Stories from the Horseshoe 2018 edition
Columbus resident. Went wearing my jersey and sat in the south student section with wife. No harassment other than a few shouts from across the way on the way in. Girls refused to move from my seats at first, but backed down when wife started to head for the ushers.
3 fans behind us were reasonable, fun to talk to. Student section was what you expect - little name calling, boos, etc. One guy kicked me in the arse but when I gave him a stare his friends said they'd control him. Nothing physical, couple jerks with 6 minutes to go kept shouting, but no threats of violence.
No worse than expected taunting on the way out. What stories do fellow posters have from the 2018 trip?
November 24th, 2018 at 8:16 PM ^
Your standards for what is harassment or friendly may have been lowered by being an M fan living in Columbus. Your story isn't the nastiest thing I've ever heard. It also doesn't sound like "a good place to go," but from your tone, I think we'd disagree on that.
November 24th, 2018 at 8:24 PM ^
Not saying you are wrong, but the homefield advantage in Columbus is significantly more than Ann Arbor or most locations. Despite our #4 ranking the stadium was (my estimation) 95% OSU.
Having been spit on, threatened, soaked in beer and many other experiences fat worse.. today was a walk in the park.
They will continue to enjoy their distance advantage until more UM fans pave the way.
November 25th, 2018 at 12:04 AM ^
Sure. That's easy to agree with. But so is the idea that homefield advantage and "nice place to go" tend to be inversely correlated. I appreciated your story and am glad you told it, but if that approximates the best case scenario, I won't attend that away game any one soon.
Many opponents disparage Michigan Stadium for the wine and cheese crowd and simmered tone, while conveniently excluding its upsides: (1) as well attended as any, (2) as well informed as any, (3) as a single deck, it's as architecturally pleasing as any, and most especially (4) as family friendly as any.
Rowdy is fine. I don't mean to disparage that or its competitive advantage either. But I'll never eagerly choose unfriendly surroundings.
November 25th, 2018 at 8:38 AM ^
family freindly except for the multiple times M fans talk about fvcking you or your team. Bunch of weirdos circling that stadium.
that statement is a joke
November 25th, 2018 at 9:07 AM ^
Agree with Carris above on treatment by fans. I sat 3 rows from the UM sideline, on the 35 yard line. Lots of grown men and women yelling obscenities at the players and coaches, which I'm assuming is the norm? Great seats if I was on the home team, but I could not show emotion or the locals would start shoving the high fives in my face. The whole fanbase is obsessed with putting us down, seeing us suffer. Old ladies made snide comments on the parknride bus about running up the score, cracking on UM fans leaving the game. But there was no physical violence...so not quite a miserable experience. Honestly, brought a rain coat and change of hat so I could go incognito to/from the stadium and glad I did. Teaching character and playing through the hate was extremely difficult yesterday. I'm even more proud to be a fan of the Maize and Blue. If nothing else, this experience has galvanized what I know of the makeup of tOSU fans - they have our polar opposite in values.
November 24th, 2018 at 8:17 PM ^
Story? Bitchslapped, embarrassed, had the score run up on you by your rival. Might want to do something about it one of these years.
November 24th, 2018 at 8:20 PM ^
You were literally kicked in your butt and yet you say it was reasonable and uneventful. I mean we're talking criminal battery.
November 24th, 2018 at 8:27 PM ^
Try going to Pittsburgh in a browns jersey( took years to break that addiction). I went forthe playoff game and literally was afraid of being lynched in the stadium before the game started.
November 24th, 2018 at 8:57 PM ^
They should change the name of Pennsylvania to North Ohio. Both states are just filled with nothing but fucking inbred assholes.
November 25th, 2018 at 12:41 AM ^
If anything, wouldn’t it be East Ohio?
November 24th, 2018 at 11:18 PM ^
Oh so you’re just stupid?
November 24th, 2018 at 8:21 PM ^
I didn’t go to the game but I got into a Facebook fist fight.
I’m a little bloodied, but I won.
November 24th, 2018 at 8:23 PM ^
Someone who was a groomsman in my wedding blocked me because he said he wanted to fire Harbaugh and bring Carr back, and I pointed out that Carr didn't have a stellar record against OSU either.
November 24th, 2018 at 8:49 PM ^
Carr had a much better record considering, you know, he won The Game multiple times. He had actually had a winning record for most of his tenure (until the Troy Smith years set in). Ended up 6-7 against the Buckeyes.
I'm definitely not on the "Fire Harbaugh" bandwagon and I still think that he is the best coach for Michigan. However, this loss was largely on the coaching staff for lack readiness and adjustments.
November 24th, 2018 at 8:53 PM ^
Ok...?
November 24th, 2018 at 8:58 PM ^
Until Tressel came in. Face it, his “success” was against Cooper. Lloyd is part of the problem for where the program is now.
November 25th, 2018 at 12:07 AM ^
dont give carr a pass. he went 5-1 riding bo and mo's legacy. he finished 1-6 against osu with 4 straight losses. that is where all this shit started.
November 24th, 2018 at 8:56 PM ^
6-7 is looking pretty good compared to 0-4.
November 24th, 2018 at 9:36 PM ^
Yeah, but Carr would he 0-4 against Meyer just like Harbaugh. On the flip side, Harbaugh would own John Cooper.
November 24th, 2018 at 10:04 PM ^
Uhm fuck you. Carr is 1-0 against Urban. Honestly the hate Lloyd still gets here is baffling when he’s been the best coach at Michigan since at least Bo.
November 24th, 2018 at 10:49 PM ^
Wrong. Moeller was the best coach. Carr won his title with Moeller's players, then proceeded to be average. Carr's lack of recruiting at the end of his career and involvement when a new coach was being hired is why he is partially to blame. Mostly telling mallet to leave. I'm convinced he didn't want a great coach coming in here and doing better than him. He put himself above the program. Real asshole move.
November 24th, 2018 at 11:47 PM ^
Carr coached in a much easier time and still had mostly 3 and 4 loss seasons. And then set this team up for the shit pile it was before Jim has started to pull it back together.
November 25th, 2018 at 6:33 AM ^
Carr has a chance to bury an 7-4 Tressel is his 1st game against Michigan. Michigan was a huge favorite and much better team and Carr turtles. He helped make Tressel.
November 24th, 2018 at 8:24 PM ^
Went with my mom, brother, and step dad (all buckeye fans)Had 35 yard line seats in A deck. I was sitting on end of our party, there was an 8 year old boy with his buckeye dad sitting next to me. I did some light ribbing towards my brother about Dwayne Haskins...ensuing play when Haskins made a TD throw the dad got IN MY FACE yelling at me about how I need to keep my mouth shut. It was really embarrassing to see this grown man act that way in front of his son. Really ruined the game for my mom too. Then the standard fat drunk buckeye girls and boys yelling obscenities at first sight of anything maize and blue once game was done walking back to car. That’s my second and my last Michigan OSU game at Columbus. I’ll never spend another dime in that shitty stadium
November 24th, 2018 at 9:43 PM ^
I went once. That was enough. The game ended in a tie so I was spared the worst of it.
November 24th, 2018 at 11:01 PM ^
I had a decent experience other than the game. The girls around me weren't fat or ugly. They were very cute and a little drunk. I was treated fine other than the usual yelling stuff. The place was rocking too. Just wish we showed up to shut them up.
November 24th, 2018 at 8:24 PM ^
I've never watched a game in an opponent's stadium. I just don't want that attention. Doesn't seem like a fun experience.
November 24th, 2018 at 8:36 PM ^
It usually is - you have to remember that most fan bases are made up of decent, hospitable people .
Ohio State just isn't one of them. Going there is a purely awful experience.
November 24th, 2018 at 8:26 PM ^
Not at the game, but watching the game from my living room was the equivalent to having a root canal after watching it, especially after hearing about all of Urban's health issues over and over again.
November 24th, 2018 at 8:56 PM ^
This season has been so hard on him and his family though...
*Jerk off motion*
He has a god damn arachnoid cyst. It's literally common and asymptomatic. It's the biggest bullshit deflection story I've ever seen. Special place in hell for that fucking clown. Sure does win though. Sure does win.
November 25th, 2018 at 6:40 AM ^
Some people are so ignorant they can't stay out of their own way. You fall in this category.
November 24th, 2018 at 8:30 PM ^
I'm a person that wouldn't back down if I was by myself against 20 people regardless of outcome. Because I understand this, I try not to put myself in those places. When I was at Michigan I had many interactions with osu fans including a fat fuck throwing a football at me and hitting my gf in the head with it.
November 24th, 2018 at 8:34 PM ^
Cool story. Enjoy partying on high street with your new (confrontational) bffs
November 24th, 2018 at 8:54 PM ^
My intent is to show others it is not the nightmare experience others portray it to be.
The game was a nightmare, but not because of the fans.
I am old enough to remember what walking out of the shoe in a victory feels like; that is what keeps me coming back.
I want to hear others' experiences though... if it really is still bad as people portrat with actual violence or vandalism.. ill cease encouraging people to brave it.
November 24th, 2018 at 9:35 PM ^
I’ve been to that shithole and it’s nothing like you paint it. Furthermore, we just got our asses handed to us and you start a Mr Rogers and the shoe thread. Glad you had such a good time playing cornhole with the cornholers.
November 24th, 2018 at 9:55 PM ^
I mean what you described stills shows the fans lack common decency and while not a nightmare it is still stupid to deal with.
November 24th, 2018 at 8:52 PM ^
A guy kicked you? That's pretty fucked up honestly.
November 24th, 2018 at 8:56 PM ^
20 something inebriated. Not enough to knock me forward off the bleacher..
November 24th, 2018 at 8:58 PM ^
Still. This is why I don't go to away games unless it's Indiana or NW. I know me and me doesn't like being kicked by kids unless they're my nephews and they're toddlers. Even then the urge to kill rises...
November 24th, 2018 at 8:55 PM ^
Drunk guy behind me kept clapping and screaming in my ear, tripping into me and my buddy. I asked him to stop screaming in my ear and he’s told me to switch seats with my buddy. I really hope hey stubs is toe tonight.
November 24th, 2018 at 9:03 PM ^
Their idiocy just adds to their homefield advantage. Opposing fans don't want to go to that shithole an be abused by a bunch of rednecks.
November 24th, 2018 at 9:05 PM ^
MSU was FAR worse!
November 24th, 2018 at 9:19 PM ^
Came to this thread (and forum) to lambast UM fans for not showing up to The freaking Game. This was my first time seeing The Game at either stadium. I don't give a crap how rough their fans are. UM fans don't show up because they're afraid to drive however far away it is and lose and use their rough fans as an excuse. And believe me, I saw some stuff that definitely validates OSU as the nastiest fan base in the country. But it's pathetic. We maybe occupied 5% of the stadium today, and we're NUMBER FOUR in the country and on the verge of our biggest season in 20 years. What a joke. There will be way more Notre Dame fans at the USC game today in FREAKING CALIFORNIA. There is not a rivalry game in the country where the disparity in fan attendance is so large. Embarrassing is the only word I can use.
Seriously. Sack up and go to The Game. Or just let them own the rivalry (is it still a rivalry?) and maintain the greatest home field advantage in a rivalry game across the nation, let alone one that is supposedly the greatest in all of sports.
November 24th, 2018 at 9:51 PM ^
I haven't been able to get tickets to a game there yet, but so many on here sound like huge weiners. You will be fine if you go there, honestly. Maybe I'll try to go in two years.
November 24th, 2018 at 10:21 PM ^
I’ve been to the shoe three times, including 1 vs. 2, and that is enough for a lifetime. In 2004 I watched fans throw full beer cans at a five year old in a michigan outfit from a balcony while state troopers stood by and did nothing. I’ve had items of all kinds thrown at me, drinks poured down my back, people screaming at me inches from my face, and threats of violence. And all of this while being accompanied by OSU friends that spent as much time being bouncers as watching football.
Its a fucking awful experience to go there and its no badge of honor to sit in the cold and be treated like such shit for 4 hours.
November 25th, 2018 at 9:48 AM ^
Pretty much my experience except the beers being thrown were at my family which included my 8yr old. Add in the 60 yr old 2 pack a day hag who screamed in our faces with her bad teeth and rumsoked breath and it was awesome. In 06 the riot police were out in full gear which we got to witness beaten and bloodied buckeye fans laying on the sidewalk. I guess that’s how you celebrate a win by beating the hell out of each other? Or perhaps they fucked with a Michigan fan who had eneough. Either way it was my last trip to that trailer trash block party.
November 24th, 2018 at 10:36 PM ^
Man I am glad we have you to tell us what to do. How else would we know that you aren't a real fan unless you are willing to go to Columbus. Sorry I do not want to spend my money and time dealing with a bunch of assholes. I am not opposed to away games. I went to Notre Dame this year and will probably head to Wisconsin next year.
More ND fans at USC actually really doesn't prove anything because California is one of the states the majority of their students come from. A lot of their students come from the LA area actually. They aren't coming from Indiana. The alumni base in the LA area and the students on break will go to the game. Plus USC fans aren't on the same level as OSU fans.
November 25th, 2018 at 9:55 PM ^
I get it dude, my point is that I guarantee there's plenty of ND fans happy to fly-in to LA from anywhere to see them play USC, yet people won't drive a couple hours from Mich/the midwest to watch UM in the shoe.
November 24th, 2018 at 10:55 PM ^
Oh please. You get your four tires slashed and tell me how much you like it asshole
November 25th, 2018 at 10:07 PM ^
Not sure why the name calling is necessary other than that you're probably the toughest guy in the world