OT: State Fans

I blended into the student section in 2005 or 2006 when they beat Iowa.  I hated every second of it in my drunken state.

I chew at Michigan Stadium and I was spitting on the ground last Saturday when someone told me to spit into a bottle and I was all :-/ but then I had what we alcoholics call a moment of clarity and I chugged my water and spit into that for the rest of the game then I was all :-)

You should have entered the row behind him, stole his had and wiped it up.  That, or alerted an usher. 

over their ignorant a..holes anytime.

 Needless to say we left at halftime, I took it upon my self to basically tell everyone i walked by on the way out to fuck themselves.

You stay classy, sir

My wife and I went last year for the UM game. While cheering the score in the 4th qtr that brought us within one score, some a-hole in the row in front of us decided he would man up and start yelling and swearing at my wife, no not me, my wife. We then exchanged some words and he pretty much spent the remainder of the game glaring at me. God I hate that concrete f-ing outhouse of a stadium.

Considering the fact that the "gentlemen" would have probably been spitting on you by the fourth quarter, I'd call yourself lucky.

Last time I was at Spartan Stadium, a belligerant man began yelling at my wife for wearing UM clothing (which I was wearing too). He called her something that rhymes with arrogant witch. So, I busted him in his face (because that's obviously what he wanted). I could see in his then swollen eye that he was appologetic. We then saved the ushers the trouble and escorted ourselves out of that shithole. Never again with that place, that bridge is burned...

http://mgoblog.com/mgoboard/almost-fought-old-guy-telling-us-sit-down

That guy's obviously a dick but just out of curiosity: what team's colors were you wearing?

With my girlfriend and sat in the student section with my cousins (who go to MSU). I wore my Mike Hart jersey, and my girlfriend wore her Chad Henne. Before we even got into the stadium, I had been pelted twice in the head by full water bottles, called every name under the sun, and literally grabbed by my neck collar by some drunk ya-hoo who wanted to "beat my ass". It was at that time that my cousin and his friends created a human barrier between the crowd and us while we waited to get into the stadium.

When we finally got through the rush and got our seats, I quickly realized that the plastic inflatable spears handed out to students (you know, because the movie 300 was based on MSU football....) were intended to be used on visiting fans as <cough> probes. Without going into detail, I had those damn things poked in areas that are fairly unpleasant. Oh, and my head was welcomed by another volley of water bottles as I sang The Victors. (I won't even mention the number of times I heard "App State", mostly because it was too high to count.)

By the time the game started, my girlfriend had covered up her jersey because of the abuse I had taken, and I had been thoroughly"discouraged" from cheering for Michigan. However, the students are only as rowdy as their teams lead on the scoreboard, and as Robo-Henne found The New Math in the corner of the endzone to give Michigan the lead, I and the other 4 or 5 Wolverine fans in the student section gave eachother air-high fives. After the win, we were free to rub it in their Sparty faces with The Victors and It's Great To Be A Michigan Wolverine. However, before leaving, I was reminded that State had hotter girls...whatever.

I will say this: not every Sparty fan is an a-hole. When I was physically threatened in line, I was actually defended by a handful of State fans who apologized and told me that those students did not represent the entirety of the student body. Kudos to those classy Spartans, but they seemed to be in the minority that day (especially when you see not one, not two, but three trash cans being crowd surfed among the crowd...yea).

and thrown over the railing into the studen section below by a raving, lunatic bitch.  She also happened to be my wife (at the time), a Spartan alum.  Glad to be rid of her. 

One other story...I wasn't paying attention when the National Anthem started, so an irate Sparty fan told me "WE TAKE OUR HATS OFF AT SPARTAN STADIUM FOR THE NATIONAL ANTHEM".  Well of course I took my hat off (I always do), but pointed out that about 20,000 of his fellow Sparties didn't get the memo.  Spartan hats still perched on heads all over that pathetic stadium. 

I was in the MSU student section at the Big House. I have to say I deserve whatever shitty thing is ever said to me by any state fan for eternity for the abuse I handed out on that day. 

I have only tailgated at State for 2 games.  1 was the Cold War, and the other was the 2007 MSU-Michigan game (unfortunately just tailgated and didn't actually go to game, instead watching it at a bar). And both times I had a great time.  My MSU friend was actually annoyed, because he thought I'd get harassed more, but in general there was a great mix of Michigan and MSU fans having some good fun.  I actually used to love this game because there never seemed to be much actual hate between the two programs and it was fun to have my State friends come over during college to party that weekend. I know that there can be some jerk fans, but that happens everywhere.  After the ND game last year, there was mostly Michigan fans celbrating, however, on the way out, there were some Michigan fans talking trash to ND fans.  It was quickly shut down by other Michigan fans, which made me proud. 

I'd say, don't let one bad experience ruin it for you.  Still try to go to games, and just cheer the team when you can without being obnoxious about it. And when at a home game, ensure that you take responsibility for your fans staying classy.  

1.  1997 - sitting on their 50 yard line as guests of the coaching staff - and wearing my Maize and Blue.  Actually sitting just above the high school recruits.  People behind me grumbling about my garb.  Went to the mens room at halftime and was confronted by a drunk student that wanted to fight me.  No reason.  I was cool - and didn't need to rub it in.  Scoreboard said it all.

2.  2001 - Spartan Bob decides the game.  I was incredulous.  Will always remember the feeling of helplessness as we were cheated out of a victory.

Go Blue!

So you wore a Michigan hat to a ND-MSU game? Uh, why?

I went there.  6 years.  Sat in the student section for quite a few games.  

Alcohol plays a huge part in the behavior you see in the stadium. People really really get lit up before those games in my experience.  Like black out level in many cases. This is borderline too obvious to waste time writing, but it accounts for a level of belligerence that I didn't think was indicative of their fans when I was there.

They are obsessed with Michigan, hate Michigan, don't care to hear any tips how they could build a program like Michigans, but they are generally good and fun people.

Everybody's experience is different though.

Damn Sparties.  I so wanted ND to win so I wouldn't have to be poked fun at about our near miss (although Sparty had a much nearer miss).  Needless to say, office Sparty tried to rain on my Denard parade this morning, despite the fact that Dantonio pulled a win out of his ass with a trick play that should have been called back on a delay of game penalty.  We so need to beat them this year.  I pray that Dantonio gets well, if only for the fact that his condition does not serve as some emotional lightning rod and so we don't have to watch one of those over-emotional long features on ESPN, with one-on-one interviews with Cousins holding back tears when he talks about wanting to win against MI for coach.....sniff sniff.

in the 2009 game, msu fans in the front row behind the UM bench were talking shit to the UM employees who were just trying cleaning up their sideline after the game was over. one guy, according to a friend's recollection, bent a pipecleaner into a pair of glasses and wore them proudly, and he thinks that guy also had a cape. just pointing him out in case anyone ever sees him again. 

Two quick stories, both when I lived in EL during law school:

1.  My girlfriend (now my wife) was running down Grand River Ave. in a Michigan shirt during the spring (so not really a time for rivalry fever) when some students in a car threw tomato slices and walnuts at her.  My wife is about 5' 2" and 100lbs, and she said there were at least 3-4 guys in the car.  Maybe it had nothing to do with the clothes she was wearing, but there had been other instances where people yelled at both of us when we ran in UM shirts, so my guess it played a factor.

2.  After Braylon-fest, I walked through the campus and realized that it may be the saddest place the world has ever seen.  Just a sea of crushed expressions.  I never felt worse as a person for taking pleasure in that pain, but having listened about how "this year was different and UM is going down" for the past month, it was a fantastic moment.

Are you sure you're in the right place?  I think you meant to post this in the MLive forum.

Its 2003. Chris Perry is in the process of carrying the ball 51 times.  I am at Spartan Sadium with my brother who went to State.  There are some Michigan fans down the row from me who are being a little loud, but nothing over the top.  The guy in front of me, who was in his 50s, confuses me with them.  He turns to me and tells me that I can only cheer when "your team scores a touchdown.  That's the only time!" 

At the very moment he is saying that, John Navre is hitting a wide open Andy Mignery who scampers (as only a converted QB playing TE can scamper) for a touchdown.    

I asked, quite loudly, "You mean like now?  Can I chear now? 'Cause, we just scored a touchdown!"  My brother just hung his head.  I don't think I heard another word from that dude all day.

My experience with Spartan fans is mixed.  A few days before the season started I was getting my oil changed at a local mechanic's shop.  When I went in to drop my car off (I was wearing a Michigan shirt), there was a Spartan fan there.  His MSU shirt wasn't green, it was blue.  Not Michigan blue, but some pussy khaki version of it.  I should say that I try to avoid any interaction with people of different fanbases for many totally obvious reasons.  He of course harrasses me and asks me who I think will win the game this year.  I said, "Michigan, of course," which prompts him to tell me to bet him on the game and meet him back at the shop (Riiiiiiiiiight).

On the other side of the spectrum, I have several Spartan relatives and the ribbing is always good natured.  My favorite win over them was actually in 05 at Spartan stadium because Michigan ended up 7-5 that year, but I was at a family gathering for the game and the way they lost in OT was awesome (their kicker missing two FGs late).  With that said, their general fanbase is OSU Jr.

I learned my hate the hard way, walking back from Michigan Stadium in 1990.  I couldn't believe any fans could be so obnoxious.  Especially when the replay I saw on TV when I got back showed how much cheating was involved in the win.

But up there? Went in 2001.  Glad I did. People who only watched it on tv have no idea how egregious it was. Beyond everyone forgetting how HORRIBLE the officiating was before the end, and that the guy who caught the "winning" touchdown should have been ejected for KICKING someone, we counted down 3...2...1...0...0....0.... It was not close. And then you could see the holding from the opposite corner upper deck, but somehow the refs couldn't.  And I had the pleasure of hearing some Sparty tell his little kid that this is why he hated Michigan fans, because they always had an excuse or blamed the ref. Forget that this was the 3rd time in 5 tries that some horrible ref call let them win the game...(1995 - the yard short first down). Couldn't pass anyone back to the car without having to hear comments from them. No shame, whatsoever.

Had to go back in 2003, to return to the scene of the crime.  For revenge, part 2.  A lot of talk before the game. But the chanting down the ramps and around the buses and stuff of "it's great, to be, a Michigan Wolverine" shut them up.  

And, even though it was at home, in 2004, they were everywhere, and there was more smack talk than I may have ever seen at a game (At least OSU usually saves their talk for before and after a game).  And to watch them get Braylonized...they deserved what they got in return.

And then, one more shot in 2005.  At that point, even they acknowledged that the tuck rule just got bent over, but took it anyway. But to beat them in overtime, for a second time....the fact that it crushed them, and you could see their soul dying just a little bit, to never truly be the same.  Delicious.

I have had enough up there. My 2007 trip didn't work out, but it was great on TV. In this era of 60" HD, as I get older, it's just not worth getting up super early, driving for hours, and putting up with dickheads for the day, for the short time of road win glee, before they all sneak out.  But I recommend it to any students or recent grads out there, at least once. (Just keep it classy).

And of course, Spartans look like Rhodes Scholars compared to going down to Columbus...but that's another story....(still looking for a win down there...)