the Rose bowl
1954 title: Coaces Poll #2, AP Poll #1 shared with UCLA
1957 title: Coaches Poll #1, AP Poll #2 shared with Auburn
1961 title: Coaches Poll #2, AP Poll #2 finished behind Alabama in all polls
1970 title: Coaches Poll #2, AP Poll #5 finished behind Nebraska and Texas in all polls
Their only unanimous titles were in 1968 and 2002
October 23rd, 2012 at 7:05 PM ^
I am not a NBA fan at all so I don't have a rivals team grudge or anything. In fact, I think the Browns and Indian fans are some of the most loyal in all of sports.
October 24th, 2012 at 9:12 AM ^
So Cavalier fans are pretty much like all NBA fans?
October 24th, 2012 at 1:23 PM ^
I really can't stand people that do that, although it seems to happen in a lot of places (cough, Blackhawks, cough).
October 23rd, 2012 at 7:51 PM ^
Lets see... OSU Football and Basketball... then what else do they have? The Reds? Cincy Football/Basketball i guess. Maybe Ohio football this year, and Ohio basketball last year.
October 23rd, 2012 at 8:22 PM ^
Once the Lions went inside under their sissy dome, I had to look for teams who still played outside to root for, and the Browns are one of them. They're just as pathetic as the Lions, but they play outside where football is meant to be played.
October 24th, 2012 at 9:13 AM ^
You forgot to tell everyone to GET OFF YOUR LAWN!
October 23rd, 2012 at 8:52 PM ^
I'm from Pittsburgh and hate Ohio pro teams, so I shall support this as well.