Michael Wilbon hates Michigan
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qcSzgrHZVXk
Listen closely at :48
Never liked him before, but now we can all have a tangible reason to dislike him.
Edit: This was news to me - especially since he said it under his breath and not overtly.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:19 AM ^
WE LANDED ON THE MOON!
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:20 AM ^
He has said he hates Michigan dozens of times.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:26 AM ^
I've never heard him say it, although - admittingly I don't watch PTI that much but caught that the other day
February 22nd, 2012 at 1:02 PM ^
I don't really care that he hates Michigan - plenty of people don't like Michigan. He's worthless other than his coverage of the NBA, anyways.
What irritates me is when Northwestern is doing well he mentions them non-stop. When they are doing poorly, he acts like he didn't know the school even existed.
February 22nd, 2012 at 2:46 PM ^
He's also stated numerous times he would gladly send his son (Lilbon) to Michigan. If he hates us, it shouldn't shock us; we were voted the most hated team in the Big Ten.
February 22nd, 2012 at 3:25 PM ^
Haha for "Lilbon".
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:20 AM ^
How is this news? He has often said that he hates Michigan.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:20 AM ^
Didn't watch the clip, but he has been very public with his hatred of Michigan over the years.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:20 AM ^
this is the precise opposite of news.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:22 AM ^
Is a known N/western commodity /mouthpiece. I cant blame him for disliking Michigan, except for the 2000 season, when has N/western really done any REAL damage to us??
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:28 AM ^
When they beat us at home in 1995 it was a punch in the face. They were historically horrid for centuries and all of a sudden they beat ND in the first week then come to Ann Arbor and beat us.
And then the next year we blew a big lead in Evanston. 2 straight losses to a bunch of nerds that we used to beat 42-10 year in and year out.
So, I'd say that 1995 was the shock of losing to a shit team. 1996 was the shock of reality that they were at least competitive. And 2000 was the shock that they were actually here to stay (along with the gut punch way we lost). And 2008 was just fricken' cold, miserable, and sad to watch.
That's 4 times they've done damage to us.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:46 AM ^
In both of those games in the 1990s, we were also undefeated and ranked in the top 7 (1995: 5-0 and #7; 1996: 4-0 and #6)
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:23 AM ^
dull. Kind of a PLEASURE to see his sorry ass muttering that after we defenestrated his team in OT for the second game running.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:32 AM ^
Now there's a word I haven't heard in a long time.
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:39 PM ^
OUT YOU GO, WILDCATS
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:45 AM ^
... but I don't recall Michigan throwing anybody out of a window.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:52 AM ^
but their hopes were.
Incidentally, I'll be interested to see what Wilbon says today ;)
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:45 PM ^
It's a good day. I learned what defenestrated means.
February 22nd, 2012 at 1:05 PM ^
you never took European history and learned about the defenestration of Prague.
February 22nd, 2012 at 3:17 PM ^
it was, in his opinion, the most important single event in Western history.
Incidentally, Mr. Dickman also tried to convince us that his last name meant "warrior of the forest" or some such thing in German. He was wrong about the name thing.
February 22nd, 2012 at 1:57 PM ^
moderator: please spell... "defenestrated"
10 year old: can i have it in a sentence?
moderator: The wolverines defenestrated the wildcats in OT for the second time this year.
10 year old: Can I have the definition?
moderator: defenestrated, to throw out of a window.
10 year old: Can I have the language of origin?
moderator: Latin, from the latin word for window fenestra.
10 year old: defenestrated..... d.... e......f......e.....n...e.....s.....t...r...a....t...e....d... defenestrated.
moderator: correct
10 year old: (while fist pumping) YES!!!!
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:24 AM ^
The guy just said it was a must win for Northwestern. Not really a big deal.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:31 AM ^
Towards the end he actually stated "They're playing the school I hate the most"
But it's fairly old news that Wilbon hates Michigan, he's stated it before, and is pretty biased against us.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:29 AM ^
Not going to bother to listen. As everyone else said, he's been open about his Michigan hate. I'd much rather have that than a Jay Bilas type.
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:13 PM ^
Exactly. The guy went to Northwestern. How's he supposed to feel about Michigan? His hatred honors us.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:32 AM ^
...are mutual.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:37 AM ^
What a coincidence.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:37 AM ^
it was news to the OP
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:40 AM ^
We're really good at things and people hate us for it. Get used to it. A Northwestern alum isnt allowed to hate on the best school in the B1G? Where's the news here?
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:40 AM ^
Is it just me but I actually don't mind the guy. Homerism aside (from both parties) I do enjoy watching both him and Tony do their thing on PTI and they've done a great job over the years. Does he have his biases? Sure, but that's part of his role in my opinion, and he's not a complete jackass about it (see Baless, Skip and Cowherd, Colin)
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:49 AM ^
I don't mind the guy most of the time. I rarely see him bash/hate on michigan the few times I catch the show. Everybody is going to have their biases. He could do a better job of hiding them, but he seems to be doing ok for himself.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:40 AM ^
Every unabashed fan of one school hates at least one other school. Most of us hate MSU and/or OSU. Alabama and Auburn hate each other. Etc. Wilbon is a columnist, not really a reporter, so who really cares if he hates Michigan? He went to Northwestern, and since Northwestern isn't very good at sports that anyone cares about, then not many people hate Northwestern.
He hates Michigan because Michigan is good at a lot of things, including academics. He can't feel superior over Michigan, and that seems to bother him. Oh well.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:52 AM ^
Alabama and Auburn hate each other.
You've a fine hand for understatement. :-)
As for Wilbon ... meh. Seems a bit too proud of himself at times.
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:01 PM ^
Wilbon is just another grad of just another school that hates Michigan and sees them as a "rivarly game."
Ohio
Sparty
Illinois
NW
Purdue
ND
Minnesota
Wiscy
Honorable Mention: Tennessee. They still complain about "Peyton Manning's Heisman" going to Charles Woodson.
February 22nd, 2012 at 5:01 PM ^
You forgot penn state.
After our decade of dominance they really have a disliking for us.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:42 AM ^
Wilbon bothers me much less than Cowherd and Jim Rome. He seems a bit more grounded & can admit when he's wrong at least (which, lets face it: if your job is to give opinions all day you are going to be wrong quite a bit). Cowherd and Rome actually seem to believe the crap they spew. I'll still listen to Cowherd now and then because at least he's entertaining. Rome is just obnoxious and not funny.
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:44 PM ^
I think Rome does a pretty good interview. Rest of the time he kinda sucks, but for the interviews on his radio shows are always pretty good.
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:45 PM ^
Wilbon isnt bad except his Chicago homerism which I understand he is from the Chi but damn take the blinders off.
Cowherd and Rome, both are horrible! Mike Valenti might take the crown as king douche bag and I refuse to listen to his show.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:46 AM ^
I bet he was crying yesterday.
Lost in OT TWICE to Michigan in basketball this season, got smoked at home in the 2nd half in football after leading by 10.
northwestern, please, stick to chess.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:56 AM ^
I think there was a thread about Wilbon hating Michigan a couple weeks ago. He's said that he hates Michigan out of respect or something like that. I believe Wilbon is an arrogant piece of shit due to how much name-dropping of his buddies goes on. Clearly wouldn't cut it as a Michigan Man so if he hates us, whatever.
EDIT: Question for anyone with more knowledge on the subject of Michigna/Northwestern. Is it normal for Northwestern fans to hate Michigan as much as Wilbon? Where does M lie on their hierarchy of rivalries? Thanks!
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:33 PM ^
My experience has been that Northwestern hates Illinois most of all -- "Damn Pumpkinheads" is the phrase I've heard. I can't recall hearing much about Michigan from Northwesterners.
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:37 PM ^
I've got degrees from both institutions. Northwestern doesn't have rivalries to the degree of any of Michigan's top three rivalries. Instead, NU's attitude toward other teams in the B1G is a strange mix of underdog challenge to established powers and smug assurance of intellectual superiority that combines Michigan arrogance with private school arrogance into a particularly obnoxious cocktail (see, regular chants of "state school/state school" for penalties called against other teams).
Illinois, if anyone, is NU's main rival, but it doesn't really generate much heat, largely because most students come to the school with no past alligence (and many with only passing familiarity with midwestern geography beyond "Chicago is south of Evanston.") To a certain segment of the Northwestern student fan base, all other schools in the B1G are basically the same: large public institutions to be viewed condescendingly.
I loved the education. Highly ambivalent about many of my fellow classmates. Which is true of most places, I suspect.
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:40 PM ^
If I could up-vote you, I would. Fascinating write-up. Thanks!
February 22nd, 2012 at 4:18 PM ^
Sweet! Thanks for answering my question and for all the information.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:49 AM ^
In football, Michigan's record vs Northwestern during Wilbon's college years (1976 to 1980):
- 1976 W 38-7
- 1977 W 63-20
- 1978 W 59-14
- 1979 W 49-7
That's not saying much because Northwestern's record during these years was awful:
- 1976 1-10
- 1977 1-10
- 1978 0-10-1
- 1979 1-10
February 22nd, 2012 at 1:11 PM ^
There was actually a joke about their 34 game losing streak (which apparently started when Wilbon was still in school - 1979), something like "Interstate 94, Northwestern 0", a play on the fact that I-94 runs just west of Evanston.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:53 AM ^
Personally, I prefer to know the allegiances of the talking heads on sports talk radio and TV. Easier to decide if they are being impartial or not.
He went to NU and doesn't like UM. At least he's true to his roots, and it's not like he says terrible, inflammatory things about UM. Fine by me.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:55 AM ^
February 22nd, 2012 at 12:03 PM ^
They de-emphasized their athletics. Today they compete at the Division 3 level.
February 22nd, 2012 at 11:58 AM ^
When people like Wilbon flap their gums like this, I instantly think of the old Firesign Theater line, delivered by Nick Danger: "The great prince issues commands, founds states, vests families with fiefs. Inferior people should not be employed."