Fan Anger
I've been perplexed by something I've noticed the last few weeks and I wonder if anyone else has noticed this and has a solid explanation.
Why do the fans that seem the angriest also seem the most ill informed?
My initial instinct would tell me that the angriest people would be the coaches and the players. Then the former players who have a stake in the program, then it would be the fans that follow the team 24/7 looking for any piece of information. This has nothing to do with this board as there are plenty of good arguments on both sides of the fence and bad ones as well, it's just interacting with people on a daily basis.
I have banned myself from any media other than Mgoblog, WTKA and national ESPN or Dr. Saturday stories the last few weeks. This caller to Sam which then made me immediately turn off the podcast summed up my dealings with my neighbors, people at the gym and work the last 2 weeks.
"Hey Sam I just don't see where we are going. The offense doesn't work against good teams and the defense is just terrible and outside of Mike Martin there is no one on the defense who looks to have any potential. Are we recruiting anybody on the defensive side of the ball that can help out this defense. I think these guys need to go."
This was tame compared to some other people, but it illustrates my point. I had a guy rail on Michigan for a couple minutes at the gym and then let it slip he never even watched the game because he can't watch that shit. Didn't watch the game? It seems the angriest guys don't follow recruiting daily or transfers or know about the depth chart or the schedule or injuries or schemes. Usualy there only source of any info is from Valenti or the newspapers.
Now I'm not saying it is wrong to not follow the silly whims of 17yr old kids or waste time like I do pouring over depth charts in May like I do, I'm just surprised with such little time invested they get so angry and are so vocal about it. You would think the angriest people would be guys that follow this thing 24/7 like many of the people on the blog. I get that anger, you devote all that time and effort into something and you get nothing back it is frustrating.
I'd like to know your thoughts.
October 19th, 2010 at 11:19 AM ^
Either that or he is saying stop in the name of love.
October 19th, 2010 at 1:39 PM ^
I think he's clearly saying to stop due to it being hammer time.
October 19th, 2010 at 11:07 AM ^
FANger moving forward.
October 19th, 2010 at 11:08 AM ^
- College sports fandom: ur doin it wrong. These are amateur athletes out there, yet some people want to set expectations and be VERY UPSET YOU GUYS if the teenagers don't live up to your manufactured baseline of ACCEPTABLE performance. These people watch a game hoping not to lose and it's not enjoyable to them. I'll never understand that.
- Pessimists. Some people like to complain about every little thing and it provides a nice outlet for them to scream into the wind (or a blog, or neighbor) about how their college team makes them SO MAD YOU GUYS. Usually, these people have crappy lives.
- People that are primarily pro sports fans: this ties in to 1. These people set high expectations because they are used to watching and "earning the right" to boo their pro sports teams because they are paid professionals. They forget that the etiquette changes when you are watching college football (if they even watch at all) and spend their time bagging on young adults hurting themselves for their entertainment. Possibly the saddest of the bunch.
- People that love to just rag on coaches: these are usually dumbs (yes, it's a noun) or middle management types that imagine how much better they could run something. They tend to bitch about every little thing because it makes them feel better about things they can't control. They are often jealous of the authority coaches can wield. It also works out great for them because like the pro sports fans in 3, coaches are highly paid professionals that "can take the criticism." A pretty good example is that guy that DEMANDED that GERG take the podium and be ACCOUNTABLE YOU GUYS for the defense's performance and enumerate the reasons why they are UNACCEPTABLE.
- People that are never satisfied with newfangled things - usually olds. No matter what happens, they will pine for the good old days.
The bottom line is that it's a game. If you can't watch it and have fun, cheer on the players and be happy (even after a loss)...ur doin it wrong.
October 19th, 2010 at 10:04 PM ^
couldn't have said it better myself
October 19th, 2010 at 11:17 AM ^
I am surprised at how frustrated I get with people that say half-baked anger statements that are only maybe 2% real fruit juice.
<br>These are the people that were built for half cognizant thoughts. They know not what they do.
<br>They were the people who KNEW the spread wouldn't work here blah blah... etc
<br>My only response is to pretend I don't know what they're talking about (denying it 3 times before the cock crows and all that).
<br>I agree with what was said above completely: being informed blows sometimes when everyone else/ takes soundbite/ says "hmm"/ and becomes chuckleheaded parrot ass-clowns.
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October 19th, 2010 at 11:23 AM ^
it's simply because anybody who actually foolows things like recruiting, transfers, etc. and actually knows the depth (And watches the damn games for crying out loud... seriously If you're not even going to watch the game then you aren't aloud to talk) knows that this team is much better than they look. The stats don't tell the whole story, the defense is actually playing better than most people would like to believe, and anyone who says the offense can get it done is a freaking moron.
October 19th, 2010 at 12:01 PM ^
I guess I'm a moron.
October 19th, 2010 at 12:45 PM ^
Is it safe to assume you meant can't get it done?
October 19th, 2010 at 3:49 PM ^
my bad
October 19th, 2010 at 11:32 AM ^
I was more frustrated with the Michigan fans around me on Saturday than I was with the play of the field. With about 13 minutes left in the game I decided to go back to my tailgate and watch it on the TV there instead of listen to the idiots around me (one began to sing a song he made up on the go about "Goodbye Rich Rod"). I watched the remainder of the game at my tailgate in the Crisler Lot with as much passion as I would in the stadium and had a great time doing so.
I am a Rich Rod supporter but am not blind to the issues. I know there are problems that need to be addressed especially on the defensive side of the ball but I still think we should support our program during the season and then discuss this stuff after the end of the OSU game.
October 19th, 2010 at 11:36 AM ^
Most had a sense that there was a long road ahead because the offense was just plain awful and there were no qbs in sight. The team has provided excitement and promise and a couple of nice wins in the last couple of years. What will remedy many persons' fears is a quality big 10 win. I think there is a sense that teams that are destined to be great but aren't great yet should play above their level in big games. This team isn't better than Wisconsin or Iowa or OSU at this point, but taking one of these teams down would strongly affect UM's perceived future... a breakthrough game if you will.
October 19th, 2010 at 11:36 AM ^
Why do the fans that seem the angriest also seem the most ill informed?
You can say that about people in general. Just the way things are. Ain't never gone change.
October 19th, 2010 at 12:14 PM ^
The blind leading the blind - it's a typical case of mob mentality/whatever you want to call it. The guy at the top says something and all the people at the bottom look in awe, but don't ask questions. Unfortunately, turning on the TV you probably won't find much more valuable opinions as the MSM loves to talk about job-security.
October 20th, 2010 at 2:23 AM ^
Ignorance is not bliss??
October 19th, 2010 at 12:20 PM ^
good thread.
and if anyone is surprised by fan anger, just read the OSU fan base response after a loss. "FIRE TRESSEL!!!1!!!" is amazingly common.
October 19th, 2010 at 1:11 PM ^
The angriest people are also the most idiotic, and ill informed?
Shocking.
October 19th, 2010 at 1:50 PM ^
We (wife and I) have some friends who have made up a Fire Rich Rod song to the tune of The Victors who, when sharing their song with us, we asked kindly to stop. Later that night, when some college football fans were discussing the merits of Nebraska joining the Big Ten, the songwriting friends were stunned that the Big Ten had the gall to move beyond the decades long tradition of a ten team conference. Being creative (even minimally) is no excuse for being uninformed.
October 19th, 2010 at 2:47 PM ^
So I guess Penn State doesn't exist in their little world?
October 19th, 2010 at 1:48 PM ^
The thing that frustrates me the most is the idea that the team is here to serve the fans. I see it as vice versa - we're here to cheer on our team. If our team flounders, we're still there, maybe not cheering as loudly because of our disappointment, but definitely not abandoning them or turning on them. It was shocking to me in the Lloyd years to hear fans in the student section yell "You Suck!!" at Lloyd when the team was down. This is wrong on so many levels, as is singing songs about firing RR or calling out players during the game.
October 19th, 2010 at 2:30 PM ^
It's played with more precision and discipline than what Michigan is slapping together. For example, high school kids usually do not walk off the field before the whistle blows. That sort of thing.
October 19th, 2010 at 2:49 PM ^
I guess one more point. My expectations have also been tempered a bit by following Eastern Michigan all of these years. I would like to see them just hit 500 at some point.....
October 19th, 2010 at 3:04 PM ^
Forrest Gump (Alabama alumni)
October 19th, 2010 at 3:34 PM ^
Why do the fans that seem the angriest also seem the most ill informed?
Because if they were more informed, they'd be more understanding.
October 19th, 2010 at 4:38 PM ^
Most UM fans know the details of the program.Some even know something about college football other that what goes on in Ann Arbor.
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<br>It is has been my experience that defenders of RR---any true fan supports the coach--are far less informed about football outside Ann Arbor than many who are critical.
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<br>That many think that it takes YEARS to build even an average defense speaks to the level of ignorance of many of his defenders.
October 19th, 2010 at 5:00 PM ^
My experience has been the exact opposite. The fans that are critical of RR are just repeating the stuff they read in the Freep or listen to on The Ticket. They don't look at facts and when facts are thrown at them to negate what they are saying all they say is that those are excuses.
I agree it shouldn't take "YEARS" to build an average defense but one should not just look at that alone. People should take into account that there have been injuries & transfers. I look at transfers in that Players don't like the new coaches and want to leave (including the strength & conditioning program which had a huge change). But since transfers still happen occasionally with players RR recruited then I guess some of that falls on the coach.
Now excuses like injuries & transfers can only last so long. Once RR has a full recruiting cycle complete meaning everyone on his team are players he recruited, which begins next fall if you include the first recruiting class that was partially Carr's recruits, then the all the responsibility falls on RR.
I am just sick of fans freaking out about 2 losses to 2 top 15 teams which most people on this site are.
October 19th, 2010 at 8:33 PM ^
It only takes YEARS to build a defence when you don't over recruit by a full year's recruiting class and then as if were a bout of good fortune, suddenly all of the poorer players suddenly get injured or start violating team rules and shazam, you have just enough players on your roster to be complaint...go figure.
October 19th, 2010 at 5:02 PM ^
It is has been my experience that defenders of RR---any true fan supports the coach--are far less informed about football outside Ann Arbor than many who are critical.
I'm sure that Brian Cook is less-informed than you are. And Jonathan Chait. And Kevin Wermer. And Doug Karsch. And Sam Webb...
October 19th, 2010 at 7:37 PM ^
I am a M fan for 42 years. I have not missed a game either in person, on TV, or on the radio in all those years. I am proud of this University and have defended RR until now. I am tired of being kicked around the football field by decent teams that we used to kick around. In 2+ years here RR teams have lost 9 Big 10 games by double digits while from 1997-2007 LC teams lost 5 Big 10 games by double digits. In the same period LC teams won 46 Big 10 games by double digits while RR teams have managed 1. This scheme does not seem to work against decent teams and as a long time M fan I feel we deserve better. I am not scared of starting over anymore because I have lost faith that RR can turn this around. Last year and this year we thought we seen signs of improvement, yet when we play decent teams we get kicked around. UM did not get to a point of the long period of 100,000 plus attendance by having a team that gets kicked around like this. Enough is enough.
October 19th, 2010 at 8:49 PM ^
Aren't all fans "angry." Fan is a short form of "fanatic." It seems that when you scratch the surface of most fanatics that there is a lot of emotion there, and a good part of that emotion is anger. Fanatics are the kind of people that blow up buildings and stuff. Fanatics are what they are, learned or ignorant. It is emotion and attachment that defines them. A fanatic, and thus a fan, is not dispassionate and detached. If they were they would cease to be a fan. I think one's knoweldge is irrelevant. An ignorant fanatic is no less a fanatic than a learned one. The learned fanatic just knows his theology a bit better and sometimes his learning can overcome his basic fanaticism, but a fanatic he is. And the learned fanatic will often try to deny the teeming sea of emotions that drive him, deny that he is cut from the same cloth as the ignorant masses because of his learning and knoweldge. He is above them. His reactions are informed and knowledgable. He is not like them, the "ignorant fan." His fanaticism is justified and upright because he has the learning to back up what he says. He is different. Better. When he blows things up it is ok. Not like the ignorant masses and their ill informed anger. He is a "true fan."
October 21st, 2010 at 3:59 PM ^
in general.........yes, we all want to see UofM win big, but they're just kids..........don't blame the kids that have stayed, they wouldn't be in this position if certain individuals hadn't left the team early..........