As a proud NR alum, I had to post Mr. Grove's thoughts.......

Pick one: Bearcat or Buckeye? You can’t be both

Posted: Sunday, December 1, 2013 6:11 pm

Charles Grove | Staff Reporter | 0 comments

There can’t be a fan of both the Bearcats and the Buckeyes. Period. It can’t be done.

I’m confused why it seemed almost all of “Bearcat Nation” was all over social media cheering Ohio State University on to an ugly win against a mediocre Michigan team Saturday.

If you go to UC, you chose this school over all the other schools you applied to, or maybe this was the only school you applied to. Either way, this is the school that will be preparing you for your professional life. Why would you openly support another university?

Nearly my entire Twitter feed yesterday was filled with “F*** Michigan” and “Buckeyes rule.” I couldn’t believe what I was reading.

I transferred from Wright State University, a school with virtually no support for its athletic programs at all. A dozen students showing up for a basketball game could be considered a “good showing,” but I thought things would be different here at the #HottestCollegeInAmerica.

The support from the students has been hit or miss to put it politely. Even if the student section at Nippert is full at kickoff, by the end of the third quarter it’s nearly completely empty. And judging from social media, students would rather watch the Buckeyes on TV than support their own school.

Sports matter to a university. Collegiate athletics are how the majority of the public sees a university through the media. Sure, a new study coming out of a certain department might make some headlines every couple of years, but our Bearcats are showcased to millions of people every week on national TV. And when a school starts getting a reputation for not having a sense of pride about itself that hurts everyone.

Whether or not you were raised a Buckeye fan, it’s time to look up and realize you’re not 4 years old anymore, wearing the Ohio State footie pajamas your dad bought you in hopes of raising the next great Buckeye football star.

You came to UC. We’re a BCS school. We’re nationally ranked. You likely pay thousands to go here and you openly support another academic institution?

The alumni of this school have done a fantastic job supporting the football team at Nippert Stadium. The stadium has been full nearly to capacity every week with one exception: the sections near the closed end of the stadium where the students can sit for free.

I transferred to UC and wish I would have done it a lot sooner. Seeing people wear UC gear around campus every day is a big deal I think many current students take for granted. At Wright State I was more likely to see people wearing Ohio State or North Carolina gear to class. The lack of pride made that school as dull as it could’ve been. And I beg my fellow Bearcats to not allow that to happen here.

It wasn’t but a couple years ago that UC was ranked higher than Ohio State. It’s entirely possible for that to happen again. Remember those “bUCkeye State” shirts?

I suppose the bandwagon is over and people would rather support an undefeated Buckeye team playing powerhouses like Florida A&M from their TV set than supporting your fellow classmates in person and on social media while they fight for a chance at a BCS bowl game..

But you “BuckCats,” as I will refer to you from now on, are just scared. You’re scared to root for a UC team that is unproven. They occasionally lose. And it’s much easier for you to support one of the most powerful programs in college football than to show your loyalty to a team that might break your heart like they did in that 2010 Sugar Bowl.

Bandwagoning is never honorable and if you guys are going to suffer through the Bengals and the Reds but never truly give your own future alma mater a chance, then I really feel sorry for you. You’ll never truly appreciate UC. And that’s the most heartbreaking part to all this. You’ll never appreciate what a fantastic university UC is because you’ll be wishing you were somewhere else all along.

Remember, you only get one alma mater.

Bravo!

Perhaps I'm not the best example, considering that my earliest sports memories are of a very cold day at Nippert in the late 60's, and a basketball game at the Armory Fieldhouse. My only childhood memory of Ohio State was seeing Woody Hayes try to clock a player from the opposing team, which got him fired.

I have two degrees from UC, one from Miami. I can't think of one good reason why I'd want to cheer for another college. I've given UC and Miami a lot of my money. I spent my all-nighters at UC and Miami. My degrees don't say Ohio State.

When you add the open hostility of OSU's former president to other schools - including UC - I can't think of a good reason to ponder their success.

Good with the caveat that after this year no more BCS. I can't stand tO$U, if you hadn't heard Urban Meyer declared there will be no suspensions after Michigan game.

Seriously, it's not like they killed someone like Aaron Hernandez.

I have NO friends who are UC grads who were rooting for OSU. We were all hoping to see the Buckeyes go down. I was disappointed to see President Ono tweeting his support for OSU, but that might be to keep in good with the Ohio politicians.

I do have a neighbor who is a UC grad and he roots for Ohio State. Disgusts me.

Lets see.

I grew up in Columbus, Ohio and attended my first Buckeye game with my father (UC Grad 1980) in 1993 against Northwestern. I was a Buckeye up until 2005/2006. I attended my first Bearcat game in 2006 against Eastern Kentucky, and did not miss a game that season. I remember sprawling out on the bleachers and having the active members of the fraternity I was pledging buying us beer, there were maybe 500 students at the game. I missed 2 home games between 2006 and 2011 when I graduated. I have season tickets, although I can't always attend the games now that I moved back to Columbus.

I don't understand the hatred, I don't understand the West-Side vs East-Side rivalry, I don't understand how Gold-Star is in business. The Buckeyes are not UC's rival... Louisville, Miami, and Xavier garner all my hate. I applied to one school, and one school only... That was UC. I only chose not to go to OSU because I did not want to go to a school in my backyard.

I can root for two teams, especially in the fact they rarely play each other. I root for two teams in the NFL, and hell I root for 3 teams in College Football. Bearcats, Buckeyes, and BGSU. Who are you to tell me who I am allowed to root for? I am from Ohio, and love my state. I want to see every Ohio school win, and showcase our talent (except for Cleveland...the Browns can suck it).

But who are you all to judge ones loyalty to their alma mater just because they also root for Ohio State? I make donations, I was on Bourbon Street, and South Beach with the rest of you, yet get questioned when I don't swell up with hate towards Ohio State?

You need new neighbors. Your current one is mentally unbalanced.

(12-02-2013 12:33 PM)Bruce Monnin Wrote:  I have NO friends who are UC grads who were rooting for OSU. We were all hoping to see the Buckeyes go down. I was disappointed to see President Ono tweeting his support for OSU, but that might be to keep in good with the Ohio politicians.

I do have a neighbor who is a UC grad and he roots for Ohio State. Disgusts me.

Of course Urban will not suspend them. to$u only suspends players for games against "Little Sisters of the Poor"

I grew up a Buckeye fan, mainly due to my Dad - only one TV and you watched what he watched!

When I was looking at colleges, I took a tour of OSU and was totally unimpressed. I applied to UC, mainly for their reputation in Engineering and the opportunity to pay my way through the co-op program.

I couldn't care less if OSU wins or losses - they're not my alma mata. I only enjoy seeing them lose to hear the whining from their "fans" - most of which never graduated (or attended) OSU and can barley spell it.

My heart (and loyalties) belong to UC - always has and always will - even if they break my heart occasionally.

I tell anyone I see on campus wearing another schools shirt that this is UC and we do not appreciate it especially on a game day. I saw this man walking to the last UC game with an O$u shirt on and I told him he was in the wrong place and he should stop by the bookstore if he intended to go the game. He said he was a grad of O$U. I said well they don't play here today. I love when Butch Jones saw the girl running the steps in the Nip with an Indiana shirt on and he had a Mgr run up and buy her a UC shirt at the bookstore. TAKE PRIDE it is ok not to root for the Bucks they alone are the only reason we are not in the Big Ten! They have nothing but hatred for us so don't kid yourself! Go Spartans this week. Now let's rally the student body into packing and overflowing every area of Nippert Thursday in the biggest game on campus in years! OH yes and PLEAS stay for the entire game...pass the word

(12-02-2013 12:52 PM)Banter Wrote:  Lets see.

I grew up in Columbus, Ohio and attended my first Buckeye game with my father (UC Grad 1980) in 1993 against Northwestern. I was a Buckeye up until 2005/2006. I attended my first Bearcat game in 2006 against Eastern Kentucky, and did not miss a game that season. I remember sprawling out on the bleachers and having the active members of the fraternity I was pledging buying us beer, there were maybe 500 students at the game. I missed 2 home games between 2006 and 2011 when I graduated. I have season tickets, although I can't always attend the games now that I moved back to Columbus.

I don't understand the hatred, I don't understand the West-Side vs East-Side rivalry, I don't understand how Gold-Star is in business. The Buckeyes are not UC's rival... Louisville, Miami, and Xavier garner all my hate. I applied to one school, and one school only... That was UC. I only chose not to go to OSU because I did not want to go to a school in my backyard.

I can root for two teams, especially in the fact they rarely play each other. I root for two teams in the NFL, and hell I root for 3 teams in College Football. Bearcats, Buckeyes, and BGSU. Who are you to tell me who I am allowed to root for? I am from Ohio, and love my state. I want to see every Ohio school win, and showcase our talent (except for Cleveland...the Browns can suck it).

But who are you all to judge ones loyalty to their alma mater just because they also root for Ohio State? I make donations, I was on Bourbon Street, and South Beach with the rest of you, yet get questioned when I don't swell up with hate towards Ohio State?

The FACT that no Bearcat Forums exist to trash OSU, in comparison to
this:
http://www.buckeyeplanet.com/forum/threa...19/page-78

makes it very easy to hate the tur@s that populate it. Read their garbage, the tones, the mongering. A perfect weekend : tosu loses,
tosu basketball loses, Craft fouls out, and Notre Dame loses.

For me, I started attending UC football and basketball games as a kid and have been to a whole lot of games. Almost my entire family in some way has graduated from UC with some type of a degree other than me. For me, I just wanted to go to a college a little further away than 20 minutes from my home so I went to Ohio State. In football, I would root for Ohio State over UC just for the fact I don't want to hear all of my UC friends give me **** if they won. On the other hand, UC basketball is my number 1 favorite team to root for and I would root for them over Ohio State. Either way I totally understand the hatred of UC fans against Ohio State, but I do not find it a problem if say UC fans root for OSU against Michigan. It is a problem if the students are skipping UC games to tune in to OSU games instead, but none of my friends ever did that. Therefore, I don't see a problem in it unless it is taking away from your own school like the article is mainly about.

(12-02-2013 01:11 PM)BearcatBeta Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 12:52 PM)Banter Wrote:  Lets see.

I grew up in Columbus, Ohio and attended my first Buckeye game with my father (UC Grad 1980) in 1993 against Northwestern. I was a Buckeye up until 2005/2006. I attended my first Bearcat game in 2006 against Eastern Kentucky, and did not miss a game that season. I remember sprawling out on the bleachers and having the active members of the fraternity I was pledging buying us beer, there were maybe 500 students at the game. I missed 2 home games between 2006 and 2011 when I graduated. I have season tickets, although I can't always attend the games now that I moved back to Columbus.

I don't understand the hatred, I don't understand the West-Side vs East-Side rivalry, I don't understand how Gold-Star is in business. The Buckeyes are not UC's rival... Louisville, Miami, and Xavier garner all my hate. I applied to one school, and one school only... That was UC. I only chose not to go to OSU because I did not want to go to a school in my backyard.

I can root for two teams, especially in the fact they rarely play each other. I root for two teams in the NFL, and hell I root for 3 teams in College Football. Bearcats, Buckeyes, and BGSU. Who are you to tell me who I am allowed to root for? I am from Ohio, and love my state. I want to see every Ohio school win, and showcase our talent (except for Cleveland...the Browns can suck it).

But who are you all to judge ones loyalty to their alma mater just because they also root for Ohio State? I make donations, I was on Bourbon Street, and South Beach with the rest of you, yet get questioned when I don't swell up with hate towards Ohio State?

The FACT that no Bearcat Forums exist to trash OSU, in comparison to
this:
http://www.buckeyeplanet.com/forum/threa...19/page-78

makes it very easy to hate the tur@s that populate it. Read their garbage, the tones, the mongering. A perfect weekend : tosu loses,
tosu basketball loses, Craft fouls out, and Notre Dame loses.

My thoughts are who cares? Nobody makes you go to their website. Let them think what they want. Set up a forum to trash Ohio State, but I for one would rather spend my energy talking about teams we actually play year after year.

In the spirit of Hanukkah....

Mit eyn hintn zitst men nit af tsvey ferd. You can't sit on two horses with one behind.

I am with Banter on this. I grew up an OSU fan, and I basically came down to either UC or OSU. I chose UC and I root all out for UC in all sports. That being said, my family is basically split between UC and OSU grads therefore I still root for both, and OU as well (sister graduated from there). Most of my friends that are OSU grads root for UC as long as they aren't playing OSU as well. There is no doubt that UC comes 1st in every way, but after that I see no issue in rooting for OSU or OU. This was the first time in years I was able to really watch the OSU vs Michigan game thanks to UC having the weekend off... even when UC had a game on Friday I still had other things going on that prevented me from watching the OSU/UM game. It was a fun game to watch, and being that I live in Brady Hoke's home town it added even more to the game.

I will admit, I have zero interest in OSU basketball. The fact that they are not head and shoulders above UC, Xavier, and Dayton but refuse to play any of them away from Columbus has made me despise them. I grew up a Dayton fan and have probably been to almost as many games at UD Arena in my lifetime as the Shoe keeps me as a casual fan of them. I watched UD's game in Hawaii and I root for them as long as they aren't play UC. It helps that they share a rival with UC as well.

There is just no reason a person cannot be a casual fan of another school for 1 reason or another... I think your alma mater should always come first, but childhood allegiances die hard.

(12-02-2013 12:52 PM)Banter Wrote:  Lets see.

I grew up in Columbus, Ohio and attended my first Buckeye game with my father (UC Grad 1980) in 1993 against Northwestern. I was a Buckeye up until 2005/2006. I attended my first Bearcat game in 2006 against Eastern Kentucky, and did not miss a game that season. I remember sprawling out on the bleachers and having the active members of the fraternity I was pledging buying us beer, there were maybe 500 students at the game. I missed 2 home games between 2006 and 2011 when I graduated. I have season tickets, although I can't always attend the games now that I moved back to Columbus.

I don't understand the hatred, I don't understand the West-Side vs East-Side rivalry, I don't understand how Gold-Star is in business. The Buckeyes are not UC's rival... Louisville, Miami, and Xavier garner all my hate. I applied to one school, and one school only... That was UC. I only chose not to go to OSU because I did not want to go to a school in my backyard.

I can root for two teams, especially in the fact they rarely play each other. I root for two teams in the NFL, and hell I root for 3 teams in College Football. Bearcats, Buckeyes, and BGSU. Who are you to tell me who I am allowed to root for? I am from Ohio, and love my state. I want to see every Ohio school win, and showcase our talent (except for Cleveland...the Browns can suck it).

But who are you all to judge ones loyalty to their alma mater just because they also root for Ohio State? I make donations, I was on Bourbon Street, and South Beach with the rest of you, yet get questioned when I don't swell up with hate towards Ohio State?

As someone else who has lived in both cities, I can understand where and why you have your beliefs. I graduated from UC in the mid 1990s and knew a lot of OSU Football/UC Basketball types. That being said, I disagree with your comment that you can root for both schools because they do not play one another.

It has been clearly articulated that the OSU athletic department wishes UC’s athletic department to fail. This comes from the former President of the University (“Gene would take me out back and shoot me if we let Cincinnati in the B10” and “We want Cincinnati to be an Ohio State City”). The AD and basketball coach were quoted two years ago that they have never given any thought to scheduling UC on the hardwood as it would not be in their best interest. What’s more, aside from athletics, the governor of this state has articulated that UC is merely a spoke on Ohio State’s wheel (or something to that effect).

Heck, I would go as far as to say I would root for XU before I would ever root for OSU (in fact, I will admit it—I wanted the Muskies to beat OSU in the tournament a few years back). At least XU is not trying to screw UC over and keep them at second citizen status.

(12-02-2013 01:45 PM)CliftonAve Wrote:  It has been clearly articulated that the OSU athletic department wishes UC’s athletic department to fail. This comes from the former President of the University (“Gene would take me out back and shoot me if we let Cincinnati in the B10” and “We want Cincinnati to be an Ohio State City”). The AD and basketball coach were quoted two years ago that they have never given any thought to scheduling UC on the hardwood as it would not be in their best interest. What’s more, aside from athletics, the governor of this state has articulated that UC is merely a spoke on Ohio State’s wheel (or something to that effect).

Heck, I would go as far as to say I would root for XU before I would ever root for OSU (in fact, I will admit it—I wanted the Muskies to beat OSU in the tournament a few years back). At least XU is not trying to screw UC over and keep them at second citizen status.

Grew up an OSU fan; even had a Archie Griffin poster on my wall. But once I hit UC, my loyalty was set for my school. Living in Dayton for most of my years, I'm similar to mlb and casually root for the Flyers. But UD has not gone on a massive campaign by their administration or their fans like what Clifton described above. My dislike for all things OSU has grown over the last 25 years, and I've seen nothing out of Columbus, or anything from their fans, that would soften my dislike. Go Sparty!!!

(12-02-2013 01:38 PM)mlb Wrote:  I will admit, I have zero interest in OSU basketball.

I was raised on UC Basketball, and will never root for Ohio State basketball.

(12-02-2013 01:15 PM)Banter Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 01:11 PM)BearcatBeta Wrote:  

(12-02-2013 12:52 PM)Banter Wrote:  Lets see.

I grew up in Columbus, Ohio and attended my first Buckeye game with my father (UC Grad 1980) in 1993 against Northwestern. I was a Buckeye up until 2005/2006. I attended my first Bearcat game in 2006 against Eastern Kentucky, and did not miss a game that season. I remember sprawling out on the bleachers and having the active members of the fraternity I was pledging buying us beer, there were maybe 500 students at the game. I missed 2 home games between 2006 and 2011 when I graduated. I have season tickets, although I can't always attend the games now that I moved back to Columbus.

I don't understand the hatred, I don't understand the West-Side vs East-Side rivalry, I don't understand how Gold-Star is in business. The Buckeyes are not UC's rival... Louisville, Miami, and Xavier garner all my hate. I applied to one school, and one school only... That was UC. I only chose not to go to OSU because I did not want to go to a school in my backyard.

I can root for two teams, especially in the fact they rarely play each other. I root for two teams in the NFL, and hell I root for 3 teams in College Football. Bearcats, Buckeyes, and BGSU. Who are you to tell me who I am allowed to root for? I am from Ohio, and love my state. I want to see every Ohio school win, and showcase our talent (except for Cleveland...the Browns can suck it).

But who are you all to judge ones loyalty to their alma mater just because they also root for Ohio State? I make donations, I was on Bourbon Street, and South Beach with the rest of you, yet get questioned when I don't swell up with hate towards Ohio State?

The FACT that no Bearcat Forums exist to trash OSU, in comparison to
this:
http://www.buckeyeplanet.com/forum/threa...19/page-78

makes it very easy to hate the tur@s that populate it. Read their garbage, the tones, the mongering. A perfect weekend : tosu loses,
tosu basketball loses, Craft fouls out, and Notre Dame loses.

My thoughts are who cares? Nobody makes you go to their website. Let them think what they want. Set up a forum to trash Ohio State, but I for one would rather spend my energy talking about teams we actually play year after year.

Nobody makes me go to IRAN or North Korea, but I have a pretty good grasp of why I don't like them. We play tosu 9/2014. I'd like to see UC play them a little more regularly (see UK/Louisville).

(12-02-2013 01:54 PM)Ragpicker Wrote:  Go Sparty!!!

Funny enough, my grandfather was a Michigan State grad. In that side (my dad's side) there is a MSU grad, 3 OSU grads, and 4 UC grads. Add in a couple of Texas Tech grad cousins, UC hiring Tuberville away from Tech has created some Facebook taunting that is kind of funny.