"I Stopped Watching UM Football Games" Comments

Submitted by alum96 on

As a long time Lions fan I am a bit surprised at what I am reading on Brian's main post today in the comments section.  It seems like quite a few fans have reached the point of not even watching Michigan football games anymore.  I am surprised by that because of my own condition which is even as my team sucks, AND I feel less and less emotion each year about those losses I still watch football because well... it is football.  And its Michigan.  I might know the outcome is doom but I still will watch.

Background:  I've watched just about every Detroit Lions game (that was not blacked out) even in the darkest Matt Millen era.  I've watched them in the 80s - the 90s - the 00s and the 10s.  All with the same result.  Mostly bad.  I only mention that because if there is any franchise I can compare to modern UM it is the Lions.  .. ONLY in terms of "no matter who the coaches are, who the players are, who the GM is - the product on the field is the same."   Whatever we change, the end result is identical - that Lions football for 50 years and its UM football for the past 7. 

I would think the average MGo poster is a fringe 5-10% of the UM fan base who is REALLY engaged with UM sports far more than the average UM fan.  Hence I am shocked to see so many comments about not even bothering to watch the games.  If this fringe 5-10% of the UM fan base doesnt even turn on the game anymore, I can only imagine what is happening to the greater fan base. 

Am I just picking out the 10 people who make this comment or is this happening to a lot more of you? I get turning it off in disgust after ND goes up 28-0 but waking up each Saturday in fall and not even turning on the game?  Gotta say it shocks me.

p.s. not judging you for doing so :)  we all cope in different ways!  And I admit to not watching a lot of basketball during the Ellerbe era but football and Michigan are intertwined.

samdrussBLUE

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:16 PM ^

Those that have stopped watching should continue to do so for the rest of their lives. (Unless the AD has done something to harm or betray you)



Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad

gwkrlghl

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:36 PM ^

I know it's really pound your chest, hoo-RAH to watch your team no matter what but I'm in a flag football league with some friends that sometimes overlaps with Michigan games. Normally I would have skipped the flag games to watch Michigan but nowadays I think I'd rather hang out with some friends rather than just sit at home in my apartment, pissed off on another Saturday afternoon. I love Michigan, but sometimes I'd rather do something fun with my time than watch my favorite time be wildly incompetent.

rb4kb8

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:16 PM ^

I understand it, frustration and all, but I don't personally, as myself, get it.

I'm a Rams fan in the NFL... So it's been a bad decade for me and football, but it's one of two things I love in this life that doesn't very often happen... I'll leave the other up to imagination.

But a Michigan football game is a Michigan football game.  I don't live that way anymore, so spending money normally doesn't happen anyway, but I simply cannot imagine there ever being a time a Michigan football game is on and I'm not watching it. 

I am maybe numb to the losing at this point, with the Rams and UM, but I'm going to be in front of my TV, or the following week in the stands at Rutgers with my UM hat and shirt on and rooting for the Maize and Blue to surprise me.  

I can do all of that and very much agree that changes need to be made.  I can support what's there and will just have to hope that someone smartens up and helps me root for a winner.

But those kids picked a school I love and they go out and bust their asses for it.  That to me, says I should support those who love something as much as I do.

That's all  

(Also, as much as I felt like Utah was going to beat us, I feel we will beat Minny)

joeismyname

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:17 PM ^

I watch every week...just watched all the pressers....must say, these are great, competitive men we have coaching our favorite group of college kids. Add that to Belein's apparent elevator comments and I really think what this team really needs is consistency on the offensive side. Nuss said consistency was the biggest difference between bamas offense and the one he inherited here. Anyone with any amount of real football knowledge can tell the defense is getting more consistent each week since the Notre dame game. For some reason, I still have hope. I will keep watching every minute I can, because I am not a bamdwaggoner.

MichiganExile

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:18 PM ^

Obligations on weekends are a lot easier to put aside or ignore when a team is winning or at the very least fun to watch. Putting work, or time with family and/or friends aside gets more and more difficult as a team gets worse and less entertaining. I don't fault anyone for not watching. I haven't stopped tuning in but I have been tuning out before games end more frequently. Turning off may not be too far away if the team gets worse or god-forbid even less entertaining. There's just too much other stuff I can be doing. Call me a bad fan if you want but I've got my priorities and watching bad football and being in a bad mood is not high among them. 

alum96

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:27 PM ^

Can understand all those points and agree with them.  Last year's Iowa-UM game was the earliest I stopped watching, probably very early in the 3rd and turned off the TV completely because by that point the season was going so bad and the quality of football that day was only matched by the Northwestern-UM game.   The KSU game was likewise "lifeless"... we seem to be getting a lot more "zombie" football here lately. 

Generic MGoBlogger

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:19 PM ^

Does watching a 28-0 blowout in which we have absolutely no life or positive outlook make you any more of a fan than the next guy?  I haven't voluntarily missed a football or basketball game in the past six or so years, but I will be the first to admit that I'm not afraid to shut off the television in the event of a complete garbage fire (not that I will always follow through with it). 

alum96

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:31 PM ^

No it doesn't.  I wrote in the OP "not judging anyone".   Not saying anything makes anyone any sort of better or worse fan.

And my comment was not for those who turn off a game where we suck badly, I have done that as well last year with the KSU and Iowa games.   The question was more to those who dont even turn on the TV anymore when the game is starting.  That's different from watching the team for 90 minutes and seeing its another corpse left on the field and going to take the leaves instead.

Gentleman Squirrels

September 22nd, 2014 at 7:00 PM ^

I feel exactly the same way. I've reserved time for Michigan football every saturday for 3 months. Win or lose, I'm going to be there supporting them. That being said, if they're losing bad (as in no life at all) I don't feel as guilty about changing the channel to another game or just muting the TV and getting some work done. I think one thing last year's OSU game taught me is that every game as a chance of being special and when push comes to shove, I wanna be able to say I was there supporting them all the way till the end.

OSUMC Wolverine

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:19 PM ^

I use UM football, among other things, as a pleasant distraction from stress at work and a busy home life.  It is not pleasant right now...a R&R activity should not add to the stress in one's life.  I did not make the long drive for the Utah game this weekend because I knew the nearly certain outcome after watching the Miami game the week prior.  It simply stinks we have become Miami YTM part two....the painful sequel of 'remember when people didnt use us as an example of a program that no longer matters.'

JZ

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:20 PM ^

I think the majority of us will be watching. I, for one, will be. 

This isn't the pros where you have an incentive in tanking the season. It behooves the program to salvage the season and keep pushing. I will inevitably rooting til the death of me every Saturday afternoon this fall

Naked Bootlegger

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:22 PM ^

I said this in another post, but I mostly DVR games due to youth football and parenting conflicts on many Saturdays.  I'll continue recording every Michigan game or watching them live if it fits my schedule.   Every game.  I'll still do it religiously.  But I'm sadly not excited about it any longer.   Every Saturday from 1976-ish through the mid to late 00's, I was excited about Saturday.   UM football was THE defining moment of my fall weekends.   I don't feel that way any longer.   But I'll still watch, mostly on DVR (the DVR bonus is fast-forwarding through stupid commercials and watching at a slightly faster pace when Notre Dame is up 31-0). It's too engrained in my soul to not watch UM football.   I endured RR's year 1, so I can damn well endure anything else thrown my way.  But I'm just not excited about game day any longer.   

flashOverride

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:23 PM ^

Those fans suck. I couldn't imagine not watching Michigan football unless I was somehow physically unable. Don't come back when the team's good again or changes coaches.

Brown Bear

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:25 PM ^

I'll be watching every game on TV and attending the Maryland game. I was really hoping that game was going to mean something but oh well. Who knows....stranger shit has happened and maybe they can rattle off a bunch of wins!!!!?? Probably not. But I blindly hold out hope.

wbpbrian

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:41 PM ^

First of all we put up more yards than the other team. Unfortuanetly, we can't score and our TO margin is scary. Second of all the Line is not playing any worse than they did last year which lost two NFL players too. The one thing we can hang our hat is that our defense is actually pretty good. So if we can just put up some points we might be able to turn it around.

BlueinLansing

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:31 PM ^

I plan on going up North for the State game and tuning it out.  I won't be watching and won't listen on the radio. 

Many years ago I 'found the UP' and its amazing fall beauty.  I love the solitude, stillness and quiet cold air that comes with September and October.  It will be much more relaxing for me.

 

I'm actually happy my State friends get their moment, because most of them only had the 1960's to look back upon and most of them weren't even born then.  

 

 

 

orobs

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:34 PM ^

Not gonna lie, I signed up for an extra weekend shift this saturday.

 

Will be the first game I have missed in 20 years.  I just need a break.  

Monkey House

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:37 PM ^

I watched 4 games last year. this year ive watched 3, ill probably watch 3 or 4 more. my days of planning my weekends around Michigan football are over. ill watch, but if I have better shit to do. ill do it.

Vice President…

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:44 PM ^

I attended/watched every game nearly religiously for 30 years. I never once left or turned off a game one second early. I routinely ducked out of weddings, blew off work, and - as my wife still reminds me - skipped out on my kids' Halloween party the night of BraylonFest. 

Then last season happened. I walked out on the UConn game. I eventually lost track of all the boring, demoralizing games I gave up on. MSU. Northwestern. Kansas State. They just weren't any fun to watch anymore.

I was excited for the Utah game. But by the second half I was out cleaning the barn while listening to the Brandy/Dierdorf play by play, resigned to another terrible loss.

Part of it is I have a lot more to do now: demanding job + hobby farm + 9(!) kids. But I still made it work even through all those lean RichRod years. 

Last year broke me though. And this year I'm not doing much better.

mjf34g

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:49 PM ^

They've taken something that I loved and crushed like a stale Pall Mall. Yes I grew up in and loved the Bo years but college FB was a different game then. No scholly limits so you could just overwhelm inferior opponents and just wait to play the "Game".

Its a different world today and M's steadfast stubborness to hang on to the past (see Manball) dooms it to a sad future. Spread offense's, hurry up tempo's and aggressive defenses have left them in  the dust. I remember the RR years where all we heard was spread offenses would work in the big bad Big10. Well how'd Oregon do against Sparty? And hell even IU whipped Mizzou.

Just keep haning on to dinasours like BH and his ilk and you'll get left further behind. I just can't watch the disinegration of a once proud progarm any more. I've got a wedding to attend on Oct 25th. M/MSU day and I really don't even care. I can't believe that I ever would have said that. There will be a lot of MSU grads there and it'll be brutal but you take it knowing that you've fallen to the depths of Minn. Prudue and such and now your just cannon fodder for the upper echelon of the garbage Big10 (not to mention how far you are from any national relevence).

LSAClassOf2000

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:52 PM ^

I am probably in the "highly engaged" category that the OP mentions, I would think. Obviously, the last several years have been filled with frustrating, even infuriating moments, but barring personal commitments such as family events which have prevented me from being at or watching games here and there, I continue to go and watch despite walking away annoyed sometimes (sometime a lot admittedly). It's easy to wade through it, in my opinion. 

Maybe I just have an extremely long fuse, or maybe I adore my alma mater a bit too much, but I don't ever want to be indifferent to Michigan and Michigan athletics. I may bitch about it, post numbers that I personally dislike and know could be better, but I do it because I care about the results. I can compartmentalize my feelings on games pretty easily (maybe this is not healthy), but I don't foresee not tuning in when I can do so. 

UMfan21

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:54 PM ^

I will never stop watching. I've watched every excruciating minute ofRR and Hoke's tenures.

I watched every game I could of Ellerbe and Amakers teams as well though, many times driving to AA from Lansing in the winter just to see a poor team get dismantled at home.

Maybe I'm crazy. I think you take the bad with the good, and I appreciate the good times a lot more after living through the tough times.

Bobby Boucher

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:57 PM ^

I don't think I'd ever get to a point where I refused to watch a Michigan game.  I came into this world a die hard Michigan fan and will leave this world a die hard Michigan.  Not watching your team because they might lose a game...That's just crazy talk.

Bossman23

September 22nd, 2014 at 6:59 PM ^

I will still watch, but it has hit the point where I really don't care if they lose the season is shot. If you really think we are going to make noise in the B1G, you're one hell of an optimist.

jsquigg

September 22nd, 2014 at 7:05 PM ^

I fully expect to cave and at least watch some of the remaining Michigan games, but as a fan it is really hard to watch.  I went to Utah and it was like something switched off in my brain.  Each year we get deeper into the Hoke era the quality of play gets worse.  On top of that, the coaches flat out refuse to do even the simplest changes that would help the team.  I hate beating a dead horse, but I knew going into the Rodriguez years that there would be a breaking down of the program to build on his spread philosophy over the years.  The defense was awful, and like numerous other fans who supported him, my frustration reached its peak after watching the 2010 Penn St game.

Looking back now, I think the program would be better off if Dave Brandon had thrown his full support behind RichRod and gently pushed him to get a competent defensive coordinator as well as letting that coordinator choose his own assistants.  Hell, Michigan with the worst defense in its history still had a forward trajectory, Michigan fans just weren't patient enough and a loud faction of the fanbase didn't like the style of play and bitched about "basketball on grass" even as that style of offense was winning championships all over the country.

So instead of embracing someone outside the "Michigan family" and accepting modern football, we hire a MAC coach with a middling record who openly espouses his hate of the up tempo spread offense and everything that goes with it.  So why are we surprised?  

While I think Harbaugh (either but mainly Jim) could turn the program around, I'm sad that we have to hope for another "Michigan Man" to come save the program.  To be honest, after what Rich went through, what spread coach would want to come here?  I think whoever the next coach is needs to be given full support and shouldn't be fired if he exceeds the previous season's win total.  Just my two cents and I don't blame anyone who doesn't watch or show up nor do I blame those who continue to support the team.  The only way many fans can have a voice is by not showing up.   

Ryno2317

September 22nd, 2014 at 7:08 PM ^

The "i won't watch anymore games" crowd is the same group who said they canceled their tickets last year.  I honestly don't care who goes to the games, watches them, etc.  I object that everyone feels the need to tell me that's what they are going to do.  It's a pathetic attempt to get some attention by people who, frankly, just don't matter all that much.  Do what you will, however, just shut up about it already. 

bluestaffah

September 22nd, 2014 at 7:09 PM ^

The stated goals of a BIG championship is still on the table and until that is no longer, then just like all of you asking for players and coaches to man up, well to you then also.

The Baltimore Ravens went games in a row without scoring a touchdown and won the Super Bowl. Now I'm not making any guarantees, but it is entirely possible for this team to turn it around.

If you don't want to watch, don't, that shows your character. Remember, when the going gets tough...this includes you as a fan. Don't be a dick to the kids, cheer them on as loud as you can, enjoy the game experience and Go Blue.

atroia21

September 22nd, 2014 at 7:23 PM ^

I will always watch but 1. Will never turn down ot pay on Sat if it comes. 2. I will continue to support the school but not this joke of a program. This is unacceptable. I rarely post but I'm at a complete loss as to how this program has shrunk since my youth.I fear it will take even longer to reach even respectability as a program as well. Doom and gloom I know but I can't help feeling this way. This current edition of UM football is killing me inside to the point of my Lions fandom which I'll be honest is on life support. Please hire the right coach and build a program I can be proud of again. Thanks.

MWolverine7

September 22nd, 2014 at 7:32 PM ^

I still watch but I have to admit that's no longer an event for me..there's no build up in anticipation. I'm looking forward to rekindling the emotional investment.

markusr2007

September 22nd, 2014 at 7:39 PM ^

But if it turns into another shit show, then I typically turn it off, find other things to do to make the pain go away or to get my mind off the suck.  Then I circle back to reminisce with you guys.  Pattern behavior.

Wolfman

September 22nd, 2014 at 7:48 PM ^

after they lost the season finale to the Bucs after having gone undefeated there the entire year. Of course with no wins away, they had to have it to get into the playoffs.  So, on my dime, I take three friends with me to do some celebrating afterwards.  Fun ride back home. Since that day, except when they had Barry, did I watch the Lions. After his retirement t.v. stayed off. No withdrawals whatsoever.

And then the unthinkable, despite Hoke being given everything by the local press and the AD, exactly what RR wasn't, I was watching the MN game last season and booked my flight immediately after.  I go to Mexico every winter anyway, so I thought it would be nice to see the Baja before going to my regular small town.  Yeah, I left in October. No OSU, No bowl game. Nada.  Big time withdrawals. I say to myself this has to be the year.  I even left someone in charge of my bar in Mexico to come home so I can watch Michigan football, and oh what a fucking mess he has made of this.  Yesterday, I started doing research on Belize. The only drawback there is it is English speaking mostly so I probably won't be able to get away from them completely. I certainly won't miss anything this season. 

Maybe after they announce the next coach I'll make a decision on whether to return for next season or just enhance my t.v. to pick up more sporting events.

BlueReign

September 22nd, 2014 at 7:56 PM ^

I disengaged after the notre dame game. That one hurt, expectations were shatered. Now i plan to watch the games when i can, but im not going to avoid other things in life. Ill still watch and follow, but its more like watching a kids soccer game, there for support, but its hard to actually give a fuck.