This band is really happy with what’s happening at the Olympics with the Russians

We were watching the Olympics over the weekend when my wife pointed at the screen.

“What OAR?”

“‘Olympic Athletes from Russia,'” I replied. “Russia as a country was banned from these Olympics because of doping, but the IOC is letting athletes compete in South Korea under that designation.”

This compromise has pissed the members of O.A.R., a group from Rockville, Maryland, which has been using that name since they were formed in 1996. Standing for “Of a Revolution,” the group has released eight studio albums and five live records. Out of all their singles, this is probably the biggest.

Mashable caught up with singer and guitarist Marc Roberge to see how they’re dealing with the O.A.R/OAR confusion.

“When the games started the phone calls started coming in, the emails, the texts — now to the point where every single morning I have a funny run-in with somebody about it,” Roberge said. “It’s grown into this thing, but it’s hilarious, it’s awesome and I love it.”

Though the band heard rumblings that their name might be jacked for a few weeks they had no idea it would become so widely noticed. Roberge explained his mornings now consist of watching the women’s hockey team destroy OAR and getting calls from his friends who poke fun at the team name.

SEO is a little screwed up for the band at the moment, but that will go back to normal once the games are over.

Mashable has performed some good Olympic services for the band here. You should read it.