We went, we seen, we suffered, then we had a moment!
At the eleventh hour me and my family decided on Thursday we would go to our first game of 2014. To begin and I will not be brief, the state of the program can easily be defined by the low cost of tickets the secondary market. I waited until Thursday of this week to buy tickets because I needed an odd number and I knew I could get three tickets for less than a hundred dollars if I were to remain patient. I scored three tickets for $75.00. That alone is an omen and a reminder of the reality the program.
Now to my point. We drove up to the game. I live in Columbus, Ohio, so the trip was not too bad. I took my fiancee and my four year old daughter who absolutely loves to see the cheerleaders and the band. Once we arrived she was able to go to the bounce house across from the stadium. Then when the ominous clouds arrived we hurried into the stadium where we witnessed a pretty cool air show before kickoff.
We watched the band marching onto the field after the air show. We sang the victors as a family and then watched the team take field and touch the Mclub banner. After all this was over and the actual game began, my daughter looks up at me with already tired eyes and asked me "can we go home". I tell her we are going to watch the game before we leave, then I bribe her with the idea of a new toy after the game if she is good. My daughter then falls asleep on my lap for the entire first half. Her excitement so far was the bounce house, the band, and the cheerleaders before the game began. We were 85 rows up in section 41 so her vantage point of the band and cheerleaders was not enough to keep her awake.
We suffered. The storm was pretty bad during the delay so we were stuck inside the concourse waiting it out. All the event staff was convinced the game would get called. Many of them just wanted to go home, but like the weather that trapped my family in the concourse, the event staff were also held hostage by the athletic department.
We had a moment. I had spotted a slight break in the rain and decided to jog over to Packard Ave where we were parked and get the car. I was going to get the car and pick up my family at the stadium. I was able to make it back five minutes before the restart and the logical part of me had thought that we had been through enough and there was no way in hell I was going to spend six dollars on stadium pretzels, or fries etc.... We were spent, hungry and wanted to leave, but something told me to finish the game and my family agreed. We went back in to a stadium filled with the chant U-T-A-H Utah, Utah, Utah. I did not care. It was going to be my first night game experience in the big house. I had 7:51 seconds and I had a shot at the first row.
Then the moment happened. My daughter who was decked out in her Michigan Cheerleader outfit was spotted by the actual cheerleaders and they came directly over to our row. They asked us if they could take a picture with her and then literally climbed over the wall to do it. This was the moment. Even as the Utah crowd that remained cheered loudly and the five guys next to us were yelling at Dave Brandon on the sideline to "fire Brady Hoke" it all became mute. My daughter was stunned and excited and all the suffering of the last two plus hours in the concourse was an afterthought.
My daughter who was stunned reminded me that this is what it is all about. It is not always about the wins, or losses, who is the coach, or the world is ending. It was the fact that we stayed and endured the storm and because this my daughter was able to experience a lasting memory at the Big House and to me this meant more to me than a win, or a loss, or who the coach is.
This is Michigan. This is what we are at the moment. It's important to have the perspective and realize that the state of Michigan Football will not be defined by the last seven years. The memory of this game for me will be defined because we stayed and my daughter was able to have an experience at the Big House her and I can share forever.
Go Blue!
Here is the moment. And because I did not know how to upload a photo I added it to youtube and provided a link. If someone, anyone can help me understand how to add a photo for future reference let me know.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:23 PM ^
Sir... You are everything I wish I could be as a Michigan fan. Very admirable how you could find the positives in all of this.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:24 PM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
September 21st, 2014 at 12:25 PM ^
That's cool for your little girl, but man...
Maybe this is what Dave Brandon meant when he said "Wow experience". We get pummeled so bad that the crowd leaves, so you can get front row seats and pics with the cheerleaders.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:27 PM ^
Thanks for sharing. As an mgodad of a 2yr old daughter that my wife and I will be bringing to games in the near future, this was great. Cool pic, and way to hang in there. I am also of the ilk that you NEVER leave a game early. This was a pretty crazy situation, but no matter what - you go, and you stay. Well done - especially with a little one!
September 21st, 2014 at 12:28 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 12:30 PM ^
Hopefully the OP doesn't mind the embed here, but this is a very awesome moment indeed and thanks for sharing this.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:33 PM ^
I think that is what hurts the most for all of us is we lost the joy of Michigan football over these long 7 years. We expect it to return and it gets farther away from us every day. I was holding my 9 month old son yesterday on my lap as I watched on ESPN 3 and thought to myself do I force him to be a Michigan fan when he grows up if they are still like this? I love Michigan and will always will but sometimes we need a reminder of of the little things to push us back from the edge. Thanks for this.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:33 PM ^
Your story is a shining example of what has been lost in this all for nothing money grab and win at all costs belief that colloege football has become.
Thank you SIR! You have restored by faith in the fanbase. It made me think of taking my young son to several games and the memories he had and most of them have nothing to do with the play on the field.
Sometimes we need a jolt of what is real to bring us back from the edge.
THANK YOU!
September 21st, 2014 at 12:33 PM ^
Yeah, but wouldn't it have been even better with Build Me Up Buttercup playing?
September 21st, 2014 at 12:36 PM ^
I prefer Sweet Caroline followed immediately by Seven Nation Army. Sweet, then the steel!
September 21st, 2014 at 12:35 PM ^
Congratulations on turning our Michigan lemons into lemonade.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:49 PM ^
Fandom badge earned.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:53 PM ^
Thank you sir. Your post just brought a big smile to my face.
Go Blue.
September 21st, 2014 at 2:43 PM ^
And as a father of a young daughter, a tear to my eye.
September 21st, 2014 at 12:56 PM ^
And I thought that getting out of Columbus in itself would have been the moment! Glad you had a great trip. My daughter likes getting pictures with the cheerleaders too.
September 21st, 2014 at 1:04 PM ^
That may be the best post of the year.......and it is September.
Best wishes to you and your wonderful daughter who will always remember that moment in the Big House. I hope that your fiancee enjoyed the moment as well.
Getting chased out of the stadium by lightning is no fun at all, but you made the absolute best of it.
Go Blue!
September 21st, 2014 at 1:06 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 1:27 PM ^
Were you a cheerleader when they were dressing like soccer moms? If so, can you explain that to us?
Also, any chance you could go back and teach them how to do the GO! BLUE! cheer?
September 21st, 2014 at 3:22 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 3:27 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 1:54 PM ^
Despite the current state of the program, I still can't wait to get my kids to campus for a game. I've probably got another 1-2 years. So maybe, god willing, things will be a little easier on dad by then.
Go Blue!
September 21st, 2014 at 1:59 PM ^
for real. and take that photo and post it all over c-bus! buckeyes will look at it like the RCA dog looks at the phonograph. they look like that at SAT scores over 200 too, but that is another thread for another day.
September 21st, 2014 at 2:03 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 2:05 PM ^
So happy for your daughter! What a cool moment for her! Frame that pic for her bedroom :) Go Blue!
September 21st, 2014 at 2:45 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 2:46 PM ^
Nice memory of a tough day!
September 21st, 2014 at 2:53 PM ^
That really helps a lot - at least there is some tiny sliver of happiness out ot that.
September 21st, 2014 at 3:12 PM ^
That is awesome! What a great memory. And a great outlook on your fandom. I guess that time and my age has mellowed me. I am and have been a huge fan for 40+ years, but some of the people on this blog are a little too intense about all of this. I am still a proud Michigan graduate and fan! My daughter is 16 now. When she was 10 Denard slapped her hand and she still talks about it.
September 21st, 2014 at 3:16 PM ^
You guys are my heroes
September 21st, 2014 at 5:17 PM ^
September 21st, 2014 at 9:21 PM ^
Your daughter sure looked happy in that photo!