Staying for the whole game.
After watching the Ohio University football team defeat Penn State in Not-So-Happy-Valley for the season opener this past weekend, I couldn’t help but be struck by how much things have changed since my days down in Athens. When I attended Ohio from ’80 to ’84, football wasn’t as much of a sporting event as it was a happy hour preceding an afternoon trip uptown. And games were only two quarters long. That’s right, two quarters — game over.
Back then, the reason we all went to the game was simply to see what kind of dance moves the Marching 110 had in store for halftime. The caliber of football left a lot to be desired, but the performance of the band was always worth the trip to the stadium. But that was it. As soon as the 110 marched off the field, we marched our butts right on up to Court Street. And so it went all four of my years there.
My, how things change. Today, my school is now my client. For the past few years, Melamed Riley has been planning and buying media for Ohio, handling some market research and most recently have been lending a hand in branding and creative. The campus itself, while maintaining its quintessential college atmosphere, has been transformed with one new impressive facility after another. And, of course, its football program has exploded and the Bobcats are well on their way to yet another season chock-full of wins. Thankfully, the halftime show is no longer the finale, but an exciting intermission. Geez, I may even make the drive down to Athens once or twice this season, and it won’t be just to see the band.