John U. Bacon on Walmart Wolverines
Interesting read on Michigan fandom. Being that I am a "walmart" Wolverine because I went to NMU, I found the article echoed many sentiments on this blog, most folks on this site do not care where you went to school, which I appreciate. I feel like the only people I ever hear walverine from are folks from MSU.
From the article: The argument goes that only those who attended Michigan can call themselves Michigan fans. The rest? They’re mere “Walmart Wolverines”—fans who could have picked any school to cheer for, as well as any other, just like we pick the pro teams we want to follow, with no other connection than geography.
Link to article: http://johnubacon.com/2014/03/whos-a-real-michigan-fan-and-who-isnt/
Happy Friday and GO BLUE!
I love some Bacon in the morning
March 28th, 2014 at 10:54 AM ^
Holla!
The whole thing is stupid. I laugh at Sparties (and all others) who use the term.
There really are no others.
When they've rooted out all the Oakland and Ferris State grads from their fanbase and kicked them out of the club, they might then have a point.
Oh no...there are buckeye honks who use the term. BOth Ohio and MSU fans use "Wal-Mart Wolverine" and "scUM" way too often. They're obsessed with Michigan, but fail to admit or even realize that.
March 28th, 2014 at 12:48 PM ^
It's especially funny to me that while we might make light of someone for going to Ohio or MSU, they make fun of people for not going to michigan.
Sparty fans are jealous because they know that nobody who didn't go to MSU or grow up in EL would actually choose to root for their teams. Well, maybe except for those who wear "Jackson Orange..."
besides look at any state that has a dominant althletic school and everbody in the state is a fan. Hell, when Rutgers didn't suck at football, I saw more T-Shirts and bumper stickers than I ever imagined (don't see as much now).
Even the Ohio State people I know are now cheering for Dayton, because they are from the same state (and if the roles were reversed, I'm sure Dayton fans would be cheering for OSU). It's pretty normal.
Actually, from comments I'm reading on message boards (yes, yes, consider the source), lots of OSU fans are quite upset that Dayton is revelling in their win over them and not showing the proper respect due to THE osu.
The only person I would consider a "Walmart" fan in a derogatory sense is the type that cheers for M, the Yankees, the Lakers, or other winners...but jumps to flavor of the month when things get a little sour.
I think its arrogant to believe that fandom is exclusively obtained with enrollment, MSU fans.
March 28th, 2014 at 11:10 AM ^
THE PENGUINS?!?! OF ALL THE TEAMS YOU COULD HAVE PICKED, COME ON MAN
March 28th, 2014 at 11:19 AM ^
What's funny is that a good number of the fans you'd consider a walmart fan are Michigan football fans and MSU basketball fans. This is generally lost on MSU fans.
I think only those who went to the university can call themselves a Michigan Wolverine and use the "we" pronoun. But any person can be a FAN of a team. Come on now.
That's stupid. Most die-hard fans of any sports team use "we" even though they've never played a second for those teams.
MGOManBall - how 'bout us parents who didn't attend Umich but are paying huge sums for our kids to go there? These parents are part of the "we".
I know it's early, but that's still the dumbest thing I've read today.
It's early. Give it time.
Its pretty dumb but you obviously aren't trying hard enough or are fairly new to this internet craze.
I was born and raised in Ann Arbor, my parents went to U of M, and I was raised to bleed maize and blue. I was the ballboy for the U of M women's basketball team for 2 years and the mens bball team (during the second year of the fab five) for 1 year. Juwan Howard and Makhtar NDiaye have come over to my house before. I ended up working for the university for 3 years. But I went to Western Michigan. What makes you think someone who attended U of M has any more right to call themselves a Wolverine than I do, or anyone else who loves the Wolverines? Get over yourself.
"What makes you think someone who attended U of M has any more right to call themselves a Wolverine than I do, or anyone else who loves the Wolverines?"
Because the students and alumni are literally Wolverines. You can be a fan all you want but you'll still be an outsider. Not that's there's anything particularly sacred about it or worth getting your underwear in a bunch...but the facts are that you're a WMU Bronco and not a Michigan Wolverine.
March 28th, 2014 at 10:09 AM ^
Did you think this through?
What about people that work at UofM? Live in Ann Arbor? Faculty that got their degrees somewhere else? Coaches and trainers that got their degree somewhere else?
A kid with cancer in the hospital that the players visit - not a true Wolverine, I guess.
The wolverine is the state animal so anybody from the State of Michigan call call themselves a wolverine.
Someone who attends is a Univeristy of Michigan Student.
Someone who graduates is a Univeristy of Michigan Alumni.
March 28th, 2014 at 10:17 AM ^
People who "live in Ann Arbor"? Why would they be Wolverines? Did U of M annex the entire city (I know it may seem like when you drive by campus with the constant construction, but I don't think they have yet)?
If you work for or attend the school, obviously you can call yourself a "Wolverine" ; you are directly affilliated with the university.
As far as the literally hundreds of thousands of people who go to U of M Health System for treatment, I don't even know what to say about that. I am certainly not going to care what a family of a kid with cancer calls themselves; they can literally do whatever they want. But if someone goes to get a mole checked out the UM Health Clinic in Canton, are they all of a sudden "Wolverines"?
March 28th, 2014 at 10:24 AM ^
If after getting their mole checked there, they decide they want to be a Wolverine, then goddamnit, they are Wolverines.
March 28th, 2014 at 10:58 AM ^
I don't think that at all, but OK. The more, the merrier.
I guess my thought is that considering yourself a Wolverine has to come from a place of meaningfulness or passion -- attended the school, worked there, attended games, etc -- not just, say, having a good customer experience at a health care clinic for a routine checkup.
March 28th, 2014 at 11:31 AM ^
I honestly see no issue with the way you look at what it takes to be a Wolverine, and I in fact completely agree with you. You stated it comes from a place of meaning or passion for the school/program. I'm with you 100%. However, I understand that issomething that is completely subjective. To someone else, a place of meaning for them to initiate a love for the Wolverines could be anywhere, including a health clinic in Canton (as odd as that sounds).
Now, if their actions afterwards don't at all reflect this sudden appreciation for all things U of M, we have problem. The bottom line is, the epicenter for where their Wolverine-hood began is irrelevant, and their actions/attitude towards Michigan is what matters.
March 28th, 2014 at 12:36 PM ^
Can start with one poingant moment or many added together. In those moments "meaningfulnes' and 'passion' can occur. I like this topic because to me it does not matter what an alum, current student or an enemy school calls me I will still 'AWAYS' root for Michigan sports!
I was being recruited to play baseball at U of M but did not have the grades! I thought that my dreams had been dashed to a million pieces. Yet I found a way to continue playing the sport I love at another instituion. Then had a successful season of pro baseball in the european league playing for Villidecans, Spain!
Cheering for Michigan teams in general have created so many memories, emotions and experiences that could never be erased. I have not created those with other teams. Even Colorado football of which I consider myself a fan (I was born and lived in Denver until I was 10. Still visited over the years because of family still there). However, in colorado I grew up around my dad and he had been a Michigan fan his whole life being from Michigan. He never went to Michigan or any college (US Air Force vet) but rooted with passion for the Tigers, the Wolverines and others.
My biggest beef is not with enemy haters but with alum whom would be so high and mighty as to scoff at any non-student/alumni rooting vehemently and passionately for their schools team! It is truly a silly concept for me to wrap my head around. I would bet some of you alumns/current students know personally someone paying money for a Michigan Education that you would rather they dissacciate with the university. Still others you know that never went to Michigan you would consider more of a fan than the previos stated.
In my mind the only thing you can not and should never call your self one of, if you were never one of them is any branch of the military of PD/FD. I can be a fan of them and love the military but I never trained to understand that I might have to one day give my life for it. I have not write to what they experience as a brotherhood/sisterhood! So my plea is that alumni not get thier panties in a bunch over fans who like the school they attended and graduated from?
Go Blue!
March 28th, 2014 at 12:02 PM ^
I think it's obvious that robpollard is an MSU fan.
March 28th, 2014 at 12:01 PM ^
Clearly Brady Hoke isn't a Michigan Wolverine because he didn't graduate from Michigan. He got his degree from Ball State, so I guess he is an outsider, too.
<giant face palm>
March 28th, 2014 at 10:14 AM ^
for the Wal-Mart Wolverine moniker! Do you even realize the elitist attitude that this statement exudes? How about if all the "outsiders" took their money and allegiance to another program? That way the games could be on regional broadcast in the Mid-west only and you wouldn't have to worry about the rest of the country developing and affinity for your team.
March 28th, 2014 at 10:19 AM ^
If we want to get technical, as a former employee of Michigan, I do have a formal connectionThe University of Michigan, one that could be argued is stronger than that of a student. Michigan paid me to be a part of their school, while students and alumni had to pay Michigan to be a part of the school. If I'm not considered a Wolverine, well then neither is Bo, Yost, Beilein and host of university employees such as all our doctors and our former presidents and coaches.
Besides this, the fact of the matter is that if you love the University of Michigan, if you willingly donate any of your time, money and emotions to this school, you are a Wolverine. Anyone who thinks different is sorely mistaken and stricken with a false sense of entitlement and very dire case of pomposity.
March 28th, 2014 at 10:20 AM ^
So much this.
I love, have loved and will continue to love The University of Michigan. This is why in my heart I know I am a Wolverine.
MY DAD WAS FRATERNITY BROTHERS WITH DON CANHAM, DAMMIT!
March 28th, 2014 at 11:11 AM ^
Michigan PAID you to work there, while the students and alumni had to pay to be part of the school? Let's just all take a minute to think about that one.
March 28th, 2014 at 10:26 AM ^
YOU MEAN I'M GONNA STAY THIS COLOR?!
March 28th, 2014 at 10:34 AM ^
Tom Izzo went to NMU, he must be a Save-A lot Spartan.
Neither did Yost nor Crisler. And by a quick count (Wikipedia), I think only 5 of Michigan's football coaches are Michigan grads; not one since 1968.
March 28th, 2014 at 10:36 AM ^
What about me? I attended a small college in Michigan, but my career was launched in earnest when I became a lab technician at UM in the department of MCDB. That experience enabled me to enter a PhD program at the University of Wisconsin-Madison. In a few weeks, I am going to earn my doctorate and take a postdoctoral position, perhaps at another Big Ten university. What am I - a Wolverine, a Badger, or something yet to be determined? The line you've drawn doesn't hold as fast as you seem to think. There are complexities to sports allegiances and group memberships that you're neglecting.
No matter what institution I am affiliated with at any given time, I certainly feel that I am a Wolverine when it comes to sports. I grew up that way, and UM will always be my first love. Perhaps that's where you need to set an endpoint to your exclusivity - sure, you're an academic Michigan Wolverine by definition, but athletic fandom is and should be open to the public.
March 28th, 2014 at 11:00 AM ^
For the first time in a long time, I completely agree with you French West Indian.
I am not affiliated with the University of Michigan in any way outside of my fandom. I am not a Wolverine. I am a Michigan fan. And no, that does not mean I am a Michigan Fucking-Man, either. I am a fan. And a life long one. And there is nothing wrong with that.
I'm a Michigan grad, but I hope I never hear the term Michigan Man again.
March 28th, 2014 at 11:03 AM ^
By this logic, Bo was merely a Red Hawk since he only worked for the University. Good grief.
March 28th, 2014 at 12:14 PM ^
Put me in the other category I guess.
I'm currently a Michigan student and after reading that guy's post, I don't think I have any more right to call myself a Wolverine than he does. Or anyone that roots for the maize and blue.
"Because the students and alumni are literally Wolverines..."
I certainly hope not, although that does bring to mind a humorous image.
March 28th, 2014 at 12:07 PM ^
You're welcome at my tailgate. Bring some chips.
What about a person like me who didn't go there but is spending thousands of dollars to pay for season tickets? I don't have the right to say "we"?
I didn't play for the Detroit Tigers, but WE just extended Cabrera.
...and anybody whose bought a Little Caesar's Pizza can probably make the same claim.
March 28th, 2014 at 12:13 PM ^
People that buy licensed and official Michigan paraphernalia can now consider themselves part of "we"?
My wife, bought some items at the MDen last year including a 3'x4' framed print of Michgian Stadium, is she now part of the coveted "we" though she never attended Michigan?
As long as the fan is supportive of Michigan teams, I warmly welcome them to cheer for the Wolverines with me. There is nothing about being a UM alum that gives or eliminates your right to use "we". I know a number of non-alums who I would consider better fans than people I went to class with. However, I do not expect you to use "we" if Michigan is merely a rooting interest for the night. I use "we" when referring to Michigan, I am also a Wisconsin fan from growing up there, but I will never use "we" when supporting the Badgers.