Troy Renck: We love college rivalries, but woke up hating ourselves Monday morning. There is nothing like the passion and pageantry blending with volume and vitriol. It brings out the primal instincts of our ancestors. Too much so this past weekend. Planting a flag, known more as a metaphor for conquering new territory, became a reality with violent consequences across the country. Multiple melees broke out, blurring the lines between sportsmanship and excessive celebration. It was hard to see this as kids having some fun when vision was blurred by pepper spray in Columbus, Ohio. Sean, there is nothing like the heated traditions of college football, but given what played out across the country on Saturday, is it time to ban flag-planting at midfield by winning teams?
Sean Keeler: If you don’t want a team sticking its flag (or pitchfork) on your logo, the answer’s simple: Beat ’em. Don’t give ’em a cause or reason. That said, things got ridiculous over the weekend, and there’s only one proven way to curb ridiculousness in our free-market world: Fines. Fines as steep as Mount Hood. Fine the living crud out of everybody. And since this is a safety issue, I’ll even give it a twist, something that could be universal for every Power 4 league: $100,000 penalty for the school that does something to the other school’s logo, pregame or postgame. And then a $150,000 penalty for the host school whose players counter by starting a brawl. Flag-planting is classless. But if you want to “protect this house,” do it while the clock’s running.
Renck: Had the melee been restricted to whiny Ohio State grousing after the game with Michigan, I would have been inclined to allow the flag-planting. The Buckeyes showed more fight over the flag than they did in 60 minutes of competition. But the Michigan player making the second lap with the flag after the planting went too far, and it resulted in chaos, punches and tears. Nothing says rivalry like pepper spray. When similar incidents played out with Florida-Florida State, North Carolina-North Carolina State and Arizona State-Arizona — at least the Sun Devils showed creativity by using a pitchfork — it went from clean old-fashioned hate to embarrassment. It is time to ban flag-planting.
Keeler: Again, and from a safety issue, I’d be inclined to agree. But here’s the thing: Where do you stop? Do you ban inflammatory celebrations after touchdowns, first downs, picks or sacks? Sportsmanship has become, like a lot of things, a giant, provincial grey area: If it’s your coach and your team and your guys partying, it’s the joy of the moment, and let ’em play! And if it’s your hated rival, well, they’re jerks and punks. It’s all wrong, but it’s also all in the eye of the beholder. Banning it? Nah. Fining it? Absolutely. To the moon. And back.
Renck: I recognize Baker Mayfield if not millions of others disagree with me. Mayfield started the tradition by planting the Oklahoma flag at Ohio State in 2017. He pleaded Sunday for it to remain, saying “Let the boys play.” The problem is, they cannot be trusted to behave. The losing team is furious. Should they have played better and prevented it? Absolutely. But having their noses rubbed in it with cameras chronicling for national highlights and social media has turned a playful jab into a toxic situation. Ohio State and Michigan were each fined $100,000 for their roles in the melee. Everyone loves a good rivalry. But there must be a measure of civility. Until further notice, restrict the flag-planting to the visiting locker room.
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Keeler: Baker always brings out the Midwest in me. In that he makes me cringe. Every football coach I ever had told us to express all that hate and vinegar between the white lines but to do it within the rules. Knock somebody on their can, every play, then help them to their feet, then knock them on their can again. If you have all this energy left for the postgame celebration, where was it for the 60 minutes that really mattered? I’d agree with Baker on letting the boys play. But those same boys better be ready to pay through the nose for losing their heads.
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