Whom Have You Converted to the Wolverines?

Submitted by EastCoast Esq. on

I only became a Michigan fan in 2011 when I was accepted into graduate school there. I have no prior connections whatsoever to the school or even the state. Since that time, though, I have converted my entire family -- including my sister's family that lives in SEC Country -- and my best friend.

I've been plying my niece and nephews with Michigan-themed gifts and I took my best friend to a football game and a basketball game. We now have a yearly tradition of going to either the @Maryland game or the @Rutgers game and we recently attended the Big Ten Tournament.

 

Whom have you converted? And how did you convert them? Any good stories?

 

EDIT: Thank you to MGoViso for the typo catch. I've always had difficulties with "who" vs. "whom."

BubbaT33

March 31st, 2017 at 2:08 PM ^

"Come on! Seriously! You think you can like both the team in green and the MAIZE AND BLUE? Whatever!" Not if you want to be my friend (and or spouse and/or relative). They choose wisely!

bringthewood

March 31st, 2017 at 4:46 PM ^

Neither would even apply to MSU despite the fact we encouraged them to. One has and UG from Michigan and working on his masters at SNRE now. My daughter is a senior in engineering school at GVSU. I thought she would get into M given here grades and scores but it was a no go. As a side note Michigan does not give two shits about alumni status during admissions - regardless of the lip service they pay to it.

Huzilla

April 11th, 2017 at 11:59 AM ^

He had never watched an American Football game before 2015.  But he understands that Michigan Winning ---> Happier Huzilla --> More pleasant living quarters.



He also enjoys my Harbaugh tantrums when the refs screw us over so his ideal situation is when we win but in a nail biter.

WMUgoblue

March 31st, 2017 at 2:12 PM ^

My freshman year roommate at Western, I went in blind and got placed with a theater major student, who cared as much for football as I did for Hamlet. We don't talk often now as he lives in San Diego but every September-December we converse on anything Michigan football related. He's as bought in as someone can be that had no family affiliation or alligence.

house of pain

March 31st, 2017 at 2:17 PM ^

Temple alum here. Not even U of M alum.

The list as follows:

Mother and father. Wife, Brother-in-law,Brother in-law's best friend. Mother and Father in-law. 3 college roomates. 

Saying I'm a fan of Michigan is a gross understatement..

 

house of pain

March 31st, 2017 at 2:17 PM ^

Temple alum here. Not even U of M alum.

The list as follows:

Mother and father. Wife, Brother-in-law,Brother in-law's best friend. Mother and Father in-law. 3 college roomates. 

Saying I'm a fan of Michigan is a gross understatement..

 

PopeLando

March 31st, 2017 at 4:53 PM ^

If only people who graduated from a university were allowed to cheer for that school's team...

Spartan stadium would be damn near empty. And still attended exclusively by idiots.

U of M would STILL have the most fans with an EVEN HIGHER median income and intelligence.

UM Griff

March 31st, 2017 at 2:18 PM ^

I bought them all t-shirts and indoctrinated their 12 year old son via text.

He says he is a Wolverine fan for life!!

And oh yeah, Tom Brady.........

CarolinaWolverine

March 31st, 2017 at 2:21 PM ^

EastCoast, you are 4 or 5 times the M fan that I am.  I can't remember the last away game I went to...probably was the 1985 UM v Iowa game in Iowa City with my roommates when I was a student...it was painful. I've been to many home football games over the years but my wife and kids aren't that interested in going with me (she went to UNC) so I've kinda stopped going.

As far as trying to convert friends and family, I've had little luck...if anything they're turned off by my annoying personality during the games (I'm usually grouchy from kickoff to final gun), so I watch the games alone (usually via DVR).

Because I grew up in suburban Detroit, I've never had a pro football team to trust my fandom to so I've let my friends convert me to become a Carolina Panthers fan.

matty blue

March 31st, 2017 at 2:23 PM ^

...and me, too, when i went there.  he sent three of us there for a degree from the greatest university in the world.

told this story in the "why are you a wolverine" thread, but...my dad was a sparty through and through, until he sent three of us to ann arbor.  we buried him with a 'bo' michigan hat.

I Love Lamp

March 31st, 2017 at 2:23 PM ^

My wife was hell bent on making her a sparty fan. Took her to the dumpster for a game, bought her gear, all that. I took her to a Michigan football game last year and that was enough for her. She was pissed at me for not picking Michigan to win the tournament.

And man does my wife hate it. She is working double-time on my son, but his sister is his idol, so yeah, pretty sure he will be on board soon as well :)

MEZman

March 31st, 2017 at 2:29 PM ^

My wife, she is/was a Notre Dame fan but is less of one now (Brian Kelly certainly helped the cause). She's really into Michigan now... only took 10 years.

AFWolverine

March 31st, 2017 at 2:33 PM ^

My wife, too. She's not generally a sports fan, but always pays attention during football season. Being raised in Ohio like myself, that's one fewer Buckeye slappy the world has to endure. Our 4 kids all cheer for the maize and blue as well. So it's a win all around!

rob f

March 31st, 2017 at 2:34 PM ^

one brother-in-law, several nieces and nephews, and at least 3 of my first cousins. 90% of these relatives were ND fans, just as I was in my childhood before seeing the light.

I've also converted about a dozen or so friends who I've invited to games with me over the last 40 seasons (I've had season tickets since 1977)

And yes, I'm old. But that doesn't stop me from enlightening others on all things MICHIGAN.

sheepman

March 31st, 2017 at 2:34 PM ^

My best friend. After I finish my doctorate there, he got laid off as a teacher. I convinced him to apply and come to Michigan. He got accepted and is now in his fourth year, total convert!




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In reply to by Wolverine Devotee

EastCoast Esq.

March 31st, 2017 at 2:49 PM ^

I converted my girl as well. It's been pretty much understood that she HAS to be a Michigan fan, notwithstanding the fact that she does not care AT ALL about sports. Our apartment is covered with Michigan stuff, including a lot of Michigan-related items that she got me as gifts.

Also, I have hammered some important names into her head, like Jim Harbaugh and Trey Burke. She has a very cute habit of randomly shouting "Trey Burke!" when I'm watching a basketball game.

Wolverine Devotee

March 31st, 2017 at 3:08 PM ^

It's taken at least half a year for me to fully slowly reveal my almost everything Michigan that I do so it wasn't so overwhelming. We're over a year, even through a whole Football season. Pretty telling considering how much of a maniac I can be with my endless quirks.

Wendyk5

March 31st, 2017 at 2:47 PM ^

My husband. He always equated Michigan with Notre Dame as a school you love to hate. But I think going through the recent down years has helped him see us in a different perspective. He now never misses a game.

jimmyshi03

March 31st, 2017 at 5:24 PM ^

of our first months of dating, which came in the fall of 2013. i had attempted to impress upon her that I got a little wound up when Michigan was playing, especially when watching the games themselves. She kind of thought I was exaggerating (in fairness, she didn't see me at my most anxious, as I was visiting relatives as the Akron game wound down). That was until the back-to-back whammys of the 27 for 27 game we watched at a B-Dubs (the overtimes especially didn't help matters) followed by the debacle of the Michigan State game, which we watched at a different B-Dubs in a mall (she actually left to walk around in the third quarter, by the middle of the fourth, I was meeting her outside to leave). 

Luckily she found it cute, I guess. Now, she gets it. She loved watching and rooting for Jabrill Peppers (I'd probably love nothing more than for him to go to the Seahawks, as she's from the Seattle area and does follow the Hawks a bit). She was even laughing when I yelled out "Yes" after the Darboh touchdown during the Wisconsin game so loudly that it made our dog throw up. And she found it cute when I was pacing all over and pumping my fists during the closing minutes of the Louisville game. 

Wal-Mart Wolverine

March 31st, 2017 at 2:51 PM ^

This year our basketball team "almost" won over Mike Valenti until Walton's shot didn't go in. Like I said, "Almost" !