An honest debate: Michigan and/or Michigan State?
I am a Michigan fan. But, I would like to pose a question to the MGoCommunity. Is it an acceptable practice to be a fan of both Michigan and Michigan State? As usual for this site, I would like an honest debate, or a real consensus. His argument is as follows.
I like both Michigan and Michigan State athletics. My reasons: First, I grew up in West Michigan, and the area does not have a strong allegiance to either school. Sure you will find the die hards to both schools, but West Michigan does not have a strong allegiance to one over the other. Further, my parents did not have a preference either. So, I being the avid sports fan that I am, found myself enjoying every game that both Michigan and Michigan State played. When I was in Middle School I tried to like Michigan over MSU. However, I found myself still rooting for MSU whenever they played. As a result, I took this as a sign and tried to like just MSU, but ran into the same problem. I still rooted for Michigan. Even worse, I couldn't choose when they played against each other. I would have friends ask me, "well who do you want to win then?" And I would just have to say, "well I really do like both, and since I like both, and I want the Big 10 represented well in the year end tournaments, I guess I would like to see the team doing well have a chance to play in the big game." Yes, I know what you are all thinking.. This guy is a bandwagon fan. But let me assure you, its not so much that I am just rooting for the better team. Its more that I just want to see both teams do well. And if one of them has a chance to win the championship, you'd better believe I'd rather have atleast one team from Michigan representing than neither. In the end, I like both partly cause I was not brought up to like one over the other, and also because I love sports and love to watch both teams. I realize its an anomaly, but I truly have never been able to choose. Thus, I root for both teams and follow both teams well. It may be frustrating to the die hards, but its even more frustrating when I am trying to watch a Michigan game or a State game and have fans from either side telling me to shut up because I'm not a "true fan." It may be odd, but I am a true fan of both schools.
And so I ask the community? Is this acceptable, or must he choose a side?
February 8th, 2013 at 11:26 PM ^
Please tell me that's photoshopped.
EDIT: This comment would make more sense if you could actually see the picture.
February 8th, 2013 at 10:45 PM ^
If you don't like sports, it is totally acceptable to me to like both...however, if you love collegiate sports, you need to have a rooting interest here...no Terry Foster fan of the state BS
February 8th, 2013 at 10:45 PM ^
They are rivals. Not as big of rivals as Michigan and Ohio, but they're rivals nonetheless.
February 9th, 2013 at 2:12 AM ^
This has been debated several times over the past few years. The majority of Michigan Alums do not consider moo u a rival. They could care less if the transferred to the MAC. The casual Michigan fan believes moo u is a rival along with ohio. So it is a matter of perspective.
I do not believe moo u is a rival. I think a school can have only one rival and a little brother.
February 9th, 2013 at 3:24 AM ^
To say you can only have one rival defies all logic. The fact that you call them little brother and that Hoke has a clock up counting down to that game should speak volumes about whether it is a rival or not. Certainly not the same as Ohio, but still a rival. I seriously question the statement that "the majority of Michigan Alums do not consider moo u a rival." I honestly don't know one person I went to school with that would agree with that statement.
February 9th, 2013 at 7:40 AM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 10:19 AM ^
opinion. Bo had his opinion and I have mine. Bo did not want to play ND either, but I like playing against ND. Bo only wanted to play noon games. I like night games and so do over 110,000 people that went to the first ever night game two years ago.
I dont get your point.
February 9th, 2013 at 11:38 AM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 1:57 PM ^
That is just crazy-talk. I had told the story before about my connection to moo u. I could care less about them.
But the fact remains that most Alums (notwithstanding sample size) do not think moo u is a rival. The number gets better for those that live out of state. The majority of casual Michigan fans that live in the State of Michigan thinks it is a rival. Everyone has an opinion, no biggie.
February 9th, 2013 at 2:46 PM ^
Most alums understand the significance of the Michigan State rivalry.
February 9th, 2013 at 7:19 PM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 12:21 PM ^
There's probably no one more obsessed with Michigan State than you.
February 9th, 2013 at 12:39 PM ^
Michigan State is our rival. Get over it.
February 8th, 2013 at 11:57 PM ^
If my cat looked like that I would name him "Dantonio".
February 8th, 2013 at 10:49 PM ^
I would prefer they join the circus.
February 9th, 2013 at 11:50 AM ^
needs to step it up and start helping with the homework.....
As a fellow MET investor, I know that you do get the $$ back at the average Michigan tuition rate at that time if your child chooses to go out of state. So MSU is not the only option...
February 9th, 2013 at 7:04 PM ^
Neither of my kids would even apply to MSU as a backup plan, both chose GVSU as a backup - which is nipping at MSU's heals academically speaking. One of my kids is at Michigan after a year at GVSU and the other will be at either Michigan or GVSU this fall. So feel free to bash away!
I tell everyone considering MSU to look at GVSU instead.
February 11th, 2013 at 9:41 AM ^
That's like saying MSU is nipping at M's "heels" academically. MSU is a top 75 National Institution. In a vacuum MSU is a good/great school. When you have a one of the best (top 20?) schools in the country less than an hour away I can see how it is overshadowed.
GVSU is #35 in Midwest regional schools. Behind Kettering, Mercy and M Dearborn to name a few.
Depending on your major or desired college experience, GVSU may be the right choice over MSU. GVSU is a fine school in a nice area. I, along with most rankings, would disagree that MSU and GVSU are on the same level.
February 8th, 2013 at 10:53 PM ^
February 8th, 2013 at 11:05 PM ^
The only good green and white is that of Slippery Rock.
February 8th, 2013 at 11:25 PM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 1:37 AM ^
I second Slippery Rock and EMU, and also add Cleveland State (for your mid-major basketball hipster rooting needs).
February 9th, 2013 at 7:33 AM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 10:59 AM ^
Cleveland State - can't do it.
EMU, absolutely. Sometimes I daydream, what if we could "make" the guys who won't pan out at Michigan play there. Or just the guys who haven't played much (Wilkins, Jones, etc.) how good would they be?
Anyway. To answer the OP question...NO.
However, I found MSU a lot more tolerable pre-Dantonio. I hate them just as much as Ohio now because of Dantonio. Before him, Ohio was always on another level of hate (at least in football...maybe not basketball).
February 8th, 2013 at 11:07 PM ^
Something in your post tells me you probably aren't too great with women
February 8th, 2013 at 11:22 PM ^
February 8th, 2013 at 11:57 PM ^
February 9th, 2013 at 1:04 AM ^
Weren't you bragging about getting a girl's number at Les Mis not that long ago? You guys must have really hit it off.
February 9th, 2013 at 11:33 AM ^
February 8th, 2013 at 11:20 PM ^
during my four years on college I was never let down by a spartan girl, ever... the wolverines on the other hand were about 50/50...
February 9th, 2013 at 6:59 AM ^
February 8th, 2013 at 10:56 PM ^
February 8th, 2013 at 10:56 PM ^
Where is the threat?
February 8th, 2013 at 10:58 PM ^
That thing has such a funny looking face.
February 8th, 2013 at 10:57 PM ^
If you're not an alumni/student of either place, I'd say yes. I know plenty of rather serious sports fans who graduated from places like CMU who root for all the Michigan teams. A lot of people enjoy seeing the state of Michigan (or by extension the Big 10) do well against teams from other places, especially the south.
February 9th, 2013 at 12:08 AM ^
February 8th, 2013 at 11:00 PM ^
I don't think it's acceptable to be say a die-hard Michigan football fan and then a die-hard MSU basketball fan. But if you're a very casual sports fan and have no affiliation with either school, I don't see it as a big problem. It's the same reason most people root for the Lions, because it's close. I can understand someone that isn't terribly invested to just root for the Michigan teams.
But again, if you consider yourself a big sports fan, you can't just bandwagon your way to whatever makes it easier for you. That's not acceptable in my mind.
February 8th, 2013 at 11:06 PM ^
He is not a casual sports fan. He has been a die hard michigan sports fan his whole life. For example, he has always been a huge fan of the pistons, lions, tigers, and red wings, but could never choose between Michigan and State. Here is the problem: he argues he is not a bandwagon fan because he still roots for both teams even when they are not doing well.
I personally think it's ridiculous, but thats his view.
February 8th, 2013 at 11:17 PM ^
Maybe he's the middle child?
Anyway, I know people that are the same way, and I don't really get it. I mean, I guess I can see not hating both schools (if you have no affiliation but have always lived in Michigan), but I feel like you still have to at least pick a team to get behind more so than the other.
But as long as we all hate Ohio State, then I guess at least we have common ground.
February 9th, 2013 at 1:51 AM ^
Anyone's sports preferences are completely arbitrary. Select your most pertinent facts and your team loyalties will follow naturally. For example, I cannot stand Tebow and therefore dislike the Jets as long as he plays for them. As soon as he leaves, my feelings towards that team will veer back towards neutrality over time. It can be something as random as the colleges more of the starters came from (assuming no fantasy football incentivization).
The Michigan connection and our human interactions have much more influence on our team loyalties than many realize. If I see some cutie in a Kentucky hat with a big smile walking my way, well, my comments and body language on Calipari or some other aspects of their program may become more admiring and impressed than skeptical and admonishing. If this friendship blossomed and we became good friends over time, my overall attitude towards UK might shift. It would have to be a very special sort of friendship to justify honestly diluting my loyalty in that way!
That said, I have seen cars with Michigan and Ohio State magnets, equally sized and equally prominent. Stranger team fusions are possible than Michigan and State.
February 8th, 2013 at 11:00 PM ^
February 8th, 2013 at 11:01 PM ^
No. There's this guy that I work with in a round about sort of way, who proudly proclaimed to a rather large group of people (mostly M fans) that he's a "Michigan fan" except for when they play MSU. I smh.
I can't respect that.
February 8th, 2013 at 11:05 PM ^
February 8th, 2013 at 11:07 PM ^
February 8th, 2013 at 11:13 PM ^
February 8th, 2013 at 11:14 PM ^
I hope state loses any match/game/contest they are affiliated with
February 8th, 2013 at 11:15 PM ^
February 8th, 2013 at 11:15 PM ^