Second occurance of former players calling fans "muggles"

Submitted by TheMadGrasser on
I saw the Desmond thread before, but I didn't want this to get lost. I just saw some Facebook comments from some former players on the following article which was posted on FB by Elliot Mealer: LINK

The short version of the comments from said former players were that people not involved with the program created a mob to oust Brandon in order to "feel better about themselves emotionally". The follow up comment clarified "people not involved" to mean "muggles". Then another former player followed up and said "muggles...smh".

I don't know if it's just me, but this is really disappointing stuff to see. I know as an Alum and fan, this alienates me to an extent. I could be wrong, but I get the impression that these sentiments are shared amongst a lot of players. We want the best for our current athletes and students, so for them to express what I take as disdain for fans baffles me.

I guess I'm just looking for other peoples' take on the situation.

EDIT: to clarify, this is not in reference to the original Mealer tweet. This is a separate occurrence in which the comments were made on FB by a different player, not Elliot.

Edit 2: Title updated. I can see how this would be seen as redundant without reading the entire OP

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maizenbluenc

November 2nd, 2014 at 9:55 AM ^

we are just suckers to be fleeced for as much as possible to fund some subset of 931 student athletes free expensive educations, the nice facilities they play meet and practice in, and so a very few of them can possibly make it big in professional leagues. Oh by the way, lately the entertainment product in return on the football field has sucked to an embarrassing level.

There is a reason I have started wearing Michigan seal and Michigan Alumni gear lately. Maybe our dollars are better off supporting the other 42,779 students at the University of Michigan (the ones who pay a lot for their education, have sucky athletic facilities to use in the dead of winter, and much less academic support).

That was the problem with Dave Brandon - he came at it from a former student-athlete point of view and decided he was going to find ways to build a wonderland for the 931 by pulling more money out of our pockets, while waving "Wow experience" distractions in front of the rest of us and covering his moves and misdeeds with misleading statements. The problem that got him in the end: the 6th smartest public university fan base is sharp enough to see behind the curtain.

We aren't all the mugs they think we are (funny how close an English term for sucker is to muggle).

Joined: 07/21/2009

MGoPoints: 10630

BlueMiner

November 2nd, 2014 at 10:10 AM ^

The "Muggle" comments were not meant for the fans that support the team and those that voice their displeasure with the way things have gone!

The "Muggles" are those that behave as if they are at practices being battered and bruised.  Those that believe that care SO much about Michigan football when outside of insane fandom has no true impact on their lives.  These kids, these coaches, these administrators live this to a greater degree than we ever will.

 

Now with that said, while Brandon needed to go, a number of fans have used this site and others to create a mob mentality that is not representative of Michigan either! ( Hence, making themselves muggles!)  Let's just support our team and program!

Joined: 12/13/2013

MGoPoints: 42

freejs

November 2nd, 2014 at 12:32 PM ^

would have been patiently standing for this horse shit, instead of calling it out as unacceptable. 

Nothing happens in a vacuum. Fan furor can be ridiculous. Like the youtube video of the florida gator kid crying and screaming bloody murder that his team actually lost a game after two national titles. 

But fan furor can be appropriate. Like when a program has been dragged down to the bottom of a piss poor conference, first by neglect, then by self-sabotage, and then by a jackass AD and his terrible incompetent coaching hire. 

Fan furor helped, if for nothing else, in supporting the students. Who didn't sign up for this farce. 

We needed to be heard and we have made ourselves heard. And anyone who resents that has apparently had their head fucking buried for almost the last decade. 

Complain about us when we bemoan the color of the particular excellence. Not when we are calling crap crap, loudly or otherwise. 

Joined: 04/07/2010

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Year of Revenge II

November 3rd, 2014 at 3:43 AM ^

Sign this guy up to write for the Detroit Free Press..he can obviously write the truth, which can be in short supply these days.  The fact that Brandon and Hoke were able to hang around as long as they did does not speak well of the community's ability to recognize this kind of incompetence, but in the end, what makes Michigan Michigan showed them the door, and none too soon IMO.  

The rest of the thread---meh.  I don't care what a bunch of benchwarmers think about fans, real players appreciate fans, and utilize the fandom and the passion to raise their own performance to higher levels.  

Joined: 11/12/2013

MGoPoints: 9188

aiglick

November 2nd, 2014 at 12:38 PM ^

Would you rather not have that mob in the Big House because if you get rid of the fans that have "insane fandom" and that this has "no true impact on their lives" the Big House will be empty. If we filled the Big House with only the people this truly affects, friends and family, the stands would only have about a thousand people in them, if that. People have a right to croticize and be upset although I agree there is a line. However, it is extremely disrespectful to call the people who spend time, energy, and money muggles when that term implies they are better than said people. Most of them are not going to be pro athletes so they better find a way to integrate with wider society. The culture that admittedly seems to have predated, although was probably exacerbated by, Brandon needs to change and quickly because it is unacceptable. Just because you are athletic does not make you a better overall individual and they need to get over themselves.

Joined: 11/27/2010

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caup

November 2nd, 2014 at 9:47 AM ^

This disdain for fans and support for Brandon is limited to current or very recent players. I know a shitload of players from the 80s and 90s and they universally HATE Brandon and also think Hoke has been an embarrassing failure.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 4275

Bluemandew

November 2nd, 2014 at 6:32 AM ^

So your friends with a person and decided to out them for fan ridicule? Thats a winner move right their. Anyone that is suprised that the former players have a different perspective on DB should pull thier head out of the sand. They had it great under DB and the fans made it very clear where they stood. It would be suprising if players and former players were not pissed. Revel in the DB firing all you want just don't expect the people he treated great to join in the party and pat you on the back.

Joined: 11/18/2010

MGoPoints: 1480

TheMadGrasser

November 2nd, 2014 at 12:06 PM ^

Show me where I "outed" my friend. I specifically didn't mention names other than a guy who already made his twitter comments public, if you noticed. It's meant more as a discussion about why the players are so angry with some fans rather than "outing" people. Some of the comments here have given a players point of view and that's great. I didn't realize this would ruffle so many feathers.

Joined: 11/11/2009

MGoPoints: 1256

BornSinner

November 2nd, 2014 at 1:06 AM ^

This was already a thread before, but just by reading the article... It makes me sad that a BUCKEYE, of all fucking people, HERBSTREIT has a better pulse on the god damn Michigan situation than our own student-athlete alums... 

This is surreal. 

Joined: 09/20/2014

MGoPoints: 14672

Jon06

November 2nd, 2014 at 1:06 AM ^

This was already addressed in a thread on Mealer's comment. Of course it's disappointing, especially if these are the kinds of men Michigan has been making the past several years. There's nothing admirable about being an arrogant asshole. Mealer claims to have been joking, and I think it's possible the muggle thing is all in good fun. But hopefully the attitude his joke expressed isn't deeply engrained.

Joined: 09/19/2009

MGoPoints: 15293

Muttley

November 2nd, 2014 at 7:42 PM ^

only about 30 percent ($37.50) goes to cover football operations.  The rest of it goes...somewhere non-football related.

Now if the ticket price was $37.50, I'd agree that the program was being and should be run in a student-athlete-centric manner.

But guess what, over the years the university succumbed to the temptation to run the football program for profit.  OK. Then Dave Brandon put the pedal to the medal for revenue generation (in addition to ticket prices, $5 water bottles, official seat cushions only, etc...)

When season ticket holders are paying $87.50 per ticket that has nothing to do with the cost of running the football program,  then they definitely have a right to complain about the athletic department when they are not happy. 

 

Joined: 07/07/2009

MGoPoints: -73245

HANCOCK

November 2nd, 2014 at 1:12 AM ^

wow. what douche bags.

 

dont support the michigan football players you silly muggles...what a jerk. mealer sucked anyway. sounds like some bitterness. 

Joined: 10/16/2012

MGoPoints: 1665

MgoBlueprint

November 2nd, 2014 at 1:23 AM ^

I was seriously thinking about that today re: hoke not eating before games, and if that impacts his coaching. That may play a role in his road record. At the very least he could be in a snickers commercial.

Joined: 12/15/2008

MGoPoints: 11501

socrking

November 2nd, 2014 at 1:22 AM ^

This wouldn't be an issue if mealer's class didn't go 2-6 against osu and MSU. They had their chance to keep hoke and Brandon. They blew it. Actions have consequences. Suck it up.


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JHendo

November 2nd, 2014 at 1:27 AM ^

Unfortunately for these players, U of M football is a business and fans are the paying customers. We complained to the upper brass and also spoke out with our wallets about the underperformance and unprofessional behavior of an employee and that employee lost his job. It's something that happens, even with athletics. Sounds more like real life comparisons are better suited for this situation than analogies confined to the Harry Potter universe. Oh well, these select few bitter players will get over it/themselves soon enough.

Joined: 10/25/2008

MGoPoints: 13993

socrking

November 2nd, 2014 at 1:27 AM ^

It's ironic that they consider the fans entitled. M has beaten osu once in the past decade and is in the worst 7 year stretch in its 136 year history. Yet they expect us to show unwavering support for all aspects of the program. Including paying thousands of dollars to sit in the cold and watch our rivals and teams like minnefuckingsota kick the shit out of us. Who's the entitled brat now?


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