Somewhere out there is a signal light, much like the Bat Signal that Batman uses. In that signal is the Texas A&M logo, and when it illuminates the nighttime sky, Texas A&M's lawyers drop whatever they're doing and assemble, ready to sue somebody at a moment's notice.
And the Aggie Signal is shining now, my friends -- all because of the Indianapolis Colts.
Texas A&M has sued the Indianapolis Colts for infringing on their trademark of the "12th Man."
At a board of regents meeting Thursday, school chancellor John Sharp revealed that Texas A&M filed suit in district court in Houston on Thursday after it says repeated attempts to stop the Colts from using its registered trademarks were unsuccessful.
The ESPN.com report goes on to note that A&M originally contacted the Colts about using the phrase in 2006 with a cease and desist letter, and the Colts just ignored it. The Colts then retired the "12th Man" in the team's "Ring of Honor" in 2008, and A&M again warned the team, but the Colts didn't listen.
Finally, in July, the Colts sent an email advertisement to their own fans in an attempt to sell tickets, asking fans to "Join The 12th Man."
That, it appears, was the final straw.
Now, normally I would make fun of Texas A&M for being so damn obsessed with their trademark -- and I guess I kind of have been in this post already, but whatever -- but you know what? I'm done with it. Texas A&M has the trademark. It's defending that trademark, which is what you're supposed to do with a trademark when you have it. That's the whole point.
It's like having a kid. Sure, it'll annoy the hell out of you sometimes, and it's going to cost you money, but at the end of the day it's still your kid. You're responsible for maintaining it.
So sue whoever the hell you feel the need to, Texas A&M. I'm done judging you.
Instead, I'm going to turn my ire to the other football teams who aren't creative enough to think of something besides "The 12th Man" to call the fans (Seattle currently pays the school for its use of The 12th Man). Yes, we get it. There are 11 players on the field at once, and the home crowd counts as that 12th player. Wow, how original.
Think of something new, morons, and then trademark that and start suing anybody else who uses it. Because if you don't, lawyers will have less to do, and God forbid that ever happens.
