Not A Banner Day For Detroit Sports Sections
Is it ever?
The Free Press as translated by Doc Sat:
Never an operation to pass up a free shot at its favorite target, the Detroit Free Press reports today that giving to the Michigan athletic department was up more than 22 percent in 2010-11 over the previous year — a boon the Freep attributes entirely to spikes in January and February, after alumni darling Brady Hoke was hired to replace the heathen Rich Rodriguez as head coach.
Michigan downplays the effect of Rodriguez's exit, pointing instead to its efforts to sell out the luxury suites in Michigan Stadium that went unsold in 2009-10. Yes, but why did they go unsold? A good journalistic victory lap waits not for semantics.
The home schedules of the last two years with the best three games bolded:
| 2010 | 2011 |
|---|---|
| UConn | WMU |
| UMass | Notre Dame (@ night) |
| BGSU | EMU |
| Michigan State | San Diego State |
| Iowa | Minnesota |
| Illinois | Purdue |
| Wisconsin | Nebraska |
| N/A | Ohio State |
/wanking motion directed at Free Press
And while I'm derisively profaning the Detroit media, here's some new guy making quite a first impression:
Children, for the most part, don't understand tradition.
That's just one reason why the University of Michigan needs a mascot.
Kids need a tangible reason to begin a lifelong fandom, and a furry wolverine mascot can keep them from becoming Spartans fans against their family's wishes.
I went to the University of Minnesota during a four-year span that included just one bowl game — a loss in the hallowed Insight Bowl — and little success in men's basketball and men's hockey, the other two most popular sports on campus.
But all the preteens and toddlers kept coming to games with the hope that Goldy Gopher might greet them with a high-five or a hug.
Josh Katzenstein understands tradition. He went to games in the Metrodome. Therefore he thinks the greatest attraction of a football game is a guy in a costume.
Here's what happens to kids at Michigan:
He was about ten. He was wearing a number seven jersey and when he took his hat off for the national anthem his hair was staticky. Before the game he was hopping up in down in an attempt to burn off nervous energy, and when Michigan ran out to touch the banner his mind was blown. He exclaimed "this is so AWESOME" as only a ten-year-old boy can. The words forced themselves out in self defense—if they hadn't the pressure would have given him an aneurysm. I know what that excitement is like. I remember getting a Nintendo.
I can't imagine what his mind is like four fighter jets, three overtimes, 132 points, and one last-play win later. He's probably sitting at his desk right now, mouth slightly ajar and drooling, involuntarily twitching out the words "so" and "awesome" as the rest of the class learns to count to 15 in Spanish. Plans to put him on ritalin have been temporarily shelved. His father has been asked "what did you do to the boy?" …
After the game we're walking up the bleachers and the kid's right in front of us, trying to show his father his hand. His father seems to acknowledge the hand, but not enough for the kid's taste. "I'm never washing this hand again," he says. "Denard gave me a high five."
In conclusion, paragraphs can contain more than one sentence and newspapers are the leading consumer of sippy cups nationwide.
Is this guy serious?
"A 48-28 home loss to Wisconsin sits better when (insert name) Wolverine and Bucky Badger troll the sidelines waiting for the chance to throw down."
I can see it now: "Damn, were losing by four touchdowns, the hell with...oh wait a minute (Insert name) Wolverine and Buck Badger are duking it out. That's why I come to Michigan Stadium."
What a moron!
And to bring up Philly Fanatic? That's baseball. I remember that Simpsons' episode where Homer has to give up beer and goes to a baseball game. The classic line went (with Homer describing baseball): "I never realized how boring this game was before."
That Wisconsin game comment is definitely one of the most cringe-worthy sentences I've ever read.
Loved that line.
Also loved the booklet "Your spouse may be a souse."
I don't really love the idea of a mascot because I can't envision it, but I truly don't get the uproar about it. I've said this before, but kids like that sort of stuff, so why be all cynical and pissy and take that away from them? My three year old likes going to see the Tigers and going to UM basketball games with me. Her favorite parts? Paws and the merry-go-round at Comerica and halftime at Crisler. Seeing her excited about that is awesome for me and it allows me to do some things I like to do and include her. It's a win for everyone. I don't get how the presence of a mascot would negatively affect anyone other than to annoy their elitist tendencies. "I want to hold her hand and show her some beauty before all the damage is done." We should all take it easy and get over ourselves.
As for the freep article, it obvioulsy makes some silly jumps to conclusions. But, completely writing off the idea that the coaching transition has made an impact on donations is silly too. The mgoblog community is in no way representative of the UM fanbase as a whole. Rodriguez was respected and got more than a fair shake around here. The vast majority of casual fans I know thought he was a joke and needed to go. It's not unreasonable to think that may have affected people's donations to some level.
I can't see taking a 3 y/o to Michigan Stadium...unless it were a game against directional state school, or during Rosh Hashanah, where the seat space widens a bit. And the opp to see the mascot during the game, or during halftime, would be a challenge, fwiw.
YMMV
I don't intend to spend the money or deal with the craziness of her at Michigan Stadium for a few years. It's definitely easier to pull off at baseball or football games.
A wolverine whose tail rises with every Michigan score? Or sturdy defensive stop?
I would expect a big increase in donations if a particular university is winning. I would also expect a big decrease in donations when a program is struggling. Rich Rod just happened to be the coach when the program was at it's worse historically. The increase is probably more due to Dave Brandon than Hoke. Brady hasn't proved that he'll win more than RR yet. Dave Brandon will go down as one of the best AD's ever at UofM.
It's nice to know that Dave Brandon reads these sites.
"Tradition goes out the window when championships become hard to come by. Even if Michigan returns to its winning ways, the picture of a team carrying its mascot around Michigan Stadium after a win will gain more fans than a vanilla victory trot. I just can't believe it's taking so long."
I join in your air wanking Brian. This is certainly the biggest load of bullshit the Freep has put out in the last week.
Says he is an intern. and I don't think he was being /s
Won't somebody please think of the children!
at a young age hearing "band, take the field" on the stereo and helping my parents hang the Michigan flag on the front porch every football saturday. Then finally, old enough to head to ann arbor and see the stadium for the first time. Thinking, it's not that big. Then the feeling walking through, the first glimpse inside, the roar of 106,000, maize and blue everywhere. Wow. A moment in life I will never forget. A michigan fan for life.
A fuzzy mascot, I think not.
August 3rd, 2011 at 10:35 PM ^
Who gives a shit what toddlers and preteens like? Yeah, I said it.
August 3rd, 2011 at 10:58 PM ^
I loved that story about the 10 yr old boy last yr, and it's just as good today.
August 4th, 2011 at 12:46 PM ^
Just another example proving how crappy the Free Press is compared to the Daily. The Daily writers really put those "professionals" to shame every time.
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