OT: Stand or Sit

Submitted by Qmatic on
6th year with season tickets (outside of the student section), and every year, every game, the accepted norm of when to sit and when to stand seems to change. I am all for standing. I would stand all game if I could. Usually I stand through the kickoff and first series, and usually by the first punt/change of possession so,done behind me yells at our row (usually our row and the several in front of us are still standing) to sit down. When I started in this section I would usually be an ass to so,some yelling and mutter something like "if you want to sit, than watch it from your couch." Now, I usually sit when asked, but I'm usually asked several times, as I we usually stand for 3rd downs and such. What's it like in your guys section(s)? Do any of you stand all game? Is it always acceptable to stand on 3rd down? Is it only okay to stand after big plays? How is the 90 year old next to me still kicking it? Or are you usually too drunk to care?
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bmr4242

August 25th, 2016 at 8:45 PM ^

They seem to like to kick out the people standing - doesn't help build a home field advantage. I know the Athletic Dept is aware it happens as I've brought it to their attention. Was told those who want to stand have every right to do so. I think a section or two for folks who can't/ don't want to stand would go a long way.



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1989 UM GRAD

August 25th, 2016 at 6:12 AM ^

Whether you like it or not, you do what the majority of the people in your section are doing. If they are all sitting, it's sort of an asshole move to be that one guy who's standing. Conversely, don't be the curmudgeon complaining about the person in front of you standing when everyone else in the section is standing.

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shswhit51

August 25th, 2016 at 6:55 AM ^

I've been getting the ticket packs these past three years and they have me in the corners near the student section and I. Love. It. It's nice to be around that energy and you can cheer and jump the whole game if you'd like.

I bought 45 yard line seats for UTLII and felt constantly pressured to sit there and be quiet. The blue hairs sit nazis are by far the worst part of the stadium experience for me in all of my years attending games



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Nuckin Futs

August 25th, 2016 at 7:00 AM ^

When in doubt, just be polite. Why should you be able to see the game standing, when some people simply cannot stand that often. And if you question the fandom of someone who complains, just remember they were probably in that stadium to watch Harbaugh play. More than likely saw Wangler to AC in person. Just want to continue watching the team they love before they can no longer make it to the games. Have respect for those who were here long before you could mumble Go Blue.

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Bisquiteen Trisket

August 25th, 2016 at 7:09 AM ^

I just go with the flow. Honestly I've never gotten why some people are so adamant about standing, but if the section is doing it I'll stand to. I do like standing during big plays when you can pound on the bleacher with your foot to make more noise. I've never once gotten yelled at for standing, and even if I did I feel like I wouldn't mind because I'm sure there's a lot of old people who like to go to the games and can't stand that much. I know my dad would have trouble standing for a whole game, but he's usually left out in the cold when it comes to tickets. I figure that, God willing, one day I'll be one of those old people who can't stand the whole game so why not be nice to them if they want me to sit down.



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MichiganStudent

August 25th, 2016 at 7:20 AM ^

I personally just go with the flow and stand/sit when appropriate. If it's a big play or exciting drive then I'll be standing. If it's not then I'll be sitting. To be honest, I wouldn't want to do either for the entire game. Bottom line is don't be a dick and realize that standing/sitting is not that big of a deal nor does it reflect anything on your fandom.



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Heptarch

August 25th, 2016 at 7:34 AM ^

It's contextual.  Good rules of thumb are:

If most of the people around you are sitting, sit.

If most of the people around you are standing, stand.

Always stand for the anthem, preferably without a hat on.  

Always stand and cheer as loud as you can for key plays.

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readyourguard

August 25th, 2016 at 8:09 AM ^

My seats are in Row 72 - the first row as you enter the seating area. I have an aisle on my left and a walkway right behind me. I can stand all game and not have a single request to sit down.

Except the one time an usher physically pushed me to get me to sit down. That didn't end well.

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umbig11

August 25th, 2016 at 8:19 AM ^

If you know football and realize important plays etc, stand. If it is a boring ho hum play or game, sit. Just go with the flow. Don't be a dick and don't be the wet paper towell. Find the middle ground.

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jabberwock

August 25th, 2016 at 9:01 AM ^

There is an emotionl/excitement ebb & flow to EVERY football game.

I'm a passionte fan (you should see me get scolded on the sidelines of my kids soccer games)

but the 2nd down & 3 from the 45, up 17 in the 3rd is not the time to be standing there screaming like an idiot.  You're doing the exact opposite of encouraging your fellow fans to "liven up".  

I've seen good natured, respectful fans be super-into the game and gradually get heir surrounding fans to cheer madly after a quarter; but it takes an awareness that most "up in back" fans seem to lack.

Some of us like to sit for 20 sec between plays, discuss the last play with the guy in the seat next to us, let our kid actually see the field during the game.  Most of the "down in front" issues ive seen have to do with some guy never sitting down, like even between plays, during tv timeouts etc.

Its pretty easy to cheer loudly when sitting for 1st & 10 plays, and in almost 50 years of attending games in every corner of Michigan stadium I've NEVER had someone ask me to sit down when the crowd got up for an honest to god important play.

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Hepkat

August 25th, 2016 at 8:21 AM ^

Most of the time the sitting/standing goes in waves from the lower rows up, and you just go with the flow.  Without doubt, though, a few games a year feature an overly drunk guy who thinks it's our duty to stand all game and yell for every down.  

Just don't be that guy.

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ScruffyTheJanitor

August 25th, 2016 at 8:23 AM ^

transforming into a pure energy being, accessing the the future and the past as a single continuum as I reside in the universe because I am the universe. 

But, you know, standing works too. 

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BubbaT33

August 25th, 2016 at 8:30 AM ^

It does get annoying when the older crowd just wants to sit there, while, you and your family are really wanting to "get into the game!" Respect goes both ways -- I have been to just a few games in my whole life (I want to enjoy the Michigan Game). Your being born with the rights to season tickets does not give you the rigth to piss on my parade!

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Feaster18

August 25th, 2016 at 8:32 AM ^

Why do people assume that you can't make any noise sitting down?  You can yell just as much sitting down as you can while standing, and truly, I doubt the players can tell - or care - if the fans are sitting or standing, as long as the crowd is making noise.  

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Charmandar

August 25th, 2016 at 8:37 AM ^

I used to be the same and stand all game. However, some individuals have physical limitations. So, I respect their abilities.

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hail2victors9

August 25th, 2016 at 8:50 AM ^

I think the game/opponent has a lot to do with it, too.  For MSU and OSU, we stood the entire game (well, until the game was out of hand vs OSU) except during media timeouts and halftime.  For a more pedestrian game, it's more like third downs and as big plays develop, and so forth.

If the person in front of me is standing, I'm going to stand.  Period.  I'm not missing a play because of someone else.

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Tuebor

August 25th, 2016 at 9:12 AM ^

The formula is simple.  You stand when the people in front of you stand.  You sit when the people in front of you sit. 

 

 

Getting in a fight with someone over standing/sitting is as juvenile as yelling "down in front".  The first rule in life is don't be an asshole so just follow the simple formula above and everyone will have a great time at the game.

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Maize Craze

August 25th, 2016 at 9:42 AM ^

Our fans are under some delusion that if if you stand the whole game the team will play better as a result. I just do what the people in front of me do. We had season tickets in the very last row of the northeast corner in 2006 and remember thinking it was good for the standing crowd because they could stand the whole game without inconveniencing others.

Now I mostly just stand during big plays.



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MGOBO

August 25th, 2016 at 1:35 PM ^

Excellent point.  I see people sitting and golf clapping more often than standing and openly cheering.  We won't ever have the same type of home field advantage as teams like LSU, Clemson, Alabama, OSU, etc if we constantly tell people to sit down and stop yelling.  It's football damnit!

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Gucci Mane

August 25th, 2016 at 11:20 AM ^

Sitting or standing it's the crowds job to be loud. A hostile crowd truly does helps aTeams performance. if the game is close gotta be load when the other team is on offense !

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gbdub

August 25th, 2016 at 11:22 AM ^

I like standing, but I'd be much more in favor of it if I was taller and/or the stadium was steeper. As it is, it's pretty hard to see anything while standing.

Honestly the constant 5 minute TV breaks are a much bigger drag on the atmosphere, hard to stay pumped up through all that.



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Late Bluemer

August 25th, 2016 at 11:27 AM ^

I would prefer to stand from opening kick-off through the final gun.  Nothing is more annoying than having someone whining at you from behind to sit down during a game.  If you want to sit down and watch a game you should stay home and do it from the comfort of your sofa.  Of all the stadiums I have attended CFB games in, Michigan fans spend more time sitting during games than any others, unfortunately.  It is something we should be embarrassed about in front of the visiting fans to the big house.  As a poijt of reference, I attended the Rose Bowl against Texas 10 years or so ago.  Those are the fans we should be striving to emulate.  They were on their feet vocally cheering their team on the entire game. 

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Late Bluemer

August 25th, 2016 at 11:56 AM ^

Just a point of reference where 2 sets of fans attended the same exciting contest and one set of fans grossly outperformed the other.  I am sorry if the comment hurts some peoples' feelings, but Michigan fans are not setting the standard in terms of vocal team support.  Go to a game at PSU, Notre Dame, or any random SEC school and you will get an idea of what i mean.

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softshoes

August 25th, 2016 at 11:28 AM ^

Stand when everybody else stands and sit when everybode else sits. When watching at a bar I stand the whole game. Sometimes I go outside for a bit when I get to nervous.

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bacon

August 25th, 2016 at 12:20 PM ^

Simple solution: organize the sections into standing and sitting sections.  Alternatively, eliminate the student section and just put the students in the first 10 rows of every section around the stadium.  They'll stand, people will yell at them, and we'll have the loudest stadium in the country.

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VAWolverine

August 25th, 2016 at 12:43 PM ^

needs to assess this issue. I frequently see elderly fans attend games who cannot stand for long periods and have difficulty with repeated standing and sitting. These fans usually spend a majority of the game looking into the backside of the person in front of them because they are standing to see the game themselves.

There should be sections set aside for people with age-related or acquired physical limits that prevent them from standing for sustained periods or frequently moving from sit to stand and back. Many of these folks are just too polite to say anything but I see it each game I attend. Many standers are unapologetic for their standing and are often fueled by liquid nitro and can get profane/abusive when asked to sit. Definitely a buzz-kill to others.

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CarlosSpicyweiner21

August 25th, 2016 at 1:42 PM ^

Just wondering why people stand? Can you not yell and clap from a seated position? I think some people stand as a way to show they are into the game, but not yell or clap as if they are above the clapping and yell.

Sit down and cheer it all sounds the same. I get standing after a huge play to high five or bro hug to celebrate, but then politely sit the fuck down

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WGoNerd

August 25th, 2016 at 3:49 PM ^

I personally prefer to stand but I normally end up sitting in my dad's section where it's kind of a mixed bag.  Stand for the pregame, first series, big series/plays, touchdowns, starts of either half, entire OT (save commercials) if applicable.

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