Semi OT: Who do you root for: Conference or Rival?
Obviously, with the BCS era, the idea of conference superiority has reigned supreme. The Big 10's image has taken a beating in recent years while the Big 12 and SEC are considered "the primere" conferences. In the non-conference schedule, are you more likely to cheer for another Big 10 team who is a rival hoping that a significant victory will improve the image of the conference or do you root against them because they are a rival? The embodiment of this dilemma is next weekends match up between USC and Ohio State. The Big 10 cannot afford another blemish with a blowout loss of Ohio State to USC, but at the same time, its Ohio State, and any loss is a good loss. Which side are you more likely to cheer for: MSU, OSU, PSU, or Wisconsin to do well in a non-conference game, or an opponent?
September 6th, 2009 at 8:29 PM ^
Play to win. I want every team to he undefeated when we play them because ultimately that looks better. I loved that nd won handidly because if we win next week it makes us look a lot better than beating an 0-1 nd team.
There is nothing better than osu being 10/1-0 and us beating them in the last week to knock them out of the title game.
I completely disagree with people that don't cheer for anyone that we play especially when it benefits the conference.
(all of this isn't to say that I don't love it when they lose but I'd rather them win)
September 6th, 2009 at 8:43 PM ^
There are two teams that I can never root for:
1. OSU
2. USC
Anything else is fair game. As for next week...I want OSU to lose, but either outcome is okay with me, and I am NOT rooting for USC.
September 6th, 2009 at 8:45 PM ^
I root for the Big Ten, but never do I EVER want to see OSU, MSU, or Notre Dame win.
I'll only root for the Badgers, Gophers, or Nittany Lions if they are playing a non-conference game.
I care about Michigan, and Michigan only.
September 6th, 2009 at 9:02 PM ^
I always have the intent going into the game to root for OSU because they are in the Big 10, but then almost as soon as the game starts I say "no f-ing way" and I start to root for whoever they are playing.
I never, ever root for MSU, I absolutely cannot stand those guys. I don't think a program/university/a-holes has ever annoyed me like the group in East Lansing.
I can root for anyone else in the Big 10 usually with no problem, but Bret Bilema definitely is annoying in a dorky, goofball, nerd kinda way.
September 6th, 2009 at 11:45 PM ^
I never would ever root for OSU. However, I am rooting against USC next Saturday if that makes any sense. I really want the B10 to look as good as possible in the nationl spotlight, so when M is atop it, they are looked upon greatly as well.
September 7th, 2009 at 12:07 AM ^
No. I'd be willing to bet not. All they care about is rolling through the conference, being the dominant force, and taking their BCS bid. In years they win OOC games they play for a title.
In an ideal world it'd be nice to knock of 12 teams who were undefeated prior to playing us. It's also impractical, so why bother caring?
If we (like USC) are cream of the crop, and the rest of the Big 10 is a BIG step down, would it really matter? Ask OSU, they've made a few big post-seasons lately.
September 7th, 2009 at 12:48 AM ^
I do want the Big Ten to look good, of course. It just helps us out at the end of the day. But I don't "root" for the rivals. I get as excited about a rival's out-of-conference win as I do when discovering "bag fries" in the bottom of my fast food bag. It's like, well, since they are there, I'll eat 'em.
September 7th, 2009 at 2:34 AM ^
That is a tough call, but I agree with the case by case basis. If it is the difference between making a bowl or not then I might root for the conference rival because it is more money for the conference (more money for UM). Yet, it is early in the season and O$U can afford a loss. I would not cry if they get thrashed Saturday. I want TP and the rest of those jagoffs to get knocked down a peg or five!
September 7th, 2009 at 2:48 AM ^
In general I root for the conference teams to win, but I'd die a happy man if Notre Dame never won another game. Part of growing up in South Bend I suppose.
September 7th, 2009 at 3:28 AM ^
Never for OSU and never for MSU since Dantonio took over.
September 7th, 2009 at 4:06 AM ^
My problem with the idea of conference perception dictating BCS rankings is that it has never been borne out. When South Florida was undefeated a few years ago, people voted them number one. If the season had ended, USF would have gone to the title game.
Did anyone care that the Big East was the weakest BCS conference? Did anyone care that USF had been in Conference USA just two years before? All that mattered was that there was an undefeated team from a BCS conference. Did anyone give a shit about how horribly OSU was embarrassed in the title game when they sent them back the next year? Nope. They were a one loss team from a Big 6 conference.
September 7th, 2009 at 7:19 AM ^
I simply cannot bring myself to root for OSU. I will be rooting for USC, because their fans don't subject UM fans to the hatred shown by OSU fans.
I don't really hate anyone, but if I did, it would be OSU.
September 7th, 2009 at 7:32 PM ^
Rules for Rooting: Michigan
1) Root for what benefits Michigan (Michigan winning a game obviously, but this can include other events)
2) Root against Mich St
3) Root against Ohio St
4) Root against NDp
5) Root against the SEC
6) Root against any Bowden
7) Root against the rest of the Big Ten
8) Root against any other team not indicated
September 7th, 2009 at 8:51 PM ^
- You rank Michigan State as the bigger enemy when compared to Ohio State?
- You keep using NDp. Why? I've never heard anyone use that.
September 7th, 2009 at 9:19 PM ^
1) NDp comes from The Victors Message Board....
http://www.b2g5.com/boards/board.cgi?&user=Mabee
Board etiquette dictated that you should put a (p) in the title header of your post if there was profanity the body of the message. Soon enough, any mention of ND required a (p), and NDp was born.
2) Since I live in Michigan, MSU is important.
September 7th, 2009 at 9:45 PM ^
I lived in Michigan for the first 23 years of my life and I've never considered MSU more important than Ohio State.
September 7th, 2009 at 11:23 PM ^
1) OSU is a nationally known program. MSU is not. When we beat OSU, the national rewards are great. When we beat MSU, we get almost no reward nationally, as we're expected to beat MSU. However, when we lose to MSU, it is always more damaging both in-state and nationally than is losing to OSU.
2) We always play MSU before playing OSU (duh!). If we played OSU first, the relative importance of the two games would change. Remember that OSU wasn't always our season-ending game and big rival---Minnesota was, and before that Chicago. OSU didn't become a major rival for us (at least in our minds) until: a) they moved to the last game in 1935, and b) Woody Hayes showed up in 1951. So, one reason OSU is perceived as more important than MSU is because of the scheduling order of the games.
3) MSU joining the conference in 1953 was bad overall for Michigan (just ask Fritz Crisler), though some positives (Bo) came from it. If MSU had remained independent or joined the MAC, their successes would've been much longer in coming. We would have likely been more consistently successful during the 50's and 60's. Conference membership gives them an amount of regional credibility, despite their multiple probations, self-inflicted destructions, etc. We now have to avoid losing to them every year in order to maintain our historical superiority.
Thus, (please read this carefully) not losing to MSU is more important to me as a Michigan resident, than is beating OSU.
GO BLUE!
September 7th, 2009 at 9:46 PM ^
1) Fair enough. It's not necessary here. Profanity shouldn't be that rampant of a problem.
2) More important than Ohio State? Fair enough then.
September 7th, 2009 at 8:41 PM ^
I wouldn't root for ohio state if they played the nazis. you know what, that ought to be on a shirt.
September 7th, 2009 at 10:15 PM ^
What is good for the conference, is good for each of the teams. The Big Ten teams winning OOC games is good for the conference as a whole, and thus good for Michigan. That is why I root for the conference teams.
Additionally, I get the feeling that many of the very anti-rivals live in Big Ten territory, and thus get inundated with the teams from the conference. Live in ACC, SEC, Big East or PAC Ten territory for a few years (particularly before all of the Big Ten games were televised somewhere on the cable) you start missing those seeing the games from the Midwest. A few years ago I was really tired of only having Duke, UNC, NC State, UVa and Clemson on TV all of the time.
September 7th, 2009 at 10:18 PM ^
In this weekend's game, I am hoping that OSU loses late in the game in a very close game. That way the Big 10 still kind of looks good, but OSU still loses. And I always root against MSU, even against OSU. Having to deal with State fans after they win is horrible. State is the only team that I will ever want OSU to win against. That said, I still dislike OSU much more than MSU, I just don't have to deal with as many OSU fans.