Do not denigrate the fanbase
If you want to defend the staff, fine. But please don't trot out the old "It's our fanbase that disappoints me the most" line. That might be applicable at some schools, but it isn't here.
We have a great fanbase. Yes, maybe it's a little quieter than it could be on gameday, but the fact is, we turn out in larger numbers than any other fanbase in the country to see our team play. The last two years, PSU had a larger stadium than us, but we still outdrew them - we continued to sell out, while they couldn't do so even when their team went 11-2 back-to-back years. We filled up the place to watch a 3-9 team and a 5-7 team. And even after those disappointments we're still turning out this season. And by and large, this fanbase has been patient. RR has always drawn more cheers than boos when he's been announced. I can tell you that this would not happen at a lot of other schools, given how he's done. When he says we have great fans, he's not kidding. He saw what it was like at WVU. We've treated him with respect and will always do so, even if he ends up losing his job.
People aren't upset because they "aren't fans." If they weren't fans, they wouldn't care. Watching the winningest program in history go 13-19 over three seasons (4-16 in conference) is incredibly painful. It's like watching a friend battle an addiction. You hope the friend (program) will get it together, but at some point you wonder if it will happen, and if not, what can be done to bring things back to the way they were. That is a reasonable reaction. Above all, we're fans of Michigan. I would love for RR to win big here. But at the end of the day, if it's not in our program's interests for him to stay employed, so be it. Don't tell me I'm not a fan for saying that.
October 31st, 2010 at 6:26 PM ^
a freaking men and so are a lot of the posters. I think a good 20 year sitting the cellar for the program will do wonders and weed off all of the bandwagon fans. I want the program to do well and win championships, but the spoiled brats in the fan base annoy the crap out of me. If someone boos during the game next saturday next to me in the student section it is going to take all of my strength to not punch them in the face.
October 31st, 2010 at 7:27 PM ^
I'd rather win soon with stupid fans than lose for 20 years just to weed out the ones you don't like.
October 31st, 2010 at 5:52 PM ^
I grew up in Pittsburgh with Steelers season tickets. You have no idea how much better this fanbase is than the Steelers'. Even in very successful years, lots of fans call for the heads of the coaching staff. I can't even imagine the reaction if they had a few years where they went .250 in the AFC North. Naturally, some fans will be impatient, but overall I'm impressed with how level-headed this group is.
November 1st, 2010 at 9:18 AM ^
And it seems like the owners of the Steelers don't pay attention to the fans. Cowher was there forever and it seems like the current guy (name eludes me at the moment) will be there forever. I like that kind of stability because I think it bodes well for the long term plans of the team. I'll use the Lions as an example, in the past 10 years they have gone through too many coaches to name (Morningwheg, Marriucci, Marinelli and probably Schwartz) and what has it done for them? The defense is brightening up but that's about it. They are still one of the laughing stocks of the NFL. And in the College Ranks, look at the revolving door that Notre Dame has become. Do we really want to be like that?
As upset I am that Michigan lost on Saturday when they probably should have won, I'm still in the "give the man a chance" camp.
October 31st, 2010 at 6:12 PM ^
and it's winning tradition. Yes these past few seasons have been tough to say the least and last night seemed like the breaking point for a lot of the fans. For me, I'll wait until the season is all said and done. David Brandon is an intelligent AD and will make the decision to continue with RR or not. When I read the board last night, I couldn't help what other school fans were thinking when they troll here. I'm sure Lil brother fans were coming here to soothe their loss by enjoying the melt down posts some people were writing.
As a fan, we have the luxury to sit back and complain when things don't go well- I know I have for the past 2.5 years but I still will choose to root for the Maize and Blue with RR or not.
October 31st, 2010 at 7:29 PM ^
This is all well and good, but perhaps people need to relax and step off the soap box. Nothing you say or do will change anything on the football field- it's not like GERG comes on here to see what he should do next, and at worst all this will give off a negative impression of the fan base to the recruits and family members who come onto the board. Not saying that everyone has to fall into lock-step or can't criticize any aspect of the football program, but just don't forget that there is more to life than football. Go sleep, relax, hang out with the family, choke the bishop, whatever.. focus on the things you can have a real impact on during the week.
October 31st, 2010 at 7:59 PM ^
Being someone that grew up in SEC country, the fans at The Big House are a bit subdued but drunk rednecks don't tend to sit down at games or they'll pass out, so that explains the SEC rowdiness.
As for the fans that make an ass of themselves and make the program look bad by yelling that they should fire RR, we need to take them all out back of the wood shed and give a good 'ol come to God beating. I have my dislikes about the offensive playbook, specifically the lack of diversity (slant, QB iso, slant, inside read, seam, QB iso, slant, over/under throw) situational player choice (smith vs. hopkins) and aggressive playcalling, and the dumbing down of the defense (reminds me of "no child left behind") because of the youth. However, I'm still not calling for RR or GERG to be fired, just fix the damn problem already. I'm also quite a bit concerned how these three losses will affect recruiting, and if you think it wont affect it, you're wrong. After this loss, I would seriously doubt if RR doesn't sit down with the coaches and later the players and draw the proverbial line in the dirt. If that doesn't fix the problem, Dave Brandon will make the necessary call. I've always been a UM fan and always will be. That doesn't mean I'm falling off the bandwagon because I'm unhappy with what I'm seeing.
October 31st, 2010 at 9:19 PM ^
I'm not so sure about the effects of the losses on recruiting. Recruits do read these boards, and don't want to play for someone who will be fired, but they see the wide-open offense and the really bad defense and think playing time.
October 31st, 2010 at 11:39 PM ^
...but there is a sizable portion who deserve to have their season tickets taken away and sold to people who will actually support the team through trying times. Every program goes through a few lean years once in awhile. Michigan's lean years were usually mediocre enough to stay on the Bell Curve.
The last few have sorta fallen off, but the program was becoming stagnant and the waters needed to be roiled a little. Sometimes that creates a lot of cloudy water, but it is much more pure when it clears. The assholes among the fanbase need to be patient and allow that to happen.
I'm not holding my breath, though. I'm glad I don't live up there right now, because I would be tempted to listen to talk radio, and I have a feeling the idiots are and will be out in full force.
November 1st, 2010 at 12:15 AM ^
Last night's game was really a watershed moment for you, wasn't it?
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<br>This isn't a "gotcha" post...just a reaction much like my post reacting to Ira last night...
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<br>The worm is turning with a lot of staunch people. Rich needs to get this ship righted fast.
November 1st, 2010 at 3:53 AM ^
designate some previously banal entity as holy ("the fanbase;" everyone genuflect). Then take umbrage at some uffendi's criticism of it. How dare you disparage my fanbase! Ow, you're hurting my fanbase!!! What's next, Mom and apple pie?