Hater or Bitter?-A Guide

Submitted by Ziff72 on

Reading thru all the venom the last 2 days I noticed a lot of guys getting mad for being labeled "haters" because they thought they had valid criticisms of the team and coaches and resented being lumped in with all the "haters".   Their take was that they are true blue and that they will back most any coach as long as they win and keep it clean, but enough is enough they can't take it anymore and all of us "apologists" for Rodriguez are a bunch of losers.  So here you go.  Your guide to avoid being labeled a hater by the apologists and get a decent response to your post.

1. No cracks about hillbillies or race-Pretty obvious but just steer clear even if it's a joke, your thread will be hijacked into oblivion by the pc police and you will get negged into oblivion.

2. Do not use the following words or phrases, Unacceptable, We're Michigan, Stop Making Excuses- College football has changed and you have got to accept that we can't just roll out the winged helmet and get 8-9 wins and if we don't "fire them all"... Lloyd, Mo,  Rich or Bo as11-1 is the basement.  Freshmen are not "excuses" they are explanations.  We have a lot of them they will get better, it's like a 99% chance they will get better from their freshmen year.

3. The Spread won't work in the Big Ten- Been beat to death you look like an idiot.

4. The 3-3-5 is killing us against the "Big" Teams- We've been in a 4 man line with 8 in the box a lot the last few weeks.  You look like a guy that hasn't watched the games and hates RR, because you can't see.

5. Bring up his record- We all know his record stinks, but holding a loss aginst the guy when he is starting Nick Sheridan or wounded true Freshmen is pointless. Your post will devolve into a pointless back and forth, keep your post current.

6. Try the back handed compliment- Don't try and soothe the apologists with a "I used to like RR but "   They will spot you a mile out.

7. Vagueness- This will kill you.  This isn't Mlive.  These takes won't fly......"RR is a good coach I just don't think it will work here"   "Robinson is a moron"   etc...   People on this board are used to graphs and extensive diaries from guys who have done research.  Keep your point limited and specific with at least a theory to why you think  something is wrong.

8.  Fire-  You probably want to leave out the words "he should be fired". You may have a decent point, but you immediately look like a guy on Mlive 2 minutes after the loss just yelling and your point is glossed over.  Does RR derserve criticism?  Yes.  Definitely yes, he's made errors.   Firing him for going 5-2 with his offense just starting to take flight with frosh running around all over the place is a little premature.

I'm sure I missed a bunch so feel free to add on to the list so we can help out our fellow frustrated fans from being mislabeled and having their posts devolve into name calling.

Now about that cushion on the wr's...... 

 

 

 

bouje

October 18th, 2010 at 10:07 AM ^

But if you were anywhere around me in section 21 row 64 I hate you.
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<br>Die in a fire especially you drunk guy who kept saying "you're done Robinson! Done!" and you old women who said "I would have fired rr after the first year!".

Wendyk5

October 18th, 2010 at 10:22 AM ^

I'm hoping the guy behind me, also in section 21, would die in same fire. He was about 75 and kept yelling, "You just cost us the game!!" at Lewan in the second quarter. The Iowa fans in front of us were loving it. They were very well-mannered, by the way. 

Wolverine318

October 18th, 2010 at 10:17 AM ^

fair enough. 

I also want to say to anyone that might read this, If you sat in section 29 row 12 and were yelling Fire Robinson after every time Iowa score and booing the team at half time, please stay home next time. There is a time and place for proclaiming you want a DC fired and during the game is not it.It took all of my strength to not let you lame ass fans have it verbally. I already got pushed by two drunk jerks at the beginning of the game because I had the gall of sitting in my assigned seat as indicated by season ticket that I have held the entire season. My patience was wearing very thin. However, I should thank you for leaving during the third quarter when Iowa went up by 21 points. The game was infinitely more enjoyable after the anti-Robinson crowd left and drunk jerks left.

Geaux_Blue

October 18th, 2010 at 10:17 AM ^

they were booing and yelling Fire Robinson while standing up so that, via the diaphragm, they were louder than if they did so sitting.

 

side-note: care to reconsider your "The student section makes Michigan stadium - without it, the place would be like Hill Auditorium" after Saturday's student evacuation and the rest of the crowd bringing it strong til the end?

Wolverine318

October 18th, 2010 at 10:26 AM ^

As matter of fact they were practice good vocal techniques. The same one's I was taught as a jazz trumpet player and physiological research has shown to increase the volume and force of one's air through the larynx. 

Sidenote: No I don't. Seriously, it is basic fact the student sections are the loudest sections in the stadium. Even a half full student section is louder than the rest of the stadium. Do i really have to bring up further evidence of the M-I-C-H-G-A-N cheer that is obviously louder in the student section vs. the other sections. 

Geaux_Blue

October 18th, 2010 at 10:47 AM ^

your original point seemed to sweep aside the importance of the rest of the stadium because the student section rawks. the rest of the stadium most definitely stepped up while the student section thinned out. unfortunately, when UM needed a big stop, it came in the student section part of the stadium where it was noticeably quieter. 

Yes, the student section can be more raucous at times. but the rest of the stadium truly picked up the slack on Saturday and that should not be dismissed.

Wolverine318

October 18th, 2010 at 11:26 AM ^

1. I know what you said, however, I completely disagree. I can also bring up other venues at Michigan where the student section is the only section that actually makes noise compared to the blue hairs. Yost, Crisler, and Cliff Keen definitely show a dichotomy between the students and the general public sections.

2. That is not what happened Saturday. The student section, thinned out yes, basically we lost the drunks and basically all the bandwagoners. I would love to put a decible meter in every section. I am willing to bet anything the student section are few decibles louder than every other section. The reasons are obvious due to the lower age and higher BAC. I completely disagree with assertion the rest of the stadium picked up the slack.

3. When we needed a big (I know the exact drive we are discussing) that was the loudest point in the game and in the student section. I remember almost collapsing from yelling my ass off at the point of the game in the student section. There are only two sporting events where I have yelled that hard, last Saturday, and at at 2007 Notre Dame/Michigan hockey game at Yost when we won with 13 seconds left.

Geaux_Blue

October 18th, 2010 at 12:31 PM ^

i was just saying that a caveat needs to be extended to "Student Section Supremacy" that notes it is, consistently, the most bi-polar of them all. it's always been that way and it's almost impossible to notice until 4-5 yrs after you graduate and you look over and you think aloud "wow, they're all still here, good for them" given, you know, they often aren't.

also, for the sake of a flame war (not with you), hockey fan section > football fan section

YEAH I SAID IT MGOBLOG COMMUNITY! BRING IT! THESE COLORS DON'T RUN!

Wolverine318

October 18th, 2010 at 12:52 PM ^

I can agree with that. Perhaps it would have been more correct for me to say those students who actually stay tend more louder. I definitely agree years from now I will look back and wish I still had the youthful energy to yell at the top of my lungs for an extended period of time. Those fans that yell like that years after they have graduated, koodos to you. We need more fans like that.

M-Wolverine

October 18th, 2010 at 9:17 PM ^

Like what you said about perspective. When I was a student, I thought they were putting on the whole show for us. Later I realized it was about the student athlete, and if the University was really about the students and not the institution, they might still let the seniors sit close to the 50, and might actually not raise tuition every single year, seemingly.

In reply to by M-Wolverine

Wolverine318

October 19th, 2010 at 7:31 AM ^

Let me set you straight as a graduate student. The University does not give a damn about the undergraduates who do not perform research at the university. Undergrads are just a way to fund the salaries of faculty members and general upkeep of the university facilities. The university's main goal is research. Michigan is perhaps the top public research university in the world (it is debatable between Cal Berkeley and Michigan). When you hear about raising tuition, it is to increase starting packages for faculty members. The University needs to remain competitive when it comes to the salary, benefits, and research facility starting packages they offer prospective faculty members to the University. The best researchers in the world only come to Michigan if we offer competitive packages. The difference between fiscal year's budget level and state/national funding level determines whether or not tuition levels are raised. My particular department was debating whether to offer a senior researcher and or young researcher coming off a postdoctoral fellowship last fiscal year and it came down to whether tuition rates was going to be raised. Therefore, if you want Michigan to have the best researchers in the world while keeping tuition increases flatlined with inflation, then ask your representatives at the state and federal level to increase funding to the university general fund. 

The AD also does not give a damn about the students. They want you to stay excited about Michigan athletics so in the future when you have a career you can become a future season ticket holder that pays the PSL and makes further donations to the athletic budget. Like you said if they cared then seniors would sit at the 50. Except I have been here for 5 seasons and I am still stuck in section 29 even with the new calculation that counts every graduate credit as 1.5x each undergraduate credit. 

Wolverine318

October 19th, 2010 at 12:06 PM ^

really? I only sat on the budget and admissions committee for my department as the graduate student representative and was a member of Rackham Student Government. It is not news that the university's main goal is research. Education is number two.

I love how I get negged for just stating the truth of the university's main mission.

His Dudeness

October 18th, 2010 at 10:17 AM ^

To be honest, I find myself becoming more resentful than anything lately. I have been a student here since 2008. That was my first year with student tickets. I have seen 3 of the worst seasons in three decades (maybe more?) for this program. This will be my last season as a student and I feel like I have been robbed a little bit. Then I remember that I came here to be a part of something more than wins and losses. We may be down, but we won't be down forever and I will be a part of every up and every down from now until I am old and grey and that alone makes me more happy than any win could.

Go Blue.

Geaux_Blue

October 18th, 2010 at 10:23 AM ^

i was 2002-2005 so i graduated before epic 2006 (grumble). there was a lot of 'meh' and i definitely would look back at previous generations and think of what they saw. consider it your badge of honor when UM returns (whenever that may be)... "back in my day we had to get excited about 580 yds of offense despite points on the board! and the internet could only be accessed through computers! this was back before i changed my name to The Knowledge" etc.

jblaze

October 18th, 2010 at 10:37 AM ^

in 2004 or 2005 and went to 2 rose bowls. That in and of itself is awesome.

Also, I learned something this weekend. There are 3 camps of Michigan fans:

1) the fire RR camp now

2) the wait and see this year isn't over group

3) the man deserves a 4th year regardless

The takeaway, though is that you can't convince any fan in any of those buckets to change his/ her opinion, regardless. The majority of fans I saw (I was in the alumni section) were in group 3, by the way.

Geaux_Blue

October 18th, 2010 at 10:49 AM ^

i just meant that there definitely is a commonality of "man, i wish (insert) happened while i was there." i feel for the OP (and feel lucky for what i did get to see while a student) - i was more trying to be a "buck up, sunny... even the bad has its value down the road"

M-Wolverine

October 18th, 2010 at 9:27 PM ^

As well as winning the Big Ten. I admit the senior year would have been a downer, but the previous 3 were pretty darn good. (Which makes me think my greatest regret is not taking 5 years to graduate...an extra year of college fun, less of a class load to do better in my classes...wish I could have extended it more).
<br>
<br>As to your fan list, I think you're right. But around here, 2's are lumped in with 3's.

Wendyk5

October 18th, 2010 at 10:28 AM ^

I'm sorry you didn't get to experience the awesomeness that can be Michigan football while you were a student. But the good news is, even 20 years after you graduate, you're still as much a Michigan fan as when you were in school. You can come back to games and get the same tingly blue feeling when the players come out of the tunnel. And a win still feels the same way. It never goes away. Blue for life!

Ziff72

October 18th, 2010 at 10:29 AM ^

I like your sentiment, but this season isn't over and 5-2 is still workable.   We have a huge bye week and then a monumental game against Penn St.    A beat down in Happey Valley on national tv could be a big springboard for this team....on the other hand, I don't even want to think about it.

MGlobules

October 18th, 2010 at 10:33 AM ^

from the board, spend time with family and friends, come back refreshed. I'm thinking we're going to annihilate PSU, but one nice fall Saturday where I won't have to worry about my heart cannot be a bad thing. 

M-Wolverine

October 18th, 2010 at 9:33 PM ^

Is my family knows there will be berating when Rich does something that makes me want to berate him. When the team is happy, the family is happy. ;-)
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<br>(Funny stuff though).

ijohnb

October 18th, 2010 at 10:42 AM ^

I think it is now time to separate true-blue Michigan fans that can appreciate all sides of the Rodriguez era and accept valid, very valid, criticism of what we are all seeing on the field, and those with a simple minded cutlish type belief in the existence of something that we are not seeing. 

If you want to support RR, that is fine, and there are many different levels of support, and support may mean two completely different things to different people.  Support may mean hoping that he can correct the coaching problems that are evident, very evident, and that you are pulling for him to figure this out.  Rich Rod is not sitting back in his chair letting out an "evil genius" laugh right now as he finishes off his plot to blow people away next year, he wondering how in the hell he is going to make this thing work, and how he is going to do it on the fly.

I have been watching, living and dying Michigan football since I could cut my own food, and here is the baseline:  Rich Rod is struggling, this team and this program may be a significant amount of trouble at this point, and we may need to be very patient before we as fans see this team and program improve.  It may be with Coach Rod at the helm, it may not be.  It is truly a tough call at this point.  If you cannot see the problems he is having and the problems he is going to have in overcoming them, you are not seeing reality. 

There is support and there is worship.  Valid critcism should be welcomed at this point, he is deserving of criticism.

WolverineEagle

October 18th, 2010 at 10:57 AM ^

The "defend Richrod at all costs" crowd is as irrational as the ever growing legion of critics of the regime.
<br>
<br>At some point you have to wonder how a program with as much going for it as UM can struggle so badly to field a legitimate defense. It does not take an expert to see that it does not take well coached programs 4 years to field a respectable defense.
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<br>That said, the venom directed at Richrod has to stop. He is still the coach.If you are a fan you still have to hope like hell he gets things figured out.

inshallah

October 18th, 2010 at 11:31 AM ^

I agree with your post. How can a program like Michigan have such a legitimately bad D. I play football in England and I'm not going to pretend the standard of play in my university league is close to the big ten. At best we would compete with an average high school team. None of our 8 coaches get paid but spend 30 hours or so a week focusing on the team. This is in addition to their full time job. All the players are university students (from undergrad to PHDs) and don't get any perks. We only play because we enjoy the sport. 95% of the players never played football before joining the team. I'm not going to say our corners would start on the Michigan team but they wouldn't make some of the fundamental mistakes in technique that are being made. I mean Obi Ezeh...