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Ohio State Fans Finally Hate Someone More Than Ryan Hamby

Aug 20, 2009, 8:10 PM UTC

Tyler Moeller just had brain surgery because some guy punched him at a Florida bar, and the Columbus Dispatch dug out the guy’s name. â†µâ†µOhio State fans are noted for their decorum and perspective, at least insofar as they seem to totally lack both. Ohio State fans sent death threats to one of their own players who had the misfortune to drop a touchdown against Texas. They send death threats when the order something medium rare and it comes out well-done.â†µ

â†µâ†µWho thinks this is going to go well? Everyone? Yeah, probably everyone.â†µ

â†µâ†µâ‡¥McQuaide told the Times that Decker, 27, of Kenneth City, Fla.,â†µâ‡¥began receiving death threats from irate Ohio State fans yesterday,â†µâ‡¥once his name became public. â†µâ†µâ†µDeath threats: check. Bombardment of employer with outrage?â†µ

â†µâ†µâ‡¥Decker’s lawyer said Wednesday that his client is receiving deathâ†µâ‡¥threats from irate Buckeye fans after college football blogs put hisâ†µâ‡¥personal information online.â†µâ‡¥The threats have been made to his cell phone, his e-mail, even toâ†µâ‡¥the title company where Decker works, they said.â†µâ‡¥“They’ve been calling his supervisors ... and threatening him all dayâ†µâ‡¥long,” said St. Petersburg defense attorney Sean McQuaid.â†µâ†µâ†µAaand check again. Next up: poop in a cooler and mail it to his address, which people are posting wily-nilly on every Ohio State blog with comments or nobly letting everyone know that a quick google search turns up his address and phone number but allowing your “better judgment” to prevail and keeping the information to yourself. I know it’s the internet, but uh ...â†µ

â†µâ†µâ‡¥19â†µâ‡¥
â†µâ‡¥skideuch
â†µâ‡¥August 19th, 2009 at 4:04 pmâ†µâ‡¥i want this guy spitting blood! its time to go to treasure islandâ†µâ‡¥and burn down the gators sports bar with ralph in it!!â†µâ†µâ†µ... that’s one of three types of comments being left. The other two: egging â†µon these guys and posts that specifically state they don’t think anyone â†µshould harass this guy but did you know a quick Google search turns up â†µhis address, phone number, and fun biographical tidbits like his wedding â†µinvitation?â†µ

â†µ

â†µThere's no lesson here unless you were under the misapprehension that a â†µpublic relations campaign would change the dark underbelly of Ohio State â†µfandom. It's the reasonable fans'—of which there are plenty—cross to bear.â†µ

â†µâ†µSince there’s no lesson, how about a question: is this responsible â†µjournalism? Is it newsworthy that the guy who punched Tyler Moeller has â†µa name and is the kind of guy who hangs around bars punching people and â†µracking up misdemeanor arrests? It doesn’t sound like he deserves any â†µsympathy, but at some point the news value of this guy’s name is â†µoutweighed by the potential for further violence.â†µ

â†µâ†µI’m not saying it is. I’m not saying it isn’t. But I wonder if anyone â†µthought about it.â†µ

â†µ

This post originally appeared on the Sporting Blog. For more, see The Sporting Blog Archives.

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