Re. "You Suck!"
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.
September 8th, 2010 at 2:05 AM ^
It would be one thing if the whole stadium did it, but I'm fine with a little youthful exuberance from the student section
September 8th, 2010 at 2:21 AM ^
let's replace it with
WE ARE GOING TO EAT YOU
September 8th, 2010 at 2:17 AM ^
though it may be 'classless' in many people's eyes, there is no way it is stopping. The university attempted to stop cursing at Yost 2 years ago after "Fuck you state" could be heard clearly on TV. I think they even threatened booting people who cuss out of Yost, we've seen how well that is worked. And if you think you suck is classless you should take a stroll to a hockey game sometime, which is definately one of the best sports venues in America.
September 8th, 2010 at 2:24 AM ^
September 8th, 2010 at 2:21 AM ^
So what's the big deal about it? What's with this exaggerated political correctness?
September 8th, 2010 at 2:25 AM ^
Saying "you suck" is classless? What year are we in?
For years, the hockey student section has used the phrase in a variety of cheers. Not to mention the fact that the students at the hockey games say so much worse and it's all sanctioned by the university (objecting to the c-sucker part of the chant only was basically an implicit acknowledgment that the rest of the cheer was ok).
The phrase "you suck" is basically ingrained in the lexicon of sports. I challenge you to go to a regular season game at any of the four major professional sports and not hear it said to players on BOTH teams.
Michigan is a classy institution. Classy like, we want our players to be student athletes and we demand excellence from our alums and yada yada. As a 20something I care about those things, I was as pissed as anyone about over-practicing. I don't accept "everybody else is doing it" as an answer because I hold Michigan to a standard regardless of what anybody else is doing. But, old people, this is where we draw the line. This is what you're upset about? This is what is classless? Ugh.
I think the "you suck" chant is silly. I think it's mindless. I think it's great. It's smart-ass Michigan students being as literal as possible. I think it's great. And as someone who attended right about the time it started, I hope the student section is doing when I'm turning 70, all 8 "you suck"'s and the loud "you suck" at the end. I'll consider it a proud part of my legacy just as my older cousin takes pride in adding the hand signal to go with "douche bag" in the hockey penalty box chant.
In short, take some time off from putting your keys back in your old-ass pockets to cover your ears after third down, because that cheer ain't goin' nowehere. GOOD DAY sir.
September 8th, 2010 at 2:28 AM ^
The "GOOD DAY sir," totally made this post.
September 8th, 2010 at 7:28 AM ^
I think it's great. It's smart-ass Michigan students being as literal as possible.
That's like when Lady Gaga says that Telephone is really about the unique sociological challenges presented by the hyper-connectivity of the advanced information age.
'You suck' is smart-ass Michigan kids making themselves sound like dumbass Sparty kids. Any element of jaunty and unexpected literal-mindedness you may be imagining ... it, uh, doesn't come across in a stadium setting.
September 8th, 2010 at 8:59 AM ^
yawwwwwwwwwnnnnnnn
September 8th, 2010 at 10:24 AM ^
That's really all he's got.
You're incapable of forming an independent thought, aren't you? I'll give you a pass if English isn't your first language, but otherwise ... damn.
September 8th, 2010 at 9:14 AM ^
That's a terrible analogy. In fact, it's the exact opposite of the point I was making. Smart people acting dumb does not equate to dump people trying to act smart.
In any case, you second point is even worse. Since apparently you still live in a world where State kids are "dumbasses." We can argue about the various moral standards and "lunchbox mentality" within each fan base but let me tell you that it's pretty hard to get into State at this point, and it's not just all the "ruffians" and "ne'er-do-wells" that enroll. Welcome to 2010.
Your third point is actually by far the most terrible. Michigan kids want to get their point across with a chant after 3rd down. They do. OP attests to hearing the chant on TV. That means it uh, comes across in a stadium setting. That's my point. It's literal and it works. Perhaps you can write up a new cheer for temptation, "ouuuuur defense is beeeessst, noooow our offeense's tuuuuurn" but it would probably suck and be too complex to understand. Certainly the whole student section wouldn't join in, because, as you may have noticed, the kids enjoy harassing the other team these days. And with the tuition they're paying, I'm willing to let them.
Perhaps a viable alternative would be something like "defense-sieve, defense-sieve" or "defense-suck, defense-suck" because it's simple and it relates to hockey. But your general idea about getting more creative, it's a bad idea.
September 8th, 2010 at 10:33 AM ^
But there seems to be a reading comprehension problem here. Yes, the words 'you suck' do come across. What fail to come across is that this is smart kids letting loose, or whatever navel-gazing gloss it is that you've put on this thing.
Yeah, if I had to come up with something, it might suck. But the student body at large can do better than You Suck, I pray god. Maybe not you personally, but someone.
To your point. This:
We can argue about the various moral standards and "lunchbox mentality" within each fan base but let me tell you that it's pretty hard to get into State at this point, and it's not just all the "ruffians" and "ne'er-do-wells" that enroll. Welcome to 2010.
Is a hot mess. Of coure it's not all morons that get into State, but the crowd at a State game is unquestionably a dumbass collective. The culture of the football program at State is rife with dumbassery. I have no idea what the fuck you're talking about with lunchbox mentalities, since no one brought up white linebackers or fullbacks with marginal speed and warrior hearts. Nor the 2004 Pistons. At any rate, I don't really have any interest in arguing it.
Finally, that's really a great story about admissions standards in 2010. Everyone is proud of you.
September 8th, 2010 at 11:39 AM ^
Unless it's this guy.
September 8th, 2010 at 2:27 AM ^
2003 but started my second year in 2004 during the "stop the chop" campaign.
if you are in this thread and said "the claw" looks like shit your opinion should be disregarded.
last I checked wolverines do not chop or own a tomahawk so doing the chop looks incredibly stupid.
do the claw period. and also even as a stupid I wouldn't participate in the you suck Chant unless it was a big stop because well most people in the stadium are idiots.
I also disagree with doing the way before the 3rd quarter and up less than 3 scores while on defense.
September 8th, 2010 at 2:30 AM ^
The CLAW FTW. The chop is for dbags. We're Wolverines, and therefore we have CLAWZ. ARRRRRGHHHH, and so forth....
September 8th, 2010 at 7:30 AM ^
I wish I could introduce you the The Jim Weber. You guys would love each other.
September 8th, 2010 at 2:32 AM ^
I don't see what the big deal about the chant is. "Suck" doesn't even count as a swear word.
However, I would prefer that people wouldn't do that when there's more than a two score deficit (or lead). People were chanting that late in the game against Oregon 2007, which was pretty stupid. On the other hand, if we're winning by a lot, saying it is just redundant.
September 8th, 2010 at 2:48 AM ^
Crowd noise at football games is meant to antagonize, belittle, demean, and anger anyone associated with the opposing team, hopefully even their players. That is why "you suck" works better than "hooray for our team." Exposing our opponents to a hostile environment contributes to a home-field advantage. You want to know where to draw the line? Try drawing it at the stadium gate. My only problem with "you suck" is the lack of creativity.
I think where this stuff becomes a problem is (i) where people harass and intimidate individual opposing fans outside the stadium (like at Ohio State), or (ii) where people lose their cool and resort to physical violence (like Ohio State fans). Obviously the massive amounts of alcohol consumed at and around football games does not help the situation. Thousands of people shouting "you suck" at the opposing team, during the game, is really not part of the problem.
September 8th, 2010 at 2:49 AM ^
I don't like the chant, and with my "Michigan arrogance" I do think it is beneath us, but it isn't going anywhere.
I'm also not a fan of booing the opposing team, their band, or whatever. I've always thought it's better to say, "Hey, thanks for coming out here to play." And, in good times, "Thanks for coming out here to get beat like a gong."
September 8th, 2010 at 6:22 AM ^
I hate the chant because it's not funny and it's supremely unimaginative. I'm not so sure we're stuck with it, mostly because I've never met anyone who's actually liked the chant. If they made an announcement during a game saying that the chant wasn't funny and we could do better and announced a competition for a better chant, I'm pretty sure "you suck" would die a quick death.
September 8th, 2010 at 7:03 AM ^
i like it. Therefore you have met one person.
September 8th, 2010 at 10:52 AM ^
Giving this thread a quick scan of the about 30-50 commenters, you're the first to express support. The point is few people passionately support the chant. Replacing it would probably be fairly painless.
September 8th, 2010 at 7:35 AM ^
First of all, Wolverine318 doesn't know the difference between 'meeting people' and 'being on a message board.' But that's a story for another day.
But yeah - you nailed it. The only thing offensive about You Suck is how blandly stupid it is. I know 2-3 syllables ain't much to work with, but surely some of the Yost mojo could be borrowed to come up with something a bit more unique.
September 8th, 2010 at 8:04 AM ^
really I don't? SO what constitutes meeting someone? Is it discussing something on a message board, or do we have to go the length where we have to share a beer? Please tell me the exact requirements for meeting someone?
September 8th, 2010 at 12:07 PM ^
- come together; "I'll probably see you at the meeting"; "How nice to see you again!"
- get together socially or for a specific purpose
- converge: be adjacent or come together; "The lines converge at this point"
- fill or meet a want or need
- satisfy a condition or restriction; "Does this paper meet the requirements for the degree?"
- satisfy or fulfill; "meet a need"; "this job doesn't match my dreams"
- collect in one place; "We assembled in the church basement"; "Let's gather in the dining room"
- get to know; get acquainted with; "I met this really handsome guy at a bar last night!"; "we met in Singapore"
- meet by design; be present at the arrival of; "Can you meet me at the train station?"
- contend against an opponent in a sport, game, or battle; "Princeton plays Yale this weekend"; "Charlie likes to play Mary"
- experience as a reaction; "My proposal met with much opposition"
- suffer: undergo or suffer; "meet a violent death"; "suffer a terrible fate"
- touch: be in direct physical contact with; make contact; "The two buildings touch"; "Their hands touched"; "The wire must not contact the metal cover"; "The surfaces contact at this point"
- a meeting at which a number of athletic contests are held
- fitting: being precisely fitting and right; "it is only meet that she should be seated first"
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&defl=en&q=define:meet&sa=X&ei=W7SHTN…
September 8th, 2010 at 6:34 AM ^
But that won't change it. Sometimes it helps if a number of leaders speak to the issue. For instance, if Brandon, Carr, Martin, Rodriguez, Beilein, along with Denard, Brady, and Braylon all signed a PSA flier encouraging fans to stay classy and kill the "you suck" cheers, along with their ilk, it MIGHT make a bit of difference. Things like this change glacially.
We live in a free country. This is mostly good, but it means that everyone has the right to be a tacky, classless jerk, whether others like it or not. "You Suck!" is something like a guy wearing jorts and a jersey. You can't tell a fool much of anything.
September 8th, 2010 at 8:39 AM ^
September 8th, 2010 at 4:01 PM ^
The throwing of marshmallows on the field stopped almost immediately after the AD cracked down.
In this case, I'd just like the see the Daily propose something else for the students to chant.
September 8th, 2010 at 6:50 AM ^
September 8th, 2010 at 7:36 AM ^
AN OUNCE OF PREVENTION IS WORTH A POUND OF CURE!
September 8th, 2010 at 7:03 AM ^
Meh...that particular chant doesn't really bother me.
But for God's Sake, could we stop booing the other team's band? That is pathetic.
September 8th, 2010 at 7:32 AM ^
Would certainly like to see "you suck" gone and hope someone can find a way, but booing the other teams band etc. is more offensive and really should stop immediately. I saw that coming Saturday and really hoped it wouldn't happen, but it did and it was ugly.
September 8th, 2010 at 10:26 AM ^
You are too nice. You probably don't even boo the refs at hockey games.
September 8th, 2010 at 7:40 AM ^
the FSU game from the early 90's.
the entire student section was chanting "F--- the Seminoles" to the FSU war chant, all while putting out our middle fingers and mocking the tomahawk arm action.
It was awesome.
September 8th, 2010 at 12:09 PM ^
Because they played it incessantly, and frankly, we were getting our asses kicked.
September 8th, 2010 at 8:15 AM ^
Apparently the OP has never been to Yost.......
September 8th, 2010 at 8:38 AM ^
So because we are Michigan, every single cheer has to be a brilliant, creative composition? I'm sorry, but no. We're allowed to have the occasional just plain angry, insulting cheer. This is football, not ballroom dance (no offense to our excellent ballroom team!).
September 8th, 2010 at 8:56 AM ^
September 8th, 2010 at 9:07 AM ^
Im totally with you. Every article I read about visiting teams fans, and all the people that I know that go to UM games (im in Ohio so a lot of buckeye fans that go up for the game) they all say what a great experiance they had and how all the UM fans they encountered treated them with respect.
So do I feel bad if we have one cheer where we say "you suck"? Hell no!
Do us all al favor and find something a little more important to cry about.
September 8th, 2010 at 12:58 PM ^
I think the generic argument against "you suck" is that the Michigan crowd should do 2 things:
1) Cheer for Michigan
2) If you insult another team, make it timely and clever (i.e. comedic). (See M Hockey crowd. There's a method to all of that madness, and it's a beautiful thing)
I'm all for being insulting in a crowd enviroment... in the spirit of arrogance.
September 9th, 2010 at 12:13 AM ^
As a four-year veteran of the Yost hockey crowd, there's nothing I appreciate more than the student section's timely and hilarious insults. However, you'll have to work pretty hard to convince me that chanting "ug-ly par-ents clap clap clapclapclap" is all that witty. Even the hockey crowd throws in some random jabs.
I like having a lot of creative cheers, and I like having a lot of pro-Michigan cheers, I'm just saying, there's nothing wrong with occasionally just insulting people. :)
September 8th, 2010 at 8:50 AM ^
Students: Please stop. You're better than that. You don't go to Maryland, you go to Michigan.
Not a rival, clap clap clap clap clap. Not a rival, clap clap clap clap clap.
September 8th, 2010 at 8:54 AM ^
September 8th, 2010 at 9:15 AM ^
I don't care how classless it is. It's a terrible cheer because it's boring and not clever at all.
It's not a "get off my lawn" situation. It's a "stop resorting to Michigan State level humor" situation. Yes, they say worse things at Yost, but they're much more clever.
September 8th, 2010 at 9:27 AM ^
The chant is fine. It just doesn't make sense when the other team goes for 4th down and converts it. That said I'd prefer if we changed "You suck" to "It's a trap", but I have no reason for that.
September 8th, 2010 at 9:27 AM ^
Why do you feel the need to ruin people's fun? It is pretty harmless.
Though, to be fair, I am usually the guy that adds "You fucking suck!" at the end.
September 8th, 2010 at 9:42 AM ^
1) It's not the "chop", it's a first down signal. The chop was coined by the Daily to motivate people to change to the claw. I shouldn't be surprised that some douche at the Daily was able to convince enough people that: chop bad, claw good. I remember people bringing signs to games to get rid of the "chop". Morons.
2) The claw is the weakest attempt at a student cheer or pseudo-tradition that I've ever seen. It is dumb. Plain and simple. It looks like people are three years old. It isn't intimidating, just completely pathetic.
3) Saying "you suck" is boring and unimaginative. We also say it regardless of the scoreboard. It takes away from Temptation in my opinion. We're already throwing the limp wristed claw, so we might as well tell each other that we suck for doing so.