Walmart Wolverines - a Bump
Seeing as it's that game week against our in-state (#2 overall) rival with an inferiority complex I thought I'd re-post a diary of mine from last year discussing our history of "Non-Alum Friends of the University" as Yost called you.
http://mgoblog.com/diaries/thank-you-non-alum-friends-university
Remember, non-alums built Michigan Stadium while sparty needed direct state support. And no matter where you went to school, your support of Michigan doesn't go unnoticed. There are quite a few life things that can prevent people from attending their "fan" university, doesn't mean you can't support it. You can also remind them that we've won 6 of the last 9 in "their" sport.
Go Blue. Beat State
October 24th, 2014 at 4:12 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 1:44 PM ^
Walmart Wolverine, really??
So during the perpetual war among supermarket teams, who will win out eventually? Will it be the Meijer Mayors, who mainly base in the Midwest? Or the more nationally represented ones like the Kroger Krugs, the Safeway Highwaymen, the Giant Gargantuas, or the Target Bulletpoints? How about them upper-scale Trader Joe's Speculators and Whole Foods Halfwits? Add in the WaWa Babies and the 7-Eleven Seventy-seveners, the matter is further complicated.
But in the end, the Walmart Martians-Wolverines will win, because it is the goddamn biggest corporation in the US.
October 24th, 2014 at 1:45 PM ^
I have to say I am not a Michigan alum, however I am a proud graduate of Miami (NTM) University. That being said since my father's family is from Michigan and he himself went to UM I have been a Michigan fan since I can remember. I would have liked to go to UM, however my grades and ACT scores were my downfall.
Anyways, Go Blue and fucking BEAT STATE
October 24th, 2014 at 4:59 PM ^
my daughter however is currently a Wolverine. Been to every home game and a few away since 1994 and currently the family holds 12 season tickets for Football. I have to be at least close to the cost of a U of M degree by now ;-).
Go Blue!!
October 24th, 2014 at 1:46 PM ^
Btw, I'm a GVSU grad who has a sister that goes to U of M.
October 24th, 2014 at 1:50 PM ^
I'm pretty sure the "Walmart Wolverine" moniker will go away about the same time as the "Little Brother" one.
October 24th, 2014 at 1:53 PM ^
.47 years of my life watching, listening to, reading about and attending Michigan events. I think that justifies my committment. GO BLUE!
October 24th, 2014 at 1:53 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 2:00 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 2:03 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 8:28 PM ^
If you want to talk funding, remember that alumni make up much of the donor base. To say they are no different than non-alumni fans is a little delusional. It doesn't mean alumni are better fans (whatever that means anyway), I'm just saying there is an inherent difference.
And if you don't think the football team cares about the students/alums, tell me where they go to celebrate after a win? What about the football players who ARE ALREADY alums? Do you think Devin Gardner cares about his degree? Do you think he does not have a connection with the alumni?
D1 football may be big business, but the players and the people are still in an education setting and a majority of those players are guys that will never make a living playing football, but they'll have a degree, no student loans and an invaluable experience.
October 24th, 2014 at 2:05 PM ^
I did not attend UM. I have been a fan of Michigan Football for as long as I can remember. The doctor that my mother works for attended UM and is a season ticket holder. When I was 7, he gave me a pair of tickets to UM v. NW. That was the first game I ever attended, and I've been hooked ever since. I am currently enrolled in nursing school in Northern Michigan, and upon graduation I plan on applying to the University to work toward a BSN. For me, possessing a Michigan degree would be a priceless accomplishment and a dream come true.
Go Blue! Beat Sparty!
October 24th, 2014 at 2:25 PM ^
I didn't attend UM, but I proudly support all things UM. I flat out hate Ohio and Sparty and it makes sick to my stomach to see them win at anything. I am proud that Michigan has never had a scandal other than stretchfest, which was totally bogus. I wear Michigan gear that I have bought from this site, MDen and Meijer, I also have a sweet Adidas warm up suit colored in Maize and Blue that I wear proudly. I know the words to The Victors and know when to pump my fist and yell Go Blue. Call me a Walmart Wolverine or whatever you want, but just don't talk about my team. Go Blue, see you next weekend at The Big House!
October 24th, 2014 at 2:51 PM ^
At this point, the non-alums still supporting the team are far better fans than at least half of the alums I know. In my book, it's not whether you went to school there or not, it's whether you stick with the team through hell (where were all these Sparty fans a decade ago, by the way?).
October 24th, 2014 at 2:54 PM ^
Exactly.
Regarding the Sparty fans you mentioned. Not even a decade ago. They didn't REALLY come around until 2009 or even 2010. Now they all claim to be die-hard, loyal fans, at which I laugh a lot.
October 24th, 2014 at 6:52 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 3:00 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 2:52 PM ^
Non-alum here. I could have gone to Michigan with my grades, but didn't feel the absolute need to be in debt over $100,000 after graduating; I would have been paying out-of-state tuition.
October 24th, 2014 at 3:07 PM ^
I can promise you one thing: with General Motors demise in the mitten, there are a ton of us in the South. I went to high school 375 kids in a rural Tennessee high school. Around 35-45 of us were from Michigan, and we all sported the MAIZE & BLUE.
You'd think out of 30+ that actually cared about sports, there would be one Spartan fan..... NOPE. Not a single Spartan fan did I have to put up with. GO BLUE today; GO BLUE tomorrow; GO BLUE forever.
October 24th, 2014 at 3:22 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 3:22 PM ^
I went to Eastern Michigan University and my plan at the time was to transfer to Michigan in my sophomore year. I wanted to go into Aerspace Engineering at the time. I never bothered to transfer and ended up graduating from Eastern. I'm proud of my degree because when you look at the percentage of people to do end up graduating.
It's funny, I do photography for a blog that covers Eastern Michigan and during the week of our visit to East Lansing, one of my co-bloggers wrote a fairly decent article about how the football axis has shifted there. I made a comment that it was all cyclical and Michigan would come back. Of course the assholes at the RCMB took that as a sign to make fun of me (I'm brave enough to have my profile picture there and yes, I'm a bit on the heavy side). It was a picture that was taken as the Dossin Museum on Belle Isle and I'm at the helm of the William Clay Ford pilothouse. So one of the geniuses from there was going to post, "Is he the Capt of the SS Cinnabun (sic)?". I guess not realizing that I'm one of the administrators...but one of my co-bloggers took that comment down. So they can display just as much arrogance and assholeness that they accuse Michigan folks of displaying. But on a side note, I'm not going to let that group of assholes cloud my judgement for State fans as 99% of them I meet are pretty cool people.
But back to the main topic....every college team has it's group of fans that never went to the college in question or have ties to the college. I suspect even Eastern has that group.
October 24th, 2014 at 3:24 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
October 24th, 2014 at 3:38 PM ^
To see the amount of support that Michigan has from folks who did not attend the university, some of whom have bought season tickets for decades.
I seriously doubt that such is the case with MSU.
It is evidence of the incredible broad-based support that Michigan has from the overall public.
October 24th, 2014 at 3:46 PM ^
I haven't even been to a game at the Big House. I have a thing about big crowds. No can do.
I did buy an M hat at a Wal-Mart once. Sorry for reinforcing the stereotype. This is probably how black people feel when they eat watermelon.
October 24th, 2014 at 4:12 PM ^
1997 is the year when I realized I loved sports and the first memories I have of being emotionally invested in a sports team. Before 97 I knew I liked sports but didnt really understand sports and what it meant to be a fan. I went along with what I was shown being a sports fan was. Which at that time was rooting for the Red Sox and hoping Mo Vaughn would crank one over the monster and onto the pike.
Then the fall of 97 happened. Every week I saw this massive stadium filled with more people than I knew existed singing together the same fight song. That alone was enough to hook me however the product on the field assured I kept track of the team in winged helmets. Lo behold they win the National Championship and my favorite player is recognized as the best player in college football. The #2 would later become my hockey number of choice. Safe to say I wanted to see more.
Hockey was and is my favorite sport. Like my random affection for Michigan football I became the biggest Eric Lindros fan in the world and the only Flyers fan in the Boston area. I had nearly forgotten about the wolverines when in early spring I see the helmets on ice! I watched them beat 2 local favorites UNH and BC to win another national championship. My memory of watching the OT win over BC is the clearest I have from that time that is truly my own and not recreated in my head from ESPN or ABC showing highlights of the 97 football season.
So you see I had no choice. I have loved Michigan athletics longer and more than any other sports team. I fully intend on brainwashing my future kid/s into loving Michigan as well so that they can attend and I will have a direct link. "Walmart Wolverine" is a shitty term.
October 24th, 2014 at 4:51 PM ^
An irrelevent term made up by insecure sparty's & 'stir the pot' media members with scant journalistic integrity.
I didn't attend UM but my first Michigan football game was in 1959.I've been a loyal,hardcore fan since 1968.I couldn't care less what the insecure haters want to call me.
October 25th, 2014 at 12:50 AM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 4:55 PM ^
That Sparties are too stupid to understand this there is no doubt. After all, they did decide to name themselves pederastes who left sickly babies to die on rocks as well as regularly murdering their slaves to keep them in check.
But yeah, keep mocking UM fans, Sparty.
October 24th, 2014 at 5:21 PM ^
I think you are half right. Those things you listed are certaintly important to the people that go to the games, attend the school, and perhaps even those on the field either currently or perspectively.
I would even go so far as to say this list was probably right up near the top of reasons behind starting a Football team back in the late 1800's.
Under Jim Delaney and our very own Domino's Pizza Boy Athletic Director however, this team exists very much to make money. There is no tradition, there is no community building - just new "wow factor" halftime shows and military fly-overs while the team gets drubbed 30-14 against a mediocre at best Minnesota team.
I think more than anything, that truth has become more and more evident every single year Brandon has been the AD.
If any of the things on your list are being pushed, it's in the interest of selling tickets, concessions, merchandise, and seat licenses.
Sad truth.
October 24th, 2014 at 5:13 PM ^
plain and simple. MSU can't justify why so many more people like Michigan than them so they're forced to take digs at the people who didn't pick them ("She's fat and I never liked her anyway" says the jilted boyfriend)
October 24th, 2014 at 5:41 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 5:57 PM ^
I hope for my sake, everyone here is for non-alumni fans. Otherwise I am out.
I love that I have to stop being a fan after I graduate from high school.
If I was a Purdue fan I don't think they would care if I didn't go to Purdue. Or if I was a MSU fan and didn't go to MSU.
October 24th, 2014 at 6:32 PM ^
If you are against, may your elitist butt burn in hell. lol
October 24th, 2014 at 6:59 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 7:23 PM ^
October 24th, 2014 at 7:26 PM ^
is non-sense. If your heart bleeds maize and blue you're a Michigan Wolverines fan..it doesn't matter if you are an alum or not.
I will never be an alum of this fine insitution (undergrad because of grades and cost, grad because I love the Wolverines, but I love living out West more), but I will always root for the Wolverines.
October 24th, 2014 at 8:08 PM ^
No wait, wal-mart was not around in the 70s. I suppose I was a K-mart wolverine long before I thought I would go to school at Michigan!
October 24th, 2014 at 8:46 PM ^
Do the EMU or WMU or CMU grads or downriver highschool grads or complete non-grads who root for M have an inferiority complex because they couldn't get into MSU?
Or are they "leaders and best" because they root for M on Saturdays?
This site and the entire M enterprise make shitloads of money by appealing to the WWs to increase their revenue base, and then resent and regret them when they act like the shitbags that they generally are. (Just take a look at the Moderactor Action thread).
And apparently MSU graduates are jealous because they don't have a disgusting mass of non-graduate shitbags in their fanbase.
October 24th, 2014 at 9:23 PM ^
How do you know they couldn't get into MSU? You realize people choose to go to those schools all the time when they're accepted elsewhere. It's a lot cheaper in this day and age.
And I think you underestimate the number of non alum fans you have around the lansing area and others.
October 24th, 2014 at 11:03 PM ^
October 25th, 2014 at 12:57 AM ^
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October 25th, 2014 at 12:55 AM ^