Most Improved Unit. Student Section?

Submitted by rayfrom19 on

From what I understand the (much maligned) student section really got their act together and showed up in force for warm-ups.  Any confirmation from those whom were there.  Was this an organized effort, a la Maize Rage?  

Monocle Smile

September 1st, 2013 at 12:24 PM ^

It was the result of GA. There's been an awful lot of complaining on both this board and social media about leaving tailgates early, meaning people were showing up on time.

Maize_in_AZ

September 1st, 2013 at 12:30 PM ^

Good. What they hopefully start to realize is that they didn't leave early, they left when they were supposed all along. You can find a lot of places to drink. Only one place to watch Michigan Football LIVE. I was very happy too see a 90% filled student section at kickoff yesterday on BTN.

tdcarl

September 1st, 2013 at 1:16 PM ^

Ok, so if we got there when we were supposed to then why wasn't the rest of the stadium aroound 70% full at around 50 minutes before kickoff? I mean I guess fans are "supposed" to be there that early.

Have to pee sometime in the hour( or earlier) that you got to your seats and when the game starts? Too bad, you leave your seat and its as good as gone.

GA made the block M a total fail too. I was sitting in it and saw tons of people sit there long enough to get a free shirt before moving off to sit somewhere else the minute they got that shirt. I couldn't really even see the block M whenever they did a stadium shot.

 

go16blue

September 1st, 2013 at 12:25 PM ^

It wasn't an organized effort at all, just the effect of GA seating apparently. I'm a student and quite frankly I was shocked at how well it worked. Last year, the student section would be maybe 1/3 full 10 minutes before kickoff, and fill up throughout the first quarter. This would lead to embarassing shots of the student section midway through the first quarter with a solid fourth of it empty.

When I showed up an hour and a half before kickoff, it was already almost half full, and it was completely packed by kickoff. Students far outpaced non-students in getting to the game, as it should be.

Section 1

September 1st, 2013 at 12:36 PM ^

The students did a really good job of showing up on time and in force.  I am shocked at how the day, and the GA plan, all went.

But the student sections were half-empty halfway through the Fourth Quarter.  I was trying to figure out where everybody was going; what other game was there to watch?  Tigers?  Clemson or Detroit?

One thing that was noticeable was the chunk of what I think is Section 33 at the top, that was carved out of student seating, for paid-public seating.  Those seats got filled up on time, and the people mostly stayed to the end.

go16blue

September 1st, 2013 at 12:48 PM ^

I personally always stay through the game, but you can't honestly tell me you think it's somehow unreasonable that students, with busy schedules, exhausted after being outside on their feet all day partying and cheering (much more enthusiastically than the alumni) in the hot sun for hours upon hours, would want to leave a 50-point blowout early? I know it's written in your contract somewhere that you have to find something to complain about in every thread, but come on dude.

Section 1

September 1st, 2013 at 6:54 PM ^

plus Dave Brandon, and the rest of the 100,000+ fans who were mostly there to the end, would all call the students' (and there were a LOT of them) early departure "weak."

If students are physically unable to remain for an entire football game, they might want to start thinking about pacing themselves.  Drink some water or something.  Sit down a bit during the games, if it wears them out so badly.

Exactly when is it that students who arrive late and/or leave early are going to quit lecturing to the rest of the Michigan Stadium patrons (who do a much better job of filling up the Stadium for the duration of games) about proper fandom?

Section 1

September 1st, 2013 at 8:27 PM ^

It's not a big deal to me; ordinarily, I'd just observe how empty the student sections are at the beginning/end of games and leave it at that.  It's no problem to me in the slightest, what students decide to do.

I only get chapped when students logged on to the MGoBoard start telling the alumni what sort of fans they ought to be, how muchy they need to stand up in front of other people and what deficient fans the alumni are.  And then with that provocation, I'll add just a bit of spice to the routine ordinary observations.

Of course the Stadium was emptying out late in the game.  I stayed to the end like I almost always do.  And I saw many people leaving.  But the student sections were clearly the most empty part of the Stadium by the end of the game.  By far, and earlier than anywhere else.

 

Doc Brown

September 1st, 2013 at 9:16 PM ^

Fair enough. I apologize for coming off brash. I find it annoying when individuals rail into the students for unfair reasons.  It was a blowout. You can hardly expect everyone to stay the entire game. People were leaving my section left and right. The game turned into a glorified spring game scrimmage. 

I agree with you. It is unfair when students criticize alumni and other fans some of them are so fickle. 

StephenRKass

September 1st, 2013 at 1:38 PM ^

There were at least 5 things that were common in years past, in the student section:

  • Bringing in alcohol . . . even coolers with beer!!
  • Bringing in pot . . . I remember the pungent blue haze hovering over the student section in the 70's.
  • Bringing in beach balls and batting them around.
  • Throwing rolls of toilet paper down on to the field every time there was a TD.
  • Passing a girl up the stands, one girl for every point scored.

Now, I'm not commenting at all on the wisdom of any of these activities. But all I'm saying is there were multiple things to keep some of the students occupied through the end. If you had a cold beer, or a joint, or could be part of the crew passing girls up the stands from bottom to the top, or could bat a beach ball, or toss TP only the field, there were numerous things to keep you occupied. Those days are long gone. Now you can watch the game, jingle keys, listen to the band, and that's it. The experience is safer and cleaner, but a lot more . . . antiseptic. I never drank or smoked in the stands, but the student ambiance was a bit different back in the day.

Doc Brown

September 1st, 2013 at 3:28 PM ^

you always find something to complain about. Nevermind the every other section was 50-60% empty after the baby seal clubbing was in full effect. I stayed the entire game, but started paying more attention to the Tigers game on my phone. 

I call BS on the top section 33. That section was completely empty halfway through the 4th. Not sure what game you attended. 

bronxblue

September 1st, 2013 at 12:46 PM ^

Good to see.  GA obviously helped quite a bit; just because you are a senior or a FRATSTAR doesn't mean you should receive preferential treatment in seating.  Expect a huge turnout next week.

bigpapa.KG

September 1st, 2013 at 12:48 PM ^

They need to really think more seriously about the logistics of GA seating. It was terrible, giant cluster f***. For the entire 1st quarter, stragglers coming into the stadium were struggling to find seating. My guess is that there is an empty seat here or there, with 80 some rows across the entire student section, that really add up.

Nice to have everyone there on time, but I feel like the 90% of students who use to show up on time are being punished for the 10% that would come in 5 minutes late. Last time I checked, the students, just like the alumni and general public, paid American dollars for their tickets and should have the same rights to an assigned seat as everyone else.

jmblue

September 1st, 2013 at 1:27 PM ^

If the student section had actually been 100% full and 90% on time last year, like you claim, you wouldn't have GA seating. The AD didn't just put it in for the hell of it.

You can argue that GA isn't the best solution, but you can't deny there was a problem.  Student attendance was embarrassing last year and everyone else involved - including the players and coaches - was frustrated about it.  

LSAClassOf2000

September 1st, 2013 at 12:54 PM ^

In an aftergame interview, I believe even Hoke himself said that enjoyed seeing students filling up the student section for warm-ups as well, so the effort did not go unnoticed even by the staff. That's great to hear from the people for whom we cheer on Saturday.

bigpapa.KG

September 1st, 2013 at 12:57 PM ^

Because I'm taking a less popular opinion, I feel the need to defend myself before the attacks start: I usually/always walk with the band and cheerleaders from Raveli hall to the stadium and am in my seats typically 35-45 minutes before kick off. Let the onslaught begin...

gwkrlghl

September 1st, 2013 at 12:59 PM ^

I know the very front typically leads that which would normally be senior and grad students. Since it's probably a lot of freshman, sophs, and juniors now, did we sucessfully execute a wave yesterday?

jmblue

September 1st, 2013 at 1:29 PM ^

Maybe there should be some kind of organized student leadership like there is for the Maize Rage.  Have them make little flyers explaining the cheers and the forms of the Wave to the freshmen and pass them out before the game. 

jmblue

September 1st, 2013 at 9:22 PM ^

It doesn't have to be that hard.  Organize the student section as an official student group and have them create a facebook page explaining how the cheers go, or work with the AD to distribute a little flyer explaining the cheers with their student tickets.