2008 Woodie Awards
MU gets no respect nationally
Mike Zoller
Issue date: 12/7/07 Section: Sports
Rodney Dangerfield could never get any respect and neither can our RedHawks.
For far too long I have watched major news networks such as ESPN and www.cbssportsline.com dismiss Miami University as a second-tier program. Perhaps we aren't an Ohio State University or as storied as the University of Miami, but we deserve to be treated better than we have been.
Watch ESPN or CBS during a sporting event and watch the bottom line sports ticker that scrolls along the bottom. We are referred to as Miami (OH), while Florida's Miami will most of the time just get Miami. On the scoreboard of televised games, the 'Hawks are normally referred to as M-(OH) or a variety of other forms of Miami and making sure (OH) gets in the mix somehow. I will give credit to ESPN that sometimes they do put (FL) next to Miami, or refer to the RedHawks as just Miami, however, this isn't true 100 percent of the time.
But disrespect comes in other forms too. When Miami is grateful enough to have national coverage, we are always referred to as Miami of Ohio, an inappropriate way to refer to our institution according to the Athletic Department. Yet, in every article I have ever seen written by a national sports network, they always must make it perfectly clear that we are indeed from a small farming town in Ohio and not the sunny sandy beaches of Florida. While I'm grateful that we do get national coverage occasionally, there is a certain level of respect that the university is not receiving that could very easily be changed.
I can't imagine that it would be that confusing if sport networks dropped the Scarlet Letter (OH) from our school's name and just referred to us by Miami. The two teams don't even look similar. The RedHawks sport red and white, while the Hurricanes wear orange and green.
But maybe before we tackle the national picture, we focus on a smaller scale, such as our own conference's championship football game. I would have thought that with the RedHawks participating in the MAC Championship game that no one would be confused which Miami was playing … guess I was wrong.
For far too long I have watched major news networks such as ESPN and www.cbssportsline.com dismiss Miami University as a second-tier program. Perhaps we aren't an Ohio State University or as storied as the University of Miami, but we deserve to be treated better than we have been.
Watch ESPN or CBS during a sporting event and watch the bottom line sports ticker that scrolls along the bottom. We are referred to as Miami (OH), while Florida's Miami will most of the time just get Miami. On the scoreboard of televised games, the 'Hawks are normally referred to as M-(OH) or a variety of other forms of Miami and making sure (OH) gets in the mix somehow. I will give credit to ESPN that sometimes they do put (FL) next to Miami, or refer to the RedHawks as just Miami, however, this isn't true 100 percent of the time.
But disrespect comes in other forms too. When Miami is grateful enough to have national coverage, we are always referred to as Miami of Ohio, an inappropriate way to refer to our institution according to the Athletic Department. Yet, in every article I have ever seen written by a national sports network, they always must make it perfectly clear that we are indeed from a small farming town in Ohio and not the sunny sandy beaches of Florida. While I'm grateful that we do get national coverage occasionally, there is a certain level of respect that the university is not receiving that could very easily be changed.
I can't imagine that it would be that confusing if sport networks dropped the Scarlet Letter (OH) from our school's name and just referred to us by Miami. The two teams don't even look similar. The RedHawks sport red and white, while the Hurricanes wear orange and green.
But maybe before we tackle the national picture, we focus on a smaller scale, such as our own conference's championship football game. I would have thought that with the RedHawks participating in the MAC Championship game that no one would be confused which Miami was playing … guess I was wrong.
Viewing Comments 1 - 5 of 5
Jeff G
posted 12/07/07 @ 2:30 PM EST
I sent this in via letters, Just an open response to this article.
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In regards to Mike Zoller's article, "MU gets no respect nationally", I believe his argument is way off base. (Continued…)
Jeff Simpson
posted 12/11/07 @ 11:05 AM EST
Maybe you should try and convince your fellow students to actually attend some of the sporting events and the "respect" of which you speak will follow. (Continued…)
Tim McD
posted 12/11/07 @ 6:57 PM EST
Amen Jeff. I'm able to catch a few games a year via cable (now in AZ) and there are always tons of empty seats at Yeager Stadium. Although for perspective, I graduated from MU in 1983 and attended my football games at the old Miami Field; capacity about 14,000 I think with an old sweep hand clock on the scoreboard. (Continued…)
Mike
posted 12/19/07 @ 3:30 PM EST
I go to University of Miami (FL) and I have been noticing recently that you can't go to a sports website and look at anything about the Miami Hurricanes without seeing the (FL) after Miami. (Continued…)
Buse
posted 1/15/08 @ 4:39 PM EST
What happened to the push to change the URL from MUOHIO.edu to MIAMIU.edu?
There was some talk about it in the past, and I though there was a plan to go forward with it?
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