Oregon Ohio residents Matt Squibb and Mark Rabbitt want to say they live somewhere else -- at least until the Buckeyes play in the national championship against the Oregon Ducks next week.
Rabbitt said the city must change its name temporarily.
“We can’t have that name be there on Jan. 12 for confusion from people from the State of Michigan or confusion from people in other places that there is actually a city named Oregon in the State of Ohio," Rabbitt said.
It might come as a surprise that Rabbit is not an OSU fan. No, he’s a fan of that team up north, Michigan. But he's rooting for the Buckeyes on the 12th because they are a Big Ten team.
The mayor of Oregon, Ohio, has issued a proclamation to elongate the city’s name for the time being from just plain Oregon to Oregon on the Bay, City of Buckeye Fans and Duck Hunters.
But Squibb and Rabbitt don’t like that name. In fact, they feel like they need to make a disclaimer for that name.
“Mark and I would like it known, though, that the City of Duck Hunters part, I mean, we don’t advocate the harming of any ducks," Squibb said.
"Or the aggressive killing of ducks," Rabbitt said.
Squibb and Rabbitt have an online petition in place to change the name to something else but it appears those efforts will run afoul of efforts by city leaders.
So what made this pair want to do this in the first place? Squibb said there’s a simple reason.
“I did this, really, because I’m a teacher and we're on holiday break," Squibb said. "I was bored and needed something to do.”
Both Squibb and Rabbitt say they have plans for something to do on Jan. 12. They plan to be cheering for the Ohio State Buckeyes when they hope the Bucks will beat the Ducks.
