Rival Defenders and White Knights, explain yourselves

Submitted by The Mad Hatter on

I've noticed a curious phenomenon on this blog and the currently active Sparty disrespekt thread reminded me of it.  Since there is exactly nothing else going on in the Michigan football universe at the moment, I have a question.

Why do you feel the need to defend OSU, and especially MSU, in every single thread about either team?  I'm pretty sure that there's no one on their boards saying "Michigan is going to kick our asses this and every year now that they have Harbaugh as coach", or anything similar.

And yet, every single time OSU or MSU is mentioned here, several people show up in a thread with...

"MSU will be great as long as Dantonio is coach", "We can't say anything until we beat OSU", etc, etc.

WHY?!?!?!?!

 

 

ypsituckyboy

July 18th, 2016 at 1:37 PM ^

Though 99% of our experience on the internet would tell us otherwise, there are some level-headed people walking in this wasteland of reason. Hence boring responses like, "maybe we shouldn't talk crap about MSU football since they've won 7 of the past 8."

Space Coyote

July 18th, 2016 at 1:52 PM ^

So are Michigan slappies, just on the other end of the spectrum. I'd ask "if they jump off a bridge, would you too?", but the insufferable dickholes can all go jump off the figurative bridge as far as I'm concerned. It makes us look stupid as a collective fanbase when we act like insufferable dickholes.

Monocle Smile

July 18th, 2016 at 1:55 PM ^

When we had a streak extending from 2007 back, I don't recall M fans going full Juggalo at every last stupid opportunity. I've gone out in East Lansing after a Michigan victory at Spartan Stadium and I've gone out in Ann Arbor after an MSU victory in the Big House. You can't tell me those two situations contain the exact same behavior with the colors reversed.

Space Coyote

July 18th, 2016 at 2:11 PM ^

Look, MSU fans have been incredibly annoying since they've started winning. I absolutely get that. There is this idea amongst their slappies that because they've won x out of x+1 that it will automatically remain that way forever, and their rationale is that "we were told we wouldn't win ever with both Rich Rod and Hoke", as if that has any bearing on a Harbaugh lead team.

So yes, absolutely, they have been awful because they finally have something to brag about after 40 years. They absolutely were little brother in every way. Now they are winning. We were arrogant, especially to them. We acted like they were beneath us, because on the football field they absolutely were for 40 years. They were a joke. We were winning B1G titles left and right.

But MSU just went to the playoffs. Even if they were lucky to get there, they did. They've won two conference titles in the last three years. They won a Rose Bowl. They beat Baylor. They've had sustained success for the better part of a decade now. Yes, some teams come and go, they've been fairly consistent under Dantonio and had success. They have a right to brag about that.

They've gone past bragging, and have been downright annoying. In turn, whenever Michigan has some success over them, or even before they have success over them, they've become downright insufferable.

So yeah, I agree they've been insufferable since football was invented in 2008. The Michigan slappies have just turned into maize and blue sparty slappies though, and both are equally annoying.

Monocle Smile

July 18th, 2016 at 2:21 PM ^

I see what you're trying to say, but I can't really agree. Maybe I've just dealt with more Sparties and continue to do so. It appears impossible for them to act like they've been there before. It is not impossible for M fans to do so. I speak from a general numbers standpoint, not an all-encompassing absolute.

Yes, Michigan fans are by and large arrogant (and I'd be ashamed of my fan base if everyone were like Mad Hatter), but that's far, far less irritating than the juvenile posturing that inevitably occurs after any win-shaped object that happens to float in MSU's direction.

I was perfectly fine with tipping my hat in MSU's direction after their success in 2008 and even the next year, but I stopped because giving credit has in every case been met with a disproportionate amount of rubbing it in. This is still the case today, which is why I feel this way.

TheRonimal

July 18th, 2016 at 3:44 PM ^

Everybody's experience differs, I guess, but the MSU friends I have aren't assholes at all. They don't ever try to rub it in or anything because they know I would never do that. Maybe instead of lumping all fans of a school into one group you can just look at it case-by-case. If you are interacting with shitty fans either ignore them or find different people to associate yourself with. I was in East Lansing at a bar for the last two Michigan games there with friends that were all exclusively MSU fans. I had no issues whatsoever, and I had a great time even though Michigan did pretty terrible. I've definitely run into some assholes, but I don't interact with them. 



Honestly, the worst fan I can think of is a complete bitch that went to Michigan. Most arrogant person I've ever met. 



On the other hand, I have never really run into an OSU fan I liked at all. I also don't see them very often, but I'm sure some of them might be tolerable. 

clarkiefromcanada

July 18th, 2016 at 8:33 PM ^

But I have a sort of assured confidence that this thing will turn around and particularly so under Harbaugh. I mean, it basically took the guy 6 games with a Brady Hoke roster and a transfer QB to right the ship (and lose in the absolute worst way possible in all of our lives). 

I think we're above all that because, as Michigan fans, we've all lived dominance and expect it to return (yes, it probably is our birthright...too bad haters). That said, there is a reasl variance between Michigan slappies and Sparty slappies. Sparty slappies are the worst, most myopic, short sighted, football began in 2007, Coach D nut hugging, Harbaugh success denying donkeys on the planet. Michigan slappies are just overly hopeful and delusionally positive (see Hoke era).

 

UM Fan from Sydney

July 18th, 2016 at 4:00 PM ^

This is exactly it, but MSU fans like to refer only to the years they have been dominant. If you mention anything prior to 2008, they consider that the leather helmet days. They will say something stupid like, "It's more of 'what have you done for me lately,' ' which is insane because first of all, we won in 2012 and second of all, it's not like 2007 was that long ago in terms of football seasons. They forget that UM owned them for decades prior to 2008 and I'm not talking about the "leather helmet days."

God fucking damn it, I cannot wait for the MSU game. 100% guaranteed that Michigan wins that one. We had no business losing that game last year and certainly have no business losing it this year. I'm actually glad it's in East Lansing because I cannot wait to see their fans' idiotic faces after they realize that Michigan won or is about to.

dipshit moron

July 18th, 2016 at 4:26 PM ^

my gawd what must they have been like from 1950-1969. 20 games and michigan won 4. so bo loses his first msu game, then wins 17 out of the next 20.

   thats what makes me believe most of the msu fans yapping are under 20 years old. im sorry but "all" history matters. when this turns back this year sparty will  have nothing left.

kurpit

July 20th, 2016 at 6:55 PM ^

Some of the Carr years were decades ago and, regardless, it doesn't change my point.

If you have to bring up Carr when talking to an opponent, then you haven't been beating that oppenent recently.

Gooseggs

July 18th, 2016 at 7:32 PM ^

Frequently feels more contrarian than level headed. I think it would be fine to say "they're a good team, but we have a shot" instead of the almost combative defense of those teams. I'm okay with some bias and don't expect fandom to always be level headed.

DrMantisToboggan

July 18th, 2016 at 1:41 PM ^

They'll be great relative to the historical average of MSU teams. They have peaked though. They'll be a 9-3/8-4 squad for the rest of his tenure, which is good. Maybe one more 10-2 year. He'll be considered one of the two best coaches in the history of the program, but they will be measurably below us and OSU for the rest of his time.