Jack Miller on fans and Saturday Night
Well, what do you know the players would like you to stop the protests and be at the game on time to cheer them on. Hmmm makes sense.
https://michigan.rivals.com/barrier_noentry.asp?sid=883&script=%2Fcontent.asp&cid=1690047
October 7th, 2014 at 5:19 PM ^
The protests are directed at the inept administration, not you!
October 7th, 2014 at 5:41 PM ^
But insinuating that it doesn't or shouldn't affect the players and ignoring the fact that it does would be totally dismissive. That'd be poor fandom.
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October 7th, 2014 at 6:08 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 6:36 PM ^
support the damn team
October 7th, 2014 at 7:16 PM ^
It's not that complicated. Go to the game and cheer the team. But also sign the petition and contact Schlissel and the Regents.
October 7th, 2014 at 10:28 PM ^
October 8th, 2014 at 6:53 AM ^
11,000 students and alumni signing a petition calling for the ouster of a University representative is a big deal, almost certainly much more significant in the eyes of the Regents than a 2-minute "boycott" by a group that regularly shows up late anyway.
October 7th, 2014 at 7:17 PM ^
Agree. You kids have been treated worse than any in many a decade.
Take a stand however you see fit. It is your right to do so.
Dont let these geezers tell you what to do.
October 7th, 2014 at 8:26 PM ^
and i am considering delaying my entry into the stadium until after kickoff and may try to convince my fellow tailgaiters as well.
i think it will be well know that it is a brandon protest. has nothing to do with the players. once i enter though, i will support the team/players like i always do.
October 7th, 2014 at 8:11 PM ^
You are treating your needs as first. This is problematic, because it neglects the needs of the student athletes you say you support.
I am not arguing in favor of Brandon; I am arguing in favor of maintaining perspective about what "supporting the kids" means. "The Dave Brandon omelet must be made at all costs, no matter what eggs are broken," a sad idea, indeed. Putting yourself above the team, the team, the team.
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October 7th, 2014 at 9:36 PM ^
favor of DB? Is there some data out there? Missing the kickoff to make a point has nothing to do with supporting the team or not. This is a legitmate means for the students to voice their displeasure over DB. Do you think that DB should be retained?
October 7th, 2014 at 10:04 PM ^
he's talking about student-athletes who supports Dave Brandon because he puts money into their sports with uniforms, equipments, facility, etc. that most sports team in other schools would kill for.
October 7th, 2014 at 10:28 PM ^
The question is not whether I feel Brandon should be retained (although for my purposes I don't). I just insist on honesty about your purposes.
This blog has spectacularly spun the narrative that DB is only good at increasing revenue and that that is not much of an accomplishment. However, they do not spectacularly spin the narrative of what that money *actually does.* It doesn't just line the coffers or DB's pockets. It actually goes to materially benefit student-athletes.
If you don't recognize that DB's greatest achievement is championing the student-athlete, then you're not doing a very thorough analysis. Granted, DB has spectacularly failed at pleasing both the student body and the fan base, which make up a tremendous amount of the athletic department's support, and he needs to recognize that and do a better job at that. I want him gone because I think there is a happier medium: Someone who will champion the student athlete while simultaneously instituting more fan-friendly policies on game day, etc.
But if you don't at least recognize the angle from which Brandon works, you're doing both yourself and the student athletes a great disservice.
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October 7th, 2014 at 10:40 PM ^
I am not saying that DB has failed at all aspects of his job. However, he has alienated the fanbase, and the lower tier donors. I expect the SA's to be supportive due to the fact that he is the face of new facilities and scholarship payments.
I believe that his premise is wrong with the attempt to improve the gameday experience. The game is the experience. The MB and cheerleaders are the experience... Overmarketing was not needed. Also, too many decisions are based on the bottom line and not about what is best. I know that more money is made by regular paying customers than student ticket sales, but they should never have reduced the size of the student section.
I would like to see DB go, but I have a feeling he will be retained when all is said and done.
October 7th, 2014 at 10:44 PM ^
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October 7th, 2014 at 10:23 PM ^
October 8th, 2014 at 10:51 AM ^
You are treating your needs as first.
No, I'm prioritizing the needs/desires of the University community as a whole over the Athletic Department.
The University is great, and the Athletic Department should not be allowed to sully its reputation. The University would still be great if the Atheletic Department and scholarship sports ceased to exist at the university.
October 8th, 2014 at 12:23 PM ^
I mean, I'm not saying you're wrong. But I want everyone on this blog to think about what unintended consequences this position implies.
I've said and maintain that there exists an athletic director who simultaneously prioritizes fans and student athletes. But we need to recognize the ADept's commitment to student athletes before we can recognize what is really going on.
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October 8th, 2014 at 1:48 PM ^
So, in an era where student athletes are unionizing because they are not being fairly treated by universities,
In an era where FBS football players are unionizing because they wrongly believe they are not being fairly treated...
you're prioritizing the needs of the fan community, over athletics' investment in its employees (legally accurate).
No - I'm prioritizing the university as a whole (the 45,000 students and 35,000 employees) and its educational mission and reputation over the athletic department.
The university would exist and not be diminished should the athletic department and big-time sports cease to exist. Athletics is merely a diversion and entertainment and should cease to exist if it interferes with the educational mission of the university.
October 7th, 2014 at 8:14 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 5:23 PM ^
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October 7th, 2014 at 5:34 PM ^
And I've posted a similar sentiment (having read the quote). I don't know where that idea got into their heads (though I have some ideas). But that's not really important right now.
Here's the thing, and there's no getting around it: the players are asking for our support. These are our classmates, our team mates, our friends, our fellow alumni. They want us and they need us.
So, the coaches are in over their heads and the AD is a horse's ass. So what. The Team wants to know we care about them.
Let's show them we do.
October 7th, 2014 at 5:45 PM ^
Do you think they're TRYING to lose? Don't be an asshole.
October 7th, 2014 at 6:13 PM ^
expresses the idea that wins and losses are just statistics, you wouldn't be faulted for wondering about how much effort is being extended to ensure that the statistic favors W more than L. You might even wonder who it is that put that idea in his head.
October 7th, 2014 at 6:44 PM ^
Or perhaps he's a 20- or 21-year-old kid who doesn't quite understand what words mean.
October 7th, 2014 at 6:51 PM ^
except at that age i wouldn't be stupid enough to say something like that when the team looks the way they look, and is playing the way they are playing period. Funchess especially, i know he has a little bit of that nagging injury, but he has taken plays off pretty frequently this year and hung Gardner out to dry specifically on the INT against Utah..
Where is the effort to you know, to actually dive for a football and catch it?
October 7th, 2014 at 7:21 PM ^
You speak of him having "a little bit of that nagging injury" - how do you know how much pain he's in?
October 7th, 2014 at 7:30 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 7:32 PM ^
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October 7th, 2014 at 7:43 PM ^
These are the same "kids" that think they should be payed as professionals. You can't have it both ways.
October 8th, 2014 at 10:54 AM ^
Then his coaches and the University have failed.
October 7th, 2014 at 10:55 PM ^
Sorry, but that's just bullshit. I definitely would still fault you for wondering that. What would you rather have him say? "If we lose the next game, we might as well just quit?" He's trying to do coachspeak and he isn't very good at it, but let's keep any complaints directed to the people running the show and not the kids that are still working their asses off to try to win games.
October 7th, 2014 at 7:51 PM ^
No team tries to lose, but if we went 0-12 for the next three years, does that mean we can't be mad/angry/disappointed because the were trying?
Now 2-4 isn't 0-12. But at Michigan, considering the expectations, it basically is. Maybe those expectations are too high, outdates, but they are what they are, and 2-4 is not acceptable.
October 7th, 2014 at 10:58 PM ^
Yes, if we went 0-12 for the next three years, you would still be a massive jerk for calling out the players. If the results are "unacceptable" to you, blame that on the coaches/administration but not the kids that are working their asses off every day.
October 8th, 2014 at 8:07 AM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 7:01 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 5:23 PM ^
Is he defending Brandon by saying this? The students have been late for kickoff for the past several years without any protesting of the AD.
October 7th, 2014 at 5:34 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 5:47 PM ^
True, but they should want the students early and on time for all the games, not just the ones at night, right? We all know the reasons students aren't showing up early for games any more
October 7th, 2014 at 5:23 PM ^
"We always need our fans. That's what makes college football. That's what makes us come out and have energy, like I have energy. It's because of the fans. Right now, we need them behind us."
October 7th, 2014 at 5:24 PM ^
There are some chants of players' names before/during the game.
I also hope someone would buy my row-60 tickets to the game for more than $10, but the former seems more likely.
October 7th, 2014 at 5:28 PM ^
Ill buy haha.
October 7th, 2014 at 5:25 PM ^
they need us. And I get the we have a choice and vote with your feet argument. But as a fan, if you want to use the word "WE" when we're back on top, then you gotta do it now too.
October 7th, 2014 at 6:21 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 7:46 PM ^
Who cares about apathy? / s
Go Blue!
October 7th, 2014 at 6:51 PM ^
they need better coaches
October 7th, 2014 at 7:36 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 7:46 PM ^
The problem with that thinking is that it further perpetuates the problem. When the stadium is full of energetic fans, they don't listen to the concerns of students or alum because their bottom line is covered. In fact, they've moved to marginalize students and alums in exchange for some fans that have deeper pockets but less loyalty.
It won't change until it hits them where it hurts. When they're embarrassed on national television by a half empty stadium and find their pocket books aren't quite as jam packed as they used to be - they'll start paying attention to the fact that loyalty to Michigan can't be bought - and taking that for granted, especially when the team can't beat anybody, will cost you.
Also - the players should take some of the blame here, they're playing like shit, and giving everyone a gold star isn't going to make it better. At least play with some damn pride. The Michigan teams I've watched the last few weeks aren't playing with much of that - hell even the 2008 team played their asses off in all the games but just weren't very good - the Penn State game comes to mind in particular. Brandon Minor is a dude I'll always remember because of how he played that day - and for a half they whipped the #3 team in the country.
This team wants to be treated like a Michigan team without earning it - which is probably why they suck in the first place. You don't have to win every game, but quit talking and play with some pride and everyone will be behind that.
October 8th, 2014 at 7:12 AM ^
This game will be nationally televised. When the aerial shot shows an empty stadium, the narrative will not have anything to do with Dave Brandon. I guarantee it.
How do I know? Because during the game against Rutgers, when Jim Delaney was in the booth, that is precisely what happened when they talked about the protest rally last week. He said, and both announcers agreed, that this was a rally about Shane Morris, Brady Hoke and the poor record. Dave Brandon's name was not mentioned a single time. NOT ONCE.
You know who will come away looking like over-privileged brats with too much time on their hands? The students. I guarantee it. At that point, Brandon has the upper hand and will actually appear sympathetic. I wouldn't believe it if I hadn't seen it happen in politics and business a million times, but that is exactly how the optics will work.
And I will want to puke.
October 7th, 2014 at 5:34 PM ^
...that the players have to bear even some of the brunt of the fans' discontent. But ultimately, they're still getting their scholarships, food, housing, etc. And do you know what would be worse than the players not feeling support for a few minutes? Three or four or five more years of Michigan's irrelevance in football. So something must be done.