Michigan football night games petition!

Submitted by UMxWolverines on

http://www.petitionspot.com/petitions/michigannightgames

The 45-37 win over Michigan State was amazing for the play on
the field, but maybe even more so because of the atmosphere
surrounding the game — an environment that was directly
related to the amount of light in the sky. When the sun set over the Big House, the atmosphere drastically improved.

And that is why Michigan needs to add a night home game to its
schedule each year.

This thought first crossed my mind even before the game ended.
As I walked from the press box, down the aisle between section 23 and 24 to get on the field, I looked around me and decided: that we need to have a night game each year, to recreate this
atmosphere.

You think anyone would be opposed to actually waking up at a
reasonable hour following a Friday night out on the town and still having all day to tailgate?

How could they not love it? Think back to how great the
atmosphere was at the end of Saturday’s game.

Instead of equal levels of brightness all around the stadium,
when the sun set, you could barely see the crowd, and fans were able to focus solely on the well-lit 120-yards of turf in front of
them.

The scoreboard was much brighter and vibrant in the surrounding darkness, and flashes went off throughout the sea of 111,000-plus fans.

The closest thing I got to a negative answer about a potential
night game was when Matt Lentz suggested that playing one in
November might be too cold — a problem that some good
scheduling could easily solve.

Not surprisingly, this night game idea tested through the roof
with all the players I talked to after Saturday’s win.
-Daniel Bremmer, Michigan Daily

“I wish we had a night game here at Michigan
Stadium,” senior safety Ernest Shazor told me after
Saturday’s game.

“I think the fans get into it a little bit more under the
lights,” tight end Tim Massaquoi said. “I felt the
crowd. The crowd got rowdy.”

____________________________________________________________

"Anyone think night games would be cool at Michigan Stadium? And I think if the team wore those maize jerseys and blue pants as an alternate once a year, and the game was a maizeout, it could get crazy! As crazy as Penn State's whiteouts!" Thats an excerpt from my last diary...

Maybe we're getting soft because we're spoiled with success. Well, last season should fix that. And hell yes on a night game. HELL YES!
-TinCup

only in my dreams will we ever have a night game where we have as much a home advantage as we do at yost. imagine how awesome that would be
-bluetell

I am imagining it man! It would be so kick-ass! I don't know why they won't do it? Are they afraid too many people will get drunk? C'mon its Michigan. Not like people are gonna riot like Ohio State fans do after the game...
-Me

If you think the athletic department should schedule some night games in the future, go to my petition and sign it! It will only take a few seconds of your life and it will be totally worth it if it actually happens! Michigan could actually have a night game with as much advantage as games at yost!

What is wrong with you people? Don't you remember the first OT game in the Big House? Penn St. in 2002? That was pretty electric, but they don't compare to Braylon Edward's grab in 2004 and Super Mario's catch in 2005. These were some of the best games I have ever watched, and they all have something in common. What could it be? O YA, THEY WERE UNDER THE LIGHTS!

1 game a year or every 2 years against Penn St, Michigan State, or Iowa! Thats all I ask!

GO BLUE 2009

Comments

wile_e8

March 8th, 2009 at 12:27 PM ^

Slacktivism: The search for the ultimate feel-good that derives from having come to society's rescue without actually getting one's hands dirty, volunteering any of one's time, or opening one's wallet.

The online petition isn't doing any good besides making you feel like you are making a difference by sitting there and clicking a button instead of doing the actual sacrifice needed to make a difference.

wile_e8

March 8th, 2009 at 7:33 PM ^

I want him to stop pretending that making posts on a message board trying to get people to click a link will make a difference. This is the second thread he's started that mentioned his online petition, so I figured I might point out how worthless they are before he starts more.

FWIW out of my post, the best way to actually do something that might help would be opening one's wallet. Because everything else is just a waste of time as long as the big money donors don't want night games, unless someone can come up with even more money and ask for a night game.

GCS

March 8th, 2009 at 7:59 PM ^

At which point he will ignore them quietly.

Of course the assistant AD would tell you to send them, it would be bad PR to tell you that an online petition is stupid. But it's extremely naive to think they'd pay attention to something that doesn't have a dollar amount attached to it.

KRK

March 8th, 2009 at 1:01 PM ^

I don't give two-shits about your petition. Thanks for your interest in Michigan Football and we appreciate your continued support.

Go Fuck Yourselves and GO BLUE!

Sincerely,

The Guy Who Still Doesn't Give Two-Shits About Your Petition

chally

March 8th, 2009 at 1:04 PM ^

Even if I wanted Michigan to host night games, I wouldn't put my name to a petition that appears so unprofessional and contains so many grammatical errors in just four sentences.

Also, I don't want Michigan to host night games.

MBAgoblue

March 8th, 2009 at 1:24 PM ^

The persuasiveness of the argument is generally inverse to the number of exclamation points therein.

Faithfully submitted,

MBAgoblue !!!11!!!eleventy

dakotapalm

March 8th, 2009 at 4:26 PM ^

We don't need night games. We're Michigan! And what is up with those young people in front of me who want to stand up and cheer the whole game? Sign my petition to make them sit down during games. Noise at a football game? And why do we have these slot receivers who are fast and have dreadlocks.
We need to run the ball from the I-formation, not throw these bubble screens!

/sarcasm

spybucks182

March 8th, 2009 at 1:27 PM ^

Yeah dude, stop advertising on message boards. This is like some scripted infomercial. Its sad and pathetic.

DGlenn26

March 8th, 2009 at 2:27 PM ^

Agreed. This is Michigan, we don't play night games, we don't need night games. We're a program built on tradition, and it's a tradition that we play when the sun is up. While a night game may be fun, it will never happen. Also, it's one step from piping in Nickelback which would be truly awful. Also, maize jerseys? No.

Mel

March 8th, 2009 at 5:35 PM ^

It is a matter of safety reasons for the law enforcement.

I'm pretty sure they don't want to deal with 100,000 people at 10 or 11 PM.

wolvrine32

March 11th, 2009 at 2:36 PM ^

You're that bottom line that purple uniforms wouldn't phase you? What about pink? What about a helmet with a whoosh style "M" on it, or just bypass that and go straight to a McDonalds logo? Hey, it's an M after all. No biggie, right?

Now I know who that picture is... it's a pre-zombie Al Davis.

Tater

March 8th, 2009 at 6:48 PM ^

to a fellow UM fan for the terrible crime of having an opinion that is different than yours.

It would be nice if any of you had the class to apologize. As if......

I sure am glad that the rest of the posters here aren't like those of you who flamed this poor guy for a heartfelt gesture of fandom.

I guess things must be getting pretty tough up there.

bouje

March 8th, 2009 at 7:10 PM ^

Was the PSU game in 2006. Their stadium was electric, the crowd was crazy and it was extremely intimidating.

Anyone that is so opposed to night games has never been to one. They are just night and day (ha) from our normal games and would be great to have every once in a while.

I really don't see the "hazards" of a night game either. PSU has night games and they are just as big as we are and if you've ever been to PSU getting there isn't exactly easy, there's actually mountains... In Michigan we have... uh.. straight roads that have no elevation change.

The only people who don't want night games are the blue hairs who tell me to sit down and shut up because they are trying to watch a football game. Our fan base makes me very angry and if you can't stay up that late to watch a football game then don't bother coming.

No tradition changes at all by changing the time that the game is that is ridiculous and stupid. If the game wasn't on a Saturday then yes it would be weird.. it's called Michigan football Saturday's.. not Michigan football Saturday afternoons.

Don

March 8th, 2009 at 8:18 PM ^

I think the safety/security fears are overblown, but nevertheless to start I would only do it in one of the non-conference games in early September or late August to maximize the amount of daylight remaining. I would start the game around 5 or 5:30 so that when it's over there is still some waning daylight to help people get out of town.

One difference between Michigan stadium and most others is that the Big House is situated within residential areas, and so the traffic egress is not as easy and clear-cut as with stadiums that are located away from congested areas, surrounded by acres of unencumbered parking lots.

Regardless, I've been in favor of the occasional night game for years. I look at it this way: we're supposed to have such an incredibly gifted and brilliant alumni base. Are we really saying that these Michigan grads—accomplished doctors and lawyers and executives—are incapable of navigating home at night, but the drunken ignorant goobers down in Baton Rouge are able to do it routinely every year?

I'm not in favor of change for change's sake, but sometimes prudent caution ossifies into a hidebound, calcified, avoid-change-at-all-costs mentality that prevents beneficial evolution from occurring.

spybucks182

March 8th, 2009 at 8:53 PM ^

The only thing that intimidates the other team (having played football myself) is noise from the crowd. Thats it. Not the color of the opponents' jerseys, not the color of the fans apparel, and not the color of the sky.

UMxWolverines

March 8th, 2009 at 9:00 PM ^

yep. but most of the fans don't want to make noise during the game in the afternoon. It seems to get better during the night for some reason. It would be nice if the older fans would make more noise though.

Seth

March 10th, 2009 at 8:07 PM ^

BECAUSE WHEN IT'S NIGHT, IT'S THE 4TH QUARTER, GUY!!!

Riddle me this: were the Michigan faithful extra roudy because:

a.) Their inner werewolves began howling at the moon, or
b.) Drew Stanton got hurt, Braylon Edwards started making sick TD catches, we recovered an onside kick, and Michigan climbed back into and won a game we had no business being in

I know lots and lots of baby boomers who go to Michigan football games, and not a one of them naturally gets louder after the sun goes down. In fact, I've found the only way to even keep them awake in the dark is to fill them with a gallon of coffee then throw grandchildren at them.

If you bring 300,000 grandchildren to the game, we'll turn on the lights. Otherwise, take your clipboard and go back to the Diag!

spybucks182

March 8th, 2009 at 9:25 PM ^

The build up to a night game may have more energy, but once it gets under way the same fans will fall back into their same roles as fans. Unless you change the demographic of the crowd (not going to happen because financially established people are paying for the tickets) and or loosen up those fans --> alcohol (which can't be served at the stadium by law due to on-campus location) then you won't see a difference. I don't like to be a nay-sayer, but you are not thinking out all the details.

Bluesince89

March 9th, 2009 at 12:29 AM ^

Games with 3 PM kickoff times frequently end when it's dark out. See the Manningham catch against PSU, Braylon's game against MSU, etc. I really don't get what the big fucking deal is......OH EM GEE WE'RE PLAYING UNDER THE STARS? Who cares? Do you really think because it's night out the old people yelling sit down in front are going to want to come? Do you really think that people who drive out to the games from Macomb, Oakland and other counties are going to want to trek a 1 hour drive once they get on the freeway on top of making it out of Ann Arbor after a game while their kids are with them? It's a logistical fucking mess. I feel like a three year old wrote this but even when a three year old hears it so many times they understand.

the_white_tiger

March 9th, 2009 at 10:16 AM ^

3 hours from GR, getting back at what... 3 in the morning? Probably more like 4:30 with the traffic. I agree, it would be a total mess.

And what's this ridiculous talk of maize jerseys? That is insane, no one would like it, all of football's yellow/maize/gold/whatever jerseys look awful. Consider blue jerseys with white pants instead.

Argus99

March 9th, 2009 at 9:34 AM ^

they are the ones who hold sway over the subject of night games...not the AD..not Uof M.

The lack of parking around the big house is a huge factor. As is the added police to combat the all-day party. (the police dept. is against it.). Before you go throwing the blue hairs under the bus you should know your facts. It's the city dummy...not the university. They'll be quick to remind you that 2/3rds of A2 residents are not in school. I know...I've gone up against them in the past...they have the final say about kick off times.

sammylittle

March 9th, 2009 at 11:40 AM ^

I taken the liberty of phoning the assistant secretary of the athletic department. She has agreed to either of two arrangements. Please take the liberty of voting for either:
Option A: Nickleback wears maize jerseys during a nighttime concert at the Big House. The resulting fan noise is piped in during a twilight game.
Option B: We have one home doubleheader each season where UM wears traditional uniforms during the day. Only those with UM degrees from prior to 1950 may attend. The second game is a night game with UM's new purple jerseys (thanks Dex). To attend, you must have BAC of .20 or higher. This way we get at least one win (purple jerseys + night game = win) and the athletic department doubles it revenue for game day.

All we must do to see one of these happen is select an option and each contribute $1,500,000 to the athletic department!!!!!