Michigan Arrogance Quantified Once Again

I do know that with all the Domers and tosu folks I work and hang out with around here that I am very quick to point out Michael Phelps' connection to UM. Also, cant remember her name, but the only member of our women's water polo (which is a strong gold medal contender) team who is not from a California school wore the Maize and Blue in her college playing days.

No. It doesn't.

The biggest reason why I chose to attend Michigan was that it excelled in both academics and athletics. The school is top 25 in the nation, and Michigan's football program is one of the best programs of all time. No other school has a balance like we have. I'm quite proud of this fact.

I talk trash to friends who chose places with high academics and no athletics, and I talk trash to friends who chose places with high athletics and no academics. Both groups missed out on something special, especially the high athletics group, as their jobs suck now.

Betsey Armstrong.

Michigan arrogance needs no justification. One of the laws of sports fandom is that we must brag when the opportunity arises. Brag away this August.

The thing that justifies my arrogance is that I'm awesome. Also, I'm better looking and more intelligent than you. The fact that I cheer for Michigan and went to school there is just a bonus for all of you, because without that you have the benefit of reading my posts.

There is nothing wrong with pride in the excellence of your institution, both academically and athletically, in collegiate, olympic, or professional endeavours. We are fortunate, as alumni/fans of the University, to have a lot to be proud of, and there is nothing wrong with that. HOWEVER, this pride is not the same as arrogance. For ease of reference, let us call upon Mr. Webster: Pride: "a reasonable or justifiable self-respect" Arrogance: "an attitude of superiority manifested in an overbearing manner or in presumptuous claims or assumptions"

nevermind

Also, UM would've had at least one more if Alan Webb didn't choke. Also, also, Jake Deitchler shouldn't count for Minnesota since he has yet to take a class or compete for the school.

The fact that U-M has so many athletes participating in olympic sports (BTW, I totally won't be watching) is due in large part to the fact that the athletic department tells all of its coaches to recruit nationally. I believe it's the case that the U-M athletic department has the biggest tuition bill in the country, and it's not even close. The coaches go all over the country to get the best athletes, the athletes want to come because they see what a great school / sports program it is, those good athletes make the sports program even better, and coaches then have an easier time recruiting nationally. It's a big circle of awesomeness. But the circle wouldn't be so awesome if Bill Martin wasn't willing to be "dad" to hundreds of kids from all over the country who pay out-of-state tuition at one of the country's most expensive public schools.

It's not arrogance when you're the best; it's called honesty.

I agree with Dex that our success does not justify arrogance. There is no reason not to strive for excellence in both arenas (sports and school), but I think that we do not need to advertise how good we are. People know that students in Ann Arbor receive a wonderful education, and our record of excellence is universally known.

The Greek games saw U of M repped by 20% of B10 athletes*. The increase is due to eeeee Barwis workouts eeeeeee. *This may not be true

I once saw Michael Phelps at a house party, and we drank from the same keg, so therefore I am superior to Joe Sixpack who went to MSU. At some point in your life it's kinda necessary to carve your own identity and not rely on the accomplishments of 20somethings who wear maize and blue to validate your own awesomeness.

...arrogance dosen't equate to being the best...unless your sucess goes to your head.

both academically and athletically than all but maybe stanford is untrue.  Based on a very few select rankings alone, UCLA is our doppleganger out west.  Cal is right there (slightly higher ranked academics, slightly fewer DC points).  I will say, though, that there are very few schools that achieve such a high level in both arenas, particularly with regard to the "money" programs. 

School, USNWR undergrad rank, Directors cup rank

Michigan, 25, 3

UCLA, 25, 2

Cal, 21, 7

USC, 27, 13

Virginia, 23, 17

Notre Dame, 19, 21

UNC, 28, 14

1)It's not arrogance when you're the best; it's called honesty. 2)...justify my "superiority" over any other human being... 3)The thing that justifies my arrogance is that I'm awesome. 4)Do I think I'm better than him because I went to Michigan? No. Do I think my college is superior to his? Absolutely. 1)basically agree 2)agree... no one is a superior human being based on school attendance. but some degrees don't exactly carry the same weight. IOW, a degree from NW assigns automatic respect from square one. A degree from Generic State U? You gotta show me something, brah. 3)granted 4)can't agree any more w/ you. Also, the assertion that UM is better both academically and athletically than all but maybe stanford is untrue.... yes, but Stanford is the only school you can say is DEFINITELY quantitatively better than Michigan in sum.

 I'll get the new html tags down soon. the comments were easier in the old days under my old handle. certainly a good change overall tho.

 

The only thing that gives a guy a right to be arrogant is to be reasonably good looking and up and packing a howitzer in your pants. Everything else a guy thinks he's cool for is a substitute for that. And much of what a really cool guy accomplishes can be attributed to said howitzer. In the end, you gotta get naked, and if you're laughed at, well, there goes your Michigan degree! Plus, you CAN take a howitzer to the grave.

I did not attend Michigan (blasphemy!), but went to a small technological university in New England, and then for grad school to a west coast university where a Michigan alum is now the head football coach. (Thus my love of UM through my alum parents is intact, not unseated by a D3 fandom or a football team that won 14 games in my four years in grad school.) A few weeks back my cousin chastised me for fronting the "credentials" of my graduate school. It took me a bit of self-reflection to realize I was doing nothing of the sort - she was just shrinking at every mention of the school as if she'd been made to feel small, when really it was just her reaction and not my action. If someone chooses to have an inferiority complex at the mere mention of a supposedly superior school, that in itself doesn't make anyone an arrogant bigshot - just like expecting winning and success doesn't make a fan base arrogant.

The fact that many Olympic athletes attended UM makes me feel superior to those who did not attend the same school as top-notch athletes. How many athletes does MIT or Harvard have? LOL. Student-athletes like Mario Manningham are the reason why we are THE LEADERS AND BEST. Hail.

Can I still be arrogant? Because I'm awesome at being arrogant.