Edit: General Admission & Piped in Music
Footnotes to an amazing game...
- I'm not one to shit on the student section, but it was a pathetic sight at kickoff and took awhile to fill out. I don't know if it's total apathy, broke students selling tickets instead of attending a presumed massacre, logistical failings, or some combination, but that was an embarrassment and I hope they didn't show it on TV. I know I'm re-hashing an old debate but where does the AD go from here with student ticket policy?
EDIT: The section I was referring to is not even the student section. General admission failures and fan disinterest is disappointing, but old news.
- We kept the piped-in music running well into the OSU playclock on multiple occasions. I believe ND drew some ire for pulling a similar tactic on us recently. I have mixed feelings; the "Michigan Man" in me felt like it was dubious at best, but I don't mind a little gamesmanship. What did bother me was the use of "Hell's Bells" on not only second down but at one point first (albeit in the red zone). At UTL the wild atmosphere worked, but Saturday was the first time I wanted the piped-in stuff off my lawn, even if it did seem to encourage crowd participation in general.
As for the game itself, I'm proud of the kids and will leave it at that. I don't comment or post much, but these were two topics that haven't received much mention (obligatory SIAP) on account of the ridiculously entertaining, head-shaking, MGoWedgeIssue of a football game that took place. Seemed like the right time to ask what people thought.
December 3rd, 2013 at 12:18 AM ^
December 3rd, 2013 at 12:27 AM ^
I'll admit to not knowing the actual boundaries of the student section. Apologies to the students if I'm off base on that.
However, I'm not sure what you mean by "always." I'm not the oldest fan, but have been attending for 20+ years and don't recall that being an issue for many games, especially not the Game(s), in the past. Maybe I'm just wrong to be bothered by it.
December 3rd, 2013 at 12:40 AM ^
I believe this is the first year that they removed those top rows from the student section and made them general tickets. I may be wrong on that, but I think that is the case.
December 3rd, 2013 at 9:10 AM ^
They missed a great game tho. I'm a firm believer that we need to support the team and staff in their "down" seasons too. Can't win em all. Might as well have fun. I always tell my wife that is why I like sports. Participating in them is a lot like life. You are not always going to be the best. You're not always going to win. But how you handle yourself in less than desirable situations is what really defines "who we are".
Proud of the team (still would've rather seen a jump ball to D-fun in the corner of the end zone at the end tho!!)
December 3rd, 2013 at 8:31 AM ^
December 3rd, 2013 at 12:21 PM ^
Yeah, and that is only because the ushers had to give up their ridiculously dumb task of handing out tickets to each person to prevent a full on riot outside of the student section gates before the ND game. Make no mistake that GA is DIRECTLY responsible for the section looking like garbage close to kickoff for Notre Dame and Ohio State. GA didn't solve anything, it just ruined the premier games that were already working fine.
December 3rd, 2013 at 12:28 AM ^
Empty seats were general tickets at the very top, not the students. Students were great Saturday, especially considering it was Thanksgiving break.
Now, if you want to talk about an embarassment, let's talk about how the general seating was 35% Scarlet.
December 3rd, 2013 at 12:23 AM ^
December 3rd, 2013 at 12:24 AM ^
I sat in the student section and came in when our first posession started. I probably had 15 rows behind me to fill. Upper Bowl was packed halfway into the first quarter. A little delayed, but got to full capacity eventually.
December 3rd, 2013 at 12:29 AM ^
Are you joking me? We're still going to complain about the student section with the sea of red in the rest of the stadium? I thought the rest of the stadium was filled with perfect fans and would never ever sell tickets?
You guys have no right to bitch about students that show up late when the rest of the stadium sells of their tickets to Ohio State fans. SO tell me, why was that? Was it apathy, logistics, or could they also sense impending doom? If you want to talk about embrassments, let's all start with that.
December 3rd, 2013 at 12:32 AM ^
Anyone who sold their tickets to a Buckeye is a jerk. A lot of of our fans were jerks. I'll condede again that I don't know if its fans (students or otherwise) arriving late or Michigan Stadium for failing to support a system that can get that section of the stadium full at kickoff.
December 3rd, 2013 at 12:36 AM ^
Well its just the nature of many students. None of them want to arrive super early to the stadium and either wait in line or sit on the bleachers for a long period of time. They all try to arrive at the same time about 10-15 minutes before the game, and this causes a logjam at Gate 10 since that's the only line we can get though while we wait for the 85+ year old to individually hand us our section ticket.
December 3rd, 2013 at 12:41 AM ^
Hear, hear.
December 3rd, 2013 at 10:28 AM ^
We have every right to bitch about the students showing up late. I was there. On time. Just like always. I have every right to bitch about the student ticket issue. This was NOT an issue when I was a student in the mid-80's. It is an issue now. Discuss.
December 3rd, 2013 at 12:34 AM ^
At least the students showed up And did not sell their tickets to ohio fans. Too much red in the stadium. I wish the atletic department would do something about season ticket holders who sell their tickets just to make a little money.
As for the music I have no problem with it, the ohio band was playing a few times until Michigan snapped the ball
December 3rd, 2013 at 7:57 AM ^
I'd like to thank whoever it was that sold their $90 tickets for $50 Saturday morning.
December 3rd, 2013 at 10:39 AM ^
December 3rd, 2013 at 8:10 AM ^
December 3rd, 2013 at 12:38 AM ^
We're still complaining about the student section when the rest of the stadium was damn near home field for OSU? How about season ticket holders and alumni stop selling their tickets to the enemy before we complain about the students.
FYI, I was in the top 20 rows in the student section (17 I think). The unfilled area was above the student section that isn't really the student section. Plus it gets really backed up trying to get into the stadium thanks to general admissions. Plus, it was thanksgiving break
December 3rd, 2013 at 12:42 AM ^
"Damn near home field" is an enormous exaggeration.
December 3rd, 2013 at 12:45 AM ^
December 3rd, 2013 at 1:18 AM ^
Yeah, it wasn't great.
December 3rd, 2013 at 12:42 AM ^
I was one who waited in the cold for 2 days to get student season tickets, yet that was just me, some of my friends and like-minded souls. I didn't begrudge others from being less engaged, yet still entitled to enjoy the season and their college days as they saw fit. Let's quit projecting our personal whims on 20 year olds.
December 3rd, 2013 at 12:43 AM ^
What an interesting and unique perspective on the student section you have ben of providing with us presently. Needed to create you a bit of observation to be able to thank you so much yet again for your gorgeous thoughts you have documented at this time.
December 3rd, 2013 at 12:47 AM ^
Note to Self: Do not post on MGoBlog
December 3rd, 2013 at 12:50 AM ^
We've just been all strung up for the last few weeks here on mgoblog
December 3rd, 2013 at 12:56 AM ^
It's all good man. The student section bit was off the mark and I lead with a known controversial issue that really doesn't need to be re-visited right now. The music playing during opponent playclock is a new one, but the piped-in debate has also been played out. Honestly I didn't even mean to complain, just ask what gives? This is why I lurk.
December 3rd, 2013 at 1:09 AM ^
Pfft. Those hot new singles weren't even in my area.
December 3rd, 2013 at 8:18 AM ^
YUSSSSSSS
December 3rd, 2013 at 12:47 AM ^
Yeah! The students should have done what the other sections did and filled all the empty spaces with hordes of Ohio State fans!
December 3rd, 2013 at 12:50 AM ^
December 3rd, 2013 at 1:00 AM ^
The student section was the only area of the stadium that wasn't 40% OSU and was absolutely packed.
Negged.
December 3rd, 2013 at 1:15 AM ^
Sea of red was less offensive to me than the empty seats, but it wasn't even the student section.
December 3rd, 2013 at 8:01 AM ^
I fully expect 75% by the time I get to the bottom.
December 3rd, 2013 at 8:19 AM ^
I saved you the trouble.
December 3rd, 2013 at 8:52 AM ^
Still, way too red for my liking. At least it wasn't as bad as 2009.
December 3rd, 2013 at 1:01 AM ^
Ohio band kept playing into some of our plays in the fourth quarter... I have no problem with the piped in music because it helps make up for the sound lost because of the bowl shape... Actually creates a pretty cool stadium atmosphere... Just needs more music selection and not just SNA and Hells Bells every third down.
December 3rd, 2013 at 1:27 AM ^
No need to crap on Gulo here. While his point is directed at the wrong group, it's still a point worth making, and he's certainly a whole lot less dickish about it than all the other student-bashers on this site.
December 3rd, 2013 at 2:04 AM ^
This Saturday was the worst logjam in the gate from my experience this season...can't really explain why, there weren't necessarily more people pouring in at once.
December 3rd, 2013 at 7:33 AM ^
At each gate: one person scanning tickets, three people behind her passing out little squares of paper with section numbers on them. Idiocy at its finest.
December 3rd, 2013 at 2:22 AM ^
I'd rather it had been 5-10 thiugh
December 3rd, 2013 at 10:53 AM ^
on tv it looked closer to 40% than anything else, pretty pathetic display by the season ticket holders.
December 3rd, 2013 at 11:39 AM ^
You have to remember that red stands out much more than dark colors. I was there - it was probably not more than 20% OSU. We had a clear homefield advantage - they couldn't make much noise while we made a ton. That would not have been the case if it had been 60-40.
December 3rd, 2013 at 3:12 AM ^
That was the loudest Michigan game I've ever been to. Big ups to the students, the band and, yes, to the people running the music, which was used strategically at points to kill off their stupid Ohio chant.
December 3rd, 2013 at 7:54 AM ^
It was loud at points, but I don't know that it compares to Braylonfest, UTL 1&2, or OSU in 2011. Braylonfest is still the most impressive to me because we were that loud without the luxury boxes.
December 3rd, 2013 at 3:50 AM ^
if they had fired Borges in the two days since The Game, we wouldn't be having this discussion (again).
:::SHAKES FIST AT BRANDON!! :::
December 3rd, 2013 at 5:33 AM ^
I just assumed that the students squeeze down leaving a few of the top rows empty.
December 3rd, 2013 at 6:37 AM ^
December 3rd, 2013 at 6:41 AM ^
December 3rd, 2013 at 9:05 AM ^
I have thought about this before, about how the selection of music is relatively narrow in its scope and I would be curious to see if the athletic department is open to exploring less common situational accompaniment, if you will. For some reason, Mozart's "Rondo alla turca" comes to mind as somewhat appropriate for in-huddle music, just as an example of what I am talking about here.