StephenRKass

August 21st, 2014 at 1:19 PM ^

For those of you who don't want to click through, here's the money quote:

"I don't know if it's the toughest place, but the most annoying place was probably Iowa," he said. "Their fans are about as close as we are (in the interview). The pink locker room's spacious. I don't care about the color, it has a lot of space, so I think that's the best locker room for an away team. But the fans are just so annoying, just right on top of you, right behind your bench. You hear everything they're saying."

uofmdds96

August 21st, 2014 at 1:30 PM ^

My family loves to go to Mudhens games and sit on the visiting side near the bullpen or right field and razz the oponents.  But, Devin admitting that he could hear everything that they say will only bolster those fans to say more things.  Once the player acknowledges the heckler, the heckler has won and now owns the player. 

GoWings2008

August 21st, 2014 at 1:49 PM ^

Example of this, from a slightly different angle, when I was at USAFA, Notre Dame was coming to town and then QB Tony Rice said he was intimidated by the fly-bys that all the AF aircraft do...citing the noise they make.  Well, you guessed it...the pregame fly-bys were exceptionally low and loud that day.  In fact, the B-1 fly by was so low that the crew got grounded after they got home.

LB

August 21st, 2014 at 2:05 PM ^

A low pass by a B-1 is just one of the most bad-assed things I can imagine.

In my youth, I lived close to, and directly in line with the main runway at Tinker AFB. This was during the height of the Cold War, when we had B-52's in the air 24 hours a day. Aside from kite-flying bringing a visit from the AP, it was great. The take-offs and landings would stir the soul. My collie had a path worn around the yard inside the fence. She chased them clockwise when they took off, and counter-clockwise when they landed.

Rabbit21

August 21st, 2014 at 3:19 PM ^

My Freshman year there(95) we had a B-1 go so low it set off car alarms in the parking lot.  Looks like history repeated itself.

On a related note, that was my favorite flyby location, going into holding right by Pike's peak and then screaming along the front range to get over the stadium was the best.

Wolverine In Iowa

August 21st, 2014 at 1:31 PM ^

Hmm, interesting.  I would've thought that one of MSU or OSU would've been his pick.  I've never sat down by the Michigan sideline at Kinnick, and so I don't know what is said down there.  But, my experience is that the fans are cool for the most part.  We do need to kick the shit out of the Hawkeyes whenever we play them next - I'm oh-for-three at Kinnick :(

Firch

August 21st, 2014 at 1:38 PM ^

IMO the players are probably more focused on the game while at msu and osu than they are at Iowa just becasue of the nature of the game. You probably block out a lot of what's being said in East Lansing and Columbus. I'm sure every place heckles at least a little bit :) 'murica

reshp1

August 21st, 2014 at 1:39 PM ^

He had a good story about Gallon and opposing fans at Purdue I always found funny

 

 

Gardner displayed keen situational awareness at a road game at Purdue early in his career: “Me and Jeremy Gallon, neither of us were playing. We were standing on the bench, just chilling out, watching the game, and I hear ‘DEVIN! DEVIN!,’ you know, from the opposing crowd, and I’m like, ‘Nah, I’m not turning around.’ And then they go, ‘GALLON! GALLON! IT’S FOR MY DAUGHTER!,’ and I’m like, ‘Don’t turn around. Don’t turn around. Promise.’ Jeremy says, ‘I ain’t gonna turn around.’ So I walk away for a second, and then I hear, ‘YOU’RE A GALLON OF … SHHHHH’ and I was like” — he sighs here, shaking his head and laughing — “Gallon turned around.

“And ever since then I loved playing there, because that was hilarious. I said to Gallon, ‘I TOLD YOU.’ He doesn’t even turn around at home games now. He kinda got scarred after that.”

Everyone Murders

August 21st, 2014 at 1:45 PM ^

I remember a story from a few years back, but can't remember if it was at Iowa or some other B1G school.  In any event, Jeremy Gallon was standing with a teammate (DG?) and the fans kept yelling to him that they knew his sister, wanted to say hi, or some such.  And the teammate warned him "don't turn around" but Gallon ignored the advice.  When Gallon turned around, the fans screamed "Jeremy, you're a gallon of shit!" to the delight of the teammate, and chagrin of Gallon.  I believe that Michigan won the game, so it was relayed as a humorous anecdote.

Anyone remember whether that was at Iowa?  And who the teammate was?  Google was no help here.

[Answered three minutes before my query above.  Here's a picture of Michigan J. Frog to make up for being beaten to the draw.]

]

mackbru

August 21st, 2014 at 1:59 PM ^

I can add from experience that while Iowa fans are generally friendly, it's gross how openly and frequently their fans shout gay slurs at our fans and players. And nobody objects. Same at PSU. You'd think folks in and around a major university would be beyond such crap. It's sad and pathetic.

charblue.

August 21st, 2014 at 2:17 PM ^

period. And, I remember when they flocked to Michigan Stadium for a late season game during the John Navarre years. They bitched and moaned about every call that went against them, complaining that the officials were homers just because. Sitting among them that day was my worst-ever experience at Michigan Stadium. It sucked and not only because Michigan lost, but because of the non-stop negative commentary. 

Here's the thing, though, while this story merely plays into their obnoxious behavior and atttention-getting for no reason, I noticed that thei Hawkeye schedule is extremely favorable, and that they could conceivably reach the championship game without too much difficulty if everything goes right for them. They don't play either Nebraska or Wisconsin, their primary challengers in the West until the final two weeks. They could have huge momentum without having played any major contenders up to that point. Seriously, they could be undefeated going into Game 11 unless they stumble along the way. 

danimal1968

August 21st, 2014 at 2:22 PM ^

during the John Navarre years was 2002, when Iowa pantsed Michigan in a rainy homecoming game, 34-9, with Michigan's only points coming on a punt where the Iowa punter dropped the snap in his own end zone which Michigan recovered for a TD and a field goal following a 60-yard scramble by Navarre that accounted for a third of Michigan's offense.

Hard to imagine their fans were doing too much complaining on that one.

bronxblue

August 21st, 2014 at 4:00 PM ^

If Iowa's fans really are annoying the starting QB for the other team and are doing so without being downright offensive, then they are doing exactly what they should be doing.

UMxWolverines

August 21st, 2014 at 10:41 PM ^

Iowa fans are doing what they should be. Nothing wrong with that. I wouldn't mind if we brought some Kinnick to Michigan stadium. We don't have to be like Ohio Stadium but we shouldn't be the friendly confines either.

DrueDown

August 21st, 2014 at 11:09 PM ^

I can confirm. We've had an intense rivalry brewing in the last decade since Pat Fitzgerald seems to have their #. We call them IO_A & make them earn their 'W'



However, their online etiquette can get Sparty-esque. That being said, I have dozens of friends from Iowa (that went to Chicago universities) who are some of the best peoples I've ever met. It's all in good fun. Beats the Schmidt out of the PSU loonies!