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Get Scouted Scouting CareersPerennial national powers Alabama and Southern Cal won’t renew their college football rivalry until Saturday night, but the games began last week.
Unbeknownst to former National Scouting Report prospect O.J. Howard, the Alabama senior tight end was in the middle of a tshirt war that made headlines across the country.
The first punch was delivered by the USC campus bookstore, which unveiled a tshirt last week that says: “ROLL TEARS ROLL.”
After the tshirt was released, another shirt – not affiliated with Alabama – became available online that reads: “OUR O.J. ONLY KILLED CLEMSON.”
It was a not-to-subtle reference to former USC star O.J. Simpson and Howard. Simpson was accused of the 1994 murders of his wife, Nicole Brown Simpson, and her friend, Ron Goldman. Howard caught five passes for 208 yards and two touchdowns last January in Alabama’s 45-40 victory over Clemson for the College Football Playoff National Championship.
The Alabama tshirt was available for purchase on TeePublic.com, a site that allows users to upload their work. Chief Operating Officer Adam Schwartz would not disclose any information on sales of the shirt nor the artist, known only as TheDeuce.
“TeePublic is an open platform that enables designers from around the world to host and sell their own artwork,” Schwartz told AL.com. “We do not actively police artwork uploaded to the platform and we strictly follow DMCA [Digital Millennium Copyright Act] laws, which outlines take-down procedures we adhere to.”
Schwartz confirmed that a take-down request was sent to the site after The Collegiate Licensing Company complained that a user of the platform infringed on the company’s rights with a public work. It wasn’t the reference to Southern Cal that warranted the take-down. It was the use of “CLEMSON” on the shirt.
“The University of Alabama initiated the request to remove the shirt, and the request was supported by Clemson, since its marks were being used without license or approval,” Tammy Purves, Director of Communications and Creative Services for Collegiate Licensing Co., told AL.com. “While both universities often support rivalry and game-day designs in good fun, neither university approves of merchandise with distasteful messaging.”
Howard, a native of Prattville, Alabama, is one of three former NSR prospects who will suit up for No. 1 Alabama in Saturday night’s season opener against No. 20 USC at AT&T Stadium in Arlington, Texas. He will be joined by a pair of offensive linemen — starting redshirt junior center Bradley Bozeman (Roanoke, Alabama) and reserve redshirt freshman tackle Matt Womack (Hernando, Mississippi) – in the nationally televised game (8 p.m. ET, ABC).
National Scouting Report is dedicated to finding scholarship opportunities for athletes who possess the talent, desire, and motivation to compete at the collegiate level. We’ve helped connect thousands of athletes with their perfect college.