Why do you hate Ohio State?

Submitted by a2_electricboogaloo on

"Oh how I hate Ohio State"

It's a phrase I often hear tossed around this time of year, nicely summarizing the animosity felt between the two institutions.  We've all know the history...

The battles between Bo and Woody,

the fiercly fought games,

the great victories

and the agonizing defeats.

Along with the long history behind it, The Game often has an intense personal importance for fans.  But why do you hate Ohio State? Is there any instance that you can (Hoke) point to and say "This is the moment where I went from disliking That School in Ohio to hating them"? Or, is it a culmination of years of cheering for Michigan that have built up a steady distaste for that School down south?

For me, my dislike for Ohio elevated itself in 2005, and transformed into emnity in 2006.  I was a sophomore in high school during Michigan's great 2006 campaign.  I had been a big Michigan fan for my whole life, but I was still young and not as invested in the rivalry as I am now.  The hype for the Michigan-Ohio game that year was huge.  I was watching ESPN non-stop for days, absorbing every bit of information on The Game of The Century that I could.  Then, the unthinkable occured.  Bo, the hero of the Maize and Blue faithful and the patron saint of Michigan football, passed away.  It was heartbreaking.  Despite the fact I was too young to have seen a game by him I still looked up to him, he was a man who displayed every quality that (to use a much maligned cliché) a Michigan Man should, and thus he was a personal hero of mine.

The hype surrounding the game along with Bo's death put an immense importance in my mind.  We had to win it.  We had to win it for Bo.  We had to win it because Ohio State had beaten us two years in a row (a streak, which now seems gloomily quaint).  We had to win it to play for the national championship.

Unforetunately, in sports not everything goes your way (even for Michigan fans), and we ended up losing a close game.  I was angry at everything: Troy Smith, Ted Ginn Jr., the turf, the refs, even Shawn Crable.  How could we lose?  This was Michigan! We had such a great season, everything seemed to work in our favor until then.  In school I had to face numerous jeers from my Sparty classmates and looks of gloom from my fellow Wolverines, and I knew why.  Ohio State.  It was their fault.  It was at that time that my dislike for that southern school crystallized into the hate that so many of us feel.  And I began to hate Ohio State.

So here we are, five years later, facing a battered Ohio State team.  Michigan, on the other hand, is resurgant with our best record since that fateful 2006 season.  I cannot help but think gleefully of the great oppertunity that we have to exact revenge on Ohio State.

So as we approach this most anticipated of annual meetings, I wanted to hear the rest of the MGoUsers stories.  Why do you hate Ohio State?  And what does this rivalry mean to you?

[Note:  I know this is long post for a Board, and the mods can move it over to the diaries section if they see fit, but I put it on the board because I wanted to a discussion going, and I thought this would be the best way to start that.] 

MGoReader04

November 23rd, 2011 at 10:20 PM ^

Mostly because they first hated me. 

Also because they lucked their way into the championship in '02 when they weren't even that good.

Finally, because they are dirty as sin and they just keep getting away with it.  Still.

Picktown GoBlue

November 23rd, 2011 at 10:41 PM ^

in the town of the traitor snowplows. At work, at the kids' schools, at church, they're everywhere, delusional as ever.  And their marching band sucks, especially in the minds of us woodwinds.

MSHOT92

November 23rd, 2011 at 10:41 PM ^

what's not to hate...they drive like idiots, they produce the most obnoxious fans.. either home or on the road... it minimally takes two of them to spell that four letter word...always...OH- IO...wow...yeah that..as loud and obnoxious as possible...and because I have great parents who raised me properly to hate the living crap out of anything scarlet and gray forever, and that even in bowl season...you STILL root for any other team...regardless of conference because with neighbors like that...there is no compromise. And that sums it up for me =)

dollarbill

November 23rd, 2011 at 11:11 PM ^

My dad is a Detroit born and raised, U of M grad who never cared for any sports except U of M football. The Wolverines became my team. In the 70's, the only game we could catch on TV in California was the game vs OSU. I was 10 when they tied and the Big 10 voted OSU into the Rose Bowl. I have hated OSU since that day.

harmon40

November 23rd, 2011 at 11:30 PM ^

Hatred of Ohio State falls into a category that philosophers call "properly basic," ie something that is so self evident to all people of conscience as to need no justification or defense.

ThatGirlLovesM

November 24th, 2011 at 12:08 AM ^

I've been a die-hard Wolverine for my entire life, but my hate for OSU became personal on my first trip to the 'shoe in 2002. As a member of the MMB, we started the day at the skull session where we were heralded with boos and endless choruses of "We Don't Give A Damn For The Whole State Of Michigan". The worst part were the looks of pure hatred coming from the OSU band itself. Then of course we march to the stadium with police escorts to protect us from the violent masses, perform to a chorus of boos (pretty exciting actually), and then suffer through that horribly painful game. Then, we get to sit in the stands and wait while their fans rush the field, try to tear down the goalposts, and throw any available debris at us. Fun fact: marching band hats can also function as protective helmets! The only enjoyable part of the whole day was watching buckeye fans get pepper sprayed.
<br>
<br>After that day, my hatred for Ohio went to a whole new level.

Wolverman

November 24th, 2011 at 12:09 AM ^

 Like Coach Hoke and Bo I was born in Ohio. My sister got me into Michigan football and I still remember my first Michigan gear. It was a tee shirt that said "Tis far better to have failed at Michigan , than to have graduated from Ohio State".

 I grew up during the Earl Bruce / John cooper buckeye coached teams and just about every year it seemed like Michigan had 1-3 losses and Ohio state was 1 loss or undefeated. The news and fan EVERY year would constantly talk about how bad they where going to beat Michigan ( During the end of the Cooper years they had Michigan Month.... yea Michigan month) and every year they get their asses handed to them. Every chance Ohio State had to make a statement for Ohio or the big ten ( Florida State , Tennesee X2 , South Carolina X2) they failed. Even after they hired Tressel it still continued Florida and LSU but, Ohio state fans thought they where the greatest team ever.

 Time to put them back in their place Go Blue #Beat Ohio

 

South TX MFan

November 24th, 2011 at 12:56 AM ^

My dad was born in Detroit in '43. He grew up a Michigan Wolverines fan and had friends (and later some of my extended family) go to Michigan. He joined the military at 17 and moved away never to return to Michigan but he brought me up on Michigan football since I was little. I was raised to love Michigan and hate Ohio, it's just how it is in my family.

runandshoot

November 24th, 2011 at 9:37 AM ^

every Ohio fan I run into is absolutely amazed that everyone else looks at them with some combination of disgust and contempt, while at the same time being incredibly arrogant and condescending when talking about the Suckeyes.  They can't understand how everyone doesn't fawn all over the Suckeyes like they do.

Disclaimer: I grew up in Ohio, but I had the good sense to leave the state to go to UofM and never looked back.  I still have a lot of friends that I grew up with have been giving me grief for the past seven years, so I think I'm a little bitter!

Happy Thanksgiving, and Go Blue!

 

CookieMonster

November 24th, 2011 at 9:58 AM ^

Because I fucking hate them, I don't need a reason. All the guys i played with in college from Ohio country who are ignorant and stuck living in a cloud of scarlet and grey who won't shut their mouth thinking they are the superior program. Blah......let the hate flow. Doubt their are many heavy metal listeners out there, but a hatebreed song called " a call for blood " about sums it up for me. Also a good song to lift to lol.

HighKnees

November 24th, 2011 at 10:09 AM ^

It all came together for me in 1997, when David Boston called out Woodson and then taunted him after he caught a TD pass.  I was 15, and I had seen more wins than losses to that point.  So, the rivalry perhaps had not fully taken root in my psyche.  But the moment after Boston taunted Woodson, I wanted nothing more than to win that game and every game after against that team.

Smash Lampjaw

November 24th, 2011 at 10:59 AM ^

at the risk of the great esteem which my 5 points have earned for me here, it may also be a little bit of mob identity. As much as I hate Ohio and Notre Dame in the abstract the few real people I know from both schools are great people. I have a friend with a great family whose father dotted the I and had his sousaphone made into a chandelier. (Great story bro.) A boy from my daughter's class plays on the offense for OSU and he is one of the finest characters I know. If he gets in the game I hope he does well, does not get hurt, and we win by dropping 67 on them.

MGoSoftball

November 24th, 2011 at 11:54 AM ^

for a company HQ'd in Findlay Ohio.  I drove there once a week or so.  During "Hate Week" in 1998, just like any other week of travel, Ohio's best pulled me over.  They were parked in the median on I-75 in the turn around exactly on the boarder.  Since my cars/trucks are always decked out in M logos, the Ohio State Trooper didnt care for that.

I wasnt speeding and he still pulled me over.  He gave me the "safety inspection".  I called him out on it and he asked me if I wanted to spend the night in jail.  It took 30 minutes and then he let me go and said "Go Bucks".

Even my co-workers in Findlay treated us "Northerners" differently during "hate week".  All I can say is they are a bunch of in-bred @ssholes.

mphillip49

November 24th, 2011 at 6:55 PM ^

I grew up and my hometown is about 40 miles east of Columbus. 99% of the people there are Ohio State followers including my family. I grew up following Michigan mostly because of my cousin who happened to live right behind my house. He was also a big Michigan fan and is still today. Later I started to really see how arrogant the Ohio State fans are. I would be forced to listen to the call in shows and listen to everyone act like Ohio State was the best school in the country every year. Every time they lost they always had some crazy excuse for it. Every time they lost they wanted to fire the head coach or it was because of a bad call made by the referees. They were never simply overmatched.

 

I think the real hatred came when Ohio State got blew out by Florida in the national championship. The excuse I would always hear from everyone was that if Ted Ginn did not get hurt that they could have won the game. I could not believe what I was hearing. I do not think he could have made up for 41-14 loss.

 

 

Wolverman

November 25th, 2011 at 10:56 AM ^

 that year OSu lost to Florida reminds me of the NC game this year. Nobody gave Florida a shot in that game Ohio was just going to kill them. Thats one of the reason i'm against a bama vs. lsu rematch.