I hate 3:30pm starts

Submitted by DesHow21 on

We always seem to do so much better with the noon starts. When it is a home game, don't we have the final say in the start time? 

I submit that the average temperature for a noon start is significantly higher than a 3:30 start, therefore we should ALWAYS prefer the noon start. 

I don't have access to the database that the mathlete has, but at least from my memory I'd be willing to bet an arm and a leg that we have a much higher winning percentage with noon starts (at Michigan Stadium). Maybe the Mathlete or Misopogon can put this theory to the test. This data (and my memory) could be biased by the fact that we schedule most patsies for noon starts though. 

If you were wondering IOWA is a 3:30 pm start  tomorrow :(

Mercury Hayes

October 15th, 2010 at 10:25 AM ^

What does the temperature have to do with anything?

It's not like Michigan has to play in the cold but Iowa gets to stay warm. Being on 3:30 gets us more exposure (less games in that slot). It's better for recruiting.

profitgoblue

October 15th, 2010 at 10:35 AM ^

I know nothing about you, but it appears as though you may not have sat through many 3:30 games in September that begin as short-sleeve weather and end up as 4-layers-of-clothing weather.  This is a little off the topic but I sat through many of those and the 4th quarter of those kinds of games are tough to deal with physically, especially for us Southerners (unless you're a shirtless-in-November kind of guy, in which case you could probably care less).

jmblue

October 15th, 2010 at 4:41 PM ^

I know nothing about you, but it appears as though you may not have sat through many 3:30 games in September that begin as short-sleeve weather and end up as 4-layers-of-clothing weather.

In September?  Never.  The only game I can think of that was like that was 2004 MSU, but that game was around Halloween.

profitgoblue

October 15th, 2010 at 5:17 PM ^

I attended several games in the 90s where exactly what I described happened - started out as short-sleeve weather and ended up cold as hell once the sun went down.  Late September, early October, late October, whatever.  It got cold.  The point has been made - maybe not taken, but made nonetheless.

blueheron

October 15th, 2010 at 11:09 AM ^

Yeah, that poor Anthony Carter (of Riviera Beach, FL) never amounted to anything once he encountered cold weather.

Keep in mind that it's a short leap from that conclusion to "RICHROD GIMMICK OFFENSE NOT WORK COLD WEATHER SMASHMOUTH ARRRGGHHHHH!!!"

- - -

As for your original post, I'd prefer noon starts, too (but not for the same reason).

profitgoblue

October 15th, 2010 at 12:05 PM ^

I think its a huge leap to from making a pretty truthful statement that Southern players would prefer to play in warm weather to saying that Rodriguez's offense not working in the cold.  First, recruits from Florida, etc. often cite the cold weather as a negative when discussing playing for Michigan.  Second, if anything, the run-focused offense that Rodriguez runs is more suited for cold weather than many other offensive schemes (e.g. a pass-happy offense).  Its much harder to catch a pass in the cold than it is to take a handoff. . .

a non emu

October 15th, 2010 at 10:51 AM ^

And with 3.30 pm starts I am useless most of the day. I am anxious about the game all morning and by the time the game's done it is sundown already. I prefer noon because the games are done at around 3, 3.30 and I still have time to recover and be productive.

Plegerize

October 15th, 2010 at 10:27 AM ^

I HAPPEN TO LIKE IT.

Sorry I got a little excited there, because see I go to another school and their home game is at noon, thereby meaning I have enough time to go to that game and come home and watch my favorite team play.

It's called having your cake, and eating it too =)

MGoPHILLY

October 15th, 2010 at 10:27 AM ^

The higher winning percentage for noon games could be related to the fact that we usually play lower quality opponents at noon.  3:30 starts are usually reserved for big games. 

COB

October 15th, 2010 at 10:29 AM ^

You should want more 3:30 and night games, right?  "Wanting" more noon games sounds like Northwestern or Indiana trying to "take the crowd out of it" or "sneak up on em". 

JMHO

profitgoblue

October 15th, 2010 at 10:29 AM ^

I concur - I hate 3:30 starts.  However, my reasoning is different . . . As a watcher of the games on my television with a toddler at home, I am unable to watch the 3:30 games until after the little dude goes to sleep.  Because of that, I miss being able to watch the 7:30 night game entirely (this week its Ohio State-Wisconsin, I think).  With 12 noon starts, I can watch a large portion of the game during the little dude's afternoon nap and have time left over to watch some of the late games.  As you can see (and likely do not care), the logistics get much more complicated with 3:30 starts.

(Also, your avatar still unnerves me.  That kick is wicked!)

michgoblue

October 15th, 2010 at 10:35 AM ^

See my post immediately below yours.  You need to try my "media blackout."  It will change your entire Michigan football life.

Also, make sure to keep the games on the DVR and re-watch them the next morning (or at least part of them) with your son, so that he gets into Michigan.  Brainwashing is best accomplished if started early. 

profitgoblue

October 15th, 2010 at 10:39 AM ^

Sounds like we are kindred hearts!

There is a media blackout in our household on Saturdays as well.  And I have the constant problem of deciding whether or not to wear Michigan shirts out in public during the media blackout because, inevitably, some a--hole always gives me a score update but I am superstitious about wearing Michigan stuff and putting out my Michigan flag.  These are the things I worry about on Saturdays.  Unlike you, I am positive that I need therapy.

mgobleu

October 15th, 2010 at 12:07 PM ^

I'm confused about why naps have any bearing on game watching. After all, taking care of the kids is women's work.



Actually, my lil man hangs out while the game is on, wether he's napping or not. Doesn't really matter to him. But I do like the 3:30 starts cuz I usually work on saturday mornings and most times I miss the 1st Q of the nooners. I'm actually excited to watch the boy tomorrow cuz my wife's gonna be gone and its a good enough excuse to watch footbaw all day and not feel guilty about not working on the eternal prolect that is the new addition on our house. You people that can just roll out of bed at 11:30 and flip the game on make me sick. Bastards.

profitgoblue

October 15th, 2010 at 12:12 PM ^

How old is your son?  Mine is 2 and he's not a fan of watching his father yell like an idiot.  He'll be fully-baptized in the religion of Michigan football soon enough.  Just not yet.

Does he nap in the afternoon?  If so, and if you're putting him to sleep, I assume you'll pause the game. 

What do you do about all the commercials?  I don't have 4 hours on Saturday to watch the game.  I have to at least wait 30-60 minutes to start the game in order to fast-forward through the commercials.

michgoblue

October 15th, 2010 at 10:31 AM ^

For me personally, I like the 3:30 times, but not for any reason that would matter to the team or the larger fanbase. 

Because it is hard to watch the games in real time with me 3 year old son, my wife and I DVR all games, and then go on COMPLETE media blackout and watch them at 8:30 when he goes to bed.  It is a very difficult thing to do - we turn off all cell phones / blackberries, no TVs or radios go on, and we completely avoid all places that have TVs.  We also make sure not to wear any Michigan gear so that nobody comes up and talks about the game (I live in NY).  Despite all of these stealth measures that I have developed over the past 3 years, I still find the times between kickoff and 8:30 stressful, as I fear finding out the score.  So, for me, the 3:30 start means 3.5 hours less of stress and the chance of finding out the score.  I probably need some form of psychological therapy.

Section 1

October 15th, 2010 at 10:31 AM ^

Actually, I'd agree with that.

Traffic leaving town after the MSU game was the worst in my memory.  Not that I am complaining about noon or 3:30 starts.  Noon games mean a good party after the game.  3:30 games mean a good party before the game.  (My preference, as far as that goes.) 

8:00 games mean getting home at about 2 am, and God only knows how much after-dark mayhem.  If Dave Brandon schedules more than one night game every year or two, I'll be pissed.

a2bluefan

October 15th, 2010 at 10:42 AM ^

I live less than 2 miles from the stadium, and I park/tailgate at a house on Pauline. It was just just after 8:00 pm when I got home last Saturday. Worst post-game traffic I've seen in the 20+ years I've been here.

I personally like the noon start. Even though I have to get up at the crack of dawn to go tailgating, it means I get home in time to catch both the 3:30 games and the night games. A 3:30 start means I miss the noon games altogether.

pawlosk1

October 15th, 2010 at 11:32 AM ^

Last weekend was the worst traffic I've ever seen in AA.  Part of the problem was that both teams were undefeated and everyone expected the game to be phenomenal.  It also didn't help that there was major construction on Main Street coming off of 14.  I would probably say there was between 500k 750k people in AA.  Bar lines worst I've ever seen.   Tailgates on corner of Hoover and State were ridiculous..  10 cop cars in the middle of the street just arresting and handing out tickets to people walking down the street with beers.  Probably saw 100 tickets written if not more.  Even had that game be at noon... I don't think it would have affected the traffic at all (would have still been horrible).

M-Wolverine

October 15th, 2010 at 5:12 PM ^

I live close enough to the Stadium to walk, and am in the middle of a curvy block. People park at the very end of my street, near the Stadium. But last Saturday they were well past my house. And traffic was a zoo at 9 am, no more 3:30. I'm not sure I've ever seen more people coming to town for a game. Way more than could fit in the Stadium. All those Juggalos, I guess.
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<br>As for night games, the wait will be torture, but the event should make up for it some. But it shouldn't be that often, I agree, because it will take the uniqueness out of it and make it less special.

Rabbit21

October 15th, 2010 at 10:39 AM ^

The 3:30 start does seem to pace the day better and I don't feel like I have to rush my tailgating in order to get into the stadium in time for all the opening ceremonies.  Sometimes with the noon starts it's hard to make it into the stadium on time for everything.

Beavis

October 15th, 2010 at 10:49 AM ^

Unfortunately I graduated a few years back, but I'd say my four years were summed up as such:

Noon Games: Likely to make it there halfway through the first quarter because the right amount of pre-game was a necessity, and the previous night's binge-drinking inhibited my start time.

Two-Thirty Games: Much more likely to not make it there at all due to blackout vomiting and selling my ticket to some poor Asian kid after the game already started (hello ND game in 2003). 

JeepinBen

October 15th, 2010 at 10:33 AM ^

But the 3:30 games are more "Prime Time" and typically feature better opponents. There's a reason why the MACcakes are always noon games. The better competition might be partially to blame for a worse record in 3:30 games. 

I dislike the 3:30 games because they make going out after more difficult. During the noon games there was time for a nap and dinner between the game and the bar. at 7pm all the restaurants are full, and it's just more difficult