Michigan Basketball Open Practice, Nov. 5 (w/selfies!!!)
Michigan Basketball is holding an open practice next Wednesday, November 5, from 6-7PM at Crisler.
http://www.mgoblue.com/sports/m-baskbl/spec-rel/102914aaa.html
Best part:
Following practice, the coaching staff and players will participate in a "Squad 99 Selfie" Promotion. From 7-8 p.m., the Wolverines will meet and greet fans and be available for photos and/or the popular social media "selfie." During the promotion, all U-M players and coaches will not be granting autographs.
Can this Athletic Department do anything without a stupid marketing tie-in? What the hell is Squad 99?
October 29th, 2014 at 9:50 AM ^
Is Squad 99 like Team 135?
October 29th, 2014 at 11:01 AM ^
can currently do and say what ever the hell they want! It's almost here! Basketball season! (never thought I'd see the day....)
October 29th, 2014 at 11:02 AM ^
October 29th, 2014 at 4:46 PM ^
It wasn't even invented by Hoke, just given more prominence by him. Carr's teams used their number (the 1997 guys regularly referred to themselves as the 118th) and RR's may have as well.
October 29th, 2014 at 9:51 AM ^
doesn't squad 99 just mean it's the 99th year of MBB?
October 29th, 2014 at 9:52 AM ^
EVERYTHING DOESN'T HAVE TO BE LIKE 1990!
Who gives a shit what Squad 99 is, it's probably their version of Team 135. Every new idea doesn't have to be used to bash the entire athletics department. In the end, who cares...it's 2014 and they're engaging their fanbase in a 2014 manner. It's not that big of a deal. They're taking selfies rather than giving autographs, it's not going to affect anything during the season...I promise.
Get over it.
October 29th, 2014 at 9:57 AM ^
To be fair, Squad 99 sounds like of lame. Especially if they keep it going, Squad 100 is awful. Maybe Squad Century?
I like Squad 101.
October 29th, 2014 at 10:00 AM ^
But how do you feel about Squad 102? And beyond?
October 29th, 2014 at 10:06 AM ^
Eh, not that into it.
I get what they are trying to do, I just don't think it works as well as "Team ---". That always seems to fit.
Squad seems to only work with certain numbers.
October 29th, 2014 at 10:10 AM ^
October 29th, 2014 at 10:44 AM ^
There it is!
October 29th, 2014 at 10:14 AM ^
October 29th, 2014 at 12:36 PM ^
Agent 99?
October 29th, 2014 at 7:38 PM ^
October 29th, 2014 at 10:24 AM ^
http://www.thesaurus.com/browse/team?s=t
Personally, I think Contingent 99 has a nice ring to it.
October 29th, 2014 at 10:45 AM ^
And I bet it wasn't even considered.
Pure gold.
October 29th, 2014 at 11:19 AM ^
October 29th, 2014 at 12:08 PM ^
/thread
October 29th, 2014 at 7:41 PM ^
October 29th, 2014 at 10:28 AM ^
Sounds like a low-budget, B-level action hero movie for kids. Did the players decide on this name or this an Athletic Department directive? My guess is the latter.
October 29th, 2014 at 1:29 PM ^
October 29th, 2014 at 10:32 AM ^
People wonder why our football team is stuck in 1990..... Time to evolve people. It will be ok, change is good.
October 29th, 2014 at 10:51 AM ^
Tell us how you really feel.
October 29th, 2014 at 9:54 AM ^
Bando auto neg.
October 29th, 2014 at 10:07 AM ^
I negged the OP because I think it was a little ridiculous to complain about. However, nobody should be auto-negged. No matter how often you might disagree with someone, if you don't take the time to listen to their argument before deciding it is wrong, then you are no better. In fact, you are likely worse when it comes to being open about discourse.
That's kinda what democracy is built on. (Unfortunately, our representatives have forgotten that).
October 29th, 2014 at 10:08 AM ^
This guy has posted about auto-negging me in multiple threads now. He's going to keep doing it, and that's fine. I can take it. But it doesn't make it any less silly.
October 29th, 2014 at 11:39 AM ^
Because I think you can neg someone and completely disagree without going as far as seeking out their every post and negging it. I rarely pos/neg any post that's not OSU/MSU/ND troll related. But those who do that are lame in my opinion.
It takes waaay too much time and effort and you come off looking like the bigger idiot - only, there's no name attached to negging someone's post (just the OP/thread) so only the user auto-negging knows how much of an idiot he really is, which is even more pathetic.
However, I suppose in some way it makes people feel better. Feel accomplished.
I say let them be, they usually go away after they realize how stupid it is.
October 29th, 2014 at 9:57 AM ^
October 29th, 2014 at 9:59 AM ^
Maybe we could get Frieder as interim coach. Complete the cycle once Gary Moeller is on the sidelines filling in at the Ohio State game.
We're getting the band back together!
October 29th, 2014 at 10:57 AM ^
should be grounds for banning! We are very fragile. Don't you get us all worked up!
October 29th, 2014 at 7:44 PM ^
October 29th, 2014 at 9:59 AM ^
So a question for the younger fans on the board: if someone else takes the picture, can it still be considered a selfie?
If I took a selfie with a basketball player, all that would be in the picture is the top of my head and the bottom of his jaw.
October 29th, 2014 at 10:14 AM ^
October 29th, 2014 at 5:15 PM ^
In the definition. A selfie must be taken by one's self and include one's self.
October 29th, 2014 at 9:59 AM ^
The selfie with someone famous is the new autograph (although query whether it's still technically a selfie with multiple people in the picture). So, to me, it seems better to do that than have players autograph stuff.
October 29th, 2014 at 10:12 AM ^
Yeah, but it's really hard to sell a picture online of me and big Max.
October 29th, 2014 at 11:59 AM ^
I think it's a great idea. Cuts out all of those sleazy autograph dealers who show up at these events and try to get players to sign 500 items.
October 29th, 2014 at 10:00 AM ^
Squad 99 == Team 99. Don't know why they are using squad instead of team. I think it's a little dumb, but why would anyone really care that much?
October 29th, 2014 at 10:03 AM ^
Honestly, it didn't even occur to me that's what "Squad 99" meant. I assumed it was some kind of tie-in.
Sure, it doesn't matter at all. But I guess I just miss when it was just the Michigan football team and the Michigan basketball team and not "Team 135" and apparently "Squad 99." It's kind of strange.
October 29th, 2014 at 10:12 AM ^
It's strange and all, I agree. And if it were a promotional tie-in, then it would be a little more annoying. But, still, it's not a big deal.
It's funny, I feel like we look back at old-timey baseball fields whose outfield walls were literally make up of advertisments and feel nostalgic about it. However, not advertising has become so pervasive, it has become overwhelming. Many, myself included, have developed an understandable natural reaction against advertising.
October 29th, 2014 at 10:30 AM ^
I think we'd prefer for the basketball team to avoid following in the football program's footsteps. The basketball team is the standard bearer as of late.
October 29th, 2014 at 10:03 AM ^
I like that the basketball team is actively engaging the fans. Especially needed in the current enviornment of fan disfranchisement with the AD.
October 29th, 2014 at 10:10 AM ^
I think we can all pretty much agree this is a million times better than a Midnight Madness deal. I'll take an open practice on a weekday evening over the rock show dunk contest bullshit with Izzo dressed up as Gene Simmons.
October 29th, 2014 at 10:26 AM ^
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October 29th, 2014 at 10:05 AM ^
October 29th, 2014 at 10:09 AM ^
Really looking forward to seeing what Beilein can do with the team this year. Everyone counted them out after losing Burke and Hardaway and they won the conference by 3 games. Not saying we'll repeat this year, but it could be another good season.
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October 29th, 2014 at 10:10 AM ^
I would really enjoy the opportunity to call them the Death Squad this year. Meaning that they kill every team in their path that games aren't even close. Now that would make for a nice t-shirt idea.
October 29th, 2014 at 10:13 AM ^
Does anyone know what the new pre-game shirt will be? Ie the last two years "We On" and "We Work". It has to be a "We" something, right? Why am I talking?