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Ohio State lost to Michigan in their big game right after Thanksgiving. This loss upset many people, including some state representatives. They felt Ohio State needed to learn how to handle losing better.
Kalel Mullings said Ohio State should learn how to lose because even state representatives are getting involved now. The Buckeyes faced a tough defeat against Michigan during their annual rivalry match, which wrapped up the regular season. However, the buzz around the game wasn’t just about Michigan’s unexpected win over Ohio State in Columbus. Nope, it was also about the Wolverines boldly planting their flag right in the middle of Ohio Stadium.
This act stirred quite a bit of controversy. In fact, Josh Williams, an Ohio lawmaker, is considering making flag planting a criminal offense, according to On3. The proposed legislation is known as the O.H.I.O Sportsmanship Act. Interestingly, this bill targets only Ohio Stadium, which means other schools can still experience flag planting without legal consequences. Some folks think Ohio State fans are sore losers because of this.
Ohio State seems so entitled they’re trying to ban flag planting in their stadium. While it’s understandable for schools to want to prevent fights during rivalry week, if you don’t want someone planting a flag in your stadium, maybe just don’t lose.
In most cases, it’s the visiting team that wins and plants a flag. Yet, the losing team often tries to stop them. Where was that fight when they were actually playing? It’s kind of funny that an Ohio lawmaker wants to ban flag planting only at Ohio Stadium.
If they included all schools in Ohio, it might sound less biased. But that would mean Ohio State needs to step down from its pedestal. Flag planting is part of the game, like it or not. It may not be the best celebration method, but with rivalry games’ excitement and tradition, it adds to the fun.
Michigan was expected to lose badly this season; they were underdogs and criticized heavily by the media. Surprisingly, they held Ohio State to just 10 points—one of their lowest scores—and humbled a very proud team and fan base.
No other state representative is pushing for such drastic measures against flag planting. Even the NCAA isn’t going there. Only Ohio State seems sensitive enough to consider it, which is why Michigan felt justified leaving their mark on the field one last time.