PurpleStuff

September 22nd, 2010 at 8:11 PM ^

I had student tickets when we started 0-6 in the 2002-03 season.  Weren't a lot of folks around me watching Chris Kaman tear the rim down for CMU or cheering the team on when they finally got over the hump against Bowling Green.  When things got better and we beat State later in the season, the place was packed.

We've been a basketball powerhouse just as recently as ND has been one in football (more recent national title and went to the Final Four about the time they won their last bowl game).  There are a slim few fans of Michigan (or any school for that matter) who are any better fans than this kid is.

Joined: 04/21/2009

MGoPoints: 15969

U Fer M

September 22nd, 2010 at 7:48 PM ^

Wow that's  harsh, guess ole boy's never been a Lion's fan, jeesh. But getting back to college football, real fans, especially the student body root for their team no matter what, guess that should go without saying, but not in SB.

Joined: 08/01/2010

MGoPoints: 1068

PurpleStuff

September 22nd, 2010 at 8:01 PM ^

Notre Dame hasn't won a bowl game played in the continental United States since this kid was about 3 years old.  In his time on campus, they've never posted a winning regular season record.  We don't expect to see rabid fans at a school like Indiana or Duke unless the team does something positive on gameday.  Why should this kid get ragged on just because he goes to a school that used to be good at football a long time ago?

Can you really blame this kid for dialing down his expectations and just trying to enjoy his college/gameday experience?  He sounds like a lot better fan than some of the shitheads we've heard about in the Big House criticizing players and expressing their hatred for our head coach.

Joined: 04/21/2009

MGoPoints: 15969

jmblue

September 22nd, 2010 at 8:25 PM ^

That's not how I read this.  He isn't preaching for people to keep calm and have level expectations.  He's proudly acknowledging that he doesn't cheer (in the student section, mind you) for his own school while the game's going on, and justifies it by saying "Well, they've lost in the last minute too often."  This is completely not a guy with perspective.  It's a spoiled brat.  How do you not cheer for your own classmates when they're playing?

(And let's not go overboard with the "ND has sucked his whole life" thing.  ND has been to three BCS bowls in the past decade - same as us. )

Joined: 11/07/2008

MGoPoints: 102715

PurpleStuff

September 22nd, 2010 at 8:52 PM ^

Did you read the first letter?  The letter he's responding to is from some weiner basically saying, "The seniors need to get more excited and I'm a way better fan than all of them."  He doesn't respond with, "I don't cheer for the team."  To me it sounds like he's saying he's not going to lose his mind with excitement any more after what has been perpetual disappointment during the entire time he's been a fan.  From a guy who says he's going to keep tailgating, keep cheering at the games, and continue attending every game, I don't see how it is that bad.

And ND got absolutely smoked in each of those bowl games.  It has been a hell of a lot easier to be a Michigan fan the last few years.

Joined: 04/21/2009

MGoPoints: 15969

WolverineHistorian

September 22nd, 2010 at 9:01 PM ^

Yes, ND went to three BCS bowls this past decade but one can make a strong argument that they didn't deserve to go to any of them. 

Not once during those seasons did they beat a ranked team other than a 9-5 Georgia Tech team in 2006.  And they were winless against all of the top ten teams they faced all three years.  2 of those seasons they had losses to GOD awful MSU teams and in 06, they had to pull off a miracle comeback (and epic Sparty choke) against a 4-8 MSU team. 

They should not have gone to a BCS bowl any of those years.  Yet they were chosen over more deserving teams - like Nebraska in 2000 - because they are ND.

In the end, they proved they didn't belong by losing those bowl games 41-9, 41-14 and 34-20.

Joined: 08/10/2009

MGoPoints: 55460

jmblue

September 23rd, 2010 at 6:16 PM ^

I'm certainly not going to argue that they deserved those bids, but they did get them.  They've had some success in this kid's memory. 

I just can't get over being that jaded as a student.  An older alumnus, maybe.  But not a 20-year-old.

Joined: 11/07/2008

MGoPoints: 102715

dennisblundon

September 22nd, 2010 at 8:04 PM ^

Everybody knows a guy like this. He shows up at the game wearing some shit that is a little to put together for game day. When everyone is packing up the tail gate he will ask  why everyone wants to go in so soon. He may even spout off some shit he heard on ESPN in order to sound like an informed fan. In short, who would want a guy like this rooting for their team anyway?

Joined: 02/23/2010

MGoPoints: 9613

los

September 22nd, 2010 at 8:45 PM ^

There are fans like that in every college campus. As a Michigan Alumni watching the games last season from a bar (incredibly far away from Ann Arbor) with all the regional Alumni, we had to get used to the fact that we didn't have a very good team that season. FNs sort of desensitize themselves so it won't hurt as much. Basically, It's a psychological response to protect one's self from pain.That being said, if you go to the damn game, you better cheer your team on. If not, don't go at all.

Joined: 02/06/2009

MGoPoints: 906

PurpleStuff

September 22nd, 2010 at 9:14 PM ^

I still hold an incredible grudge against a 10 year old who kept shouting, "Lloyd Carr is an idiot!" in the waning moments of the 2007 Rose Bowl.  One of my bigger regrets is not chastizing his parents for failing to get the kid to shut his mouth, though I hold out hope that once the kid turns 18 I will be able to find him and put him in the figure-four leglock until he sees the error of his ways and repents (since I do think it is unfair to use my cold-blooded WWF expertise on an underage opponent).

Joined: 04/21/2009

MGoPoints: 15969

Space Coyote

September 22nd, 2010 at 9:09 PM ^

The same one that would yell "4-8" and "how about you go practice some more" when Michigan would come out of the tunnel, and then tell Montana that he sucked and he lost the game for ND when they were going in at halftime.  He also mentioned saving RR job a few times, and almost got thrown over the edge into the tunnel when he kneed me in the back a few times.

Joined: 06/18/2009

MGoPoints: 38962

mikoyan

September 23rd, 2010 at 4:42 AM ^

He should try following Eastern at some point.  They had victory within their grasp against Army and couldn't stop the winning drive to save their life although they made it exciting because if they had a few more seconds they might have still pulled it off.    They nearly won against Miami and had a meltdown against Central.  I think that Ohio State has a scrimmage agaisnt them this weekend.  Now that's tough.  What's even tougher that unless they win their conference, they don't get to a bowl game.

Joined: 09/06/2010

MGoPoints: 2784