How did YOU become a Wolverine?
Alrighty, first period and bored. I want to know how all you have became Wolverines and why you stuck with it, i became a Wolverine because my dad loved them and was never able to attend the University so i'll try to be the first. Discuss & Go Blue!
January 9th, 2012 at 11:22 AM ^
Yes, there is something wrong with that. Not because he's a dude. But because he was Dude....ewwwww. Not an attractive man. (And not just physically).
January 9th, 2012 at 8:51 AM ^
Never was really a college football fan, I was a basketball player (and soccer) in highschool, so I was always a Tom Izzo fan, and I remember rooting for Drew Stanton in the game went he got injured.
But then as I started becoming a college football junkie, I realized I liked Michigan, a lot. About three years ago, I went to East Lansing for the Michigan vs. Michigan State game, and repped the Maize and Blue colors, like Sting ripping off the white and black nWo shirt and revealing a wolfpack shirt underneath it.
Now today, I am over the top go blue in every sport, I need to find something else I can talk about ha.
January 9th, 2012 at 8:52 AM ^
God told me to go to Michigan
January 9th, 2012 at 8:53 AM ^
I grew up in CT but fell in love with the helmet watching the annual game with Ohio. It was always on in the east and that was the first helmet without a letter on it.
January 9th, 2012 at 8:57 AM ^
Frankly I feel a little superior about it. I was born in AA, in 1969 no less, while Dad was in law school. Didnt grow up in Michigan but we always watched them on TV. This year was a little special as the Sugar Bowl against Auburn is the first game I can really remember watching (and being pissed/heartbroken about). Went back to visit in 86, saw us beat Fla St, started as freshman in 87, went to law school in the 90s, brother went to undergrad, my wife too. Its in the blood.
January 9th, 2012 at 9:01 AM ^
My dad and uncle played under Bo, so
<br>I didn't have a choice growing up (not that I needed one).
January 9th, 2012 at 9:03 AM ^
Like many people who have already posted, I grew up not terribly far from Ann Arbor (about a ten-minute drive from downtown actually), so if there was a game on, it was a Michigan game. I also had a neighbor who was an alum, as well as a mother who was an alum (dad is a Hoosier - we don't talk about it), so I was innudated with many things "Michigan" from day one. I grew up watching games and just growing to love the school and teams.
I explored a lot of colleges and universities at the tail end of high school, even being accepted into places as diverse as USC (which would have been advantageous because most of my family in the US is in Los Angeles, so free lodging basically), and Fordham, but because Ann Arbor was home to not only myself literally but this world-class university that provided a great education to many, not to mention my fear of being too far from the Big House, I stayed and I have never regretted getting my degrees there.
My kids are only 4 and 5, but I would be very, very proud to see another generation of my family end up there.
January 9th, 2012 at 9:04 AM ^
wolverine mascot that first got my attention.
/takesfivebucksfromDavidBrandon
January 9th, 2012 at 9:10 AM ^
I was born on the day Desmond Howard made that an unbelievable catch vs. nd in '91.
January 9th, 2012 at 11:30 AM ^
For making them miss the game? Or did your mom cross her legs tight until the game was done?
(I know, I know...I just liked the wording...)
January 9th, 2012 at 9:11 AM ^
My Dad never forced me but by osmosis of being around him I am a UM fan. He had a shirt when I was little that had the phrase: "OhowIhateOhioState" on it. He loved UM and never thought we couldn't beat who they were playing. His stories of being at '69 OSU and '79 Indiana games were the best.
Go Blue!
January 9th, 2012 at 9:14 AM ^
lots of my aunts/uncles and some extended family attended Michigan and I grew up 40 mins from Ann Arbor. I also remember going to my first game against Syracuse (not sure which year) but I think it was 12 or 13 years ago and having an awesome time with the whole experience
January 9th, 2012 at 10:59 AM ^
It was in 98 and to date, it's been the ONLY Michigan game I left early. It was a shit show. Donovan McNabb embarrassed us in our own house.
Glad you had a good time, though. :big_grin:
January 9th, 2012 at 9:16 AM ^
Steve Everrit, Ricky Powers, Tyrone Wheatley, Elvis Grbac, Amani Toomer and
<br>a hatred of Jerome Bettis, Rick Mirer and Lou Holtz at a young age.
<br>
January 9th, 2012 at 9:16 AM ^
My dad took me to games when I was in grade school and we paid $1 to set in the end zone.
January 9th, 2012 at 9:18 AM ^
I remember being 8 years old when we beat Notre Dame in '97, and my dad almost crying because he was such a ND fan. I thought it would be cool to root against my dad, and have been bleeding maize and blue ever since
January 9th, 2012 at 9:18 AM ^
Born in 1970, first real memories of Michigan football were Rick Leach and Butch Woolfolk. John Wangler to Anthony Carter hooked me for life. I was the first in my family to actually attend UM. I chose it partly because it's a great academic institution, but mostly because I could not envision attending a college football game anywhere else.
I wonder what if my 7 year old son will vividly remember Denard as much as I remember Leach, Woolfolk, and Carter in my formative years? He better, 'cuz I dropped some coin to buy him a Denard jersey when he attended his first game earlier this year.
January 9th, 2012 at 9:19 AM ^
I moved from Michigan to Mississippi in 1968 and found about the only thing I could count on in terms of getting much news from my former home state was the Michigan football team. Watched the game vs OSU in 1969 on tv, and was permanently hooked. Moved back to Detroit suburb in 1972, and only place I applied to was Michigan were I got an academic scholarship, so became not only a fan but an alumnus as well. LUCKY ME!!!
January 9th, 2012 at 9:23 AM ^
My Father was born in AA and attended Pioneer as well as M. I was born and raised in Chicago but would travel north to see at least 2 games a year until he died 5 years ago. My first game I was 4 years old and my Father and uncle convinced the gatekeeper to allow me in the game without a ticket saying I would sit on my Father's lap. I remember the team coming onto the field, the band marching and some other glimpses of the game. What I vividly rember from just 4 years old were the tears of joy streaming down my Father and Uncle's face as Michigan beat Ohio State in 1969. Although I was born into Michigan that was the day I became a part of Michigan.
January 9th, 2012 at 9:22 AM ^
Sometime in the mid-70s I was on a Boy Scout hike, and one of the assistant leaders had the game on. I completely fell in love with Ufer's enthusiasm and word pictures, don't think I missed more than a couple broadcasts after that. One of the few times per year they were on TV, I would turn down the volume and turn up the Ufer. RIP, you marvelous maniac.
January 9th, 2012 at 9:29 AM ^
Nuff said!!
<br>Sparty fans even turn off people born into that mess. Lol!
<br>
January 9th, 2012 at 9:40 AM ^
I've got family out there. you go to Everett?
January 9th, 2012 at 10:46 AM ^
But all of brothers went to Eastern
January 9th, 2012 at 9:37 AM ^
I grew up in metro Detroit and my Dad went to U of M. I've always loved sports and the winged helmets were undeniable. I'm pretty sure I was like 6 when I decided I was going to Michigan. My sister went there, I went there.. we were brainwashed. We never had a choice... not that I wanted a choice.
January 9th, 2012 at 9:38 AM ^
Despite attendending MSU during college, right around the Magic Johnson years, and spending a good chunk of his youth living in Lansing; my dad was a lifelong Wolverine fan. My brother and going through 97' and 06' seasons as kids and being around our fathers superfandom easily fell in love with the Wolverines ourselves.
January 9th, 2012 at 9:39 AM ^
My dad and some of his family went there. I attended grad school in AA. Go blue!
January 9th, 2012 at 9:41 AM ^
My grandfather has worked at the stadium for 66 years. Every game he stands at the tunnel in Section 1. For quite some time he was even in charge of the Univ's snow plow team.
I was born on campus as well but always love making it more about my grandfather than me.
January 9th, 2012 at 9:42 AM ^
Adamantium. Before that I was just Logan.
A strong essay also helped.
January 9th, 2012 at 9:45 AM ^
I was once bitten by a wolverine......
January 9th, 2012 at 9:45 AM ^
I grew up in Crystal which is about 50 miles northwest of Lansing. In the late 70's, we used to watch the Michigan games on TV, then go out and beat the snot out of each other playing sandlot tackle football (i.e. no pads).. When I watch Michigan football, I feel at home.
For my sons and daughter, however, they got it by osmosis. Now, my daughter is a UM grad and my son is a senior at UM; my other son wants to go to UM (and I would think about UM for grad school if I didn't already own my own company).
Tim
January 9th, 2012 at 9:47 AM ^
My hero growing up--my grandfather--went to Michigan (BBA and MBA) after his discharge from the Army Air Corps as a Lt. Col. after WW2. If the greatest man I ever knew went to Michigan, then there was no question where my loyalties would lie. He's gone now, but I taught my son, who is named after him, "The Victors" while he was in utero (it works! highly recommended). I hope he has something similar to say about me when he is asked 20 years from now how he became a Wolverine.
January 9th, 2012 at 9:47 AM ^
It was in Jr. High. My science teacher was a huge Ohio fan, and my math teacher was a Michigan fan. The science teacher used to always play pranks on the math teacher around The Game time. I think I became a fan because I felt bad for my math teacher and wanted to be different from all my other friends. While I love Michigan (I helped talk my brother into going to school there over Ohio and ND), I have also grown to really hate Ohio. This has never been popular with my family (my grandpa retired from Ohio's print shop and several family members graduated there) or friends living outside Columbus. The Cooper years were easy, the Tressel years not so much, but I would rather root for a Michigan team that goes 0-12 than a Buckeye team that wins the NC.
January 9th, 2012 at 9:47 AM ^
dad went to UM for undergrad and law, so grew up rooting for the wolverintes. went to UM for one year before transferring to georgetown. no football at georgetown so my wolverine rooting intersts were never challenged. would be very conflicted if gtown were ever to play michigan in basketball though.
January 9th, 2012 at 12:09 PM ^
IT'S ALL TEBOW'S FAULT
January 9th, 2012 at 9:48 AM ^
My grandfather attended UM as an undergrad during Yost's first four seasons (1901-1904) and then got a masters here. He taught for a while at the old Ann Arbor High School, and during that time (early 1920s) his family (including my dad) lived on Wells and on Packard. My dad would have attended UM, but by the time he was college-aged they had moved to Columbia, Missouri where my granddad had become a professor at Mizzou. It was the beginning of the Depression and there was no money to send him to Ann Arbor, so he went to Missouri and lived at home. However, Michigan was always #1A in the family.
January 9th, 2012 at 9:48 AM ^
but grew up just outside of Cleveland. Being surrounded by obnoxious Ohio fans since birth probably had more than a little something to do with my devotion, which started in earnest around Harbaugh to Kolesar.
(well, that season at least)
January 9th, 2012 at 9:50 AM ^
1. My doctor and athletic hero, Dr. Barry Dehlin, played at Michigan in the 1960s.
2. I played football as an undergraduate at a liberal arts college in central Ohio, which is where I learned to hate the Buckeyes.
3. Grad school at Michigan.
January 9th, 2012 at 9:55 AM ^
Both parents went to Michigan (met there), and we've had season tickets as long as I can remember. My grandfather was a diehard fan. My older brother went there, too. I remember going to U-M games as a little kid--all the winning made it easy to be a fan. Although I do remember a couple of sour losses on my birthday (mid-September) to Florida State and ND. Never have considered another team to root for seriously. I'll always be Blue.
January 9th, 2012 at 9:55 AM ^
I spent lots of time at U of M hospital as a kids. I had lots of issues. I loved visiting Ann Arbor in spite of the many medical tests I experienced there.
Watching Bo, AC, and Butch Woolfolk also made me want to be a Wolverine.
I applied to two colleges, Michigan and Notre Dame (only because my dad wanted me to go to ND).
Thankfully Michigan accepted me and my dream came true.
January 9th, 2012 at 9:59 AM ^
My high school in Akron Ohio used the Michigan single wing. We were the only team that did not use the T formation in the 1950s. Our quarterback never touched the ball. It was strictly a blocking position.
Growing up in Ohio, I began to note how many players from northern Ohio played for Michigan. I must admit that I never attended a game while I was working on my Ph.D. at Michigan. It was a great day to get a boat at the sailing club. I hate crowds but I love watching the games on TV.
January 9th, 2012 at 10:24 AM ^
is that you Bill?
January 9th, 2012 at 10:24 AM ^
is that you Bill?
January 9th, 2012 at 10:00 AM ^
I was born on the kickoff of Woody Hayes's last feeble attempt to defeat the mighty Wolverines, instrumental in both the OB and my dad (both grads) watching TV as opposed to catching the baby (it's cool, I made it.) The hospital was the Big Pink Elephant of San Diego, where 9 months prior Dhani Jones was brought into the world. (I did not have to Google stalk that... we enjoyed lunch together at the Spanish tables of East Quad... dude could eat!) Obviously, he had devoured most of the Michigan linebacker lifeforce from the realm, leaving just enough mojo in the air to create a Michigan fan for life. Being a Michigan fan was not a choice; I was born into it.
January 9th, 2012 at 10:00 AM ^
I was always a die-hard Sooner. After deciding to attend Michigan because of the Engineering program, I initially didn't even care to get season football tickets but somehow hot convinced to get them to sell them and make some money. I decided to attend the second game of the season since I couldn't sell my ticket and just fell in love with the atmosphere, the team, an the big house. This was in 2006, when we ended up going undefeated until the Ohio State game, making for a storybook season that forever engraved the wolverines in my heart
January 9th, 2012 at 10:00 AM ^
Don't remember when it really crystallized. Grew up in Southfield and remember that my friend Tim's mom really liked Sparty. She kinda sucked so between that and my dad liking them, it was easy to get started. He'd go get his haircut at Bruce the barber every other saturday. Afterward, we'd go to the Varsity Store in Birmingham and look at all the stuff. It always seemed like they had WAY more UM gear than anything else.
Then, back in '86, at 10 yrs old, I moved to southern PA. I was the new kid in school and for some reason, college football was bigger than pro around me. EVERYBODY rooted for PSU....well, except me. Looking back on it, I guess I probably felt like it was one way I could hold on to my Michigan identity in a wierd small farm town. It grew from there.
Trying to bring my 2 year old son into the fold, but gotta say...all these "my dad liked ND/MSU/O so I rooted for M to root against him" comments scare the shit out of me. I can honestly say that he wouldn't be allowed in the house on Saturdays during football season if he made the call to root for ND or OSU.
January 9th, 2012 at 10:08 AM ^
Grew up in inner city DC it was pretty rough...
I excelled in track and was on the football team. I left high school after 11th grade to attend college early. A kid I competed with in track and football (Walter Cross) went to M my 11th grade year so I started to watch games.
In DC we don't have a public university so you get in-state tuition at any public university in the country, thus UCLA and U of M were my two choices. I loved LA and needless to say AA was a culture shock but with the help of women from Detroit and Flint I made it through lol
I actually was waitlisted at M and thought I wouldn't get in but I eventually did and graduated Phi Beta Kappa.
No going back.
January 13th, 2012 at 9:57 AM ^
Mad props to you for Phi Beta Kappa. Now I'd like to do the secret handshake with you but I seem to have forgotten it.
January 9th, 2012 at 10:09 AM ^
I'm pretty sure I started liking Michigan because a kid I didn't like in 2nd grade was a Spartan fan. Yeah, that says quite a bit about my personality actually.
I did end up doing my undergrad at UofM which doesn't hurt either.
January 9th, 2012 at 10:09 AM ^