OT - Bandwagon MSU fans
You know, I really don't have a problem with bandwagon fans (it's sort of obnoxious, but I'm not about to pitch a fit about it), but isn't this the kind of thing that MSU fans always give us shit about (I mean, aren't bandwagon UM fans the origin of the whole "Walmart Wolverine" thing)? The proliferation of MSU gear in the bars the past few days has been surreal.
On a side note, some random dude I'd never met before got in my face last night because my response to "Hey man, isn't it great that MSU made the finals?" was "Sorry, I'm not a State fan." Classy.
what was up with about a thousand state fans being in ann arbor yesterday. everyone getting high before the game?
Oh my god. Someone else who was upset by that! I was at the Hash Bash too, and I was appalled by the number of green shirts and State jerseys I saw. It was outrageous.
would have been "I'm proud of your accomplishment little brother, you make mom and dad somewhat proud..."
I generally agree with your post, and would to add two things. The MSU "Walmart wolverine" / attack on non-student or alumni fans has always bugged me because Sparty Nation focuses its attention on a small fraction of the Wolverine fanbase. It completely ignores UM's student body, the prestige of the alumni base's accomplishments, as well as the history of Michigan's academic influence and the weight an M degree carries. In what seems to be MSU's Napoleon complex, it compares apples-to-oranges in an attempt to make them feel better about going to the back up school.
Second, I am happy MSU is in the final because they arrived there by beating two #1 seeded Big East teams; the conference that was supposed destroy the overrated Big Ten. The Bilases and Packers of the media world can now go eat crow. However, that does not mean I am on the MSU bandwagon. Michigan, as a state, has little to be happy about lately, so when we have a home-town team in the finals being held in state, it is understandable that so many people are happy.
Nah, I try to keep it classy, but in that situation in particular because I'm about 5'9" and 170 pounds, while the guy in question was about 6'2" and 270 pounds. No thanks.
doesn't protect you from body blows?
Similarly, it has always bugged me that the Wolverine Nation response to Sparty Nation attacks is to completely oversimplify the situation, stereotype the entire fanbase, and focus on negative aspects rather than the unique and positive attributes that make any university experience enjoyable.
P.S. That is a totally sweet response. You would have fucking PWNED that guy.
The usage I see in the forums and comment fields of articles is that MSU fans consider anyone who didn't attend UM but cheers for them a "Walmart Wolverine." Apparently, they are jealous that UM actually is followed by people who didn't go there, while only MSU alums and students seem to follow MSU.
Ironically, their massive inferiority complex seems to guarantee that they will remain inferior.
MSU's success in the final four is key to the economic recovery in Michigan. This affects everyone! Since MSU beat UCONN the state unemployment rate has dropped to zero. Just think, if MSU beats NC we could have negative unemployment for the first time in history. Forget Obama and his bailouts. Izzo is the true catalyst of economic good times.
a UNC win would benefit me because then I will one one of my pools. As Golic says, "I want to win the game, and win the cassshhheeee"
for the past year or so, it seems that every time a (state of) michigan team beats anyone out of state, the sportswriters must say something like 'this win meant a lot for a state with not a lot to cheer for lately' like all we do is sit around and mope and act miserable but thank goodness the grand rapids griffins won the other day because otherwise michigan would be a miserable hell-hole
Michigan State was playing in the final four. You went to a bar, in Michigan, and were surprised that a large number of people, watching the final four game, were wearing Michigan State shirts? Maybe they weren't bandwagoners - people often wear school colors when they go to watch the team they support.
You opened a thread about bandwagon MSU fans, and just assumed that I had no idea if the people in question were actually bandwagoners? When I overhear a number those people say "Yeah, I don't even really follow basketball at all, but I'm so glad State is doing well" and refer to MSU as "Michigan" (no "State"), I think it's pretty safe to say that maybe they are bandwagoners.
On that note, I never said I was surprised. I said it was surreal, mostly because MSU apparel seems to be entirely invisible throughout the rest of the year, at least as far as my eyes lead me to believe.
You don't think that many Michigan fans are, at all, bandwagoners? Your point is moot. Michigan has, in part, the huge fanbase it does because the team is almost always good. If we go through a 10 year stretch of being in the bottom of the B10, you think the program is going to have the same amount of fans? Of course not.
Your post comes off as you being salty that MSU is and probably will continue to be better than U of M at basketball. It's just a better program and it has been for a very long time. I love John B but he's not and won't ever be on Izzo's level.
MSU is good at basketball. When teams do well, those with passive fandom start to come out of the woodwork. Bandwagon is a cliched and stupid term that can be applied to every team and every fanbase everywhere. Even if your observation was generalizable, why does it matter?
"It's just a better program and it has been for a very long time."
Actually, other than the last 15 years (Izzo), I would not have called MSU a better basketball school. If you look at our winning %'s since the 60's, I bet they're about equal*, despite our awful record since the Fab Five scandal.
*counting the wins that we forfeited.
It's pretty much a statewide sea of green. Since we have been mentioning overheard comments on this thread, my favorite one is something like "Izzo would never leave. It's not about the money with that guy." It's like they see him as some sort of saint (I've also hard delusional Sparties say similar things about DANTONIO after just two years). I just want somebody to offer him some real $$$, like 6 or 7 million. He'd walk. Guaranteed Dantonio will walk when he gets "the call". The Sparty inferiority complex (in the real fans, not necessarily the bandwagon fans) is so deeply ingrained that they know that their school is shit and a natural launching pad for careers in big-time athletics at real institutions so they have to believe that their coaches are moral exemplars in order to ascribe any loyalty to them at all.
Watching the national championship from the comfort of your own home must be nice. It's awfully expensive to have good teams to cheer for. I mean, come on; tickets to bowl games AND the Final Four?
I sure wish I were like you, Big Brother. You have a lot of money left over from the tickets you didn't have to buy.
that has absolutely nothing to do with what he said. Nice troll though.
i bet you've been waiting to say that one for 33 years now
*sigh*
but I highly doubt Izzo would. My best friend is a family member of Izzo. It will not happen in the next 4 years, at least (daughter is just entering high school next year) unless the Pistons offered, in which case he could keep his family where they are.
maybe i dont know much about it, but if he isn't looking to just make money he doesn't have much reason to leave MSU. they can pull in recruits, they play in a big conference, and he's essentially a god in east lansing
The one problem I had about Sparty after their victory last night is one of my friends actually called me and said the following: "Hey at least your football team is good....oh wait nevermind." The fact that even after the success they are having in basketball, they have to make it known that UM sucked at football this past year. Hearing shit like this makes me want to wear pads and wreak havoc. I can only imagine how the players feel.
the football bashing is getting old. congrats msu fan, you had a better football team than us for 1 year. i know its a rivalry and msu fans seems to live for anything they can mock uofm for but seriously msu's football team will be right back to 6-6 soon and we'll be right back to 8+ wins. then you can say 'hey sparty your football team sucks' to which they will respond 'youre just an arrogant walmart wolverine'. whatever..thats just how it is i guess but its 3 am and it seemed like a good time to let off some steam
i don't really have a problem with these bandwagon fans...if they're from the state of michigan, let em be. you can root for MSU without switching allegiances if you're a UM fan because of sparty's inferiority complex. obviously, this doesn't work both ways. also i don't mind others rooting for the big ten other than OSU.
-0 big east teams in the final. suck it!