Traditions for The Game -- What are yours?
I'm a superstitious fan and half-heartedly believe (hey, you never know) that I can affect the outcome of the game with my behaviors. As far as The Game goes, there's the Graveyard Walk in Ann Arbor and that very odd tradition in Columbus where fans pee in a lake. This year, my husband and I are in a new house, and we're going to start a new tradition: building a bonfire in our backyard to drive away bad juju and summon the spirits of victory for the mighty Wolverines. Maybe an animal sacrifice (in this case, tossing a few Bucknuts on the fire) or a Ryan Day voodoo doll thrown in for good measure. Do you all have any pre-Game traditions?
November 20th, 2023 at 9:03 PM ^
Spend the week overly anxious trying not to think about how nervous I am about the game…yet still read this blog 45 times a day.
November 21st, 2023 at 7:03 AM ^
45? Gotta get those numbers up. Those are rookie numbers.
November 20th, 2023 at 9:06 PM ^
Not watching because my nerves can’t stand it.
November 20th, 2023 at 9:07 PM ^
Last year during the game I harvested a deer, gutted and skinned it. Seemed to work.
November 20th, 2023 at 9:33 PM ^
Can you do that again this year?
November 21st, 2023 at 6:19 AM ^
unlike last year with the game in columbus, i have a game to attend so 'harvesting' deer in the stadium would probably get me in big trouble.
but, was in AA for the 2021 game and that worked out, so no problem. hoping for snow. love the snow.
November 20th, 2023 at 10:33 PM ^
For years I have deer hunted and just checked the score on my phone. Watch the recording if we won (never). In 2021 my son suggested he come over and watch the game--I couldn't say no--and we won.
I watched live last year again so I guess I'm stuck. No hunting and nerves be damned.
November 20th, 2023 at 10:37 PM ^
Upvotes aren't working for me so consider this an affirmative upvote.
November 21st, 2023 at 12:18 AM ^
Interested to hear there's a lot of this out there.
I had a friend in college who'd grown up in Ann Arbor (his father was a professor) and he also couldn't watch. He'd walk past the dorm, look in the window of the common area and figure out how things were going by the look on my face.
This was 1980; the news was always good.
November 21st, 2023 at 2:23 PM ^
I used to be better about it, but once my son started wrestling there's now only sport I can watch with my nerves turned up to a high pitch and that's his wrestling, I just kind of burn out on my ability to handle being stressed out about something I can't control, so I find something else to do until the game is over, check the score and then watch afterwards if Michigan won.
November 20th, 2023 at 9:08 PM ^
I put the Christmas tree up with my family then puke in a bucket and watch The Game.
November 20th, 2023 at 9:11 PM ^
Same, though there's usually a lot of beer involved. Thankfully I'm a happy drunk.
November 20th, 2023 at 9:10 PM ^
pacing around the house
cussing at the TV
clapping really loud
pacing around the house
cussing at the TV
November 21st, 2023 at 12:20 AM ^
And clapping really loud again, RIGHT?!
November 20th, 2023 at 9:11 PM ^
I just spend the entire week hating the Bucknuts…game day will be a rage above all rages.
November 20th, 2023 at 9:36 PM ^
Testify! Michigan needs Rage Against the Machine and Take The Power Back and hit them with a Fistful Of Steel like Bulls On Parade, Freedom!!
November 20th, 2023 at 9:14 PM ^
Enjoying those sweet sweet buckeye tears. That's my favorite tradition, by far.
November 20th, 2023 at 9:14 PM ^
Victory cigar
November 20th, 2023 at 9:15 PM ^
We all watch the game at the same house and wear the same thing if we won the previous year...so we haven't left my house for these 3 years... Awesome for me since I don't need an Uber but not for my wife cleaning up after us.
November 20th, 2023 at 9:16 PM ^
Used to listen to Eminem everyday during the week. Stopped doing it two years ago. Seemed to worked out so far....
November 20th, 2023 at 9:19 PM ^
We’ll watch The Game as a family. For many years, we’d just watch it at home. Two years ago, the tradition changed a bit. Our kids were admitted to Michigan - so, we left for Ann Arbor on Friday morning - went to The Game on Saturday - they were in the student section - we were in our seats.
We’re leaving Friday morning and doing the same thing we did two years ago…
And, I listen to Freebird as I drive into the lot to set up the tailgate..
Go Blue!
November 20th, 2023 at 9:33 PM ^
We hadn't been since 2007 but decided, at the beginning of the 2021, that we would go. Honestly, might be the best decision I've made in my entire life.
Was so happy to cross "storming the field at Michigan Stadium" off my bucket list. I'm 51 and my wife's 57. I had joked 'you know we're running on the field if we win'. She kinda chuckled and said, "We are not." She looked over at me after Haskins scored the last TD and could see in my eyes, "Yes, we are."
I'm getting buried with one of those maize pompons.
Go Blue!
November 20th, 2023 at 9:21 PM ^
If I’m at the game in AA, cursing out the Ohio drivers heading north on 23, then drinking at my parking spot with whoever is with me. This year will be my buckeye brother
When the game is in the toilet bowl, just hanging out with whoever I’m with. Either my buckeye dad or my buckeye friend and his family.
I need to get new friends and family (except my mom who is a Michigan fan)
November 20th, 2023 at 9:24 PM ^
Put on my Michigan Football t-shirt and start the day with these two ingredients.
It's Johnnie Walker Black in case you wondered. I should probably switch to Blue now that I think about it.
November 20th, 2023 at 9:24 PM ^
Watching it a crappy bar like our grandfathers used to do.
November 20th, 2023 at 9:28 PM ^
Hold on.
You're superstitious.
You haven't built a bonfire in your backyard the last two years
And somehow, you think this year...with all *everything* going on...this year is the year to start a new tradition??
Are you insane?!?!?
(and since this is the internet and I don't post a ton on here, I feel it necessary to say I write this in the most lighthearted of ways....but also please save the bonfire for the year of the 12 team playoff. You know, just in case :) )
November 20th, 2023 at 9:35 PM ^
Haha. I hesitated to even post my superstition because I thought, "Wait, I've never posted about my superstitions before. What if that's a superstition in itself?!?"
November 20th, 2023 at 10:12 PM ^
We shouldn’t talk about superstitions until we beat osu and msu
November 21st, 2023 at 9:23 AM ^
November 20th, 2023 at 11:25 PM ^
Suffice it to say, I'm doing what I always do. And I'm going to heed your advice. Bonfire postponed.
November 21st, 2023 at 6:42 AM ^
*PSA* to all Michigan fans:
Whatever underwear y'all have been wearing for The Game the last two years, they better be the same drawers you wear this Saturday.
November 20th, 2023 at 9:33 PM ^
Peggy’s Dad has watched the game with me the last two years. He was an hour late for TCU. He will be here 30 minutes before kickoff on Saturday. I will make breakfast, and then rant and rave like a madman. Topics will include; playcalling, charcoal, how much I hate watching a college football game on Fox, the refs, and Jim Harbaugh.
November 20th, 2023 at 10:35 PM ^
Shit, this really is Hank Hill.
November 20th, 2023 at 9:48 PM ^
My mom used to make me a lemon with blueberry (Maize and Blue!) cake for the OSU game back in the day (around the time of the 22-0 beat down of OSU in 1976). The tradition has evolved over the past 47 years but I still make blueberry muffins on the morning of The Game. Gotta have something blue! In fact, I just bought the mix tonight. Go Blue!
November 20th, 2023 at 11:26 PM ^
+1 in lieu of my inability to actually upvote you.
November 20th, 2023 at 9:59 PM ^
Yes. First, I kill three Ohio deer. I tear out their hearts and eat each one raw. When that's done, I pour their blood into two-liter bottles to have for the game; man's gotta drink and all. Then, I drive down to Columbus and torch some houses. Usually no one's inside so it's kind of legit. I then drive over to lake Erie and relieve myself in it - oddly, it improves the water quality. I bring my pet Wolverine "Wolvey" down to the OSU practice facility and let it loose. The two of us work together, hunting down any stray football players. We each get our fair share. A few years ago we added a new twist: we sit outside Ryan Day's house and play "Fling" by Brag. Chorus: "Stuck on third base; Tell me it's ok; Insecure but still stone faced; Stuck on third base". Day usually listens, claps, and then mutters something about getting some PIs after me and Wolvey. Wolvey plays the Bass by the way. So that's what I do.
November 20th, 2023 at 11:26 PM ^
Do it again on Saturday?
November 21st, 2023 at 8:54 AM ^
Username fits.
November 20th, 2023 at 10:05 PM ^
Rituals? Sure.
Enjoy some birthday cake, listen to the family talk about "stuff", run an errand or two, then, after the game is over? Ask some family member who looks at their phone regularly if I should watch the game. Then, hopefully, enjoy the game!
November 20th, 2023 at 10:19 PM ^
I go to an antique store around 930-10. Find some old school Ohio st artifact, buy beers, and start happy hour at 11.
This is the third year
Go Blue 38-24
November 20th, 2023 at 10:22 PM ^
Sadly, my tradition is...I can no longer watch the game.
So I have to come up with different ways to keep myself busy, I check in around halftime on my phone...then do something else.
Unfortunately, this game stresses me out too much they can no longer watch live. I hate it.
This year I have nothing to do, so I might stay up all night the night before and sleep during the game. I haven't figured out a good plan just yet. But as long as we win, it's worth it!
November 20th, 2023 at 11:45 PM ^
The last game I watched was the one Luke Fickell coached and I was there in person. I took my then 11 year old son and we went on the field and it was one of the greatest experiences I've ever had. Since then, I don't watch. Two years ago, I checked in the 4th quarter, and then watched the last 5 or so minutes once I knew the game was in hand. This year, I'm getting in my car and driving somewhere far away, with my phone out of reach.
November 21st, 2023 at 2:01 PM ^
I was at Michigan Stadium for the Hoke/Fickell tilt--in the student section with my grad school game crew. Great day that was...
November 20th, 2023 at 10:26 PM ^
Drove to Myrtle Beach SC 2 years ago.
Doing it again tomorrow.
Writing in the sand, and hopefully adding the score after.
November 20th, 2023 at 10:49 PM ^
First thing I do is wake up and proudly fly the block M flag outside. I put on my Michigan gear and have some coffee. I then notify all of the woman and children in the house to leave and not to come back until I say its safe to do so. I then spend the next 3 hours yelling and cussing at the TV. If we win I shed a few tears and get shitty. If we lose I shed a few tears and get shitty. Either way I get shitty.
November 20th, 2023 at 10:50 PM ^
Haven’t been able to watch the past two years:
- 2021: Moved cross-country the week leading up to the game, and was getting TVs delivered by Best Buy during the 4th quarter. Turned it on for the final minute of the game.
- 2022: Moving into new apartment during the game.
- 2023: Might be working and in meetings all day Saturday due to being at an e-commerce Peloton-like brand
I want to say I shouldn’t watch this Saturday since I have only missed the past two OSU games since 2003 and they won both of them.
November 20th, 2023 at 11:46 PM ^
Don't watch.
November 21st, 2023 at 8:56 AM ^
Please.
November 21st, 2023 at 2:02 PM ^
If you so much as turn that television on I will find you.
November 20th, 2023 at 11:18 PM ^
Goat cheese and crackers. And every once in a while something memorable (2021) like prime rib on the smoker.
Mostly though, spending time with great friends.