Muggles (from a players perspective)
I had read about some people being upset that athletes use the term muggles and I wanted to clear it up that we (or at least the players I know) do not do it to be mean or cause divisions.
I dont know who came up with it but we thought it was funny because we all you the fans and us the players represent all the same colors and we are all on the same team but just different people. We all bleed blue so we never thought it might hurt peoples feelings because I love Harry Potter I even went to the theme park back home thats how much I love it. Muggles are not even the bad word in Harry Potter but I dont want that to excuse it if there is confusion.
We are not trying to seperate ourselves or be superior its a lot of stress and long hours and jokes get us through.
November 5th, 2014 at 10:22 AM ^
November 5th, 2014 at 10:25 AM ^
FInger guns are for my passing protection. My first read protection and my second read protection. Glad you enjoyed it.
November 5th, 2014 at 10:24 AM ^
Brian, give this man some MGoPoints!
I'm not sure I want to live in a world where WD has 1,000,000 more points than Vincent Smith.
November 5th, 2014 at 10:30 AM ^
November 5th, 2014 at 10:40 AM ^
/JK
You 'da man. I tried to find someone else with a million points for comparison, but you're the only one. The next closest is that slacker Brian Cook with less than 100,000.
BTW, it would be a cool feature if you could donate points to people of your choice.
November 5th, 2014 at 10:42 AM ^
I think all you need do is ask...I think the mods can pretty much do whatever they see fit/whatever Brian tells them to do.
November 5th, 2014 at 10:57 AM ^
Mods: Please give 1,000 of my points to MrSmith.
Thanks!
November 5th, 2014 at 11:01 AM ^
More than happy to help the cause!
November 5th, 2014 at 11:18 AM ^
November 5th, 2014 at 11:37 AM ^
I gave him 500 when he made his account so he could be a trusted user, but honestly I think it's cooler seeing how much everyone upvotes him instead of one person putting a big number next to his username. That's just me though.
November 5th, 2014 at 12:01 PM ^
Trust me, I posbanged the crap out of Vincent in this thread (as did many others) ...but since HOPE didn't quite pan out as we all had wished, it's the least I can do. Please give him all but 100 of my points. TIA
November 5th, 2014 at 9:40 PM ^
I wanted you to know HOPE came out with more then we ever expected. We are from a town where no one cares about nothing from the outside and when we just saw the numbers go up to meet our kickstart goal it was unreal.
No one in our town ever knew people could care about me playing football and giving Michigan fans some great memories that I could have a community garden to support my hometown and you all made it happen.
So I thank you all for that and we are still going and growing and working on expanding to Michigan. I know I have to update more and you all be on the computer a lot and you will see as things comes together there will be more updates.
Every time I go to the garden they always follow me.
November 5th, 2014 at 9:42 PM ^
**I apologize the picture isnt wide enough but thats the garden in Pahokee Florida dont know how to fix it to make it look right.
November 5th, 2014 at 9:57 PM ^
I resized it a bit for you. If anyone right clicks to open it in a new tab it will show up full sized.
Congrats on everything with HOPE, not everyone can say they're making a difference and it definitely looks like you and everyone else involved really are.
November 5th, 2014 at 10:30 AM ^
Thanks Mr. Smith
Thanks, Mr. Smith, not only for your comments today (and your great attitude), but for everything you did for Michigan. My favorite group of players over the last 10 years was the Florida crew that Rich Rodriguez brought in: You, Tay Odoms, Denard, Gallon, et al. The toughness, the drive, the effort you guys displayed every play, and the attitudes you all presented to the fans and the community were wonderful and serve as an example for younger players. Just the way all of you guys blocked, for example (except Denard) demonstrates that great attitude. Blocking and effort come from mental toughness and desire, and you guys had-- and I'm sure still have-- that in spades. Best of luck to you and the whole crew. I don't think I'm alone when I say I'll be rooting for you the rest of your lives.
November 5th, 2014 at 9:44 PM ^
I appreciate that where I come from family is family and community is community and I am my moms youngest son and I was the only one to graduate and get a college degree from the University of Michigan at that. And I had fun playing.
November 5th, 2014 at 10:32 AM ^
November 5th, 2014 at 10:44 AM ^
and I thought it was pretty apt. I had a few friends that played football, hockey and basketball at UM and their experiences were different than mine in a lot of ways. They basically had a full time job on top of being a student while I had a ton of free time to sleep, play Sega hockey and be an idiot.
November 5th, 2014 at 10:48 AM ^
As others have said I think it's less about the term itself and more about the context.
No one was making the argument (as Elliot seemed to imply) that the fans know more about sports than the athletes. The reasons people wanted Dave Brandon out were varied, many of them having little to do with on-field performance. There has also been this growing sentiment in the fan/student/alumni base that the athletic department doesn't care about the fans/students/alumni and Dave Brandon's often openly antagonistic attitude only further fanned that flame.
Essentially Elliot unwittingly stepped into the middle of a shit tornado without a good idea of why the fans were so angry with DB and was seemingly hostile towards them. That's a recipe for a pretty major backlash whether it's deserved or not.
I don't think many people have a problem with the players jokingly referring to non-athletes as muggles.
Everyone who has attended Michigan (or any other college for that matter) knows that the athletes (especially big money athletes like football and basketball) are somewhat insulated from the general student body.
I think more often than not the clash between fans/students/alumni and players happens beause fans/students/alumni are loyal to the program, whereas players are loyal to the program and the people running the program.
Most fans/students/alumni never interact with the coaches or the administrators. The athletes do so on a dialy basis. It's easy for fans to call for the head of some coach or administrator, because they're so far removed from the program in that respect. You'd likely never see any athletes calling for the heads of the people they know and who help them on a daily basis, regardless of whether they deserve to be fired or not. So there is always going to be a certain amount conflict on that front when things start to head south for a program and people start getting fired.
The athletes necessarily take it personally because of their personal involvement, while the fans/students/alumni generally do not.
November 5th, 2014 at 9:49 PM ^
You right, because our coaches are our family and it feels like someone you are very close to is going to leave or get fired. You build trust you have fun and build a bond.
November 5th, 2014 at 10:52 AM ^
Vincent knows OT, and this ain't OT.
I'm a big fan of yours, by the way. As Bo used to say, "One tough son of a bitch"
November 5th, 2014 at 11:09 AM ^
Vincent, this is a good opportunity for you to promote your garden project. Anywhere I can donate? Thanks for stopping by this morning
November 5th, 2014 at 9:52 PM ^
Thank you that is a great idea to update and I will have something up very soon. I wanted to keep this muggle seperate subject and I want to focus on what is upseting everyone to get it clear because I know there is a lot of changes right now. I posted a picture to another comment the garden is something very important to me.
November 5th, 2014 at 11:17 AM ^
Vin, you are one tough SOB! It was a pleasure cheering for you over the course of your career. Thank you for being a wonderful ambassador for the University and an overall great guy.
November 5th, 2014 at 11:27 AM ^
Two true Michigan Men . . . from Florida!
November 5th, 2014 at 11:48 AM ^
I was going to say, "How can V. Smith be on the board and no one post the finger guns gif?"
Also obligatory!
Continue greatness V!
November 5th, 2014 at 8:52 PM ^
November 5th, 2014 at 11:29 AM ^
Sent from MGoBlog HD for iPhone & iPad
November 5th, 2014 at 11:38 AM ^
I will be rooting for OSU on Saturday. It may never happen again, but it will happen this weekend.
November 5th, 2014 at 2:00 PM ^
Bitch slap sparty for us, please.
November 5th, 2014 at 5:23 PM ^
Cannot root for Ohio State, I would rather not root for anyone or pretend the game does not exist.
November 5th, 2014 at 8:05 PM ^
November 5th, 2014 at 3:47 PM ^
We will do our best! I'm not confident, fwiw. I was rooting for you guys this year against them, because despite the extreme pleasure I get from Michigan defeats, Sparty Internet fans have been unbearable and I want them knocked down a peg or nine. Act like you've been there before, even when we all know you haven't.
November 5th, 2014 at 9:53 PM ^
We on the same team for that and I will give you an upvote for that.
November 5th, 2014 at 11:32 AM ^
Thank you for weighing in on this topic. I think you're one of the few people who live in both worlds of the player and the fan so you have a unique perspective that I respect and admire. I am also a huge Harry Potter fan since I grew up with the series so yeah muggle is not the worst word.
I took the usage of that word to mean that players thought they were better than non-student athletes which if that's not the intent I appreciate your clarification. Maybe a better choice would have been that the student athletes are part of one giant Quidditch team but again I appreciate you attempting to understand the fan/alumni/student side of it and I truly appreciate all of your contributions to our school.
Thank you and I hope everything is going well for you and your coworkers.
Go Blue.
November 5th, 2014 at 9:55 PM ^
I thank you and I appreciate that and I like your quote.
November 5th, 2014 at 11:33 AM ^
November 5th, 2014 at 9:55 PM ^
Bingo Go BLUE
November 5th, 2014 at 11:38 AM ^
We need the dialog. It helps rebuild the bridges.
And I agree - everyone is upset - and many are saying things that come out the wrong way on the spur of the moment.
Go Blue!
November 5th, 2014 at 11:48 AM ^
.... I understand student athletes work their asses off and a lot of people don't understand that committment. At the same time, I know a lot of people who worked 20+ hours a week throughout school while carrying a heavy academic load and not having access to the amazing resources provided to the athletes.
What a term like that suggests is a division in which one is superior to the other. This is a fallacy born of laziness and ignorance.
November 5th, 2014 at 9:57 PM ^
I did not know that and thank you for your perspective
November 5th, 2014 at 11:48 AM ^
I just went through and read all of responses from Vincent Smith. It has been said many times already, but it is awesome to have someone like him as a poster.
November 5th, 2014 at 11:50 AM ^
I said this in another thread, I'll say it here.
When Draco Malfoy says muggle, it means one thing.
When Ron Weasley says muggle, it means another thing.
Elliot Mealer's use of the word was definitely more in line with Malfoy than Weasley.
It's not a big deal, but the context matters.
Anyway, Vincent Smith for AD because he's the man. Thanks for this post!
November 5th, 2014 at 12:01 PM ^
Come on, now Mealer is Draco Malfoy?
Try replacing the word "muggle" in his tweet with non-athlete:
The non-athletes that attend the University of Michigan should pick who the next AD is. Found out earlier this year that they're experts in it.
He's expressing the opinion that people insider the athletic department have a better perspective on what makes a good AD than people outside the department. Feel free to disagree with that position (I do!) But it is certainly not so controversial that it justifies all of the consternation and whining that followed. And the use of the word "muggle," which football players use as a synonym for non-athlete, does not imbue it with hidden dark meaning.
And it certainly does not justify Brian's portraying Mealer and others as out-of-touch British aristocrats. I love how the proprietor of this site is free to share his opinion ad nauseum, but the second an athlete offers a differing opinion he launches a full-out character assault.
November 5th, 2014 at 12:11 PM ^
No, that's not what I'm saying
Its coming more from the Malfoy end of the spectrum than the Weasley end.
Again, you can say its not a big deal. I agree with you. But trying to argue that it wasn't meant in a negative manner or as an insult is just silly.
November 5th, 2014 at 11:50 AM ^
November 5th, 2014 at 9:59 PM ^
Yes thats good to hear because mine are still growing as well and I am trying the new beard thing for Novemeber
November 5th, 2014 at 11:59 AM ^
it still would show disdain.
Let me do that
Themugglesfans that attend the University of Michigan should pick who the next AD is. Found out earlier this year that they're experts in it.
— Elliott Mealer (@el_mealer) October 31, 2014
I think the term "muggles" is quite apt. I'm fine with its usage in ordinary circumstances. Sarcastic taunts like the whole tweet, not so much.
November 5th, 2014 at 12:05 PM ^
Who cares? Can we just drop it? Plus, it's not clear whether Mealer is more upset at fans or the administrators who listened to the fans (over perhaps people in the athletic department). My guess would be the latter.
November 5th, 2014 at 6:41 PM ^
All through our history, we have divided ourselves into many factions, and we have come up with derogatory terms to use for people who are outside of our group, usually, this is meant as a way to dehumanize the other group, and justify treating them differently, and in many cases, doing terrible things to them. Ethnic slurs, racial insults, and every derogatory term ever coined probably started out as "a harmless joke" to the person making up the name, but to a recipient, they can be hurtful and dividing, and should be beneath what we are trying to teach at this University.
If we really are trying to develop these young men as "Leaders and Best" then there is no room for arrogance, hatred, or the cordoning themselves off from the student body and considering themselves different than everyone else, this is what the politicians in Washington have done, and why we have such a disfunctional gov't. If we are going to survive and thrive in the future, we must do it together as one group, not cutting each other down.