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 6:01 PM ^
The pressure that's been on this administration and staff has been really high. I think it's pretty absurd at this point to think there needs to be a boycott of a game to really get people to notice the fans' discontent.
October 7th, 2014 at 6:07 PM ^
One of the things about public pressure is that it has to keep happening or people forget about it. I do think boycotting a game (or a start) is a strong step, too much of one at this point though.
October 7th, 2014 at 6:16 PM ^
...we have no concrete reason to think the protests have succeeded as of yet. You have to keep pushing until you win. Otherwise you run the risk of taking your foot off the gas and finding out the victory you thought you had was just an illusion.
October 7th, 2014 at 6:32 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 9:36 PM ^
There is more than one way to skin a cat. Don't throw the baby out with the bathwater. Yadda yadda yadda. My main point is there's been enormous pressure without a boycott, and I don't think a boycott is going to change things.
I doubt Brandon or Hoke gets fired even if no one shows up on Saturday. Schlissel has already said it's an end of season decision and I don't see the problem with that. Firing Hoke doesn't do anything beneficial. I don't even think an AD would leave mid-season to replace Brandon. So what's gained by a boycott?
October 7th, 2014 at 7:28 PM ^
Say that to Frank Clark and Devin Gardner you fucking prick. What would Bo do? Support the damn team.
October 7th, 2014 at 7:38 PM ^
Internet yeet
#BRUH
October 7th, 2014 at 8:33 PM ^
by missing one meaningless kickoff out of the endzone means you don't support the team? i have to disagree. and i think it sends a strong message to the AD and president.
October 7th, 2014 at 9:03 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 5:39 PM ^
but my message to Norfleet and Miller would be this: we support you and want you to be successful on and off the field. As Michigan students you should realize by now that student (and by extension fan) voice is embedded in Michigan culture, and if there is a protest on Saturday night it is against Dave Brandon for a lot of reasons including but broader than football woes. While the players may not agree with the protesters about Dave Brandon, the protest is NOT against the football team.
And my message to the protesting students and fans: get in there after the kick off and cheer like hell so the players know you support them and only boo at questionable coaching decisions or bad calls.
October 7th, 2014 at 5:40 PM ^
The players deserve our support for all the work they put in. But the only way to get rid of DB, greatly improving the entire athletic department's situation, is all this organized negativity. Unfortunately sometimes the current people have to suffer for future people to prosper.
October 7th, 2014 at 5:47 PM ^
I bleed blue for those players. It is this sinking feeling that the thing that stands between them and success is mostly their coaching staff that has most in an uproar. Good reason never to boo the coaches at a game though, there is collateral damage with the kids and it is not worth it.
October 7th, 2014 at 5:50 PM ^
Sorry your coach/AD blow, bro. Things will get better. They just have to get worse first.
October 7th, 2014 at 5:56 PM ^
Feel like there should be some way to support the players by showing up while making a statement about Brandon. I'd say something like turning your back to the field during halftime, but I like the band too much to do that to them.
October 7th, 2014 at 6:41 PM ^
A boycott, even of "just the kickoff" has too much collateral damage. It's going to look like it's against the team, whether it is or it isn't.
A Brandon protest needs to be targeted => at Brandon.
Who made the giant "THANKS STEVE" sign? Get one of those that says "FIRE BRANDON" or something like that.
October 7th, 2014 at 6:00 PM ^
Look at the bright side.
NEW UNIFORMS ON SATURDAY!
- UTL III jerseys
- Blue pants
- New "GO BLUE" gloves
- Maize shoes
October 7th, 2014 at 6:03 PM ^
What about the Block-M branded jockstraps? Heard those were being worn on Saturday as well.
October 7th, 2014 at 6:10 PM ^
The asswipe should be afraid of what could go down Saturday night--VERY afraid.
This should and best be the most public of his MANY humiliations...
October 7th, 2014 at 6:30 PM ^
Just a word of advice..when you turn it into personal attacks like that, you lose all credibility in any arguments you have.
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October 7th, 2014 at 9:31 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 6:09 PM ^
There's gonna come a time,
When the scene will seem less sunny,
It will probably get druggy,
And the kids will seem too skinny.
There's gonna come a time,
When she's gonna have to go,
With whoever's gonna get her the highest
We gotta stay positive. We gotta stay positive.
We gotta stay positive. We gotta stay positive.
-----The Hold Steady Stay Positive
October 7th, 2014 at 6:07 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 6:11 PM ^
quotes. Seeing both sides of the parties.
October 7th, 2014 at 6:19 PM ^
If you want to balance your karmic bank account do whatever you feel you need to do to protest Dave Brandon and then show up to cheer other deserving students on at a nonrevenue sport.
October 7th, 2014 at 6:20 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 6:20 PM ^
Considering Michigan's night-and-day difference between their HOME vs. AWAY record.
I don't doubt for one damn second they need the fans.
October 7th, 2014 at 6:28 PM ^
Except this year, Michigan stadium has effectively turned into a road environment because people are so mad. I think that's the worst part of all of this, and the fact that Brandon and Hoke caused this together and probably won;t be held accountable for it in any meaningful way is kinda heartbreaking.
October 7th, 2014 at 6:26 PM ^
I agree with you wholeheartedly. But you need to direct the comments to Dave Brandon. HE'S the one who needs to understand - WE ALREADY GET IT. If you had half a brain, you'd realize that Brandon should be the one who changes his tune- and the result will be passionate fans at every game.
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October 7th, 2014 at 6:35 PM ^
Whether the fans show up and are electric is mostly irrelevant in this context. The players will perform according to how they were prepared by the coaches. They don't "need" the fans to succeed - Utah and Minnesota didn't "need" their fans to come smash our faces in the past two games, and Penn State won't need their fans to come in and run roughshod over us this Saturday.
I mean sure, for bigtime games and bigtime teams, maybe the home crowd can provide a boost, but let's not pretend that applies here. It's the first week of October and Michigan's season is effectively over. The fans are mad and want to make a statement, and there's no reason they shouldn't.
I hate to see the players suffer for it as much as anyone but honestly, I feel far, far sorrier for the fact that they have to play under our clownshow coaching staff than for the possibility that the student section might be a little emptier than usual before the game on Saturday...
October 7th, 2014 at 6:39 PM ^
Second, from what I understand, the students will be entering after kickoff, so the players will have the fans there for the game.
The students are trying to making their feelings about Brandon known loudly and clearly and I don't blame them at all. Brandon needs to GTFO.
October 7th, 2014 at 6:41 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 6:45 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 6:48 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 6:51 PM ^
It would be great to see really packed house Saturday night despite everything that's gone on. Would matter to both the players and recruits. Win this game and you'll see a mood change everywhere, and we can win it.
October 7th, 2014 at 7:10 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 6:54 PM ^
I get the players want support, no doubt, but I hate that the fans are always guilted into going. Fill the stadium! Itll help so much! Sorry, but sometimes it costs a bunch of money and takes a lot of time to go to a game only to see a big ol' tire fire. Are we expected to keep showing up every game no matter how bad the product is on the field?
I can appreciate the feelingsball, but if games are won, people will show up.
October 7th, 2014 at 7:02 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 7:05 PM ^
I know it is a totally different perspective that the players have on this than we do, but I really did think this was an informative piece in the sense that you do see the empathy with the fans here. That is to say, they know that expectations are not being met, theirs included.
That being said, I know we realize that it isn't about players but what most of us see as a failure of leadeship, but I think their emotional investment - living the program every day basically - is far greater, so I do understand their position.
October 7th, 2014 at 7:18 PM ^
It had to be Jack MIler...
October 7th, 2014 at 7:25 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 7:33 PM ^
I read it for the stupidity, but the sexism was just an added bonus.
October 7th, 2014 at 7:37 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 7:56 PM ^
Dad?
October 7th, 2014 at 7:59 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 9:45 PM ^
I will give you the benefit of the doubt and assume that you are coming from a good place. I will also give you the benefit of benig honest - your comment pissed me off. Here is why:
I have the cheapest of season tickets. My two seats came to $1,000. I do alright and all, but a grand is a grand. I have been in those seats since 1996. Before that I had student tickets. I have invested a cosiderable amount of cash in this program, before I even get to buy one of the $4.50 bottles of water. You haven't even gone to one game.
I live pretty close to AA. Still, a home football Saturday is an all day affair with traffic, parking, walking to the Stadium, the game, getting home, ect. For a 12:00 game, I leave by 10:00 am and don't get home before 5:30 or 6:00. If I have work to do over the weekend, it all has to get done on Sunday. I have invested a ton of time in this program. You, I assume, turn the game on when it starts and watch to the end or whenver you can't take it anymore.
The AD has made it clear that he views me and my fellow-ticket holders as impediments to his profit and brand maximization. He ignores criticism and comes up with new ways to screw us. I get to see more and more adds for Poppa Johns and Mac and Cheese or Arbys. It is noticable and annoying. Don't get me going on the RAWK music that blares so loud at every break that you can't talk to the person next to you.
Michigan football used to be so much damn fun that nothing mattered. It could be cold, rainy whatever. You felt respected, you felt part of it. However, the current AD has killed so much of that fun that you really do notice all of negatives. A lot of us are asking ourselves if it is worth going through all of the above to have AC/DC blasted at us while Utah kicks our ass and our coach claps cluelessly. Sorry, but you don't get to sit on your ass in S. Carolina and judge us for having those thoughts.
The motivation behind any protest or boycott is desparation. All prior efforts have been ignored. The current position of the University is that you have two choices 1) accept the current state of play sliently or 2) GTFO. Well, a large number of us think that is shit. I am not going to give up my Michigan tickets, nor am I going to be sliently shat upon. I want my goddman football program back.
Now, how about you put on the panties of your choice and get on up here and help us fix this?
October 7th, 2014 at 10:06 PM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 10:30 PM ^
October 8th, 2014 at 7:57 AM ^
Look, I couldn't give a shit if you come up or not. My point was that I don't judge you for your decisions (especially since I don't stand in your shoes) so don't do that to me (since you haven't had the experience of being a ticket holder under Brandon, etc,)
Also, use paragraphs. I stopped reading halfway through that mess you posted.
October 8th, 2014 at 8:37 AM ^
October 7th, 2014 at 7:56 PM ^
It sucks, but this is how sports work. When a team sucks, fewer people show up to watch, and when they do they're less enthusiastic. There isn't a single team at any level in the country that could pack a massive stadium full of happily supportive fans after an extended period of terrible play. As Brandon would be the first to tell you, it's a business, not a religion.
We've packed the Big House for decades. We've also been pretty damn good for decades. I've been to every game except Rutgers this season, and I'll keep going. But I'm not going to rend my clothes and moan at the peope who do otherwise, because I understand how this works. There are thousands of athletes at every level of collegiate sports who work as hard as our football players do, and never get 1/100th of the support. The "you're a player-abandoning traitor!!!" stuff is frustratingly naive.