The Ohio State Buckeyes decorate their players’ helmets with buckeye leaves. If a player does really well, his lid will be covered in those stickers. It’s a longtime tradition.
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It’s this, from a tree common in the Midwest and the state tree of Ohio.
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Ohioans have been nicknamed “buckeyes” since the 1780s. So the Ohio team called the Buckeyes has buckeye leaves on its helmets. Reasonable.
I am here to alert you to a national trend that stretches back years: Moms across the nation think Ohio State’s helmet stickers are marijuana leaves.
During the Buckeyes’ Week 5 2018 game against Penn State, someone on Twitter’s mom reportedly asked, “Is that marijuana on his helmet?” The tweet raised my eyebrow.
It turns out moms everywhere have had the same thought. These observations have been being made since at least 2010, and probably well before Twitter’s time. I’m just going to get out of the way and present these to you in chronological order, and you need to trust me that they are not even close to a full sample of the global inventory:
"The marijuana heads have won:" my mom regarding Ohio State's imminent victory.
— Kristen Hughes (@khigbee) January 2, 2010
"why are there marijuana leaves on their helmets?"-mom. "those are buckeye leaves, susan." hahaha only my family. #ohiostate vs. #arkansas.
— sarah d. (@sarahdonnellyy) January 5, 2011
My mom thought the buckeye leaf at Ohio State was marijuana
— Myk (@mykaelaalexi7) March 23, 2013
Mom: "I don't like Ohio State, because they have marijuana leaves on their helmets" #lovemyfamily
— Brad Sievers (@perched_owl) November 30, 2013
My mom watching the ohio state game:
— Jack Maier (@jackmaier15) November 30, 2013
"Why do they have marijuana leaves on their helmet?"
I'm dying right now my mom says first the fighting now they have marijuana leaves on there head for Ohio state
— Drake Dormann (@Drizzy_Not) November 30, 2013
My mom just asked if the ohio state guys have marijuana stickers on thier helmets
— ty (@tywalla) November 30, 2013
My mom talking about the stickers on the Ohio State helmets "it looks like they have marijuana leaves on their helmets"
— Nathan Keck (@keckstar) November 30, 2013
my mom said from far away, it looks like ohio state's players have marijuana leaves on their helmets... ok mom
— karlie heiden (@karrrliegrace) November 30, 2013
My mom googled the stickers on the Ohio state players because she thought they were marijuana leaves (spoilers: they're not)
— Robert Marchini (@rhcm123) January 4, 2014
"Are those marijuana plants?" --my mom on Ohio State's helmet stickers
— kate (@broccolibich) January 4, 2014
Mom talking about Ohio State: It looks like they have marijuana weed on their helmets.
— Megan (@MeganMarieHere) January 4, 2014
Me: Marijuana weed???
My mom thought that Ohio state's buckeye stickers were marijuana leaves
— Austin Cannon (@Cannon_Bawl52) January 4, 2014
'Why do the Ohio State players have marijuana stickers on their helmets?' -Mom #ThoseAreBuckeyes #CloseEnough
— katherine murphy (@kat_murp) January 4, 2014
"I swear that looks like marijuana leaves on their helmets." -My mom... talking about Ohio State
— Diana Pratt (@diana_pratt88) January 2, 2015
Mom: "why does Ohio State have marijuana leaves on their helmets?"
— tyler smith (@tlsmith723) January 2, 2015
My mom: “Why does Ohio State have little marijuana stickers all over their helmets?”
— Justin Ferber (@Justin_Ferber) January 2, 2015
Mom quote of the day: "Why does Ohio State have marijuana leaves on their helmets?"
— Zach Langley (@z_langs3) January 2, 2015
"They look like they have spiders on their heads. Or marijuana leaves." - mom on Ohio state's helmets
— Kenna (@kennaharris) January 2, 2015
Mom doesn't want Ohio State to win bc she thinks that the buckeye leaves look like marijuana leaves... okay
— rachel (@racheyfbaby) January 13, 2015
"Is that... What are those stickers? Why do they wear marijuana leaf stickers on their helmets? That's weird." - mom watching Ohio State
— Avalee DeLay (@TheRealAvaluv) January 13, 2015
yes mom, those are marijuana leaves on the ohio state helmets
— ruby (@ruby_is_rad) January 13, 2015
My mom just asked me why Ohio State has marijuana on their helmets
— PHAT UNCLE AARON® (@aaronsims221) August 23, 2015
“Why is the Ohio State mascot a marijuana leaf? Who let that happen?” -my mom
— danni (@DanielleWatkin2) October 22, 2017
Mom is convinced Ohio State has marijuana plant stickers on their helmets
— Carlee Yanna (@carleeyanna5) December 30, 2017
My mom thinks Ohio State’s stickers on their helmet look like marijuana. pic.twitter.com/Gsq4Ow1NPL
— Ben Parkins (@parkins_ben) September 30, 2018
But on at least one occasion, a mom’s set someone straight about this.
The Ohio state players look like they have little marijuana leaf stickers on their helmets.. Mom says they're buckeye/ acorn leaves...
— Laura Palmer (@lpalmer4) November 26, 2011
Moms rule.