Are you cheering for ND or MSU?

Submitted by Dan Man on

Assuming that the laws of reality apply and that one of these two teams has to win, I'm curious who people are cheering for this weekend - ND or MSU. I have very mixed feelings. Part of me wants ND to win because it will increase the odds of Weis sticking around for another year, which I think would be a good thing for us. But my dislike for Notre Dame is actually greater than my dislike for MSU, partially because I've disliked Notre Dame for as long as I can remember, while I was ambivalent about MSU until I came to Michigan for grad school.

I think at the end of day, I'd like to see MSU win because: (1) they're in conference, (2) I think ND gives us a little more competition recruiting-wise, and (3) I think the ND program is in greater turmoil, and it'd be fun to watch the program fall to shit, even though we might not have Weis to kick around any longer.

What do you think?

TripleLindy

September 17th, 2009 at 8:32 AM ^

But if I have to pick one, ND 2-0 with sparty imploding taking a safety at the end of the game in dramatic fashion. Bobbled snap, cousins(sp?)running around like a chicken with his head cut off, trying to get a throw off, only to fumble the ball out of the endzone.

The problem is, with ND's schedule they could run the table and end up playing in the MNC. How awful would December be having to listen to the media hype machine. I can't even think about it.

KBLOW

September 17th, 2009 at 8:56 AM ^

Your comment pretty much swayed me. Although losing to ND will give even more fuel to MSU to beat us, because our game will be all that they have left, I am not strong enough to handle the "ND is back and Weiss is God" meme that would circulate if ND ended up in the BCS Championship. Even the barest chance of that is too horrible to further contemplate.

emmekel

September 17th, 2009 at 8:36 AM ^

but I will be rooting for ND. If Sparty wins and we are able to beat them on the road in a couple of weeks, it will not help our national respect as much. It will just be the same old Sparty. I do agree with the other's where if they both could lose that would be great.

wolverine1987

September 17th, 2009 at 8:37 AM ^

Not only, as others have said, would it make our win look better nationally, but it would also make me feel better about giving up 500 yards of offense to them, and even better about an awesome victory. If ND is say 7-5, the game is still awesome but it is less of a measuring stick for the program than it appeared at the time.

brendandavis22

September 17th, 2009 at 8:42 AM ^

I want fatso to be around, it makes our win look better and I have a large amount of hate in my body for Dumbtonio. That guy makes some of the dumbest comments (really, you wanted OSU to beat Michigan last year so you could NOT be b10 champs?...dumba*s!) and spartan fans eat 'em all up. it would also allow us to rub one of his own stupid comment back in his face (pride before the fall BS).

Blue Bennie

September 17th, 2009 at 8:50 AM ^

As much as I have never liked his on-field antics, Clausen was classy after the game waiting to talk with Tate. It makes it difficult for me to feel ill will towards him.

scat_back

September 17th, 2009 at 8:57 AM ^

While I agree with all the reasoning why an ND win would be better, I just hate them with such great passion. Really can't see myself cheering for either team. I will watch as a disinterested observer and what will be will be. Hey, somebody's gonna lose and that will make me happy.

jamiemac

September 17th, 2009 at 9:00 AM ^

Well, it's looking like I will be on MSU +11, so I will be cheering for the Spartys to keep it within double digits. I really despise Notre Dame, so I suppose I want MSU to pull it out.

One thing I know......i will enjoy the meltdown at either place after their second straight loss.

Prediction: Jamie Mac leaves a smart ass comment at either the BGS or the Only Colors on Sunday morning.

Book It!!!!

gnarles woodson

September 17th, 2009 at 9:27 AM ^

Wow, this is a tough one. On one hand, you have Charlie Weiss, the only coach (maybe in football history) who is too fat to stand at his weekly press conferences, and the Savior in E.L., Dantonio. Both have class just oozing out of them with MD getting into a war of words in the media with Mike Hart. And Weiss has displayed his class (or lack thereof) on so many occasions, it is hard to pinpoint just one.

Is it wrong of me to hope the stadium implodes?

Seriously, I would normally root for the conference on a game like this but I cannot root for Sparty as long as Mike Valenti is on the air here in Detroit. I love it when he has to eat his words. I am also starting to grow a real disdain for Sparty fans in general so I hope they land at 1-2. Last year's 9-3 season was the perfect storm for them. It is laughable to think they will win more than 7 games without there go to guy (Ringer), their Senior QB (even though it is Brian Hoyer) and their leading sack guy.

baleedat

September 17th, 2009 at 9:45 AM ^

Put me down for ND. Hope they win the rest of their games. We have to play them every year for another 20+ years. When both teams are great, the rivalry is great. We also need ND to be good until the Big10 regains some respect around the nation.

baleedat

September 17th, 2009 at 8:45 PM ^

MSU got beat my Central last week (we know Central is no pushover, but to the rest of the nation they're just a shitty MAC team). If MSU goes on to do well in the Big Ten this year that might even be a bad thing, as far as public perception goes. If it hadn't been for that loss I might have a different take on things. But the Big 10 is M, OSU and PSU. Some teams will have good years here and there, but lets not pretend MSU is on it's way to becoming a perennial NC contender, or making regular appearances in BCS bowls.

Besides, when I said "we" I meant Michigan. M needs ND to be good (as long as we beat them) because it will give "us" (Michigan) more credibility. The knock on OSU is that they cruise through the Big 10 because it's a shitty conference, and then proceed to get stomped by teams in other conferences (although they did put up a good fight against Texas and USC).

Njia

September 17th, 2009 at 10:01 AM ^

Like many on this post, I'm conflicted. If I had to pick one, it would be ND, but only by the slimmest of margins. Therefore, MSU 2-0, (I know -- I said ND by a slim margin, but since I'm conflicted, I'll let MSU win in my scenario).

Here's how I'd like it to go down:

After nearly 4 scoreless quarters, ND is facing 4th-and-24 from its own 1 yd line with 25 seconds left, no time-outs and 20 seconds on the play clock. Realizing that he needs to run a play and figuring he needs to burn the remaining time off the clock since MSU has 1 time-out left and could conceivably run a play, Charlie (the Offensive Guru) splits three wide and calls for a pass. Jimmah drops back to throw and faces pressure from MSU's defense. Trying to burn the remaining time off the clock, Jimmah runs around the back of the end zone trying not to get tackled, and runs into one of his own linemen. The balls pops loose, and after chasing it for what seems like an eternity, it bounces off Armando Allen's foot and goes out the back of the end zone for a safety. Time expires on the clock and MSU wins, 2-0.

Section 1

September 17th, 2009 at 10:03 AM ^

Why does any ND win make us look better? I cannot, would not EVER root for Notre Dame to beat any team in the Big Ten. I don't think I'd root for Notre Dame to beat any team in the Pac 10.

I wouldn't root for Notre Dame to beat the Third Reich.

MSU will always be on our schedule; always one of our Big Ten rivals. Notre Dame is just a more-glamorous out-of-conference opponent. We're just one contract away from never playing them again.

I hope ND loses to MSU, Purdue, the Academies. Everybody. I hope ND loses its bowl game whenever they ever go to a bowl. I hope they lose their stadium, and Touchdown Jesus. I hope they lose their watches and their wallets.

I root for our big ten rivals MSU, and OSU, in football, approximately 364 days a year.

baleedat

September 17th, 2009 at 10:32 AM ^

We play ND every year until 2031. I 'll be almost 50 when that contract expires. M-ND was once one of the biggest rivalries in college football. I want ND to be a power house again. I want that to be one of the biggest games of the season every year, with the whole nation watching. Most people outside of the Big Ten don't care about M vs MSU. M-MSU will never be as big as M-ND once was, and hopefully will be again.

msoccer10

September 17th, 2009 at 10:38 AM ^

Most people seem to be talking about perception. For me, I want proof that ND really is good and MSU, who we still have to play, is beatable (clearly they are since they lost to CMU). I want to see ND's offense look great because I want it to be true that they are, not that our defense sucks. I want it to be true that ND's defense is decent so that means our offense is good. If MSU really sucks, not just in people's minds, but in reality, then we should beat them. I would love to see us blow them out in East Lansing. The Spartan ego has to go.

Fresh Meat

September 17th, 2009 at 10:40 AM ^

I think my vote is swayed by hating Lou Holtz as an analyst. I just hate how he picks ND to run the table EVERY year, no matter what. I wish they would have made him eat crow on TV, but they hardly even mentioned his pick being ridiculous after Michigan won. The more ND loses, the better the odds of it being brought up to Lou on national TV, and that's what I want.

Aequitas

September 17th, 2009 at 10:45 AM ^

Reasons why:

10) I'd love to "have a moment of silence" for Little Brother.
9) Dantonio is a douche.
8) I'd rather a win over a good ND team than a "good" MSU team. Does anyone REALLY think an MSU win over ND changes how people will view MSU?
7) Freep tears are delicious AND nutritious!
6) I'm tired of Sparty "acting all brand new..."
5) I can't stand Sparty fans.
4) Did I mention I can't stand Sparty fans?
3) I'd rather have Weis coaching ND than Brian Kelly.
2) It will make the ND win that much sweeter for Michigan fans.
1) It will make the UM loss that much more bitter for ND fans.

Seriously, if ND is having a hard time getting over what happened in Ann Arbor now? Imagine them running the table, or even losing a close game to USC....mmm-mm-MMM! Delicious Domer Tears!

Kapitan Howard

September 17th, 2009 at 11:00 AM ^

despite being the kind of coach we can consistently win against, his bush league press conference tactics and player development are, IMHO, a stain on the great rivalry that is UM-ND.

MichiganPhotoRod

September 17th, 2009 at 11:19 AM ^

What matters is if we lose to MSU, then our big ND win won't mean anything. We need to beat both of them. Who cares what happens between ND and MSU? Last year MSU had an opportunity to publicly support Michigan to beat OSU. Doing so would have propelled MSU into a better bowl game. MSU did not support a Michigan win. If either one loses Saturday, their fans will turn on their coach.

One way to have both coaches under fire on Sunday is for one team to win ugly -- fumbles, interceptions, penalties -- with very little scoring.

I just want Michigan to keep rolling. We are in a very desired position.

[Edit: I said earlier that this year MSU would fall to their previous ways of imploding. My prediction is an ND win.]

scblue

September 17th, 2009 at 11:44 AM ^

This reminds me of a line from a movie, can't remember the title:

"It's like watching my worst enemy drive over a cliff... in my new Mercedes."

Or something like that.

aawolve

September 17th, 2009 at 12:26 PM ^

I hope ND blows them out in spectacular fashion. ND should have a better season and be a more highly ranked conquest for M. I hope it's very very ugly regardless.

UMich87

September 17th, 2009 at 12:28 PM ^

But I will smile when ND waxes MSU. The ND win is better because:
1) All of the Sparty self-doubt we've seen this week will quadruple, and they will implode and return to normal.
2) Our win doesn't become questionable.
3) Spartan tears are better tasting (also agree with Aequitas about the freep) and I can get plenty locally (coworkers and relatives, not friends).
4) Dantonio hates UM, while Weis only hates Big Ten officiating (too arrogant to hate UM).
5)The freep's inexplicable love for Sparty becomes even more obviously just hatred for UM.

JZWolverine

September 17th, 2009 at 1:40 PM ^

Notre Dame because of the fact that they have 4 first round draft picks and an offense that will do this all year to teams so if they win and I hope they win all their games the rest of the year just to say that we beat one of the best offenses in the game

MaizeZee

September 17th, 2009 at 4:16 PM ^

I really just don't know on this one. I really hate Notre Dame, and somehow I think I hate Weis more. Normally I would go with State on this one but if Notre Dame wins this then it makes Michigan look that much better. That, and the idea of State going 1-4 to start the season makes me giddy like a school girl.

I Wrote a 4 Wo…

September 17th, 2009 at 7:07 PM ^

Notre Dame.

I'd love to see MSU start off 1-2 going into Wisconsin, then against Michigan, then at Illinois.

Amazing.

They could plausibly start 1-5. I wonder how many would be calling for Dantonio's head from the Sparty "faithful"

BlueGoM

September 17th, 2009 at 10:20 PM ^

ND. Mainly because it'll look better on our part, and put Sparty on his heels, sending MSU into another tough road game at Wisconsin before they have to come to Ann Arbor. Let them lose confidence... and get all flustered before coming to Ann Arbor. That and I dislike Sparty more than ND.

I think ND is going to win, anyhow.

NHWolverine

September 18th, 2009 at 11:13 AM ^

Great arguments for rooting in favor of ND in regards to recruiting and keeping Charlie around.

However in a few weeks I really want to hear: "The 4-0 Michigan Wolverines travel to East Lansing for their first road game against the 1-3 (swappable with 2-2) Spartans."

There's something comforting about that.

Aequitas

September 18th, 2009 at 12:29 PM ^

I think it has something to do with the proper alignment of the universe. There's just something perverse and unnatural about Sparty running around pointing at themselves. For the good of humanity, they need to be persistently wallowing around .500, biting their nails over a Motor City Bowl bid.

Mturner

September 20th, 2009 at 12:14 PM ^

It makes are win look bigger, and MSU has a history of falling apart after losses, so that will help us down the road when we travel to EL for our first away game.