Ohio State Wants To Trademark "The"

Ohio State University wants to trademark a common word in the English language - The. The school wants to use the word on clothing and hats because they are often referred to as The Ohio State University. A spokesperson for Ohio State said the trademark filing was necessary to protect the brand. Ohio State has trademarked Script Ohio, The Shoe and the names and likenesses of coaches Urban Meyer and Woody Hayes. Do you find people that say "The Ohio State University" obnoxious or are you ok with it? What other college traditions do you roll your eyes over?