Ouch. The first published editorial on the new face of the football sculpture in front of OSU

If you haven't driven by Reser Stadium in a while then you haven't seen the latest changes to the football sculpture out front. There are now glowing X's and O's on the outside. During the day, the glass reflects the sun and changes color depending on what angle you look at it. At night, there are lights inside each X and O that also change color depending on what angle you look at it (I'll try to get some pics next week).

Well, I kinda like that concept and don't mind the sculpture too much. But, I've had family members with less than glowing assessments of the thing. And even though I like the cool glowing features, it isn't completely ascetically pleasing.

Here's what the Darrin Crescenzi wrote in the Barometer:

Oregon State Daily Barometer Online - At Reser, a glowing orb of humiliation

Somehow, I don’t think the reaction will be positive. This statue, the icing on the our new half-stadium cake, will prove more than groan-worthy enough for Tony Kornheiser and Michael Wilbon to devote five minutes to it on “Pardon the Interruption.” It is groan-worthy enough to get five minutes on “Sportscenter” or “Around the Horn” or “The Best Damn Sports Show, Period.”

Nothing about OSU earns that much television time. The statue is just groan-worthy enough to become what our university is famous for.

Isn’t it really strange how nobody on campus is talking about this monstrosity yet? It’s just like the rest of America’s stance on the South; it’s far too depressing to think about, so we just pretend it doesn’t exist.

I’m an art major with a high tolerance for stupidity. I get Pollock’s drip paintings. I get Rothko’s fields of color. I get Barrett Newman’s “zips” and Serra’s “Tilted Arc” and Duchamp’s “Fountain.”

But I don’t get a giant glowing football. The thing looks like John Madden had an epileptic fit while holding an erector set and a pack of Highlighter™ brand highlighters.

Yikes. I hope the rest of the country doesn't have that reaction. Anyone else seen the thing? What do you think?