OSU Billboard
So if it wasn't enough that MSU bought billboards after beating us this year, OSU is now following suit. They bought a board downtown detroit to celebrate the 2000th day since our last victory.......asshats
http://www.friendsofwoody.com/
http://myespn.go.com/blogs/bigten/0-3-412/Detroit-billboard-celebrates-…
... I just have to hate them more.
Overconfidence is the death knell for Ohio State in the rivalry...it always has been...I now have a great feeling about this year.
FUCK OSU!
The irony contained in this post...
Pride comes before the fall, brah.
Anyone know how many days it has been since they've led in the all-time series?
To Infinity and beyond
Over 40,000
You can't spell Cocksucker without O-S-U.
I've had enough of this, let's form a vigilante gang with pitchforks and sacks of doorknobs and head down to Columbus, after we light the billboard on fire following the Wings' win. It's shaping up to be an exciting night.
I just wonder why aren't counting from the first time they beat us. It's like their celebrating 365 days of not being the victor in the series. Just seems weird.
OSU's streak against us is something to be happy about (if you're a tosu fan). Beating us for the first time in 7 years and then making a billboard as well as cards about finally winning is dumb
Tor: Carrying bloody Palestinian flag.
coachBT: hope not REAL BLOOD
makes me wonder what will happen when they lose. Perhaps someone from maker's mark should make a billboard sign commemerating the demise of the Suckeyes. I find it to be quite funny how this is all they live for. My gosh suckeyes get a fricken life.
I am certain that when Michigan went 8-2-1 against Cooper nobody here was gloating to OSU types (well, I guess I count pogue... and pogue... and, well, never mind. Edit: Oh shame on me, how could I forget WormDoctor!)
Reverse the situation. If the billboard was put up in Ohio at that time, what would be the response here... Boo Hoo, stop whining and start winning you sorry a$$ $uckeye$, or something of the like.
We're on a bad streak, with a transition period to boot. Deal with it, things will change.
[And no, I am not ellipses man reincarnate]
The only problem I have with your post is when the roles were reversed we didn't do that. The issue isn't if they have a right to gloat, we just take exception to how tacky they are of going about and doing it.
I beg to differ. If you are saying that the gloating didn't manifest itself in the form of a billboard or some such thing, I will give you that.
But is that just because nobody thought of it at the time?
I am trying to understand the rationale of your posts. I really am. Because you are using M's prior history as a basis to argue a point that is invalid based on the history you are using.
Your primary argument is that Michigan could have done something like rent out a billboard, in which its soul objective is to ridicule Ohio state. The only problem with this argument is that it did not happen.
It is like you are the defendant attorney for someone that goes to a bar, gets drunk, drives while intoxicated and rams into another car. And for your opening remarks you make a claim about the guy who got hit could have very well gotten drunk and rammed into your client.
The potential is always there for the shoe to be on the other foot.
But you have to look no further to history to see how that shoe fit M when they were wearing it.
Your primary argument is that Michigan could have done something like rent out a billboard
That was not my argument whatsoever. Do you really believe the OSU rented out the billboard in question? We are talking about fans and supporters, not the Universities. Ohio State University had nothing to do with the stupid billboard! Are you really that naive?
We are talking about the fans of each of the Universities football programs, and their behavior. There was plenty of gloating that UM fans did while we were dominating OSU.
I heard plenty of classless remarks directed towards OSU from UM fans (many of which never attended UM) regarding their football program, the quality of the institution (which is in the top 50-100), and the disparaging remarks regarding the individuals that attend the school. These remarks were elitist and unfunny; and the rationale to justify such prejudices were no different than those used for more notorious institutions.
The shoe is now on the other foot. Grow a pair, and deal with it, with class. Trust me, It doesn't affect your manhood whatsoever. OSU fans had to deal with it (and then some wrt the cracks about their school), and for years.
The rest of your post (the legal analogy) is absurd.
Okay, I will try again. (Yes, you are correct Ohio State did not rent out a billboard. I just reread my post and I was not trying presume that they did)
First, the legal aspect of the analogy was meant to be absurd, based on your argument... It is quite obvious you think that it is valid. You even go so far as saying that maybe someone would have done what Ohio State fans did, if they would have thought of it...*shakes head* you don't see the fallacy in that line of argument? *sighs* you know what, this isn't even worth it. You win. I am going to go argue with a rock now.
Do you recall the banner held up in Michigan State's stadium after Michigan's win in 2007?
A huge "Bow Down Sparty" sign hung from the top deck of their own stadium?
(http://mgoblog.blogspot.com/2007/11/unverified-voracity-shows-you-how-t…)
We all (except for DoctorWorm) had a good laugh at that, but what comes around goes around.
A big banner as an analogy to a billboard ain't so far-fetched, as opposed to some weird courtroom argument regarding drunk driving. Yeah, right, I'm the rock.
no no...you are Blue Durham. Look, I get your point. We could have done the same thing. But we didn't. That is all I am saying. And there is a huge difference with having some banner floating around during a sporting event. There is nothing unusual about that. However, it is quite another thing to rent out space over some highway while people are taking their morning commute on I94 or (insert highway of your choice)
With that said, I also understand your point about us having to be able to take "good natured hazing." I get that. But that does not mean that all hazing is good natured. It does not mean that someone renting a billboard in downtown Detroit shouldn't generate disdain from a true fan. It should. That is what being fanatical about the team you are passionate about is.
They have a right to gloat. We have a right to say up yours when they do. The back and forth is what makes the rivalry. When we were up and gloated about being up in the rivalry, they were pissed. Now they are up in the rivalry gloating and we are pissed. So what if we cry foul to that billboard shit. As a fan, we have that right.
The overall theme of the complaint is not that the billboard is classless, it is that Ohio State fans are. That is why when you go down there to watch a game you have to camouflouge your vehicle with ohio state paraphernalia to ensure it won't be vandalized. That is why when they lose they burn down their own city, or threaten their coaches home.
When they win, they sing that shitty song about Ohio. Their fans look at you and laugh and call your players (edit) women's vaginas. They walk along side of you to your car, half drunk still singing that dumb a$$ song. And then sometimes they hang around Ann Arbor screaming how they are number one. BUT, It is not the smugness they have when they win that makes them classless.
It is the classless way they act when they lose that makes their gloating intolerable, insufferable and tactless. You can say what you want to say, Blue and I will still say that Ohio State fans are classless and they celebrate their wins and their losses in classless ways.
Ladies and gentlemen - FUN WITH STEREOTYPES!
Okay, let me give my official disclaimer.
The comments above are not intended to imply that all Ohio State fans are this way. It specifically points out the radical minority of them who give all of them a bad name. No, wait...wait. That still may offend some.
Okay, let me try again.
The post I made above is not intended to paint every Ohio State fan with the broadstroking brush of illogical, irrational, borderline unlawful douche baggery activity. It is meant just for the dude that bent my antenna and keyed my sled when I went down there for a game. And that other dude that stood behind me the 06 game in AA and for the entire duration of said game called Manningham, Arrington and Henne va-jay jay's. And by va-jay jay I mean women's vagina.
Oh and the one family that walked behind me and Walter Smith telling us that we could never beat Ohio State and then proceeded to churn out a couple of bars of that stupid Carmen song in three part harmony all the while following behind us. And the other 4 dudes that was outside Schembecller Hall pointing at their Ohio State hats and singing some God awful version of their fight song for like twenty minutes. I am just making and only making reference to them in the afore mentioned above post about the classless Ohio State fans.
when this comment appeared.
I too have been a victim of vandalism, and understand your anger. But I have seen too often that Michigan fans get back what they dish out, and don't like it. Make a disparaging remark about their fight song, expect to hear that fight song ad nauseum.
My larger point was that I do not think there is really that much difference in the respective fan bases. If there was, how could it be explained? Genetics? Impurities in the Olentangy River? Required courses in classless behavior at OSU? A suddent change in culture once one crosses the border from SE Michigan into Northern Ohio. I think not.
The only differences I can figure that would have an impact is that UM has been a better academic institution over the years (recent changes in Ohio State's admissions have narrowed the gap quite a bit), and, generally, more academically inclined student body leads to less rabid fans. But this would only affect students and alums, not the broader fan base. The other difference would be one of frustration felt by OSU fans over the years due to the series and overall record UM holds over OSU.
They rightly have pride in their program, and so do we. But sometimes pride boils over into frustration when on the loosing side. This is their time in the sun.
Most people (OSU fans included) reflect the treatment that is given them. Rowdy fans can be completely disarmed by a classy good winner/loser. You would be amazed at the conversations you could then have with them.
A couple of my good friends are Ohio State fans. I have lost some hair and have had to wear ohio state gear over lost bets. So I agree with you on that front. And I agree with your overall premise about it coming from both sides, because it does.
There is one guy I know. We call him Ohio Bob. He lives in Trenton Michigan. Every year, during rivalry week he comes in with those buckeye nuts and passes them out. He gets a good razzing for it. But it is in the spirit of the rivalry. But it doesn't go beyond, "Your team sucks." or "This year they're going down."
I suppose I just don't think that Ohio Bob could be Michigan Bob passing out Block M's around a bunch of Ohio State fans without it getting ugly.
But I could be wrong. I just have witnessed, experienced and heard horror stories coming from the other side. With that said, I agree with your post. I guess I was being the rock lol...
And I should provide a full disclaimer; my younger brother is an OSU alum, and we have gotten together for a few games.
I even wrote about one such game for the WLA. If you're interested, here is the link:
http://www.wolverineliberationarmy.com/blog/?paged=8
[Bet you didn't realize I was such an old fart]
Good read. Very good read even. Good writing has a way of humanizing the ones being written about. You made me feel for the Ohio state fan base. That is hard to do. Excellent piece.
Hah, to me really, it's things like this that makes the rivalry great. A lot of other schools that claim to have a better rivalry than us (like the ones in the SEC) don't ever care enough to do stuff like this.
Couldn't the group that purchased the billboard be sued for using Michigan's trademark without permission? I'm not necessarily saying I endorse that approach, but that'd be one sure fired way to make antics like this stop.
. . . or win a game. That'll make it stop!
That is (I'm fairly confident) non-approved advertising display use of branded property, which rightfully belongs to the University of Michigan.
The problem is it was a one-time deal... so it kind of makes a cease-and-desist order irrelevant. AND if Martin legally goes after the guy, it'll just draw more attention, which is probably what they want anyway.
If he was smart, he'd sue not only the damn Buckeye Cro-Magnon but also the advertising agency that owns the board itself-- depending on their contract with the buyer they're most likely punishable for the unlawful use as well. If Martin were to sue them, it might discourage other billboard companies to agree to such a deal in the future.
Or we could just go with that whole bag of doorknobs plan and go kick their asses. Either way works for me.
Suing would be an incredibly pussy thing to do and I guarantee the University of Michigan would be mocked nationwide for weeks for it's pettiness if they ever considered it.
Not really. Trademark law is intended to protect the CONSUMER, not the trademark owner. In effect, trademark is enforced to protect a brand, for example, Cokke-Cola can't suddenly sell carmelized shitwater in a red can and expect Coca-Cola not to shit a brick. Since even a moron in a hurry wouldn't consider that billboard to be UM endorsed, a legal strategy would get about as far as Mike Hart against OSU in 2007.
To further Shock's point, a trademark can be used by anybody, given that the Trademark is correctly being used to identify it's owner. That's why Coke is allowed to use Pepsi's trademark and Miller Lite can used Bud Light's in comparative advertisements. This all fine provided that Coke is using Pepsi's trademark to identify a can of cola - not a can of peanuts or poisonous snakes.
This article talks about it:
http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2008/11/16/comparative-advertising-mac-vs-pc/
All time wins leader: Michigan 57 - 42
Longest Win Streak: Michigan 9 Games
2nd longest win streak: Michigan 6 Games
Biggest Margin of Victory: Michigan 86 points
Most Points scored in series: Michigan 1749
Longest unbeaten streak: Michigan 15 Games
2nd longest Unbeaten streak: Michigan 7 Games
3rd longest unbeaten streak: Michigan 6 games
Most shutouts: Michigan 27
Most tacky, undeserved celebratory billboards: OSU 1
THE OHIO STATE UNIVERSITY - Leaders in sucking and unbelievably undeserved pride.
OSU isn't the first group to do this. I listen to a sports talk station in Charlotte, NC and everyday they announce how many days it has been since the Cowboys won a playoff game. They've been doing this for several years.
Look at it this way - at least they contributed some money to the Michigan economy. That alone probably makes Woody Hayes roll over in his grave.
Overall crime is down 50%, but strangley, beatings with a sack of doorknobs has risen an incredible 475%
after so many consecutive wins, they still hate us enough to erect a billboard paid for with cash money?? I take this as compliment, I say! (for seriously, man... they must really hate us for the bile to last this long).
Isn't it a little silly to count the days rather than just the years since our last victory? If they insist on counting the days, they might as well add on 200 now as we have no intention on ambushing TP in his sleep tonight.
what my intentions are?