Favorite Moment of Michigan Football Saturday
I wanted to throw in an entry that would cause us to not debate or make fun of each other.
What is your single most favorite thing about a Michigan Football Saturday? Also, please back up your answer with reason...if applicable.
My favorite part of gameday is hands down when the Carl Grapentine says, "Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the 235 member Mmmichigan Marching Band, Baaaaaand Take the field!" That gives me chills just thinking about it. Here have a listen yourself.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gtUQ1tU4BRA
My first game was when I was 5 and I remember hearing that. I am now 29 and every game it takes me back to that day vs. Long Beach State. Thanks Michigan Tradition!
April 21st, 2009 at 11:02 PM ^
...is right after when the drum major touches his head to the ground, the crowd cheers, and then the whole segment when the band marches to the end zone in formation, then forms the block M, then Grapentine saying "All the Maize and Blue Faithful Join in a Rousing Chorus of ......... The VIC-tooohrrrrss...."
I drive 12 hours one way whenever I can in the fall to be there for that pregame. I just love it. The anticipation and prep for a college football game is unparalleled. It's the Michigan experience.
April 21st, 2009 at 11:09 PM ^
That is the second favorite for me. How is it that guys like myself who LOVE football, love and appreciate the bands pre-game so much more? Can I say love anymore?
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:36 PM ^
A) Because I was a childhood Notre Dame fan (damn Catholicism), my first Michigan game ever was 2002 vs Washington.
B) I, for some immature reason, disliked the band. I hated half time performances. I think I just wasn't fully invested in the Michigan tradition at the time.
HOWEVER--
Something happened over time, Maybe it's just that I love anything Michigan, but I LOVE the pregame and halftime shows by the band. I especially love when the full fight song is played.
All this being said, when I think back to football saturdays while I was a student, I'd say my favorite part is waking up saturday morning to obnoxious neighbors playing the Fight song at absurd volumes. Then, throwing on my student shirt, jeans, flip flops and taking that walk down Hill toward Main. The feeling of the cool air but clear and sunny skies as the masses make their way to the stadium, tailgates, etc.
There is nothing in this world that can match the excitement of pouring out of that tunnel on Saturday.
Your adrenaline is already pumping from the march to the stadium. In the distance you can hear the crowd, but it's faint and muted somehow. You set up to go, excited and just a little nervous, when out of the calm comes Carl, "Ladies and gentlemen, presenting the 235 member, Miiiiichigan Marching Band. Baaaaaand, take the fiiiiield!!!!"
Four quick whistles from the drum major, and the drumline takes over. In the confined space of the tunnel, you feel the basses as much as hear them. As you focus on staying on the right foot, your line starts to pour out of the tunnel. You jump into full entries the moment you have some space in front of you, a moment before the entire stadium opens up before you, going from the darkness of the tunnel into the full light of day. The size of the stadium is something you don't appreciate until that moment. With 110,000 cheering you on, you fold out into the big Block M, and jump into the first strains of M Fanfare. God, it feels amazing!
Sorry I got a little caught up, but those 30 seconds on a fall saturday are something I wouldn't trade for just about anything.
April 22nd, 2009 at 10:53 AM ^
Gives us all a little perspective on what you get to see and hear and feel!
On a side note: My 4 year old daughter will never play football for the wolverines, but I had the band's entry playing on YouTube when I posted this and she was mezmorized. She then grabbed the baby wipes container and spoon and started marching with it like a drum. I just melted and asked her if she was going to be in the MMB. She just smiled ear to ear. You can bet that I am going to foster that thought as long as I can!!!! 14 more years an it may be a reality.
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:06 PM ^
I also really loved lining the side of the tunnel while the teams return to the locker rooms prior to kickoff.
First the opposing team goes by the the band faces straight ahead, dead silent. The players try to start little cheers sometimes but the suffocating silence of the tunnel is surreal. Then the Wolverines come by and the band begins chanting "Lets- Go- Blue" to/with the players and coaches. To stand side-by-side and face-to-face with the players (even as the walk past) chanting is like nothing else.
As a former MMBer from what sounds like a long time ago but feels like yesterday, the tunnel entries experience is unparalleled. It's done something to my nervous system and possibly altered my genetic makeup, because it is still extremely moving to me 20 years later. Just sitting here I'm getting all anxious and antsy. Coming out and nailing the first notes of M Fanfare is an adrenaline rush like nothing I've experienced. Singing the Yellow and the Blue in the tunnel while waiting for the teams to clear out - with the emphatic "MOON!" - and then turning that into an insane adrenaline-infused energy that gets squeezed through the narrow tunnel opening and explodes onto the field to that full stadium going nuts... Well, it's pretty incredible.
Go blue!
April 21st, 2009 at 11:08 PM ^
along with the M fanfare, those two tie for second place.
My absolute favourite moment on Football Saturdays at Michigan Stadium is the 10 seconds following an interception by our defense. It's the moment where the energy that the student section puts out when our defense is on the field finally overtakes the rest of the stadium.
It feels like the entire place is electric at that very moment and every fan is smiling. The team has swagger - the offense gets fired up and the defense has a chip on its shoulder, and everything is just buzzing with excitement. Then the band breaks out the fight song.
I love it.
April 21st, 2009 at 11:16 PM ^
My favorite moment: Just walking into the stadium. I remember my first time seeing the field in person. I walked past the ushers, and there it was... The field way down below, players warming up, and the huge bowl wrapped around it. It was surreal walking in at ground level to be that far above the field. I had been to some other stadiums, but Michigan was different. I try to appreciate that initial sight each time I walk in to another game as if it was my first time again.
The first time I walked into the stadium. I was pregaming freshman year and I got there right as the players were taking the field for the kickoff. The stadium was packed. I remember just being in awe. I'll never forget it. I grew up in Miami and going Hurricanes games just never compared the the Michigan game day experience.
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:28 AM ^
when theres no time left on the clock and michigan has more points
hail to the victors
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:40 AM ^
when our linebacker pick-sixes the opposing qb to cap an insane comeback which then results in wild jumping around in the student section. its too bad thats only happened once because if it happened every game that would definitely be my favorite part
... When a true freshman receiver catches a game-winning touchdown pass with 0 seconds left against an undefeated top 10 team.
... When Michigan erases a 17-point fourth quarter deficit and rallies to win in triple overtime against a certain hated rival.
... When the students rush the field (while the rest of the stadium watches transfixed) after the team earns a Rose Bowl berth following a victory in "The Game."
INCREDIBLE moments.
Well those are my top three moments in that order at my three best games. Go Blue.
I love watching all those winged helmets run out and touch the banner. Regardless of who they are playing, that will get me pumped for the game.
when I was a part of the section, it had to be the wave. It's awesome and it means that we were winning.
And I agree with neb, it ws just walking up to the stadium and seeing it look like my high schools stadium. Then walking in and having about 3/4 of it below. It was only for a Northwestern Game, but that was the best sports experience for me.
After the drumline show, when the rest of the band comes spilling out, falling in behind them as we march towards our arena to wage holy war.
Most the time, I'm 9 to 239 beers into it, but the sound of MMB drags me right out of the stupor, and there's nothing on my brain but The Utter Necessity of Winning the Next 60 Minutes.
Wow, that sounds much more martial than I intended. But it's real nevertheless.
By the way, awesome thread. These are the things that make Michigan football truly great (outside of the team itself, of course).
This should be a recurring thread that we revisit on occasion (like when the only pressing issue for conversation is whether Tate will throw 800 touchdowns this year).
And if any of you mgobloggers have not been to a Michigan game as of yet, make the trip this fall! You will not be disappointed.
the first time I see a player in uniform...then the banner run...chills all around
I was lucky enough to grown up in a family with season tickets. I'm guessing I've attended 50+ games at the big house in my 28 years. I still get the chills when I walk through the corridor in Section 7 and get my first full glimpse of the Big House. I will say however, my favorite moment is when the band takes the field. There's nothing like it, as far as I'm concerned.
I love the swell of the crowd on the way to the stadium. That is the only time I like being around so many people. I love walking through the tailgates and watching the congregating crowds around the barbeque pits, make shift picnic tables and cars that have been turned into mobile M-Dens. I love watching the opposing team crazed fans decked out in their team colors seem like a speck in an otherwise maize and blue earth. Everyone just seems like a single strand of thought, coming together for one common purpose, to watch them boys in maize and blue. That's when that transformation takes place, if just for a couple of hours I'm not anything but a fan in a sea of many who share my sentiments, not black or white, republican or democrat, protestant or catholic, jew or gentile. Just one of 100,000 plus that are cramming into the big house to see their boys go at it one more time. And it all begins with the swell of the crowd.
I loved waking up on saturday morning in my apartment, rolling out of bed not caring in the least that I had to wake up earlier than I normally would have. On any other day I'd want to stay in bed, but on home football saturdays I'd be so anxious to get up. Then you leave your bedroom and your roommates are all feeling exactly the same excitement. Then you and your friends leave the apartment, and all the neighbors are leaving theirs, feeling the exact same excitement. That high lasts all the way through the opening kick off for me.
Seeing the games at the Big House hasn't been quite the same since I graduated and moved out of AA.
michigan scores a TD. I mean, really, how often do you get to jump up and down and high five complete strangers?
That's when total strangers become best friends or worst enemies. Priceless.
April 22nd, 2009 at 10:59 AM ^
That is what is going to make this year that much more fun. I have a feeling with 8 home games and a better offense, we are going to have a chance for many of these encounters.
A lot of people said the pregame stuff, and I agree. Its the anticipation that is the best. Can't wait for September.
April 22nd, 2009 at 10:03 AM ^
I was at the Heisman pose game. My favorite moment, besides the pose, was seeing thousands of OSU fans leave at the start of the fourth quarter. There was no finer moment than seeing a sea of scarlet and gray going home with their heads hung low while there was a full quarter left to play.
It was during the first few years of UM's run of 10-2-1 against OSU before Tressel got there. In subsequent years, the game almost became like UM/MSU; it was a "rivalry" but UM was winning most of the time, so most fans weren't really scared that they would lose.
Hopefully, another run is forthcoming.
As for my favorite moment that happens every gameday, it is the players running out of the tunnel under the banner. At that moment, the perception is that all things are possible for the Maize and Blue.
April 22nd, 2009 at 10:09 AM ^
I cant agree more that on any other day of the week 110,000 people in one spot sickens me (aka traffic) but on Gameday Saturdays it just feels so damn right, that everyone is there for one thing. I remember taking my fiance to her first game and she just didn't get that each one of those people were there to cheer on their team.
April 22nd, 2009 at 10:11 AM ^
...At 8:30 in the morning!!!
You guys are GREAT!!!
April 22nd, 2009 at 12:19 PM ^
I love it when our QB throws up a bomb, or a fade that just hangs in the air and the entire stadium stands up and gets quiet for what seems like eternity before the ball drops into our receivers hands for a long TD.
I love the flyovers too...especially when they are timed really well and happen right on the last note of the national anthem.
I think the best one might have been the 100th game...chills and thrills.
I say the band intro out loud about 25 times every Saturday morning.
I've been to probably more than 100 games and I think the craziest/loudest/most electric the stadium has ever been when I've been there is the Henne to Braylon completions in the comeback against State. Heisman pose was pretty freakin' awesome as well.
Been going to games since I was 4 (grew up right outside Ann Arbor)...some of the most memorable don't necessarily include wins, but great football is great football.
-Rocket Ismail...my dad turns to me before Umich kicks off AFTER Rocket already took one back and says, "they wont kick to him again..." As Rocket is crossing the 50, my dad stands up and yells to the sidelines, "Bo - you stubborn son of a bitch"...
-Desmond heisman pose game - GREAT and well documented already
-The catch - Kordell pass (Colorado) - they say the big house is quiet...but I had NEVER heard it that quiet...surreal end of the game.
-Mercury Hayes-Dreisbach connection against UVA in Pigskin Classic...I was NOT at the Mario PSU game so this was the craziest I had seen the big house
-Iowa 97 - GREAT comeback...I was a student then...great memory
HAVE A GOOD ONE - ENJOYED THIS TRIP DOWN MEMORY LANE
I was at that Colorado game as well... Five minutes after the game ended, there were still 70,000 people standing there silently staring at the field. It was a twelve point lead with 5 minutes to go... I watched it happen, but I'm still stunned to this day.
I was able to be at that with my Grandpa, Dad and brother. I have yet to experience anything like that after the catch. The stadium cheered for at least 5 minutes straight. Seemed like an hour of chaos. And the best part was that I could share it with my family!
First pregame beer of the season, normally at approximately 630 am.
are M running plays that break for big yardage. An average 2nd and 6 where a back gets thru the line, and past the secondary. The fans seated with a view of the line of scrimmage get loud, and then that noise builds until the entire stadium realizes what is happening.