Gameday Traditions

Submitted by canzior on

My new wife has been adopted as a Michigan fan, and we are starting a family.  I became a Michigan fan being from Detroit, and an Uncle who played high school ball with a couple guys on the 89 team.  He liked both UM and MSU though, while I stuck with UM.  I grew up in the DC area, so not a lot of Michigan fan-dom in my life.  I am curious if anyone has any awesome gameday traditions that they have/had with parents, aunts/uncles, children, or friends that they wouldn't mind sharing.

 

Also of note: I spoke with a friend about PSU/OSU (he was at the game, speaking with the coaches before the game)...Penn State's gameplan going into the game was to mimic Wisconsin's defensive scheme, and put their starters on special teams to gain an advantage. 

 

Zarniwoop

October 26th, 2016 at 9:24 AM ^

My traditions are...

1. Getting up early to get the perfect meal ready for kickoff or getting ingredients if it's a late game.

2. Start grumbling about lost opportunities etc.. after we don't put up 7 in the red zone or worse.

3. Wife and daughter leave the house/area because they are Australian and "it's just a game".

4. Dad calls to ask if I saw the game. I've been saying yes for about 25 years.

Stay.Classy.An…

October 26th, 2016 at 9:26 AM ^

I'm pretty sure Harbaugh already plays the starters on ST, which is why we tend to have the advantage against our opponents in that area. Also, our defense > Penn State mimicing Wisconsin's defense. That makes me feel better about things.

No gameday traditions currently, however, when I was a student I used to always make sure I got a hotdog from the same cart on the way to the stadium and a $5 pizza after the game for the walk back before many celebratory nights in AA.

CRISPed in the DIAG

October 26th, 2016 at 9:32 AM ^

In AA going to the tailgate/game I make sure to walk through Nickels Arcade and get a cigar at Maison Edwards. Cut it. Light it. And walk through the Diag. on my way to catch some of the MMB warm-up near my tailgate spot - usually the lumberyard.

At home I watch the game on mute while listening to the Michigan radio broadcast.

None of the above is superstitious. Just traditional.

 

UMAmaizinBlue

October 26th, 2016 at 9:32 AM ^

1) Watch GameDay and throw something in the crock-pot for later, cuz we're gonna be too tired to cook (and I don't battle the restaurant crowds). 

 

2) Park in our secret spot (not telling, but it's free, close the stadium, and you won't get towed...maybe).

 

3) Grab a coffee on the way to the game. We prefer the Bruegger's Bagels  near Busch's. If we need food, I get a pumpernickle, ham, and swiss bagel sandwich. 

 

4) Butts in seats before kickoff.

Goggles Paisano

October 26th, 2016 at 9:53 AM ^

My at home tradition is to watch every second of every game.  Saturday is non-negotiable as it pertains to the kids/wife.  

When I go to a game, I always do a shot of Wild Turkey (or several) with the my best friend.

JimboLanian

October 26th, 2016 at 10:00 AM ^

I have no tradition other than sitting in the same rocking chair, at about the same distance from the TV. Not the same rocking chair I sat in during the 1997 season, cuz I broke that one around 2008.

jwsimpson5

October 26th, 2016 at 10:04 AM ^

I know this is kind of off topic, but I'm going to the game this Saturday in Lansing. Does anyone have extra tix? Or if not, where are a few bars or anything like that where Michigan folks will be watching the game?

uniqenam

October 26th, 2016 at 10:04 AM ^

Hahaha number four is my life. I can always count on my dad calling me almost exactly 30 minutes after a win and 90 minutes after a loss.

"Hey son, did you watch the game?"

"Yes dad, we still have cable in Texas."

I always indulge him though, as I know he's calling more to talk to me than to talk football, and Michigan saturdays are just a good excuse.




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JachZackson04

October 26th, 2016 at 10:08 AM ^

Gameday Tradition:

 

  • Wake up, shower at 6:30 am
  • Put on jersey and crocs 7:15 am
  • Crack first beer/mimosa/screwdriver 7:30am
  • Stop and get breakfast 8am
  • Load up tailgate convoy and leave Sylvania, Ohio 8:45 am
  • Drink road sodas on the way to AA-  8:45 am- 10 am
  • Meet up with rest of the convoy at Cabela's to pick others up 9:15 am
  • Get on golf course by 10am
  • Get drunk ------------ until 3 pm
  • Watch Michigan get it done 3:30-7pm

It has been the same gameday tradition since I got my season tickets 4 years ago and it has yet to disappoint

WMiWolverine

October 26th, 2016 at 10:08 AM ^

We've been season ticket holders for 38 years.
Traditions/habits:
--same Bo hat every game
--smuggle large bag of Touchdown Tootsie Rolls for all friends around us after each TD
--never leave stadium before 0:00 on clock
--post game food at Classic Cup Caffe on way home, good people, good food

MGlobules

October 26th, 2016 at 10:40 AM ^

lift weights or do my rowing machine at half time. Oh--and I wear my banned "Shoelace" t-shirt under an untucked dress shirt while I watch. Oh--and I often drive my wife and daughter out of the room with my screaming.

Also if we start out the game in a hole I usually go on the board at least once to call all the panicky people who say we are going to lose a**holes and challenge them to stiffen their spines. Over time I cured myself of trying to read all the posts. . .

MissMFortheBlockM

October 26th, 2016 at 10:22 AM ^

You should come to RFD in Chinatown in DC for the alumni gamewatch parties (don't have to be alumni to attend) if you don't already! Best place in the DC area to watch UM :) raffles, food specials, plenty of cowbell ! It's my fav spot.

UMProud

October 26th, 2016 at 10:23 AM ^

I like to hit the gym very early so I can watch College Gameday at 9 am. My wife knows I will refuse to do any social obligations short of a funeral if Michigan is playing...and that funeral would have to be my own

LSAClassOf2000

October 26th, 2016 at 10:27 AM ^

I don't really have a solid at-game tradition because I am not a morning person, so I am usually parking just as the gates open and only breeze through select tailgates with people I know on the way to the game. 

At home, it's a little more elaborate - a nice stout or porter to start the game, and a refill periodically after that. The frequency of that refill is kind of dictated by how we're doing, which made 2008-2014 very not sober years mostly. If I am at home, it means I can actively mod the board, so this is done with a laptop on the family oom table as well as well as in appropriate Michigan gear. I will usually make a nice dinner for the family after the game too and make up for ignoring them most of the day. 

VintageBlue

October 26th, 2016 at 10:29 AM ^

Every Saturday morning my kids, 6 and 4, get up early and compete to help me put the Michigan flag on the porch while in their pajamas.  It's a mostly fair, not at all open or honest and probably unhealthy competition as the temps get colder.  It takes all of two minutes but the kids love it and I know they'll remember it forever.

Oregon Wolverine

October 26th, 2016 at 10:37 AM ^

With a large cup of coffee and a garlic bagel, cream cheese, lox, capers and very thinly sliced red onion.  Besides being delicious (coffee melts residual cream cheese in your mouth), the garlic keeps the kiddos from sitting on my lap and distracting me from the game.

My nine-year-old daughter's game time tradition is to notice everytime Harbaugh is on the screen and point out "there's the nut job, but I sure am glad he's our nut job...."

Not sure where she's heard that before.

Winchester Wolverine

October 26th, 2016 at 10:44 AM ^

Well, it goes like this.

Clean the house early to avoid arguments.

Try to no avail justifying cracking my first beer around noon.

My girlfriend inevitability leaves with the kids after complaining that she's bored and that she "didn't know being a Michigan fan constitutes watching all the other games too".

Watch the game. Go through an exhaustive emotional roller coaster.

Look at facebook after the game and see some friends that are suddenly hardcore Michigan fans this year and get slightly upset about it because I went through the dark ages and you didn't, damn it.

Get sad because I have to wait till next Saturday for another game. Anxiety creeps in about being alive or the government still functioning long enough for the day Michigan wins a championship.

"It's 11 and you're still watching fucking football. Let's watch a movie or something"

I say, "fine" and conveniently fall asleep 30 minutes into it.

well.....

October 26th, 2016 at 11:57 AM ^

have to jump in and offer a different perspective as a wife, since i think my husband enjoys his game days with his family. as this is our first football season with a baby (8 months), they aren't quite 'traditions', but.... zingerman's coffee and pastries for a late breakfast, watch the game if it's at noon, go out for a walk if it's later, hope the baby takes long naps during the game, laugh when he invariably doesn't, look forward to the day when we aren't trying to prevent him from looking at the screen all the time and he hopefully wants to watch the game too (most two year olds like watching a football game, right?)

bluenoteSA80

October 26th, 2016 at 10:55 AM ^

When I was a kid in the 70s to early 80s, not every Michigan game was televised. Some of my best fall memories from then are working out in the garage with my dad on a Saturday while listening to the UM game. I also got a kick out of a call-in college scoreboard show they use to broadcast after the games. Good times with the old man.

snackyx

October 26th, 2016 at 11:01 AM ^

Not a regular tradition now, but was when we were students:  apartment across from South Quad (608 Monroe, Apt, 21, balcony overlooking the street).  Friday afternoon we rolled a keg up the hill on State Street from Campus Corners.  Table hockey tournamnets all night, along with draining half the keg.  Deranged best friend and fellow student would be up at 7am revisiting the keg and the table hockey.  The highlight was always him reving up the crowds heading to the stadium on Monroe by screaming, from the balcony a la Eva Peron, to anyone in sight "Fire Up, You Bastards!"