ESPN dissing Michigan (again)
This morning I'm listening to the ESPN college football podcast on the way to work, and at the very tail end something jumped out at me.
Ivan Maisel and Gene Wojciechowski were the two doing the show, and at the end of the program they were discussing which schools had overrated or underrated gameday experiences on their campuses.
Gene Wojo's "overrated" was Michigan. In short, when describing Ann Arbor on a gameday, he said, "Eh."
http://sports.espn.go.com/espnradio/podcast/archive?id=2557385
(It's the October 26th show, strangely listed second from the top).
Usually both of these guys give Michigan high marks when it's due, but perhaps this turn of events is due to the Rich Rod era??
He acknowledged that the Big House is cool to be in, but he claimed there was very little going on around the campus and the stadium. I'm not sure what game he was at, but he must have been at the wrong stadium.
Is this a wake-up call to the staleness of Ann Arbor on gameday, or a time when all us Michigan fans have to spell out all the great things that go on around town. Let's hear some great gameday stories and show Gene Wojo that we're just as good as LSU, Auburn, and all the other schools he mentions!
October 27th, 2009 at 8:15 PM ^
Well, let me see. Since I have a blast on game days I guess I don't really give a shit what others say.
October 27th, 2009 at 8:19 PM ^
Nuff said!!!!
October 27th, 2009 at 10:59 PM ^
couldn't agree more
October 28th, 2009 at 9:08 AM ^
BOOM!
October 28th, 2009 at 9:38 AM ^
You know how to cut to the core of me, Baxter.
October 27th, 2009 at 8:27 PM ^
I would rather have the stuffyness of A2 than the couch burning, urinating atmosphere of Columbus, E. Lansing, or Morgantown.
October 27th, 2009 at 8:30 PM ^
The ever-popular cooler defecation parties.
October 27th, 2009 at 8:38 PM ^
Actually I agree, its too mellow on gameday, but I think its cause you have people spread out through town instead of one big parking lot where its a mass party.
October 27th, 2009 at 8:44 PM ^
Pioneer anyone? Do I hear golf course? No? Crisler ring any bells?
"Shirley, you can't be serious..."
October 27th, 2009 at 9:50 PM ^
He kind of has a point. You yourself listed off 3 different locations. He's just saying that the tailgaters are all spread out across Ann Arbor instead of just in one central location. State Street houses, Houses on Hill, Fraternities, 2 different golf courses (Even though it seems like one), Pioneer, Crisler, and dozens of other tailgating locations. His point was that if you took all of those people and put them all on the golf course Ann Arbor would seem insane.
October 27th, 2009 at 10:20 PM ^
I see his point, but that is part of what I love about Ann Arbor on Saturdays in the fall. You really can't go anywhere without seeing something tailgate related. To have everything moved into one corner just seems so wrong.
And plus, as we have seen in many videos of Notre Dame tailgates, all you have to have is one guy with a camera to catch the epic douchitude of a fanbase all crammed into one small area. Looking at you Notre Dame MBA students and alums.
October 27th, 2009 at 10:28 PM ^
Oh I know, I love having the tailgates all spread out and you can wander from party to party. I was just trying to clarify the fact that people are all over the place. You kind of have to be with 100K going to each game.
October 27th, 2009 at 11:34 PM ^
...for "epic douchitude."
October 27th, 2009 at 10:24 PM ^
Yeah, and it doesn't help that Ann Arbor tried to kill the State Street houses as well earlier this year. State Street looked like a ghost town with Indiana here, almost no one was there. Even Eastern had more people at those houses.
October 27th, 2009 at 10:37 PM ^
Penn State on the other hand felt like before they tried to kill it, which was refreshing.
October 27th, 2009 at 10:37 PM ^
All 3 of those areas are within 5 min of each other. That ain't bad when you figure there are 100k+
October 27th, 2009 at 8:40 PM ^
I've been to a few stadiums, and I can say that the student tailgate at Michigan is as good as any (I've been to Wisco, OSU, ND, PSU). I wouldn't be shocked if the parking lots around the stadium were pretty tame comparatively, though. My roommate, who is generally very negative about everything Michigan, and has been to several SEC schools, also says the student tailgate here is legit.
October 27th, 2009 at 8:52 PM ^
Has got it right. Streets are closed, vendors all over, stage with a band, etc. ILL puts on a great tailgate. Indiana wasn't bad either - more laid back, but very cool.
October 27th, 2009 at 10:16 PM ^
Well, with the quality of product at these schools they need all the gimmicks possible to attract people.
October 27th, 2009 at 10:18 PM ^
Out of curiosity, how many streets are closed? I know none of the streets are technically closed for M gameday, but Hoover, Keech, and most the streets around the stadium might as well be considering the walking traffic.
October 27th, 2009 at 10:46 PM ^
has this place with amazing pulled pork sandwiches, but their tailgate is in a giant field with people blasting music out of their ford f-150s. meh. ill take the ann arbor tailgating scene any day of the week.
i would like to see more local street vendors though instead of just the hotdog guys on hoover.
October 27th, 2009 at 8:46 PM ^
What's so different about our gameday atmosphere than any other big school around the country? Maybe he forgot to walk down State St.? We have the same number if not more tailgates than any other big school around the country, what the hell more does he want M to do?
Personally, I think their podcast is alright, but that's the second gameday diss on Michigan in the past few months. Before the season started, they did a piece on "stadiums I must see a game in before I die" and never mentioned Michigan (like, not even in reference). They seem kinda like South/Southwest homers, they mostly mentioned southern schools (UF, LSU, Clemson (because the rock is so cool), Texas, OU)
October 28th, 2009 at 4:08 AM ^
obviously you have never left the state of MI for a football game. Why do you think there have been so many threads the last 6 months about night games, stadium noise, standing up during games? For as many "smart" (douchey) people as there are in Ann Arbor, it seems like people would be able, to comprehend the fucking truth, Ann Arbor really does suck compared to other college towns and we aren't even close to being relevant in football anymore. Fucking deal with it.
October 29th, 2009 at 10:53 PM ^
and he's right. You are either really drunk or just plain ignorant, too.
October 27th, 2009 at 8:59 PM ^
and most other camuses is the stadium is quite a bit further away from the main campus. There really isn't that great of an atmosphere right around the immediate stadium because there is no room. All the tailgates etc are further way and as someone mentioned spread out over several areas.
Its definately not like some campuses with dorms right across the street.
October 27th, 2009 at 10:32 PM ^
Could be worse. We could be Pitt, Hawaii, or Minny when they had to play in the Dome.
October 27th, 2009 at 9:16 PM ^
Hit the nail n the head. Stadium is on a wierd main street section with no bars or other things around, just houses. Golf course is great and so is Pioneer but there are different sections of the tailgate. Not one big part like other venues. Overall, Michigan is very subdued compared to ND, MSU, OSU, and ILL (the other 4 I have seen).
October 27th, 2009 at 9:35 PM ^
MSU? Talk about stale and without character...East Lansing and especially the stadium area are flat out boring. Haven't been to OSU in 30 years and that was my last trip to that shit hole period. Champaign? My god, I was there 3 or 4 years ago and that place is a flat out dump. I asked someone where to get something good to eat after the game. The reply? IHOP...Ann Arbor last weekend with the Mud Bowl, etc... even with the bad weather was better than most Big Ten venues. I love Ann Arbor
October 29th, 2009 at 10:51 PM ^
I've been to OSU twice for Michigan game and to most of the State games in the last 10 years in east lansing. The parking situation at MSU and OSU for the most part is not as spread out. Neither is half as nice as the tailgaiting opportunities at the golf course, or at several other locations between main and stadium north of the Stadium. The other thing, at Michigan you have a really great opportunity to hang out downtown State or Main street before a 3:30 game, such as at Ashley's, and walk with the students to the game.
Part of the reason I probably like to tailgate in Ann Arbor more than at State or OSU is that I know where to go and what to do. But, I've been enough times to E.L. with folks who tailgate every game, and I just don't think it compares. You can have wild tailgates there, or wine and cheese atmosphere, like in Ann Arbor depending on what you want. In the end though, if I had to take someone who hadn't been to a Michigan tailgate before, I'd clearly choose Ann Arbor over e.l. or from what I've seen of columbus.
October 27th, 2009 at 9:59 PM ^
I love the walk over to the stadium, passing all the house parties, the band, etc....Not every tailgating / game day experience needs to be the same at every campus.
October 27th, 2009 at 10:26 PM ^
If we would just set fire to some cars and dumpsters Ann Arbor would have a kick ass atmosphere. Or at least turn a few cars over for goodness sake. I also think pelting the visiting team with batteries would help a lot too. We have to live up to ESPN's expectations. A crowd that is just excited to root for their team is simply not enough.
October 27th, 2009 at 10:27 PM ^
If he was referring to the pregame for DSU, that would make sense. Pretty much any other game... ah, nope. Wrong answer, bud.
Gotta leave the safety of your tent to soak in the atmosphere. Walk around a bit, it's good for you. Lazy sod
October 27th, 2009 at 11:11 PM ^
He must have been to Delaware State while everyone was on fall break. If he was here last week he completely ignored State Street which back in full force for pregames
October 27th, 2009 at 11:57 PM ^
Spread out tailgates + quiet "wine and cheese" crowd at at a 100K plus stadium are probably why they say it's overrated. I'd put the state street tailgates up against any other college atmosphere though.
October 28th, 2009 at 12:51 AM ^
My first game ever was delaware state, and i had no idea where to go around campus...i walked across state street which was alright. there were some tailgators/parties but it was nothing special....there were a few tailgators around the stadium, but overall it wasnt to exciting compared to a brewer game or packer game...idk if it was because it was delaware state game, the early time and weather, or cause i didnt go to the right places because it was my first visit to AA and i didnt know what was going on
October 28th, 2009 at 1:09 AM ^
The Golf Course is just a mass of humanity enjoying themselves, as is State Street.
What is that guy's issue? Those were some fantastic times as an undergrad for me.
October 28th, 2009 at 3:48 AM ^
I don't care what happens to my points anymore, Ann Arbor is boring as fuck. if you want a great college football city go to Gainesville. why do you think they have awesome recruiting classes? its because its waaaaaay cooler than living in a overpriced town like Ann Arbor. But lets not forget two of the last three national championships, right? Hey, I know, lets all go to some overpriced bars like Ashley's and eat some overpriced food like Zingerman's. Whooooooooooo, Ann Arbor rocks!!!!!
October 28th, 2009 at 4:36 AM ^
I order you to cease and desist any and all negative activities, and return henceforth to your point of origin, troll.
October 28th, 2009 at 7:45 AM ^
Hope you enjoy your last post dip shit.
October 28th, 2009 at 9:57 AM ^
uh oh, he mentioned his points.
October 28th, 2009 at 9:49 AM ^
It all matters how you come to the game.
Michigan is strange in that the bulk of the tailgating occurs on the side of the stadium not facing campus. It makes for a less compact experience -- if you come in one way, you'll miss a lot of what's going on in another place.
If you come down Hoover to Greene with the throngs of students, you never see the tailgates. If you're on the golf course, you never see the throngs. Contrast that with MSU or OSU, where to enter the stadium you basically follow the band in through the parking lot, past a sea of tailgates.
If you come in from Main and park at Pioneer, all you see is a bunch of 40-somethings holding seat pads and walking to the game.
The other thing is the stadium is kind of off away from the student downtown. It's not like you can run out of the game and get a Blimpy Burger. It's as far a walk from the stadium to North University as it is to get to like Maple, or where Scio Church hits I-94.
The answer, I think, would be to pack Elbel. Except when some group or another rents it for like a Chili cook-off, that field is basically a spill-way for pedestrians heading to the game from East of State Street, and not much more. Such a missed opportunity for like pre-game rituals and such. We could have a "GO BLUE" train come through two hours before game time, fill the field and adjacent parking lots with tents and pre-game activities, and even spill into that Fingerle tailgate (too bad that God-awful Coliseum is right there -- no offense gymnastics).