Re. "You Suck!"

Submitted by maizenbluedevil on

Re. the "You Suck!" at the end of the 3rd down stop version of Temptation, can we please please please stop it?

It's seriously trashy and classless, totally unbefitting the caliber of institution that Michigan is.  Maybe a difference in the way they are mic'ing crowd noise this year, but I noticed it more prominently than usual during the game on Saturday, and am noticing it a lot as I watch the game again right now.

I don't know if this is exclusively a student section thing or the whole stadium saying it.  But, whoever it is, stop.  You're embarrassing yourselves and Michigan.  Come up with something more clever / less trashy.  

Boshdelightful

September 8th, 2010 at 1:46 AM ^

The hockey band has been using variations of "you suck" since the 90s. (hey, miller, that was your mom and she said, you just suck...) this is a spin off of that. They also sing it on blocked kicks, 4th down stops, and possibly turnovers

jmblue

September 8th, 2010 at 1:54 AM ^

Yes, it's been used (as part of different chants) in hockey.  But it definitely has not been used in football for 10+ years, as the above poster claimed.  

And even in hockey, if I'm not mistaken, don't the students do the "Goalie!  Sieve!" chant during "Temptation"?  They don't just mindlessly repeat "You suck" over and over.     

profitgoblue

September 8th, 2010 at 9:06 AM ^

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the chant has been around since at least 1996 when I was a student there.  And I've been chanting it ever since then.  Its great.  Have you ever been to a Duke basketball game?  Ever listened to the chants they have?  They're arguably the best fan base in sports and their chants are great and much more offensive than "you suck."  This whole conversation is a perfect example of why opposing teams are not scared of the Big House.  You're all a bunch of old geezers who like to golf clap and wiggle keys instead of standing and yelling.  My advice for the people who don't like the student section chants - stay home or go to an NFL game.  The students are what make college football great.  Without the students, there is no college football.  Period.

Feat of Clay

September 8th, 2010 at 10:42 AM ^

Jezus.  And you say we old creaky alums are cranky?

I don't object to chants and cheers.  I love that our students are engaged and contribute to the gameday atmosphere.  But I'd love to see us come up with something that's a little more clever and original than "you suck."  We're Michigan.  We are capable of being way more insulting, cerebral, and amusing.   That's why hockey is a lot of fun.  And it looks like they're trying to create a similar group of student fans at the soccer games, which is great (yes, we worthless grey-haired alums even support non-rev sports, go figure.  Or did you want us to stay home from those, too?).

I know it would be a big undertaking, to get several huge sections crammed with geared-up students to adopt something else.  But I'll bet with some leadership and creativity it could be done.  

M-Wolverine

September 8th, 2010 at 11:59 AM ^

Every time after the opposing teams hears "YOU SUCK", they get all intimidated and go into a shell.

And without students PLAYING, there is no college football, period.  If it was only with the students watching, the game wouldn't start till midway through the 1st quarter.

jmblue

September 8th, 2010 at 3:40 PM ^

I hate to be the bearer of bad news, but the chant has been around since at least 1996 when I was a student there. 

No it hasn't.  It defintiely was not chanted in the student section in 1998-2002.

You're all a bunch of old geezers who like to golf clap and wiggle keys instead of standing and yelling.

Dude, it's the students who wiggle keys.  Don't pin that on the alums.

goblue9683

September 8th, 2010 at 2:10 AM ^

Because they represent the University as a University sponsored group, we were explicitly forbidden from saying words like "suck" or "chump, dick, wuss, douchebag......"

Not that we didn't partake here and there, but it was always without hand motions and the vocals were always under our breathe for anything remotely bordering on vulgar/obscene.

Credit here goes to the student section.

bklein09

September 8th, 2010 at 3:03 AM ^

This may be true about the hockey band.

BUT when I was @ND for the football game in 2008 I thought I heard the band say something very interesting on the way into the stadium.

They were marching into ND Stadium getting screamed at by ND fans, and they were saying this phrase as they marched that ended with "f*ck you Go Blue!" 

Now it is entirely possible that I misheard what they were saying. But I was not the only one. Someone please educate me if you know more.

Anyways, I loved it!

Elise

September 8th, 2010 at 7:41 AM ^

Beat the ___ go go, Michigan (repeat) It's great to be a Michigan Wolverine! (repeat) We're the champions of the West The leaders and the best We're maize and blue, we're 'mazin' you We got it goin on We're going to the Big House (Going to the Big House!) Who ya gonna see? (Who ya gonna see?) It's Michigan (It's Michigan!) The Wol-ve-rines. GO BLUE Let's go blue Let's go blue Let's go blue BEAT _SU! (Insert appropriate letter. Used to be reserved for OSU but that got changed in 2007.. haven't been around to hear it lately) BLUE! Hail! Hail to-- the Victors! Michigan! M-I-C-H-I-G-A! N Go Blue. Go Blue!

FGB

September 8th, 2010 at 3:52 AM ^

To everyone proclaiming "X tradition started when I was there"....unless you wrote the Victors, you don't gain special Michigan cred just because a random student tradition started when you were there, so stop making up stuff (or believing it if you actually do) about whatever chant/body motion/etc being started by your class.   At least 90% of these proclamations on timing are just flat out wrong anyway.

willywill9

September 8th, 2010 at 7:55 AM ^

My first season as a student was the 2002 season (Washington game) I can't remember when it began, but definitely heard it as a student. It just made no sense, so I never chanted it. It's pretty poor in general and am surprised there are this many people defending it. I never like to cheer down a player/team, i like to cheer up our players/ our team. One of the things I like that ND does is during the announcement of the opposition starters... the entire stadium just turns around in silence (or did.) I prefer that to our "Who Cares?!" The about-face and silent approach just says so much, without saying anything. Call me old fashioned.

Farnn

September 8th, 2010 at 1:44 AM ^

Hasn't been going on for 10 years, since it started while I was there, and I was a freshman in 2003.  They also changed it from the chop to the claw, which looks pretty terrible as well.  Not only is you suck classless, its unoriginal.  I can't help but think less of the student section every time I hear it.

goblue9683

September 8th, 2010 at 1:36 AM ^

I agree.  I remember this starting almost 5 years ago.  I hated it then and still hate it now.  I know there are some people that really think it's cool, but I'm with the sentiment above.  Please, please, please stop.

2 Proposals:

Replace "you suck" with "go blue" until something else is better.

OR

nothing at all, do the chop and be happy for the stop.

STW P. Brabbs

September 8th, 2010 at 7:15 AM ^

It's not a goddam tomahawk, it's signalling a first down for Michigan.  At least that's one explanation.

The claw is lame.  In the spirit of this thread: I was there when it was invented, and I knew the guy who worked for the Daily and came up with it.  He always had the zealots' gleam in his eye when he talked about the claw.  v

We're Michigan dammit!  We don't need to be literal-minded about everything.

Oh, and on 'You Suck.'  It's not so much that it's offensive - really, it's not.  It's just fucking stupid.  You sound like third-graders on the playground.  Embarrassing.

Ryano

September 8th, 2010 at 7:45 AM ^

Yes, this is exactly correct. This was an obsession of his that somehow got adopted after weeks of promotion in the Daily. I'll never forget the headlines: "Stop the Chop, Wolverine Rarrrr!" Just terrible. I can't stand watching the limp wristed clawing action, and hope someday the chop will make a comeback. I thought it was meant to signal the ball ready for play after a loss of down (I'm assuming maybe at one time Temptation was played on 4th downs)?

metsgoblue

September 8th, 2010 at 9:09 AM ^

This is exactly why the chop was ridiculous. Perhaps, it would make sense as a first-down celebration. But not after a third-down-stop. The meaning of the Claw, on the other hand, is obvious. We are a pack of ferocious Wolverines and just tore you to shreds.

GoodLuckVarsity

September 8th, 2010 at 1:41 AM ^

I hate to break it to you because you're obviously not a fan of the chant... but the "you suck!" isn't just at the end of temptation.  That's just when it's the most prominent because the band drops out.  They actually sing "you suck" as the melody all the the way through the song.  They seem to have quite a bit of fun doing it, so I don't know if your plea has any prayer of being answered.  It goes something like this:

"You, you suck, you suck, youuuuu suck." (Trumpets take over...)

"You, you suck, you suck, you suck, suck. YOU SUCK (the one you hear)!"

Good luck changing that one.

jmblue

September 8th, 2010 at 1:46 AM ^

Yeah, there would have to be some kind of replacement lyrics because the students are now used to singing something during it.  Regardless, it should be changed.  It's lame, and the alums will never get into it.   A chant coming from one corner of the stadium is not that intimidating.

MaizeNBlue

September 8th, 2010 at 2:56 AM ^

Unfortunately, at most games the rest of the stadium doesn't get very intimidating at any point during the game.

Honestly, I just don't think this is a big deal. Anyone who bases their opinion of UM on one two-word chant is...well, not busy enough. I think there are an infinite number of things that prove that UM is classy on gameday alone and the fact that UM's drunk ass students say "you suck" at a game will never be enough to tarnish those things.

jmblue

September 8th, 2010 at 3:49 PM ^

at most games the rest of the stadium doesn't get very intimidating at any point during the game.

That's what happens when the students and alums aren't on the same page, as is currently the case.  Come up with a chant that the whole stadium can get into.  That's where it gets intimidating. 

B

September 8th, 2010 at 1:51 AM ^

Another problem with the "you suck" chant is it is often chanted at inappropriate times.  For example, it is chanted on third down even when it is obvious that the opposing team will go for it on fourth down.  Then the fans look stupid when the team goes for it on fourth down and converts.