East Lansing Roll Call
How many brave souls are venturing into East Lansing this weekend to tailgate and/or attend the showdown against MSU?
In the past, I would have been there in a heartbeat. However, given the state of the program, I'm not sure if I'll attend. I have the following choices:
1. Accept a free ticket to the game in EL. Have fun tailgating and attending the game with my father, uncle, cousin and friends.
2. Enjoy the Fall weather at my wife's cottage. Have fun with extended family and watch the game on TV at a local bar.
Either of these choices require a five hour drive. Six years ago, this decision would have been a no brainer for me. Now I'm struggling to make a choice. Regardless, BEAT STATE!
October 20th, 2014 at 3:06 PM ^
I'll be attending for tailgating/friendship purposes. Planning on being pretty hammered by game time. It sounds like you can't lose in your situation. Both of those sound enjoyable. I'd still probably go to the game if I was offered a free ticket, especially with friends and family. There's always the slight chance Michigan gives Sparty a scare.
October 20th, 2014 at 3:14 PM ^
to see friends, but I don't have a ticket. I'll be wearing my M sweater for sure though.
October 20th, 2014 at 3:19 PM ^
I haven't missed an MSU game since 89, but I don't think I can justify shelling out $150+ to see what could be a pounding that only a Harbaugh could erase
October 20th, 2014 at 3:20 PM ^
Much like OSU's stadium, I will never step foot into that cesspool.
October 20th, 2014 at 3:28 PM ^
and after each, promised myself I'd never go back, I am goint to try and keep that promise this time.
Really, the only fun moment in East Lansing is the moment you get to leave East Lansing.
October 20th, 2014 at 3:30 PM ^
Maybe you're bringing bad luck. We won three in a row there ('03, '05, '07) before you started coming.
October 20th, 2014 at 8:58 PM ^
I will be leaving Fenton in the am.
Let's do this for bad boy city
October 20th, 2014 at 3:34 PM ^
The number of "Ann Arbor is a Whore" t-shirts and the drunk Sparties tossing Michigan fans into a bail of hay and pelting beer bottles at them. I would love to go back, but I feel like dealing with those folks is a young mans game and I have too many kids and years under my belt to hang.
October 20th, 2014 at 4:45 PM ^
Who thinks this tired, overdone joke is clever? Is it the sexist aspect of it that makes it so appealing? Because a similar sense of superiority seems to overwhelm these jokers when they spout off something about UM women being ugly.
October 20th, 2014 at 8:40 PM ^
Those shirts were all over EL the day of the game in 1997. It was the first time I saw the shirt. I went to the Wisconsin game and no one in Madison had the shirt. I told a couple students about the shirts and they were not very impressed.
October 20th, 2014 at 8:48 PM ^
They wore them in Columbus, too. I always responded, "Carmen Ohio is a tranny". I don't have a good riposte for Sparty, though, apart from, of course, "East Blandsing is as vanilla as your tradition-devoid program, for which no one outside this state gives a rat's ass".
October 21st, 2014 at 6:58 AM ^
Then boy are you in for a shock if you went to Wisconsin now. It's quite popular there.
My preferred response response whenever that gets shouted at me is, "Then how come you couldn't get in?" If nothing else, they usually laugh at that.
October 20th, 2014 at 3:43 PM ^
I'm also much much confident because I'll be in the stadium. It doesn't make any sense.
October 20th, 2014 at 3:44 PM ^
Enjoy the tailgate, enjoy the pregame, enjoy family and friends and watch til halftime.
At that point, if you've had enough, walk about 10 minutes East to the MSU Dairy and get a huge ice cream cone. Bask in the Fall colors surrounding you as you take in all the kids eating their cones with ice cream melting down their face. Not too bad of a Saturday.
October 20th, 2014 at 9:00 PM ^
Nom nom nom
October 20th, 2014 at 3:46 PM ^
and have a good time!
October 20th, 2014 at 3:46 PM ^
Its a pretty crazed move to go to the game this year...God speed to anyone who dares
October 20th, 2014 at 3:52 PM ^
I am going with my dad, cousin and grandpa. I'm not particularly happy about it. This feels the most hopeless of any year that we have gone into it on the road. I keep teling myself "Hey, MSU's defense isn't as good this year!" and then I remember our offense is worse this year too.
October 20th, 2014 at 3:53 PM ^
My brother-in-law and wife's uncle have tickets and a sweet tailgate and MSU, so we go every year it is in EL. this year, the uncle is giving the wife and me tickets to the game as well, so as much as I would prefer to sit at home drinking and get on with my weekend, I'll be stuck in EL all day Saturday, and hungover Sunday.
October 20th, 2014 at 3:57 PM ^
Went in 2003, 2005, 2007, and 2009. Think I'm good on East Lansing for a long time. The visitors' section at the top of the upper deck is just about the worst imagineable place to watch a football game.
That being said, I kind of like their tailgating arrangement where everything is just spread across campus. The last time, we ended up at a friend's parents' tailgate inside a university parking garage, and it was still a blast because their band went by, the entire thing was a party.
October 20th, 2014 at 4:19 PM ^
and I dont even want to be here for the eventual bloodbath and what happens afterwards
October 20th, 2014 at 9:20 PM ^
Props on fighting the good fight.
October 20th, 2014 at 9:27 PM ^
I would honestly take the weekend off. Go somewhere where you furnishings and general well being are not in grave danger.
October 20th, 2014 at 4:56 PM ^
I'll be there with my husband and my father-in-law. First time for me, but they went last year. I told my husband that I wanted to go to as many games this year as possible to support Devin Gardner. The only ones we are missing are Northwestern and Rutgers.
October 20th, 2014 at 5:14 PM ^
School aged cats should go, if they have not been. I went in 1999 and 2001 and, apart from Sharky's, hated almost everything about it...
Seriously though, I think it builds character to get into those type of environments. Just keep your cool, remember it's just a game, and that you get to go back to Ann Arbor when it's all over.
October 20th, 2014 at 5:17 PM ^
Safe travels to all of the brave Wolverines making the trip to EL.
October 20th, 2014 at 5:23 PM ^
Consider flying to Boston to catch the Michigan hockey team play Boston University. Get a glimpse of the player who might be the NHL's top draft choice in 2015, a man who who was living in Ann Arbor last season as a member of the U. S. National Development Team, Jack Eichel.
October 20th, 2014 at 9:25 PM ^
This is the best idea I've seen yet. Except for the whole flying to Boston part
October 21st, 2014 at 10:12 AM ^
I am flying to Boston from Chicago tomorrow afternoon and will be at the hockey game on Saturday. Go Blue.
October 20th, 2014 at 5:30 PM ^
I went in 97. I didn't have a bad experience but I will never go back. You could not pay me to go to the game this year.
October 20th, 2014 at 5:34 PM ^
When you leave that concrete shit hole there's a sign that says, never again.
October 20th, 2014 at 5:43 PM ^
Go. Hold your head high and act like a Michigan Man. This would be insanely difficult for me to do, but I'm kind of an asshole. But I'm tryin', Ringo. I'm trying real hard.
October 20th, 2014 at 5:44 PM ^
Even back when I was a student I took the games too seriously to go to EL. I went one time and that was enough for a lifetime. Even though I have grown a little bit in my ability to deal with football frustrations over the years, there is no way I am man enough to go this year.
Any alum or fan that takes football seriously and braves the game this weekend seriously deserves some kind of medal.
October 20th, 2014 at 5:47 PM ^
It's supposed to be great weather and watching the debacle on TV won't be any better. As long you stay away from the tennis courts on Chestnut behind the Skandalaris football center and the student entrance on the southeast corner I've never seen a problem. I've had some students in the past in EL say some stupid things but I expect that as it happens in Ann Arbor too. Saw a few students make Sandusky comments to a group of PSU fans two weeks ago and they brushed it off pretty well despite the students persistance.
If anyone else has though about StubHubbing it, try for the north endzone. For one it's concourse it brand new, the fans in those sections are pretty mild compared to the upper deck and students, the BBQ pork sandwich they have over there is solid and it's about as far from the students as possible.
October 20th, 2014 at 6:41 PM ^
Student making the voyage.... Not going to the game but I will be tailgating for sure. Not sure how this one's going to go... We'll have to wait and see
October 20th, 2014 at 6:48 PM ^
I'll be there no idea where to park nothing anyone wanna pass along some tips
October 20th, 2014 at 7:18 PM ^
Tailgating with a buddy. Plan to get smashed. should be interesting.
October 20th, 2014 at 8:18 PM ^
I love my Maize and Blue but I don't want to see them get their ass kicked so I'm working instead. My wife is a true Sparty and will probably be texting me all the gory details.
No more Brandon. Go Blue.
October 20th, 2014 at 9:15 PM ^
baby seal bashing is not high on my list of activities, especially when i am rather fond of the baby seal...
October 20th, 2014 at 9:47 PM ^
Froze my ass off in the student section, ended up having quite a lot of fun actually. Apart from a couple drunk sorority girls I encountered after the game, all the Sparties around me were rather nice.
Would totally go again this year were I not on the East Coast
October 20th, 2014 at 11:02 PM ^
I will be there with the men I lived with my senior year (2000)
I was dreading it and then I was like, fuck it lets win!
and now I am pumped again.
October 21st, 2014 at 6:52 AM ^
Given that I'm having trouble deciding if I even want to watch this particular snuff film on TV, I can't even imagine trying to see it live.
I'd go to the cabin if I were you.
October 21st, 2014 at 7:17 AM ^
I am going of course and will proudly sport the maize and blue. It's true that this season isn't the greatest but I can tell you now the kids on the team sure as hell haven't already accepted a defeat and I sure as hell will be there supporting my team as a good, loyal, and hopeful fan.
October 21st, 2014 at 9:09 AM ^
I'll be there. Father-in-law is a sparty alum with season tickets in the north endzone. Went to last year's debacle, along with a few other MSU non-UM games. Like someone above stated, the north endzone isn't bad for opposing fans - mostly older sparty alums. You'll get the typical boo-hisses, but without the flying beer bottles and assaultive behavior. I think this year, I'll simply respond with "I think we're still a year away from competing for a national championship" and leave it at that. That'll be good for a laugh (mockingly, but a laugh nonetheless), and let me keep rooting for the good guys in relative peace.
Be brave out there guys. At least next year we'll be back in Ann Arbor, and hopefully looking much better as a team.
October 21st, 2014 at 11:06 AM ^
London