Second occurance of former players calling fans "muggles"

Players seeing themselves as fundamentally different and acting that way is nothing new in Ann Arbor. I had a few players in my classes when I was at UM in the early to mid-'70s, and most of them regarded us non-players with a mixture of condescension, amused disdain, or outright contempt, depending on the circumstances. A WR almost took my head off with a volleyball in the IM building in '78 when I had the temerity to vocally root for the other team. I had an offensive lineman in an econ or history class with me in '71 and his demeanor towards the rest of us during the entire semester ranged from bored indifference to barely disguised disgust. I attempted to make conversation with him once or twice during the first week and he basically ignored me. I had a DB in my section in the architecture program in the mid-70's, and while he was actually a nice guy, it was clear in talking with him that he and his teammates thought of themselves as fundamentally different from—and in many ways better than—non-athletes.

Any time you have a group of young men who spend most of their time with each other in a highly charged and stressful environment, whose physical and mental training is fundamentally different from that of those outside their group, whose adult teachers and leaders spend virtually all of their time with them, it is inevitable that they will see themselves as apart from—and often superior to—the outside world. Among other things, they'll automatically resent outside criticism of their coaches. In many ways it's like the military, especially for elite units like the Marines or Rangers or SEALs or fighter jocks, and many if not most military career people instinctively resent civilian control of the military in this country, even if they understand it's how things work here.

I'm not going to get all worked up about the muggles stuff. Considering the abuse that players like John Navarre and Devin Gardner have had to endure from asshole fans, the fanbase ought to check itself before getting all indignant about this.

An AD has NEVER been run out of town like Brandon just was. The football team's performance is a big reason why he's gone, but there was TONS of fan discontent for other reasons.

Personally, I think some former players are making up excuses for why their favorite AD was fired, just to make themselves feel better.

 

Well excuse me all over the place!

Is this really a surprise? Our fan base is toxic! Anybody who's a reguar of this board can attest to that.

We need to get over it. In general, people get upset when other people have opinions that are opposite of their own. Are you surprised that the athletes liked Brandon? They had a totally different perspective of him. It's OK that they defend him, and OK that they blame "fans/muggles" for his resignation (because we are responsible). As for using the term, who cares.

Please can we let this go. It'll all blow over once the new AD comes in and cares just as much about athletes without being a prick to everyone else.

Some of you on this board are so far away from understanding what athletes go through it's not even funny. You think the football team enjoys hearing what some guy, with no football experience, grades them every week?? Or the fact a boycott was started on this very site? In athletics you earn respect. Some of you think you deserve it because you post on here or have a degree from the University. The students flat out whined and cried about Dave Brandon yet where were they yesterday?? They didn't hold there end of the bargain up. The players disdain for some fans is because how you sit here and think you have a clue what goes into it. And maybe some of you are young but Brandon answered those emails exactly how Bo would of. I'm not excusing how he handled the situation but don't complain about Brandon yet praise Bo. They are cut from the same cloth.

Who cares what a player that constantly failed on the field thinks. I would hate the fans too if I sucked and the fans let me know by not clapping. The one guy that is clapping is failing them and they love him. They are young and naive. They will soon have to work and actually perform to keep their jobs. They will see if winning matters in life, or if it's just a statistic as their lazy coach teaches them.

EVERY athlete thinks of themselves as superior to their fans.

I do, however, think it's hilarious when they post something so idiotic on a social network to prove this is how they feel.

They get what they deserve. I don't feel bad for them in the least

Meh. We muggles will keep forming mobs until we drag these losers kicking and screaming back to respectability. It's starting to appear more and more like Brady is a player's coach whom everybody loves but does nothing to instill a killer instinct in the kids. Give me a Bo (or Jimmy H) who all the players despise until he turns them into all big 10 players and conference champs. I'm guessing if we bring a hard ass in as next coach there will be a bunch of defections out of the gate

between a team and it's fans, the players are the heroes for the cause, the fans the supporters. With all the stink that has been raised during the Coach Rod years, and now the Brady era, the difference has become a divide: Quite a few 'fan' voices have been vocal about removing Brandon as AD and that doesn't sit right with the players, who see Brandon as part of the team. Brandon actually played for Bo, which gives Dave license to be a personal influence on the football team, as well as a good reason for the players to accept him as one of them. Brandon is part of the 'Lore', as well as being a shining example of what being a 'Michigan Man' is all about; he is someone who is to be looked up to along the rank and file of the team.

The fans don't see Dave Brandon that way, more of an outsider ironically, the guy responsible for all the 'change' from tradition: The guy who is instrumental in the blame for the losses, the 'corporate image' which has supplanted the traditional feel to the game, and of course the ticket price hike.

The fans see him as a guy with a job who has stung them directly by his decisions, the team sees him as one of them who shoulders the blame for the losses, as all good teams do. One one side you have football as the sport that the team plays, the other as the cash cow that directly influences the fans. While winning may have quieted the criticism of his handling of the department, the losses clearly demonstrated the difference between the team and it's supporters.

 

 

...that athletes can't  see (or refuse to) that it's possible to build the facilities and revenue stream while treating customers with respect and dignity at the same time.

Just b/c a CEO supports the product developers doesn't entitle him to take a dump all over the customer.

Should the technological geniuses at Apple get to decide who the Board of Directors is over the stockholders? Would it have been okay for Steve Jobs to write emails to disgruntled Apple customers saying, "Go find another product to buy. We'll be fine without you."  

Just let it go.  The players are going to have a different perspective on Brandon than the fans are.  It's not a big deal.  He's gone regardless.

F the non-muggles. How many billionaires are athletes. This was a dumb joke by a young football player who doesn't understand how hard it is to pay $100,000 for a degree. I am paying for my school. He didn't. It is the same bullying attitude by football players in the school.

Mealer just needs to grow up and look around. Not everyone can be a football player. On the same token, not everyone can be Bill Gates.

It is us non-muggles who buy your stupid jerseys and worship what you say.

F both Dez and Mealer. I loved Dez play, but I am disappointed in him now.

This just seems like a symptom of the overall problem. I have had the feeling for a long time the the primary focus of the football program is to keep insiders (players and coaches with previous connection to the team) in charge. The reaction to RR was an example of this. Brady Hoke quickly becoming the only candidate is another. He appeared to be the only "Michigan Man" in good standing who could take the job.

One would think Miles and Harbaugh would be options but it seems like they were not in good standing (apparently they violated some type on internal code)

I am sure this group feels that the path to success is to hire people loyal to the program with deep connections to the past. Unfortunately it seems like this approach has led to an internally focused program that is resistant to changes needed to adapt and be successful.

I am not saying we don't need to respect our former players and coaches but that does not mean they need to be in charge. An outside AD (and potentially coach) is going to have to change this culture. The push back from the old guard will probably be ugly but a change is needed

I am not surprised that some athletes have a different opinion of Brandon, but I am disappointed in how some of them are choosing to express it. Aren't fans important to athletes?

If that offends you then you probably are a muggle. If you understand that a player could get frustrated with the fact that most fans have no idea of what it takes to be a player, yet can spew opinions about the team and players, as if they were actually on the team, then you you probably arent upset about the comment. Maybe the mob should leave these players alone as well or their point will basically be made.

 

Please let this thing go. There's always been a schism between jocks and students. It's not a big deal. Let it go.

Am I offended?  No.  Do I like seeing this type of thing from my alma mater's football program?  Hell no!  The program is obviously fractured but it's nothing that the right AD and head coach wouldn't be able to fix quickly.