OT: Who's Got It Better Than Us?
I watched the Real Sports piece on Jim Harbaugh and came away with a couple thoughts:
1. I would never offer JH any 2% candy-ass milk with his cookies.
2. He, like so many other Michigan alumni, has a deep love for our Alma Mater.
Seemingly, so does every other Michigan alumnus, athlete and aficionado. It seems like every interview, soundbite and scrap of Michigan information contains a confirmation of that devotion. (we all know Brady Hoke would have walked to Michigan) Everyone who participates in this epic adventure known as MGoBlog suffers the same addiction. Hell, I bet if Michigan had a checkers team we'd all be "buckled up" and awaiting its next commit too. This brings me to my question:
What other colleges/universities do you feel cultivate that level of enthusiasm, love and support from their alumni/fanbase? For example, I always see Miami guys proudly proclaiming their affiliation with the U, but I don't get that sense of lifelong connectedness that I see or hear when Michigan fathful talk about our school. So again I ask, who's got it better than us?
EDIT: Title changed to be more reflective of post content.
Sorry to burst your bubble, but most schools have a fanbase like that. I lived in Knoxville for years and Volunteer fans are rabid. I now live in NC and Duke/UNC fans are slightly less ridiculous, but they're still pretty hardcore.
I agree with this somewhat. Schools like UK, IU etc. seems to have rabid fanbases that center around specific sports, programs or curriculum, but it seems the degree to which Michigan sports alumni (aside from the general fanbase) continue to be a part of the University is exceptional. Maybe I'm being Myopic.
April 23rd, 2015 at 10:07 AM ^
don't we have the biggest alumni in the world? We're not the biggest school so that has to mean something right?
April 23rd, 2015 at 10:34 AM ^
April 23rd, 2015 at 10:43 AM ^
Honestly had no clue you could join if you aren't an alumnus. Is this common?
What benefits does it have for non-alumni members?
April 23rd, 2015 at 11:17 AM ^
It is very common in Ann Arbor to join even if you never attended UM. Primarily, people I know join to go the Camp Michigania with friends who are alums. I think it is $80 a year or $1000 one time
April 23rd, 2015 at 12:10 PM ^
because one can join it without ever having attended. It really is an alumni/fan association. As I recall there was a groupon last year.
I don't think so. When U-M talks about having 500,000 living alumni, I don't think they're talking about the Alumni Association. Many (most?) alumni are not members of the AAUM - I'm not, personally.
The reason OSU, Wisc, MSU have louder stadiums are based in architecture and physics. They all have upper decks, so the sound from the lower deck comes back down to the playing field. Pre-renovations, all of our sound would up and out. I haven't been in the stadium in some years, so I hope the renovations have truly kept more of the sound in the stadium.
April 23rd, 2015 at 10:29 AM ^
Come on. The structure of the stadiums has little to do with the sound. Yes, having upper decks helps, but it's not that significant of a difference. OSU's stadium is loud because their fans are. Our crowd noise isn't nearly as close to theirs.
April 23rd, 2015 at 10:46 AM ^
you really think the structure and design of the stadiums have little to do with the sound? Do you know anything at all about acoustics?
You couldn't be more wrong.
April 23rd, 2015 at 11:18 AM ^
a lot louder than before, and I was VERY impressed with our crowd noise at UTL I (in the 2nd half, of course).
April 23rd, 2015 at 12:06 PM ^
Sports science.
April 23rd, 2015 at 12:59 PM ^
You can tell the difference. And science plays a major role. We don't have the rowdiest fans, but we get our yell on pretty good.
April 23rd, 2015 at 10:22 AM ^
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April 23rd, 2015 at 11:20 AM ^
April 23rd, 2015 at 10:43 AM ^
I would say that there are few schools whose alums are as simulataneously proud (and obsessed with) their athletic programs as well as the schools academic standing and overall excellence in non-athletic endeavors. Can't say that's true of Tennessee. The only comps are Stanford, Texas, UVA, ,UNC, UCLA, Vandy, but Michigan is either better at sports or academics (or both) than each of those. I think the OP isn't wrong that there's something unique about Michigan.
My other rooting interest is the University of Southern North Dakota at Hoople but their teams always suck.
Well, Mott The Hoople was pretty good. So there's that...
I get my news every morning from WOOF. Love that USND-H.
April 23rd, 2015 at 10:05 AM ^
Should shorten their name to Middle Dakota.
April 23rd, 2015 at 10:37 AM ^
Should be Middle Florida, which would be awesome since it'd be an hour from Central Florida.
And FIU should be South Florida
Most people who go away to college have a great time and love their alma mater. If they don't, they usually transfer out. For a lot of kids, it's the first time living away from home and experiencing freedom. It's fun.
But Michigan is clearly the greatest University in the universe. So I'll agree with you on that.
fans/alum can be pretty rabid. And they really don't like it when good Catholic boys choose Michigan over ND.
but I would say the Service Academies cultivate that level of devotion, but not necessarily from a sports aspect. Members of the same class suffered together, shed blood, sweat and tears together and get commissioned together. We seek out others who graduated from the same institution as there is an instant connection.
I'm not suggesting that graduates from Michigan work any less hard than cadets or midshipmen, but its just different at a Service Academy. You're entering a different type of brotherhood and entering a lifestyle that follows you pretty much your whole life.
You hit the nail on the head. Service Academy alumni/fans are rabid. Hell, who else can shut down a federal job to watch their team play a game?
LOL at bringing up Miami . Most of the non-athlete alumns have better things to do than watch the football sport team play. The football playing alumns are really more about repping thier city and the rivalries they had against different parts of Florida (Talahassee and Gainesville). The people of Miami (majority of latin decent) could give a crap about american football be it professional or semi-professional (Miami).
Most SEC schools have a clear lifelong following no matter if the team happens to be good or not. Tennessee is a lot like us in that aspect. Notre Dame as well. The BIG 12 has a lot of this level fandome too. . I am not certain about the ACC and PAC schools.
1. NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOBODDDDYYYYYYYYY!!!
2. But there are other fans that try really hard to come close.
Tom Brady
April 23rd, 2015 at 10:45 AM ^
No way! Have you seen his wife? Gross...
I will eventually love the "Who's got it better than us" thing - but after going 5-7 I just can't get into this yet. I kinda wish that would get shelved until we at least win 10 games one year.
I do think it's a bit early to institute the "who's got it better" meme based on last season's football results, but definitely think it;s appropriate for the entirety of being a Michigan alum.
April 23rd, 2015 at 10:32 AM ^
is because Harbaugh truly believes it! He believes they are going to compete like warriors in each and every game and come out victorious. And when the players buy into this.....well, thats when we get to see a Stanford-like ground game control our opponents. I can't wait!
^This. BISB wins the internet. Lock the thread.
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April 23rd, 2015 at 11:41 AM ^
Who knew that Harbaugh had the power to forever change the perception of HTFU, that and the candy-ass 2% milk were my favorite parts of the segment
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April 23rd, 2015 at 10:02 AM ^
April 23rd, 2015 at 10:20 AM ^
Look on the bright side you have internet access!
April 23rd, 2015 at 10:28 AM ^
That's how he got the chlamydia.
Tinder FTW!!
April 23rd, 2015 at 11:33 AM ^
I was only gonna have her pet me, but petting turned into snuggling and so forth. I'm just so cuddly. It is what it is. My bifurcated penis freaks people out sometimes.
April 23rd, 2015 at 10:15 AM ^
April 23rd, 2015 at 10:24 AM ^
You have to distinguish between fans and Alumni, IMO.
In a recent version of the Alumnus magazine, Harbaugh is on the cover and there is a letter from the University President in the first pagr or so. The letter has a line something like, "our alumni love the football team, but more importantly it's about the education and degree" (paraphrased)
That is how I feel. I think most Alumni love the athletics but moreso the University itself. Many (if not all) of the SEC fans I know are sports first ...but why not be? Either they didn't graduate from the school they're a fan of or don't have the academic prestige to want to brag about.
Remember Ufer's remark about Ohio Stadium ..75,000 truck drivers. That is a pretty accurate way of depicting a fanbase made largely of "fans" and not necessarily Alumni.
Michigan Alumni Pride is high, but not as intense as many other ...fan-bases.
Go Blue!
April 23rd, 2015 at 12:18 PM ^
When you talk about support or enthusiasm, you don't have to distinguish. Obviously the Michigan Difference when discussing academics and the excellence in sports, and pretty much in everything, there's lots for UM grads to be proud of. But my enthusiasm for Michigan began with my father, a UM grad. I wanted to be a graduate of UM growing up. As I got to high school, my path took me a different way, but it didn't mean I wasn't qualified or smart enough.
But I've been to plenty of UM games and saw plenty of people who could fit the same description that Ufer used for ohio stadium. But I'll say the same thing in either situation, who are you to say who can or cannot be supporters or fans of your team? Suggesting that 75,000 truck drivers who all love osu football is somehow a negative thing sounds an awful lot like...well, Sparty to be honest. I don't care how accurate of a description it is, academic prestige doesn't have to be the only reason to be passionate about a school. I love what UM represents not just becasue of the sports, but because it produced people like my father and one of my older brothers. Academic excellence, however, exists at a fairly high level at most, if not all, of the B1G schools.
Honestly, I'm slightly insulted at your statements, although I know you didn't expressly mean to do so. The suggestion that there's got to be a distinction between a fan and an alumnus is a slippery slope, especially on a site like MGoBlog where all of us love UM sports. Not everyone can change their circumstances, but that shouldn't diminish their love or passion.
April 23rd, 2015 at 10:24 AM ^
Honestly, after reading a post that argues about Michigan grads having it better than most others, I would expect more from a Michigan grad. You are steeped in confirmation bias, focusing effect, availabiltiy heuristic and cascade, bandwagon effect, and a host of other cognitive biases. There are many, other schools whose grads, and other fans, who are just as devoted.