Team rushing student section: An answer to Brian's question
Brian put out in a recent blog his answer to a question he was asked regarding when the team began rushing the student section and asked readers for responses and recollections.
After significant wins, (1997 win over OSU, leaving Michigan undefeated in the regular season and headed to the Rose Bowl, and the last-second Manningham catch to beat PSU, for example) the fans rushed the field. I don't ever remember the team rushing the stands, even as a one-off kind of event.
The team began rushing the student section on a regular basis during the first year of the RR era, and only after a win, of course. I remember at the time the feeling of it was the team's response for the fans being "all in." Since the RR wins were not at the level of significance as mentioned above (perhaps only the comeback win against Wisky), the fans would not be rushing the field, so the team rushed the fans. It has been occurring ever since--and might I add at every home game thus far during Hoke's reign.
October 31st, 2012 at 12:33 PM ^
Like 5 people have noted, and have photographic evidence of, the team rushing the student section in 2002 - 6 years prior to Rodriguez.
October 31st, 2012 at 1:06 PM ^
I have seen the photographic evidence as posted. It shows a couple of players, including Phil Brabbs, at the retaining wall in the student section.
Is there photographic evidence of the team going over, as a team, as they do now? And singing The Victors? I was there for virtually all of those games, going back to, well, ahem, 1974. I do not recall it being any big deal. I would never doubt that there may be plenty of older photos like the one of Brabbs, et al. I do recall some players coming over to the student section, in the general milling about at the end of the game. I also recall some crazy, confused scenes at the end of some wins (and some losses).
If someone wants to posit some sort of evidence that it pre-dated Rodriguez, I am cool with that. I just don't recall it, having been there. I am particularly cool with someone attributing it to someone other than Rodriguez, because (as was pointed out in the comments under Brian's main-page post) it is something that I always identified as a Notre Dame tradition, and therefore wanted no part of it.
October 31st, 2012 at 1:17 PM ^
I don't know what to tell you. I was at the 2002 Washington and PSU games, and saw it happen.
I don't believe they sang the Victors.
However, I don't believe "singing the victors was part of the question Brian was asked. Wait...it wasn't!
You gave a list of when people rushed the field, but when was the first time the players ran over to the student section? I was in the band at the turn of the century (Boom. Old-timed.) and I don't remember that ever occurring. The first time I remember it happening was the Manningham TD against Penn State. Was that the first? When else can you remember it happening?
So, if you want to answer a different question, that's fine. I'll answer the one that was asked.
October 31st, 2012 at 1:20 PM ^
One more bad idea that would be falsely attributed to Rich Rodriguez. A win-win. Thank you very much.
October 31st, 2012 at 2:14 PM ^
I'll take an eye witness account as fairly accurate however I think it has consistently been a thing since the 08 Wisconsin game. I think that was the start of what happens now with them singing The Victors.
October 31st, 2012 at 2:34 PM ^
The reason I recall it is that I was pretty excited that my guest for the game was the Dean of Wisconsin's business school, who loves college football and who is a wonderfully nice guy, and I commented to him that, "That's weird, I don't recall the team doing that before; it is what Notre Dame does." I think it was our Big Ten opener, and I don't honestly recall if I had stayed through to the end of all of the other games that year (first game was the loss to Utah, then the win over Miami-OH, then we were away at Notre Dame).
November 1st, 2012 at 8:45 PM ^
2002 was my (5th yr) senior year and yes the players came over after both the Washington and Penn State games. I don't think we sang the Victors for Washington, but we (the fans) did for Penn State. Not out of tradition--more like everyone was sitting there all happy and well what else are we going to do. The players kind of hopped up and down and slapped people 5. Alijah Bradley and Victor Hobson (the two sixes) both leapt into our group and the pic is still up on DeSimone's page.
One of my favorite Michigan pics--Alijah looks like a kid who just put on Hobson armor. I would have been a few rows back and to Bradley's right.
October 31st, 2012 at 12:35 PM ^
...and the players definitely came over and jumped up on the wall. It's cool to have the team come over to their fellow classmates like that, so I'm glad that it happens more often now.
October 31st, 2012 at 12:40 PM ^
Yes. I distinctly remember this happening.
October 31st, 2012 at 11:21 PM ^
There were no fans rushing the field in the 2005 PSU game, in fact the thing that struck me most was not only that the fans stayed in the stands but that they stayed in the stands for a very long time after the game. This was the first time I remember the team going to the student section, but that does not mean it did not happen before. Either way, it was not an RR thing. Either way, I rather like the tradition now.
October 31st, 2012 at 12:43 PM ^
...this (somewhat) new tradition if it existed in the '80s. It clearly helps bridge the student/student-athlete gap.
October 31st, 2012 at 12:51 PM ^
I was there at the 2002 Washington game with my Blue-hair uncle and my sister who was going to a frosh at UDub that fall. I remember Brabbs hitting the field goal, me taunting my sister, and my uncle (Season ticket holder for AGES) saying "Oh, I wonder if that's going to be a new tradition for the players to run to the student section after wins, I like that"
October 31st, 2012 at 12:52 PM ^
Show me that big Dougie smile.
October 31st, 2012 at 1:03 PM ^
Don't remember the fans rushing the field VS. PSU with the Maningham catch. I was there and I'm sure I woulda been on the field if that were to have happened.
October 31st, 2012 at 1:06 PM ^
It started after EVERY win at RR. He wanted the team to come over, celebrate with the fans and then sing The Victors with the students and the band at the end of every game.
October 31st, 2012 at 1:08 PM ^
ITT: People who hate RR claim it began in 2002, people who like RR swear it began after the Miami (NTM) win in 2008.
October 31st, 2012 at 1:15 PM ^
Your theory fails. Yes, I very much like Rodriguez; no, I don't like our adoption of somebody else's tradition; and yes, I think the non-spontaneous student section rush became a "thing" at the end of Michigan victories under Rodriguez.
October 31st, 2012 at 1:19 PM ^
I don't hate Rodriguez. I just know that it was done before him. The actual question was "when was the first time it was done", AND THE GUY THAT ASKED THE QUESTION CITED A TIME IN 2005.
Rodriguez is thus automatically precluded.
October 31st, 2012 at 1:54 PM ^
October 31st, 2012 at 2:46 PM ^
OP I don't understand this post if you lack the real answer.
Brian already said that he remembered it happening before RR and everyone knows rushing the stands became a regular occurrence during his tenure but the idea is when did it FIRST start.
November 1st, 2012 at 9:50 AM ^
because I didn't see anyone else try to address Brian's question here. I didn't head my post with "'THE' answer to Brian's question", it was "'AN' answer to Brian's question." I, like Brian, was going by memory. While I didn't recall when the first celebration in this manner took place, I felt it was reasonable to stipulate that celebrating with the students ON A REGULAR BASIS began with RR, thus my answer. I was hoping to get out of the post exactly what transpired: others' input.
October 31st, 2012 at 3:12 PM ^
Long before RichRod...
1997 Penn State game in Happy Valley:
1999 Penn State game in Happy Valley:
2002 Washington game at the big house:
2002 Penn State game at the big house:
2003 Notre Dame game at the big house:
2005 Penn State game at the big house:
And being at Braylonfest in 2004 myself, they celebrated in the student section for that one too but I'm having trouble finding a picture of it online.
October 31st, 2012 at 11:24 PM ^
Hard to argue with this photographic evidence.
October 31st, 2012 at 4:16 PM ^
I was at the 2005 Penn State win, and I don't remember the fans rushing the field. In fact, I remember wanting to rush the field and being disappointed that it didn't happen. I guess it was because that was our seventh straight win over Penn State.
October 31st, 2012 at 4:54 PM ^
I was also there. I'm almost certain no fans rushed the field. Before the 2011 Ohio game, the last time (as far as I know) was the '03 game.
October 31st, 2012 at 4:54 PM ^
rodriguez started the tradition of singing the victors with the student section after each home victory. not "rushing" the student section.
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Following yesterday's victory - UM's first under Rodriguez - the team gathered in front of the student section for a hearty rendition of "Hail to the Victors."
It's one of many new traditions established since Rodriguez arrived.
"Is that alright with everybody? I'm not upsetting the apple cart with that thing?" Rodriguez said. "Some of the players asked me about it before, and I thought it would be a neat thing and they enjoyed it. Hopefully we get to do it a few more times."
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http://www.toledoblade.com/Michigan/2008/09/07/Wolverines-Notebook-Offe…
October 31st, 2012 at 6:08 PM ^
"Is that alright with everybody? I'm not upsetting the apple cart with that thing?" Rodriguez said.Given all that we know now, that seemingly sarcastic question by Rodriguez is quite telling.
October 31st, 2012 at 6:47 PM ^
So Rodriguez brings in an idea popular at other schools, something that he thinks would be fun for the players, the students and the band. Something that might turn into a tradition that everybody might appreciate.
And as far as I can tell, Rodriguez was right. What he established, has become very popular; an emotional lift for students after a home win. So much so, that current students have a hard time remembering when it started. A new tradition that would seemingly get an 80 or 90 percent favorability rating on this Board.
I say that from the perspective of someone who defended Rodriguez all along, and yet who actually doesn't like the new postgame Victors routine. Of course, what Rodriguez may not have known, is that it looks exactly like what Notre Dame does. Had Rodriguez ever coached a game in South Bend? I don't know. It actually isn't even as cool as the Buckeyes doing Carmen Ohio at the end of their games. (When did that start? Was it a Tressel idea?)
But yeah, there is in hindsight a bit of sarcasm in that Rodriguez quote, which may have been reflective of his already having to deal with some of the hidebound pricks among the football alumni, etc.
October 31st, 2012 at 9:47 PM ^
will jump on the scorer's table like Chris, Juwan and co. did in 1993? Good times. Except for the fact that the students were way up high (I was in the last row) and we could only buy split season tickets because demand was so high!
It's nice that they now take care of the students a little better...
November 1st, 2012 at 5:15 PM ^
I was a cheerleader during the RR era and coach told us and the band before his first game that after every win the team is going run over to the student section and sing the victors the fans. Im not saying this was the first time in the history of michigan football that it happened but RR wanted it to happen after every win.
November 5th, 2012 at 10:35 AM ^
The blog site owner.