What's Big Blue?
Support MGoBlog: buy stuff at Amazon
Big Weekend coming for Michigan?
Obviously he is talking about the New York Giants...
When one snarky comment isn't enough.
...add another?
Apparently.
Is that Bobby Hill in your picture?
Seeing that I'm 6'2, doubtful.
If you'd post your picture, we could finally see what happened to Chastity Bono.
I find a grown man with an 11 year old Zack Morris in his picture to be disturbing. Although that may be the tip of the iceberg truth be told.
Wait a minute, I thought you died?
I used the magic from "the Last Action hero" to step out of the movie. I don't think Arnold will be looking for me either, he seems a bit preoccupied.
Oh, well that kind of ruins the movie for me now. Knowing that you really survive is going to put a downer on the end.
anyone else find it interesting that a dude with a children's-book-character avatar is giving crap to a dude with an avatar from a tv-show-aimed-at-middle-schoolers?
Fact: The BBC reported last week, that in a recent poll, adults read Harry Potter more often than children. The only female writer to become a billionaire from an idea for a book, is hardly solely a childrens book. Hell, even fake LordVoldemort on twitter has an incredible amount of followers. 11 year olds arent camping out for a midnight show, just saying. Time magazine also named Lord Voldemort one of the top 25 fictional characters ever written.
It's a bit odd to have a Lord Voldemort on Mgoblog. Usually i defend all things Potter, that I just can't.
It's a bit odd to have a Lord Voldemort on Mgoblog. Usually i defend all things Potter, that I just can't.
You think King of Hill is aimed at middle schoolers? Its humor is much more adult than that.
I was referencing Voldemort's comment about Zack Morris. I think Saved by the Bell was aimed at middle schoolers.
Also, calling what King of the Hill did "humor" is a bit generous, imo.
just buckshot approaching really, until I hit something.
Is Kentuky getting a big committment??
That you took time out of your day for that.
And I'm glad you took the time out of your day to respond.
The irony..... it burns!
I'm sitting on pins and needles here waiting for him to reply "And I'm glad you took the time out of your day to respond to my response".
That would be awesome.
You shouldn't have mentioned it, he probably was about to type it and then you ruined everything.
Are you really Sean Connery?
That's just people helping people.
Have a lot of experience with things burning do you? You can tell me, I won't tell anyone, save the hundreds of people who will no doubt see it.
Buckle Up!
It would make sense if you follow the "commits come in pairs" hypothesis.
is rather old. We say go blue alot, and our stadium is called the Big House. Is it really that much of a stretch?
This whole "I'm a better fan than you b/c I call you out on a nickname" is really old. "Big blue" is an acceptable name for Michigan in my opinion, and in many other people's opinions. We say "go blue" all the time. So we're not allowed to put "big" in front of it? Ufer called Michigan big blue all the time. What more do you need? And the excuse of "other teams use the same nickname" is so dumb it reflects poorly on this blog. Yeah, someone is going to post something on MGOBLOG referring to Kentucky as "big blue".
I'm neither for nor against, I'm just pointing out...
http://www.amazon.com/Go-Big-Blue-Michigan-Wolverines/dp/0886829798/ref=...
As someone mentioned, it's not the confusion with Kentucky that makes "Big Blue" bad, it's the generic-ness of it.
Big Blue is dumb. It's just not creative, not original, not unique. Nobody on campus refers to the school, the football team or the athletic program as "Big Blue." It's a media creation that is generic.
The last thing we need is to be like everyone else. If bitching about "Big Blue" will somehow prevent people from using "Wolverine-Nation" or "Seven Nation Army" being our next fight song, I will keep bitching.
My lawn. Get off it.
Living in Connecticut I ocasionally hear UConn or UMass fans refer to Michigan as UMich. Makes my skin crawl but I do not correct them.
Other books by Neal Bernards
I don't think I'm a better fan, but I really feel that the nickname is lame when appropriated by other schools and I think there's a general consensus here that Michigan deserves better than it. There are a few teams for whom Big ___ has a tradition (Kentucky and Nebraska come to mind) and I both want it to remain unique for them and for Michigan not to steal what's becoming the most generic nickname possible. Ufer may have used it, but very few others have so it's no longer a Michigan tradition.
It's the same reason I hate fans of every team being referred to as "_____ Nation." It's clever for the first few teams, it's annoying for everyone else. If Northwestern started cheering "N Go Purple", Oregon "O Go Blinding Neon" or State "Moo Go Green", it would both detract from Michigan and from those schools, in my opinion.
As for the responses, yes, they are snarky, but what else should they be? I don't think they're intended to be rude or demeaning, it's just a lot better than a straight "many of us find that nickname lame, we ask that you not use it."
The nickname dilution / ____nation example is the first time I have seen anyone with a decent reason for not using big blue. I don't use it myself, but I also don't flip out when I see/hear someone use it. But this is finally a decent reason for not wanting it. The best reason I heard before was that people can get "mixed up" or "not know who you're talking about", which is hilarious to me that someone would think a post would refer to Kentucky or IBM as "big blue" on this blog.
the wolverine claw almost exactly copying the FSU tomahawk chop is not my favorite.. I don't know when it started, but it seems to me in the last decade bc I don't remember it a while back. Think we could've left that one in Florida, but we have so much tradition I'm not complaining.
And the shtick about big blue is old, but not nearly as bad as saying big blue, so I like it.
If you can embed one sound bight of Ufer calling Michigan "Big Blue" I'll eat my hat.
For a moment, I thought you were waggles.
I've made the snarky comment before myself, but now I agree with you. There is actually nothing wrong with the comment at all. It doesn't replace or in any way conflict with our heritage, tradition, or our key phrases. It's fine.
As a wolverine living in Kentucky there is a very big difference. Both sides get upset when mistaken for the other. Go Blue!
"Big Blue" annoys me just the same. It just isn't a Michigan nickname. It's kind of like using the name Tim for someone named Tom. There's nothing offensive about the name Tim, but it's just not the guy's name.
FWIW, the nickname "The Big House" wasn't a "Michigan nickname" either. It was a Keith Jackson creation.
It doesn't really matter much, but "Big House" is now the unanimous nickname for the stadium.
There seems to be a distinction between "on actual AD products" (Chill tickets at least), "available in MDen" and "used by a few people on TV".
A. A distinction can be made; and
B. It doesn't matter very much.
I don't think the use of "Big Blue" is a terrible thing. I just think it's a minor annoyance. It reminds me of Nebraka's "Big Red." Having lived in Kansas for eight years, I hate Nebraska. I'm willing to bet my lunch money that most other Michigan fans will hate them in the near future too...Okay, tangential thought over.
While we're on a tangent anyway, why is every state school (except Texas) between the Mississippi and the Rockies intent on reversing the U and the letter of their state? Nebraska should be UN, Colorado should be UC, Oklahoma UO, what gives?
Truth be told, I would rather wear a Big Blue t-shirt around than hear about "OU" and "NU" for the next fifty years.
I went to the Unversity of Kansas for undergrad. Despite that being the correct way to say the school's name, it's also known (of course) as KU. I always guessed that it was that way to distinguish KU from the Univ. of Kentucky but I really have no idea.
Hmm...we need ChicagoRed or an Oklahoma fan to enlighten us. On the ESPN blog last year Rittenberg had a write in between Northwestern fans and Nebraska fans over who should be called NU and he explained that "Nebraska U" is a line from their fight song. I wonder where OU and KU and the rest came from.
I don't know if you've seen the film My Life In Ruins (it's a chick flick), but in it, the main character Georgia (Nia Vardalos), gets offered a professorship at "Michigan University".
I have not, but for some reason it bugs me. It'd be like saying University of Indiana or University of Northwestern.
Edit: or University of Purdue, which I only added because it sounds almost as stupid as a reversed Northwestern name.
Or, University of Ohio State.
1997 and 2005
GIVE BREASTON THA DAMN BALL!
Remember the Alamo bowl.
Eric Crouch for Heisman?
ARE YOU FUCKIN KIDDING ME
I hate ALL red. I don't have time to break it into shades.
exception: REDWINGS red. I think they put the blood of Penguins & Eskimos in it.
There was a time when "Big House" was not the unanimous nickname for the stadium.
But mine was that, in thirty years, if Big Blue is on tickets to events and t-shirts at MDen people won't oppose it either if it's the name we refer to Michigan by. People dislike it because it isn't the status quo and it isn't what they recognize.
I think we're basically making the same point.
and before "Big House" was a synonym for "Michigan Stadium", "Big House" was a synonym for penitentiary, as in "But Mickey, if we get pinched, we'll be sent back to the Big House."
Edit: I *will* read the entire thread before posting. I *will* read the entire thread before posting. I *will* read the entire thread before posting.... x50
But "The Big House" has always referred to Michigan Stadium. It's not that the university itself created "M Go Blue" that makes it special and meaningful, it's that it has always been uniquely Michigan's.
"Big Blue" is the exact opposite, it is neither meaningful nor special, and use (in recent years at least) has most often come from sportscasters at ESPN who have run out of snyonyms for U of M and want to sound like they're cool.
"Big House" has always referred to as prison, which is why a lot of U-M fans didn't like it when announcers first started using it in reference to Michigan Stadium.
She went to Michigan in the late '30s early '40s. Until she died in 2005, every time she heard "Big House" on TV she got really fired up! I can still hear her, "Michigan Stadium is NOT A PRISON! Sing Sing is the big house!"
FWIW... She and my grandfather, who played at UM in the same time period, both used "Big Blue" regularly.
Is that your grandfather in your avatar? If so, very cool. Also interesting to hear that they called U-M "Big Blue" and despised "Big House".
He played guard for Crisler and blocked for Tom Harmon. His uncle, Fred Conklin, played for Yost, and was captain of the 1911 team. If you have the Maple Street Press, he's mentioned prominently and pictured on page 108.
So although I'm not crazy about "Big Blue", I grew up in a very Blue home, and it wasn't uncommon. Maybe it's a generaltional thing, but I haven't looked for other old references.
That's such a cool legacy to have, awesome picture!
Any relation to Ransom E.?
There is a newpaper headline out there from when my grandfather started playing that reads "Olds replaces Ford", since he followed the future president, and the author couldn't pass up the play on words.
If you read about the 1911 team in the MSP Wolverine Kickoff and had any interest in the captain, I wrote this up on the "family claim to fame" thread a few weeks back. http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/ot-your-family-claim-fame#comment-1123149. Fred Conklin was an inovator in biomedical engineering. He invented a number of surgical instruments, ran Navy hospitals and retired an admiral, in addition to the brush with JFK.
Fred Olds went on to be a nuclear engineer and the editor of Power Engineering magazine. He spoke all over the world (including communist China and East Germany in the 80s) on nuclear power.
FWIW, the nickname "The Big House" wasn't a "Michigan nickname" either. It was a Keith Jackson creation.
Which is much better than if we'd invented it ourselves. Keith Jackson is a legend. Receiving a nickname from him is like being bestowed a royal title. It's akin to Grantland Rice calling Red Grange "the Galloping Ghost." You don't turn down a Keith Jackson nickname.
I'm confused is this a thread about whether Michigan should be called "Big Blue", or about a big recruiting weekend for Michigan?
I don't mind others calling Michigan Big Blue, I just like messing around with people. I guess you could call me a minor-league troll.
So naturally the comment gets moderated as trolling, I just don't see the problem with making a joke and others reactions to that joke.
This is a place where people won't even accept a posts content if there is poor grammar in it and try to belittle you because of it. Get with the times man.
Downvoted for omission of an apostrophe. Post's, not posts, in this case.
... it's "post's," not "posts" - get with the possessive.
Not one is relevant. NOT FUCKING ONE. So you click on it, and into the second page all you get is snarky comment after snarky comment, and a bunch of bitches bitching at bitches. It's a complete waste of time, and it would be fun if any of it was clever, but none of this is. That's why you get a down vote. Not pissing at you directly, just trying to let you know why this type of thread gets hammered. This board used to be fun. Now it is just full of ......well......you see.
Good comment bro
... Our class is filling up, and the big time prospects we are recruiting are moving up their timelines. We could be close to having a full class before the season starts. Ill be sure to rub it in to all the spartan and buckeye fans who laughed at us when hoke handed out 100+ offers in a week.
Come on down, Ohio 3! All we need is Kalis, Washington, and Stanford to sew up the rest of Ohio's kids Hoke!
Don't forget Wormley
Kalis is in town with his parents this weekend. Ace Williams reported yesterday that he and Wormley are committing this weekend and that they've been silent commits for awhile now.
I know it's Ace Williams, but I'm seeing these assertions more and more as today goes on...
That name is too much. Sounds like it should be the name of a cub reporter at The Daily Planet.
"THEY GONE COMMIT". Thanks Ace back to you
Ace Williams has been reporting they will commit this weekend every weekend for about a month
Ace Williams makes all kinds of random predictions in the hopes that one or two will come true.
He doesn't have any more inside info than k06em01.
Psh, k06em01 knows plenty of things, he just decides to go the attention starved teenager route with said information...
http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/if-i-hear-crazy-rumorthat-seems-have-some-legswho-do-i-report-it
I've read his blog and I keep thinking his site is a parody of a real recruiting blog.
Ummm....I have also heard that Kalis is not in town. If Tom ain't saying nothing about it, most likely not true. But maybe some FB stalkers could chime in.
Keep in mind that Tom confirmed like two days ago that Kalis was trying to visit with his entire family, but wanted it really quiet, but some people on Rivals caught wind of it and reported it. Tom thusly deleted that thread (or someone else did). So Tom may not say anything about it if Kalis doesn't want him to because he has, you know, actual journalistic integrity.
Just because Tom doesn't report it, doesn't mean he doesn't know it. Kalis has repeatedly said he wants some of this stuff on the DL, so that could be why we haven't heard from Tom.
And kalis in the same sentence. Full season of Ohio high school football coming up for the guy...
Ace Williams eats paste.
What is this? Magic 8 balls aren't accurate? Cause mine said that I would be president one day.
Ace Williams also has posted that Ondre Pipkins will commit to Michigan this months too. Hmmm. We'll see if he really knows anything over the next month with the possibilities of Kalis, Wormley, and maybe now Pipkins making a decision.
None of these are really major predictions. I mean if you read the board its pretty easy to predict Kalis, Wormley and Pipkins will commit. And when the visit and don't commit you simply say "Oh well I was right they are just silent commits right now"
Now if he said Shittu or Peat or someone less obvious would commit and that happened, then I would be impressed
I've rarely called Michigan "Big Blue" not certain why I just did. I don't have a problem with it, but I can see where some would. When I was a kid, my Grandfather would always say Big Blue, so maybe it's in my psyche. He was also a big Ufer fan, so maybe that has something to do with it.
And for clarification, I don't mind what you call them I just felt like making a joke.
I shouldn't have got upset, rough day at work.Since I'm not teaching, I do loan applications in the summer for a local Ford Dealer. I've had several ass hats in today, really puts things in perspective for you.
then you don't have to worry about the loans and everyone is happy
I saw something on Facebook a little while ago where users were proudly posting pictures and or discussing their Michigan tattoos. One girl said she had GO BIG BLUE on her arm. I instantly thought what the hell does GO BIG BLUE mean?
It's GO BLUE. It just is, no need to mess with it.
I definitely support snarkicism in response to BIG BLUE. BIG BLUE sucks and needs to go away. No hard feelings. Just need to squash it before people start thinking it's okay to say it.
Every weekend is a B1G weekend for Michigan.
we play ND.
/thankfully
I'll wait for cryptic updates in TomVH's weekly update before I get too excited about imminent commitments.
http://rivals.yahoo.com/ncaa/football/news?slug=rivals-1227496
Tom Dienhart refers to Michigan as "Big Blue".
If I knew him I would tell him to stop.
I just don't like being jumped for something that is common. I think someone even insulted my profile picture, in a "is that Bobby Hill in your profile picture?" fashion. Don't really think that was something that needed to be said.
It isn't cool, especially from someone hiding behind someone elses moniker
Common? I hope not. Could be a regional thing. Not a big deal in the grand scheme of things, but I'm not a fan.
I like the new profile picture.
the big vein in ur wein? Just sayin. I live in good ol alabam and all these hillbillies say big blue. Nuff said. Wont say it. Ever.
These threads get old. Let me know when Tom says something of relevance I can quote myself saying "I think I'm going to have a great weekend in Ann Arbor this time"
I'd rather hear about Tom's Twitter or just call a few people than read this.
Well, here's something interesting: the University of Michigan Chemical Engineering Car Team named their car Big Blue:
http://sitemaker.umich.edu/chemecar/big_blue
And there was this Big Blue motorcycle at the 2007 MSU-OSU game:
http://www.american-chopper.org/board/index.php?page=Thread&threadID=3887
Whether or not someone refers to UM as Big Blue or Blue, I kind of get it. I'm not fond of Big Blue, as opposed to Blue, but heck, it's a big school in the big ten, and the term, "big" denotes a certain respect.
So if they wanna say it, I'm good with it.