Big House Traditions - Help an Old Man Out
So my LSA91 wife and I went to our first Big House game in a few years, and saw many things that impressed our creaky minds. Some were pretty self-explanatory and fun, like walking in behind the band, seeing a full student section (through the third quarter anyway), or watching the team demolish an opponent.
I'd love some more background on a few of the others - where they came from, etc. I tried googling, but I'm old. Can someone point me to a good page discussing or explain:
1) The third down chop/wiggle/"you suck" call. (Yes, self explanatory, but where did it come from and when.)
2) The student dance. (Same thing).
3) About 10% of the girls walking to the game were just about half-way to a halloween costume - typically knee socks and a night shirt or short shorts, but there were some cheer costumes, shiny skirts, etc. Is that a thing every game, and is it in college sports generally or just AA?
Thanks! LSA91
September 26th, 2016 at 3:05 PM ^
You're not that damn old.
September 26th, 2016 at 3:07 PM ^
Wrong. 1891-22=1869. Damn old.
September 26th, 2016 at 3:18 PM ^
It is a decision everybody makes for themselves. Most do so far too early.
September 26th, 2016 at 3:19 PM ^
I mostly felt old because I couldn't figure out the answers online.
(Also, I was affirmatively irritated that you can't get beer in a college game, but maybe that's not an age signifier).
September 26th, 2016 at 3:52 PM ^
Actually, the beer policy is just a Michigan thing (as well as a lot of other schools), but not a policy as a whole on the college level. Miami (NTM) just started serving alcohol at games, and University of Cincinnati has been serving for a few years now I know, just off the top of my head.
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September 26th, 2016 at 4:09 PM ^
Purdue has an area that sells beer and wine, but you have to be either a season ticket holder or a student that is a paid member of their student section group.
Which, in fairness, you should be allowed to drink if you are watching that much Purdue football.
September 26th, 2016 at 6:00 PM ^
USF is allowed to sell beer. But they also share Raymond James Stadium w/ the Bucs.
September 27th, 2016 at 8:53 AM ^
Pitt also started selling alcohol this year at the stadium, but they are the same as USF in that they share a stadium with an NFL team.
September 27th, 2016 at 10:39 AM ^
Maryland does it too. It's no big thing. It's so damn expensive that nobody too young and crazy is going to ba able to afford to get hammered on stadium beer. They'll still do it the old fashioned way and sneak it in.
October 1st, 2016 at 1:56 AM ^
If you make the trip to Columbus this year you can enjoy a beer at the game. OSU started serving alcohol this season.
September 26th, 2016 at 3:19 PM ^
Well that's depressing.
September 26th, 2016 at 3:22 PM ^
Just being 9 years away from 30 makes me feel ol....
September 26th, 2016 at 4:03 PM ^
Speaking as someone who turns 56 next month, I'm starting to understand why so many people dislike you.
(Kidding. This was actually pretty good.)
September 27th, 2016 at 10:42 AM ^
W. had some cat-quick reflexes there. Nice economy of motion. Looked like Tom Brady side-stepping a blitz.
September 26th, 2016 at 4:00 PM ^
Funny. I figure it out differently. 2016-1991=25. 25+22=47.
September 26th, 2016 at 3:06 PM ^
The Blues Brothers dance thing evolved from a hockey game at Yost on St. Patrick's Day weekend in 2008. The game was out of hand, the hockey band was implored to play the song no less than about eight times, and the previous thing of a few people dancing turned into everyone. And then it spread to Crisler and to the stadium.
September 26th, 2016 at 3:15 PM ^
I think it's pretty cool.
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September 26th, 2016 at 3:36 PM ^
(Shrug)
September 26th, 2016 at 4:07 PM ^
but you also like that shitty song, Stitches...
September 26th, 2016 at 10:18 PM ^
it pales in comparison to the experience at Yost when they play it. Audience participation at Yost is much greater, and as they play it over-and-over-and-over again, the build-up in volume and enthusiasm just blows you away.
I've never timed it, but I'd estimate the Michigan Pep Band at Yost extends the song out at least 6 to 8 minutes, far greater and more impressive than the shortened version the MMB plays at The Big House.
September 27th, 2016 at 11:58 AM ^
You're right, the band does tend to play it longer at Yost.This year in the Big House, they have been playing three vamps; at Yost, they used to play five or more. That may have come down last season so that they can fit in "Heaven/Everytime We Touch" after Blues Brothers, I can't recall.
September 26th, 2016 at 5:05 PM ^
I'll proudly take responsibility for it reaching Michigan Stadium in 2009. As a senior, I brought a sign to the game asking Professor Boerma to play Blues Brothers. Before that point, it was mostly saved for the "cake" formation on the field on the last non-OSU home game of the year. He finally saw my sign at the end of the third quarter, and fired up Blues Brothers. It has played at every third intermission since.
September 26th, 2016 at 7:07 PM ^
That was my freshman year and because we rarely played it, I didn't have it memorized as well as the other music. Tfw Boerma sprang it on us
September 26th, 2016 at 8:02 PM ^
Ha that is too funny. Sorry :) it still sounded like music to my ears!
September 26th, 2016 at 10:19 PM ^
...pretty sure it was played just about every game during the second half when I was in the MMB, including a Boerma year...
September 27th, 2016 at 12:40 AM ^
I'm pretty sure I recall the MMB doing blues brothers with dance in the mid 90s at the stadium. Or I'm mixing up my yost memories. Either way I did enjoy the very long rendition at big chill. My son talks about it every third qtr.
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September 26th, 2016 at 3:08 PM ^
Drunk college sorority girls do weird shit and tend to act collectively. So there's probably a couple hundred knee socks, too-toos, tank tops or over-sized shirts, spandex, and fanny packs in the student section every Saturday. It's how they let everyone know they really did some digging to find where they fit in at UM as an individual.
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September 26th, 2016 at 3:28 PM ^
The big shirt-short shorts look is pretty much just how girls under 25 dress in 2016. It's not really a football costume per se, though the high socks are for sure a sorority thing at UM. A lot of kids ironically wear "Michigan X" shirts, usually Michigan Grandma or Michigan Grandpa.
September 26th, 2016 at 3:34 PM ^
My wife is a professor at a university here in Texas, in a field dominated by females. She tells me that the vast majority of girls on her campus dress like this (well, not the knee-highs).
September 27th, 2016 at 10:46 AM ^
Pics?
September 27th, 2016 at 7:23 AM ^
at the sorority girls at Bama all wearing their uniform oversized t-shirt and spandex combos. So it extends deep into the South.
September 26th, 2016 at 3:08 PM ^
They added "bitch" to the end of the "you suck" chant recently.
An already dumb chant became dumber. Learn the words to Varsity instead.
September 26th, 2016 at 3:10 PM ^
You're a little young to be telling people to get off your lawn, aren't you? Lol
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September 26th, 2016 at 3:10 PM ^
He's a little bit lawn-less to be telling people to get off his lawn.
September 26th, 2016 at 3:11 PM ^
Someone described me once as a "21 year old with the opinions of an 80 year old who wore a jersey to a job interview once".
September 26th, 2016 at 3:14 PM ^
Just make sure to keep a pocket full of Worthers Original, and you'll be OK.
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September 27th, 2016 at 10:48 AM ^
They can replace the pocket full of condoms that aren't necessary.
September 26th, 2016 at 3:10 PM ^
You suck...........bitch
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September 26th, 2016 at 3:11 PM ^
I know the words to Varsity, but I'm not sure what that had to do with the You Suck thing...
September 26th, 2016 at 3:12 PM ^
Nothing, I wanted to go back and edit it but alas, it is locked.
September 26th, 2016 at 4:11 PM ^
You suck... bitch.
September 26th, 2016 at 3:17 PM ^
Varsity is just awful.
September 26th, 2016 at 7:09 PM ^
You're the worst kind of person.
September 27th, 2016 at 9:52 AM ^
It was bad when I was a student in the late 90s. It is still bad today.
More Info
September 26th, 2016 at 4:36 PM ^
I'm with ya man! The pre-fourth down tradition is playing "Temptation" which is cool, unique, and very Michigan. Singing along "You Suck" is lazy. Adding "Bitch" at the end is frat boyish.
That being sad, as a drunk GVSU student standing in the UofM student section, uneducated in Michigan traditions, I totally screamed You Suck at the top of my lungs. It was harmless fun.
September 26th, 2016 at 4:56 PM ^
During parts of the RichRod and Hoke era, other endings might have been more appropriate.
I agree with WD that "you suck" is a bit classless for such a high class university, sorority girl football game attire notwithstanding.
September 26th, 2016 at 3:09 PM ^
Just enjoy the view. Stop asking questions.
September 26th, 2016 at 3:10 PM ^
This.. xBillion
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September 27th, 2016 at 10:52 AM ^
Indeed. You will enter the working world soon enough, and then you will never see it again on a daily basis. Never.
College is such a bubble. An awesome bubble, but a bubble. There will never be anything like it again.
September 26th, 2016 at 3:16 PM ^
Ha, I was actually on campus last week interviewing students for internships. One girl spent about 15 min talking about game day attire for girls, as part of her class design project.
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