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Ohio lawmaker confronted after introducing O.H.I.O Sportsmanship Act

On3 imageby:Andrew Grahamabout 13 hours

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Michigan, Ohio State, Flag
Barbara J. Perenic-USA TODAY Network via Imagn Images

Ohio state congressman Josh Williams has gotten plenty of headlines out of his recently introduced legislation, designed in the wake of Michigan and Ohio State’s postgame skirmish on Nov. 30, to make it a felony to plant a flag at midfield in Ohio Stadium.

And on Wednesday, one Ohioan found the state House rep in the Capitol and asked him about the bill, which the questioner claimed brings “opprobrium” on Ohio State. Williams defended the bill and it’s purpose, which he argued was centered around preventing a scene where law enforcement officers could potentially be harmed.

Police — both local and state troopers — stepped into the melee to separate the Buckeyes and Wolverines that day, and have also come under scrutiny for their use of mace and/or pepper spray amidst the crush of people.

“It’s better than having our state troopers risk injury and having to expose players and fans to mace because there’s a violent encounter at the center of our field because teams don’t know how to appreciate a rivalry and sportsmanship,” Williams said in a video.

Williams, R-Sylvania Twp., introduced the O.H.I.O. Sportsmanship Act on Tuesday. That act would make it a felony offense to plant a flag in the center of Ohio Stadium, should it be passed and signed into law. It is not likely to succeed in the state legislature.

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The bill would “prohibit planting a flagpole and flag in the center of the Ohio Stadium football field on the day of a college football game and to name this act the O.H.I.O. Sportsmanship Act.” Notably, this bill specifically references Ohio Stadium. So, it would presumably not include flag planting incidents at other college football stadiums in the state of Ohio, like Cincinnati‘s Nippert Stadium.

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Williams, who is a graduate of Toledo and from the Toledo strip area of northern Ohio, said his bill is also a signal to both institutions that they need to strive for better leadership with regards to sportsmanship. He cited Michigan head coach Sherrone Moore mimicking a flag planting gesture during a recent Michigan home men’s basketball game. Ohio State head coach Ryan Day had defended the response from his players in the immediate aftermath of the brawl.

Williams continued, and argued he’s all for the rivalry, having family supportive of both sides, but not at the expense of competitive integrity or safety.

“Imagine if one of our players would have been substantially hurt because of a scuffle over a flag?” Williams said. “Imagine if one of our officers would’ve been hurt?”

Williams also said that he’s not merely doing this as a publicity stunt, and will try to work with the Institution of Higher Learning to try to ban flag planting after college football games should the NCAA not ban it.