jg2112

August 24th, 2010 at 8:54 AM ^

It's called the marketplace, which is what's driving these changes.

Don't like that The Game might get changed to a different date during the schedule?

Stop watching Big Ten football. Stop buying merchandise. Stop buying tickets to the football games.

Not willing to do that?

Then you really don't believe as strongly in this as you think you do.

Joined: 11/24/2008

MGoPoints: 9925

wolverine1987

August 24th, 2010 at 2:02 PM ^

I get the argument that Facebook will do nothing, its a defeatist one, but probably correct despite that. But to say that if a fan doesn't like a decision made by an AD that he should boycott the marketplace and stop watching football is stupefying. 

BTW, "the marketplace" is not driving shit here. Brandon, Delaney et. al. are. There is not one single extra dollar involved with moving the date of the OSU/M game. There would be zero dollar loss to keep us in the same division and still have the championship game. The championship game is where the money is and that is where your marketplace comment begins and ends.

Joined: 07/07/2008

MGoPoints: 18111

BiSB

August 24th, 2010 at 9:07 AM ^

but he's right.  Facebook groups are somewhere between online petitions and MGoBlog diaries when it comes to shaping policy. 

I know people are upset with the potential change.  But if you want to rage against the dying of The Game, you'll have to do something WAY more concrete than a Facebook group.  Picket the AD's office.  Picket the Mary Sue's place.  Contact your state representative and state senator.  Call the Governor.  Call the Regents' offices.  Contact local media. Stage a hunger strike.  SOMETHING.

But frankly, even those types of actions will be pretty fruitless at this point.  This is a decision being made by a small group of highly sophisticated people, with huge amounts of money in the balance. They aren't going to be swayed by anything short of a massive public uprising (and no, facebook doesn't count). 

If you want to join the Facebook group, by all means feel free.  But we are passengers on this particular journey, ladies and gentlemen, and the path will be decided by others.  Adjust your expectations accordingly.

/steps down from soapbox

Joined: 08/15/2009

MGoPoints: 46071

jmblue

August 24th, 2010 at 5:24 PM ^

A family friend of ours is a fairly significant donor to the AD, and he has promised me he'll bring this up with Brandon. Surprisingly, a large number of donors are still completely in the dark about all this.   If anyone else here has connections to donors, I urge you to make sure they're aware of what's going on.   

Joined: 11/07/2008

MGoPoints: 103033

van

August 24th, 2010 at 11:58 AM ^

It's not the facebook page itself, but the attention it would generate. Of course, if the page only has a relatively small number of fans, it won't do much, but if large numbers of fans join, it'd be cited in news stories, etc (like a smaller version of the fire Ron Zook page).

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 1970

zxcvbn

August 24th, 2010 at 11:45 AM ^

that we don't have the sheer numbers that a mere facebook group could change something already in place. But if somebody who actually does have some position of power, or knows someone in that position of power, (I'm certainly not one of those people), than I want there to be a place they can go to to show the kind of support they need. 

And, ultimately it might not make a difference. But, at the very least, it makes me feel better that I can do something about it.

Joined: 08/06/2010

MGoPoints: 616

DesHow21

August 24th, 2010 at 9:25 AM ^

moving the Game and what not is just a plot by the Pimp Hand of Brandon to give RR some breathing room ? 

Think about it, the last few days the fanbase has been so caught up with this stuff, that we haven't had the time to fret about 3rd string TE's not looking good or the 4th string special teamer coming in 5 pounds over-weight and so on...

 

Brandon is one smart mofo, i'll grant him that!

Joined: 07/29/2008

MGoPoints: 1561

Bosch

August 24th, 2010 at 10:01 AM ^

Many of us had wet dreams over adding a 12th member to the Big Ten.  We got a solid addition in Nebraska and now we are whining because Delaney is apparently going to unveil an alignment that he feels is best for the conference as a whole (yes, there are 10 other conference members) and Brandon is being supportive of that.

Does it sting a little knowing that Michigan and OSU may no longer be playing on the last weekend of the season.  Sure.  With that said, I personally didn't think playing OSU on the last game over the past two seasons was all that special.  That game means something when both teams are competitive and fighting for championships.  You know what?  When that is that case, then they will be playing on the last weekend.

We're throwing tantrums that our rivalry game is being moved while Nebraska is going to likely lose association with long standing rivals (just as PSU did with Pittsburgh).  I'm not hearing too much bitching out of Nebraska fan.  Are you going to continue to whine if and when the Big Ten goes to 14 teams because maintaining traditional rivalries will only get more complicated?

Seriously.  You might want to run out and get some Hair Color for Men.  The blue hair is starting to come through.

Joined: 04/03/2009

MGoPoints: 8194

Adrian

August 24th, 2010 at 10:01 AM ^

I second that. The game will mean so much more if were in separate divisions and battle at the end of the season for the big 10 championship, playing them two weeks in a row wouldnt be bad if we win both times

Joined: 08/12/2009

MGoPoints: 5829

jmblue

August 24th, 2010 at 5:29 PM ^

No, it will mean less.  We will no longer be competing with OSU in the divisional standings, so it won't really be a must-win from a division-title standpoint.  It will be almost like a nonconference game.  We can't knock them out of the title game if they sweep their division rivals.  Those games (and specifically PSU, who will replace us as their end-of-season rival) will eventually replace UM-OSU in importance. 

You can't build a rivalry on the promise of a title-game rematch.  Those are rare fluke occurrences.  It has to be based on the regular-season meeting.  Playing OSU in October in a cross-division game simply won't be as important as playing them in November for the division title. 

Joined: 11/07/2008

MGoPoints: 103033

Ernis

August 24th, 2010 at 11:46 AM ^

the meaning of The Game is more important from the team's perspective. Having it at the end of the regular season has a significant effect on each teams' preparation leading up to it, and that is what makes it special.

The nebulous emotional reactions we all have to the mystical "Last Game" concept is not what matters -- it is the unveiling of, ideally, each team at its best. New plays, new formations, and renewed vigor.

davek5872 made a good point, with a dilemma: If there's a rematch, then how much of the "new" and "best" of each team will we see? That is a dilemma, indeed, and one that will be left up to the coaches. HOWEVA, I can guratantee that if the game is moved to the middle of the season, we will certainly see the least amount of "new" and "best" from each team.

The significance of The Game's placement is not strictly derived from intangibles. Some of it has real-stuff implications... and will be lost. We shall lament.

Joined: 09/23/2008

MGoPoints: 11484

Bosch

August 24th, 2010 at 9:56 AM ^

Accidentally uncovered a system flaw.

If you inadvertently hit save at the bottom of the page, your comment will still be posted void of text, even with the subject field blank.

Joined: 04/03/2009

MGoPoints: 8194

davek5872

August 24th, 2010 at 11:20 AM ^

Say, we're Michigan (big stretch of the imagination).

What if we have 1 recent bad loss, are out of the national title hunt, but lead our division by a game or more.

What if this clinches our division and we're going to play in the Big 10 championship game regardless of outcome with OSU at the end of the season.

Do we play our 4th string in the last game to make sure no one gets hurt?  Can I play?  Why give everything to an opponent you're going to see again in 2 weeks?  Pros do it all the time. 

Sure you could say - "It's OSU - I'd never do that" Or "I give 110% no matter what".  But would you really?  Would you really risk your players to injury in a game that didn't matter to an opponent you're going to see again right away?

I'm afraid that one of the prices of a championship game is the fact that, on some level, the last game of the year could (and will in some years) be meaningless.

Moving the UM/OSU game to October might mitigate a lot of these issues and keep the game meaningful.

Joined: 09/27/2009

MGoPoints: 36

davek5872

August 24th, 2010 at 12:24 PM ^

That's fine....except the Big 10 hasn't been split into two divisions before.

Last year, Nebraska, Texas, Florida, and Alabama all clinched championship spots before the last game. 

If you go undefeated in your division, wouldn't it make sense that you would own the tie-breaker for the championship game going into the last week (assuming your last opponnent is not also undefeated)?

I think with two divisions this could happen quite a bit.

Edit:  The last 3 SEC Western division champions have been decided BEFORE the last week of the season....

Also, we're not talking about winning the conference.  Beating OSU in the last game of the regular season will no longer do that.  That will ONLY be done in the championship game.

Assuming the Big 10 wants UM/OSU to have the opportunity to play in the championship game, they will have to be in different divisions.  Therefore, if UM/OSU continue to play in the last game, then divisional play will be over already. 

Therefore, the game will truly be meaningless as the outcome will have no bearing on the divisional standings.

That sounds bad....

Joined: 09/27/2009

MGoPoints: 36

tpilews

August 24th, 2010 at 1:06 PM ^

Yes, everything you've said is true. I guess you have to move the UM/osu game away from the last regular season game and put a division rival in their place. Historically, Nebraska #2 and UM #3 would be paired, with osu #1 and Penn State #4 piared to play the last weekend in the other division. This would ensure that, most years, the last weekend would likely decide who goes to the CG. Perhaps the UM/osu game would be moved up to the weekend before.

I think the Big10 should keep that last game flexible though, so that if a team is supposed to be down that year, they can hopefully pair up the best two teams in the division the last weekend.

Joined: 10/17/2008

MGoPoints: 3125

jmblue

August 24th, 2010 at 5:33 PM ^

What if this clinches our division and we're going to play in the Big 10 championship game regardless of outcome with OSU at the end of the season....

I'm afraid that one of the prices of a championship game is the fact that, on some level, the last game of the year could (and will in some years) be meaningless.

Which is why Michigan and OSU should be in the SAME division.  The Game, played at the end of the year, will settle the division title. 

Joined: 11/07/2008

MGoPoints: 103033