Clearing up what it means to be a fan

Okay, so 2015 is already seeming to bring some tensions between teams. 42-20 the Ohio State Buckeyes just won the National Championship against the Oregon Ducks. However, this seemed to rustle some feathers on the University of Oregon side and cause an attack on anyone associated with Oregon State University. So here's some clarifications so we can all enjoy the National Championship next year no matter who goes:

1. The Concept of Being a Fan
There are many levels of being a fan. Some of us associate ourselves with one school (ex. Oregon) whereas some of us like myself have more than one favorite (Washington State, Oregon State, and Ohio State). There are also different intensities with which you can be a fan. Some just watch the game online. Some pay for season tickets. Others decorate the fire hydrant outside of their house to the colors of green and yellow. It all differs. No matter the intensity you wish to enjoy your game, you should never drag another person to your level. Don't tell others to "mellow down" or "you're not a good enough fan" unless the actions they are taking are directly hurting or insulting another. Easy enough since we're all adults.

2. Bandwagoning Fallacies
Hah, what a wonderful concept. In some instances, this seems to be a problem with people misdefining what it means to be a bandwagon fan.

A bandwagon-er is not someone who roots for a team AT THE TIME OF THE GAME. This is because of a novel concept that if you are watching a game, you will eventually choose a side. I know that no matter the sport or event that I watch, if it's a competition I will always end up choosing a side to support. This is not bandwagoning.

Also, don't call someone a bandwagon because that lowers the amount of people who watch the support. Basically you are trying to destroy the community. You need to respect how other people choose to support their team. Whether it's for one game or one year.

3. Support your state fallacy
Incredible. Our Duck brothers and sisters called on the Beavers to root for them and cheer them on when they made it to the National Championship. See something wrong with this? The famous quote "the enemy of my enemy is my friend" could not be more applicable here. This is because of something that has been long established as a tradition: RIVALRY. If you for one second believe that the FANS of U of O have built a supportive community that doesn't tear down the Beavers no matter the chance they get, then you are obviously blind and mistaken. A good example of this would be the Twitter account @AutzenStudents. They are the representative student body of the University of Oregon on Twitter and provide the prime examples of taunting and hatred towards Oregon State which keeps the rivalry alive. Because of this tradition, there is no way that there can be support from OSU to U of O.
To apply this to other sports, let's take a look at the Beavers two-time National Championship in baseball. Was there any support from the Ducks? Probably not. Will there be any support from the Ducks for our nationally ranked Women's Basketball Team? We can assume not.

4. Ducks will bring football fame to Oregon State as well as money
No. Just no. The state in general will not receive fame for football. Think about it: you're making one school look good if they win (U of O). Oregon State will actually see an increasing amount of difficulty recruiting because we have to play against U of O and compete against them for recruiting purposes. Also, the NCAA doesn't award any more money to the winning school. Schools that play in bowl games, and schools that advance to the top 4 receive money for their region. Hence, the PAC 12 received lots of money, and wouldn't have seen a shift had the Ducks won or lost. For these reasons, don't tell me to root for another school. Educate yourself on the laws first.

5. Ad hominems on ad hominems on ad hominems. 
Just stop these already. You look foolish and mark yourself as a complete idiot (haha get the irony in this?). Basically this: DON'T TEAR DOWN OREGON STATE BECAUSE YOU JUST LOST TO OHIO STATE. This is what I hate most. The Beavers who root for the Buckeyes are being tormented by Ducks who continue to argue that "Beavers football sucks" and "You guys haven't beat us since 2007". First off, schools is much more than football. So lets make an academic listing shall we?
A. Oregon State triumphs over U of O in research funding by 50+ million dollars a year
B. 78.9% graduation rate versus 67.4% and OSU triumphs again
C: 48,000 and 42,000 are the average salaries for graduates with Oregon State on top yet again
D: Linus Pauling, Cecil Andrus, and F. Wayne Valley are the first three "notable alumni" from Oregon State University. Their professions as a scientist, governor/politician, and businessman identify OSU as what it is. The Ducks starting three are Phil Knight, Bill Bowerman, and Mickey Loomis. They are in order, the founder of Nike, track coach, and NFL coach. If you have half a brain, you can see a trend. "What does this even mean?" you ask, and I reply as follows: Each school has its qualities. Obviously. Both possess different levels of different qualities.

Conclusion TL;DR
Don't embarrass yourself, read up, study up, and be smart when you enjoy a football game. Comment on something I missed, something you want to see me elaborate on, and I will be more than happy to add an *EDIT* section for anybody who reads this!