The Victory Bell is given to the winner of the annual football game between the University of Cincinnati Bearcats and the Miami University Redhawks. The series dates back to 1888 when the two teams met up on the Miami campus in Oxford, Ohio, and it is the oldest non-conference college football rivalry in the United States.
I love college football and, as an Ohio State alum, I bleed scarlet and gray for my beloved Buckeyes. But I have so many family ties to the University of Cincinnati that I enjoy rooting for the Bearcats as well, and I always root for them unless they are playing Ohio State. I've enjoyed the fact that the Bearcats have maintained ownership of the famed bell now since 2006.
The traditions of college football are one of the big reasons I love it, and I always get excited every year when autumn comes around. For me, no college traditions beat OSU's Script Ohio and "Hang on Sloopy," and no rivalry beats OSU-Michigan, but the UC-Miami rivalry is fun too. And, I hope the Bearcats don't give the Victory Bell back to the Redhawks any time soon.
If you're a sports fan, what are your favorite traditions or rivalries?
I went to UC and had no idea there was any kind of football rivalry with Miami. I did get to go to some of the Xavier-UC basketball games though.
ReplyDeleteI think my fav sport is gymnastics. was into gymnastics as a kid. No traditions through. I am begining to pick up ice hockey though. :) I'm scared to death about those hockey sticks and puck..LOL
ReplyDeleteI agree, these kinds of traditions make college football a lot of fun. Wisconsin has a couple of these trophy rivalries, most notably against Minnesota for Paul Bunyan's ax.
ReplyDeleteI've semi-adopted my husbands love for all his New York teams...but I don't really have it in me to be a true sports fan.
ReplyDeleteHowever, the victory bell sounds like a lot of fun!
@Tonja, oh, I know the basketball rivalry is the big one. It's a shame that took such an ugly turn last year.
ReplyDelete@Cecelia, LOL, I've always thought I would be terrified of the hockey puck coming right at me. I think it's amazing how fast hockey moves.
@Tim, yeah, the ax is a good one. I also love Wisconsin's "Jump Around" at Camp Randall, very fun.
@Karen, me too, thanks.
@Johanna, oh, you have some good teams to root for them in NY!
I LOVE college football also and I'm a LSU graduate, so I bleed purple and gold. Our rivalry is with our neighboring state of Arkansas and the prize is called "The Boot". Its a statue of our two states...which resembles a large boot. :)
ReplyDeleteI think my college had a football team, but if they did it wasn't anything to brag about. I went to a state college in the heart of Denver...there aren't even any dorms. I missed out on the big college campus life and don't bleed colors for any college team, sad to say. Otherwise I would be trash-talking your Buckeyes right now. :P
ReplyDeleteThat's an awesome tradition.
ReplyDeleteGreat V post Julie, your football and ours are different, you call ours Soccer, my youngest son was a pro player when younger but had a smashed ankle and that was the end of his career.
ReplyDeleteLoved your post, I can the difference now.
Yvonne.
@DL, oh, how fun, I didn't know about The Boot! Another blogger I read is a huge LSU fan, Kittie Howard.
ReplyDelete@LG, LOL, it's not hard to trash talk the Buckeyes lately but that's going to change now that we have a new coach. I hope so anyway LOL.
@Cherie, I agree, it's fun.
@Yvonne, oh, that's a shame your son's career had to end because of an injury. That's too bad, but I hope he was able to enjoy a great career before that happened.
what a cool tradition!
ReplyDeleteNutschell
www.thewritingnut.com
My nephew is currently a Buckeye. I was a Mountaineer. I do miss going to games in the fall. I sort of miss sports in general.
ReplyDeleteI gave up on the Bills ... after many, many, too many years. They start football at 9 a.m. on the West Coast which I've never adjusted to. Oregon doesn't have a pro team. I do sort of work for the U of O, because the observatory is owned by U of O. I guess I should watch the Ducks on Saturdays.
Oh, I never miss the Triple Crown. Since I was 8 I've watched the Derby & the other two races. thanks for the reminder. That's coming up soon.
The college football games at the school I went to, didn't compare to the games at University of Wisconsin Madison. I loved visiting my brother there and the festivities leading up to the games were half the fun! I think I even went up to a game against Ohio State, but I don't remember who won. Julie
ReplyDeleteI never heard of the victory bell.
ReplyDeleteMy favorite rivalries:
Red Sox vs. Yankees (original, I know)
Celtics vs. Lakers/Heat/Knicks
Go Redhawks!
ReplyDeleteI think I remember you mentioning you're a buckeye previously. To which I can only say: GO BLUE!
ReplyDeleteI'm not a big sports watcher (unless my older son is playing baseball). I'm more of a skier/rock climber/non-competitive sport person.
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ReplyDelete@Nutschell, I agree!
ReplyDelete@Mary, oh, cool that your nephew is a Buckeye. :) I've always thought it would be hard to get used to the early football games on the West Coast.
@Julie, oh, I bet it was fun going to games in Madison. I agree, all the festivities are a big part of the fun.
@Theresa, my dad is from New England and grew up a Red Sox fan. He hates the Yankees to this day LOL. I also remember he was really into the Celtics/Lakers games during the era of Larry Bird and Magic Johnson.
@Alex, noooo! ;)
@Gwen, oh no, I'm not sure if we can still be blogging buddies LOL.
:D
@Susan, I think one reason I love watching sports is because I can't actually play them to save my life. I'd probably kill myself if I tried to ski or rock climb LOL.
Hi Julie .. magnificent bell - I love lots of sports and will enjoy the tennis and then the Olympics - should be fun .. cheers Hilary
ReplyDelete@Hilary, I hope the Olympics will be a big success in London, I can't imagine how crazy it will be there this summer.
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