With sports come sports rivalries. Occasionally these are harmless fun enjoyed by all, but they can turn serious, even deadly serious, at a moment's notice. Coming from someone who isn't a fan of most sports, I find sports rivalries to be very senseless. And since I live in Michigan, allow me to discuss Michigan's rivalry with Ohio.
Apparently, this has been a major rivalry for a long time, especially when it comes to the football teams. The two teams first met in 1897 and Michigan would go on to win that game 34-0, and Ohio has apparently never forgotten that, as the two teams continue to be fierce rivals to this day. It's one thing to be rivals on the football field, but off it? People tend to get a little out of hand. Some resort to either making insulting jokes about the opposing state or becoming outright violent.
Some examples of bad jokes directed at Ohio are as follows (Warning: Some of you readers might not want to read these due to their offensive nature):
Q: A Michigan kid and an Ohio kid are in the third grade. Who is bigger? A: The Ohio kid of course. He's 16.
Q: What happens when a blonde moves from Michigan to Ohio? A: Both states get smarter.
Q: What do you call a good looking girl on the Ohio State University campus? A: A visitor.
Q: If you have a car containing a Ohio State Buckeyes wide receiver, a Ohio State Buckeyes linebacker, and a Ohio State Buckeyes defensive back, who is driving the car? A: The cop.
And because I'm trying to make a point about how these jokes are completely unnecessary, I will also include insulting jokes directed at Michigan:
Q: What is the difference between a litter of puppies and Michigan Wolverines fans? A: Eventually puppies grow up and stop whining.
Q: What do Wolverines cheerleaders and Wolverines quarterbacks have in common? A: They're always on their backs.
Q: How many Michigan Wolverines does it take to change a tire? A: One, unless it's a blowout, in which case they all show up.
Q: What do Michigan Wolverines Football players always get on their final exams? A: Drool.
All of these are completely uncalled for and simply poor sportsmanship. I don't understand why fans feel the need to throw insulting jokes at an opposing team's state. They are not at all funny and are just completely wrong. What's worse than the jokes is the acts of violence committed by individuals on both sides.
For example, there was an article last year on the USA Today College website that discussed a couple from Michigan got into a fistfight with a couple from Ohio. Of course they were arrested, and of course it ended up on Twitter, and of course the fighting was escalated on the social media page by both sides rooting for their respective states. If you want anything to get blown out of proportion, just put it up on Twitter.
There has also been stories about fans from Ohio making rude gestures and intentionally getting into fights with visiting Michigan fans, but I believe the same can be said for us when they visit. And like the apparent six-year-olds we and Ohio make ourselves out to be, there have even been incidents of hair-pulling. There's poor sportsmanship, and then there's poor sportsmanship blown out of control.
What is the point of all this? Why can't both sides just be mature about a win or a loss? Why must there be bad jokes and physical violence? Fans are free to be passionate, but they really need to know when and where to draw the line. Because everything I mentioned above is completely unnecessary and unreasonable. If I sound like I'm complaining, keep in mind, I am not a sports fan, least of all when it comes to football. I only watch the Superbowl for the ads and the Halftime Show.
But if anyone who is a fan has comments about how ridiculous sports rivalries are, please share your thoughts below.
