How negative assholes in the fanbase harm recruiting
Isaiah Hole talking about impact of assholes among the Michigan fan base:
"There’s a reason why others choose to go on sabbatical from Twitter once the season starts, because the negativity can be too much."
"And for those who don’t think it matters, one very high-level recruit that Michigan is targeting told me recently that part of his rubric in finding his choice of school is a fanbase that supports their own, through better or worse. It matters."
February 27th, 2020 at 1:54 AM ^
So wait, that means tweeting at recruits is an invariably good idea, right?
February 27th, 2020 at 3:37 AM ^
To an extent it is. I know its taboo but when these recruits tweet out their "Top 12 Schools" list theyre doing it for attention. They want that "Go Blue" or "Come to Iowa!". Its pretty obvious they take mental note of what fanbases show them love and which ones ignore them
Im not saying everyone should run and tweet at every recruit but the people who do tweet a simple "Go Blue" at recruits who show interest in Michigan its really not as big of a deal as people make it seem
The people who tweet at Recruits parents or send angry tweets to recruits who commit elsewhere are obviously crossing a line
February 27th, 2020 at 7:41 AM ^
As OP points out, it’s not so much what idiots are tweeting at perspective recruits it’s what they’re negatively tweeting to their own current players during periods of performance struggles (ie Ronnie Bell).
February 27th, 2020 at 7:59 AM ^
I have never tweeted at a recruit and don't follow recruits.
People are assholes.
A recruit should not choose a school based on ''supposed fan on twitter". If they do choose based on that, they are a pussy and need to grow up.
February 27th, 2020 at 8:24 AM ^
Right. Because 17 year old kids that play football (a fairly violent game) at a high enough level to consider a program like Michigan are clearly pussies if they express some frustration that idiots are idiots. And we all know 17 yr old kids should be all grown-ass up and exhibit no emotions whatsoever. Thanks for clearing that up, Eli!
February 27th, 2020 at 11:20 AM ^
Anybody know if any coaches travel the nation touting the, "Don't Be a Pussy, Commit to My School!" recruiting pitch?
I know they can't really say "Grow up or Get a Diary, Crybaby" to the apparent adults in their fan bases.
February 27th, 2020 at 12:26 PM ^
Eli just made the troll cave!
February 27th, 2020 at 8:25 AM ^
A majority of those pussies will just choose to spend that growing up time during their college years at another school.
Those "grownup" fans will then continue being miserable... and the "immature" recruit will look at the same social media they're suppose to avoid if choosing one school and laugh at those random tough guys crying on their keyboards, on their podcasts, and into their microphones because their team lost to the school they ultimately chose.
They can also wait until they're maybe receiving a paycheck professionally higher than the next guy that needs to be earned to be criticized on the daily by fanatic fans and radio hosts.
Everybody gets what they want in the deal.
Right?
February 27th, 2020 at 9:02 AM ^
Then just root for the other team. Who's stopping you?
Go Clemson!
February 27th, 2020 at 9:14 AM ^
Now you're just talking from the opposing side of telling someone how to be a fan.
Which I'm sure you're against, though you conversely want to tell a kid how to conduct the criteria of their recruitment.
February 27th, 2020 at 11:12 AM ^
Wow, look at you. So grown up calling kids pussies.
February 27th, 2020 at 12:50 PM ^
uhm.......okay boomer. lol.
February 27th, 2020 at 8:55 AM ^
That happens on twitter at literally every big time school. However, would you expect the crowd at Alabama or OSU to start a "Ronnie Bell" chant to support the kid at the very next game (as we did during ND)? Not to mention the school teacher who had her kids send him drawings (it was something like that). It was a shitty situation for Ronnie at first, but I think the entire fan base actually showed its true colors in the end, and that we're not represented by a few trolls on twitter.
February 27th, 2020 at 1:18 PM ^
And a side note on Bell, that was especially shitty. The kid was outperforming the bigger names and higher stars and had a drop at a bad time. But he wasn't the reason the game was lost. There were several other instances of poor throws, other drops, bad plays, that all contributed. If SP had thrown 7 picks that day, yeah you could pretty much point to him. If Bell fumbled 5 times, the same. But he didn't, and the calling out of one play because it was the closest to the end of the game is just wrong.
I felt bad for the kid and was proud of the crowd response the following week.
February 27th, 2020 at 7:34 AM ^
Especially if it's a rival team. Get those fake accounts started up and represent Buckeye nation, if you know what I mean. But really, this is my point. Why would anyone with a modicum of common sense listen to any random idiot on social media?
February 27th, 2020 at 8:19 AM ^
“You’re hands are holding your chains”
~Sunset rubdown
February 27th, 2020 at 8:29 AM ^
When did anyone say that 17 yr old's have any common sense? LOL!! We all look on in admiration when one of these guys says something expressive! Unfortunately, Twitter is the world in which kids grow up these days. It's how they get local/world news, weather updates, movie reviews, video game trends, and yes - validation.
Nonetheless, social media is as toxic now as anything ever has been.
February 27th, 2020 at 9:52 AM ^
Twitter is a pretty good place to get your news from. Much better than cable tv news and the tan suit scandal.
February 27th, 2020 at 12:34 PM ^
So wait, that means tweeting at recruits is an invariably good idea, right?
Walmart Dropout starts pissing contests on Twitter all the time with recruits and students from other schools. But I'll be the one to get negged on this.
February 27th, 2020 at 2:05 AM ^
There isnt a top tier competitive team in the world that goes without criticism from it's fanbase. There isnt a top tier competitive ANYTHING in the world that goes without criticism from the public. Welcome to the real world.
Any kid saying this shit is being naive at best, but is likely just being disingenuous about where they really want to be.
February 27th, 2020 at 8:14 AM ^
So you're justifying being a shity person because there are other shity people? I think OP is doing a good job of spreading information about the ramifications of your actions. And you're naive if you don't believe there's a portion of the Michigan fan base that is worse than average.
February 27th, 2020 at 9:31 AM ^
Sorry for your negs. You aren't wrong.
February 27th, 2020 at 12:42 PM ^
Any kid saying this shit is being naive at best, but is likely just being disingenuous about where they really want to be.
Perhaps to a certain extent.
If you're going to play big time ball, I suppose one is going to have to get thicker skin and take some heat occasionally.
HOWEVER, and where I begin to disagree with the spirit of your post is considering how things have escalated these days, nobody should be subjected to the hate, filth, death threats, and racist social media-based attacks we see all too common today.
There's a shit ton of people these days that hide behind their keyboards without any accountability for their words.
By way of comparison, it's so fucked up now Kirk Herbstreit had to move OUT of Ohio for pete's sake.
I don't think a 17 year old is wrong for not wanting to be a part of something like that.
February 27th, 2020 at 2:12 AM ^
Good luck. Twitter is like meth for assholes.
February 27th, 2020 at 6:53 AM ^
So are message boards.?
February 27th, 2020 at 2:14 AM ^
Lmaooooooooo
There's no such thing as a fanbase that never bitches about their team when things don't go well. OSU wins over 90% of their games and legitimately wanted coaching changes when MSU beat them at home in 2015. THEY WON A NATIONAL TITLE THE YEAR BEFORE. Their kicker got death threats from missing long fgs in a game they got shut out in against Clemson IN THE PLAYOFFS. Do you remember what kinda crazy shit happens when bama loses games?? It's never pretty
You have teams that are winners, teams that are losers, and teams that are in the middle. Michigan (along with the vast majority of college football teams) are in that last category. If you never want to hear fans complain, go to a school where you'll never lose and I promise you won't hear complaints
February 27th, 2020 at 2:24 AM ^
I'm sure Bob Seger would agree that Michigan is a member of the UMC.
February 27th, 2020 at 7:47 AM ^
Top Recruits, overwhelmingly, choose schools based upon the success on the field of the football program. Period.
Do fan bases play into the decision...sure....but they play a very small part. OSU fans ran off Kirk Herbstreit, the most unbiased fan boy I have ever seen call a game, from Columbus. I have seen no ill effects in their recruiting because of a crazy, obsessed and difficult fan base.
Win and you get top recruits. Regardless of your fanbase being perceived as negative or positive.
February 27th, 2020 at 3:17 AM ^
Assholes can't tell the difference between civil criticism and being an asshole.
Assholes believe that their assholery is justified.
February 27th, 2020 at 6:56 AM ^
Negbang behind a handle and hashtag. Like the line in the song Steve Martin's grandma sang to him "criticize things you don't know about."
February 27th, 2020 at 3:21 AM ^
The issue isnt black and white
Yes you shouldn't be an overly negative ass on twitter. Players and recruits do use twitter A LOT. But you can still be critical of the team as every fanbase is to some extent. Michigan has more fans than most teams so we will always look like we complain more simply due to sheer size of our fanbase. Personally I try to keep my bitching on this blog where recruits aren't likely to see it
On the flipside, the overly optimistic section of fans are partially to blame. Every offseason they run around talking as if we are defending champions and they elevate peoples expectations to unachievable levels
Michigans fanbase needs to tone down the negativity but also tone down the "Those who stay will be champions" shit acting as if were modern day Bama as the cockiness makes us easy targets for other fanbases to shit on
February 27th, 2020 at 6:30 AM ^
Your reply is the material that the recruit is talking about. Pitiful. You’re not only bitching about kids, you’re bitching about other adults behaviors. Just admit you like to bitch, a lot!
February 27th, 2020 at 9:44 AM ^
On the flipside, the overly optimistic section of fans are partially to blame. Every offseason they run around talking as if we are defending champions and they elevate peoples expectations to unachievable levels
I see more of that from the uber negative crowd; comparing our current records to a mythical past and being pissed because we don't measure up.
Lots of people get over excited. I've often been tagged with being too negative; like last year when I was known as the 'transition costs' guy for telling my buddies and family that the offense likely wouldn't start out like gangbusters.
But the overly optimistic folks aren't to blame for other people's reactions. Optimism isn't dickishness.
February 27th, 2020 at 12:38 PM ^
Yeah Stan, I'm sure recruits don't ever check out the most popular Michigan sports blog where we discuss such boring topics as recruiting.
Holy cow, man...
February 27th, 2020 at 5:43 AM ^
Im guessing the fake social media accounts,that people use to "hate on a recruit" has to be in the thousands. I'd even bet a few coaches have made fake accounts to bash recruits; to try and keep them from another school.
kids will ever make a college choice based on social media.
February 27th, 2020 at 6:57 AM ^
Will never or should never?
February 27th, 2020 at 8:33 AM ^
Joey Freshwater disagrees that coaches make fake Twitter accounts.
February 27th, 2020 at 6:04 AM ^
People who decide to swim in a toilet shouldn't be surprised when they find that they’re swimming around a bunch of turds.
February 27th, 2020 at 6:27 AM ^
Whoo Boy. He better find another university just comb through yesterday’s Edwards thread! If you’re positive you’ll get JM(just maizen)8 following you like you’re on Twitter! One thing about fanbases some people are just supplanted trolls...
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February 27th, 2020 at 6:56 AM ^
Social media is flypaper for assholes.
February 27th, 2020 at 11:51 AM ^
I wish it were. It would reduce their population. Unfortunately, it only feeds them.
February 27th, 2020 at 7:06 AM ^
I've heard Isaiah Hole pitch this same thing before. Kids that play at that level understand the pressures that go with it. What hurts recruiting at UM more than anything is the negativity that Harbaugh gives off by making statements like he does AND his actions. Also, he simply has not lived up to his hype in terms of winning. He’s always in the news whether it’s battling the NCAA or claiming that someone is cheating. A grown man being perceived as a crybaby hurts recruiting much more than the fans criticizing him because they are tired of his antics
February 27th, 2020 at 7:29 AM ^
A grown man being perceived as a crybaby ...
Oh the irony, coming from scfanblue! If it’s lost on you allow me to explain. You, scfanblue are (I’m assuming) a grown man, and you, scfanblue, are perceived in here (a place you frequent) as a crybaby!
See the irony there of you criticizing Harbaugh for the very same thing? No?Uncanny!
February 27th, 2020 at 11:03 AM ^
It's becoming more and more likely that scfanblue is a troll.
February 27th, 2020 at 3:33 PM ^
Did you cry with Harbaugh this year the first weekend after Thanksgiving? Remember the ass kicking Sten and there are more to come
February 27th, 2020 at 7:45 AM ^
So my BuckFanBagMan account where I tweet "Come to O$U and I'll make sure the NCAA won't suspend you for more than 2 meaningless games for taking my $" has impact? Sweet!!! /s
February 27th, 2020 at 8:26 AM ^
Not sure, but my UMDriveTheADsCar has certainly helped bring in some basketball recruits. Just make sure you aren't in the drivers seat when the cops show up.
February 27th, 2020 at 12:27 PM ^
LOL... a 2011 Toyota RAV 4 isn't going to attract any recruits... not like your OSU "loaner" cars at least.
February 28th, 2020 at 8:21 AM ^
But a quick one game suspension after the local PD brushed an obvious DUI after being lied to is the true reward.