OT: What do I Tell My Kids???

Submitted by FauxMo on

Dear Fellow Michigan Fans,

After a slew of pretty depressing posts on here yesterday, I started to get a bit introspective and sad, and have now gone to a very dark place. Normally, I am pretty optimistic about life in general, or at least realistic-trending-towards-positive. Yet I cannot seem to shake the blues since yesterday. 

You see, my kids are 11 and 14, born in 2006 and 2003, respectively. Neither has seen Michigan football win a national title, of course, and only the oldest was even alive when Michigan won its last Big Ten title. She was 1 year old. What with our below-average results this year and our extremely disappointing 2018 recruiting class, I am no longer sure I will be alive for another Michigan Big Ten title in football, let alone a playoff appearance or national title.

Now, in this dark place in which I have come to reside, I am starting to wonder if my kids will even be alive for it. Even assuming my kids can each live well into their 100s - what with our high level of income and advances in modern medicine (can anyone say Lasik???) - I cannot tell them with a straight face that between now and 2110 or so, Michigan will win anything of note in football. I just can't lie to them and promise them that. 

So here is my question: Should I encourage them to stop following Michigan football, or Michigan sports in general? We live in Ann Arbor, so it will be hard. But I could, for instance, really start focusing on the Lions, Tigers and Pistons; they're all perennial winners who never let the fans down. Or soccer seems pretty fun to watch. Maybe we can get really into MLS and start driving from city to city to watch mediocre professionals in empty stadiums? Or maybe - and I am sorry to say this, I really am - we can start following another college with high educational and moral standards. I'm hearing good things about Baylor and Louisville lately, for instance.

Any advice here would be greatly appreciated.

Sincerely, your friend,

Fauxmo 

MGoBoard

mGrowOld

November 1st, 2017 at 12:23 PM ^

Tell your kids whatever you want.  I'm raising God Damn Cleveland Browns fans.

Now there's a level of emotional torture you will NEVER have to worry about.

Joined: 10/04/2010

MGoPoints: 212947

LSAClassOf2000

November 1st, 2017 at 1:05 PM ^

I can speak to this - it isn't.

The upside, however, is that by raising your children as Lions fans, you teach them to accept disappointment with an unparalleled stoicism and to see each opportunity - as each new season is - with a guarded optimism, even if the names and numbers on paper would deem that optimism to be misguided. 

Joined: 01/07/2011

MGoPoints: 130636

NowTameInThe603

November 1st, 2017 at 12:33 PM ^

His post yesterday wasnt even bad. It is yet another example of fragile posters and mods that dont want to have any conversation on the board that criticizes the team.

I like many other had reasonable expectations for the season but the 2018 recruiting class IS hard to explain. 

 

Joined: 12/10/2014

MGoPoints: 5751

mgogogadget

November 1st, 2017 at 12:43 PM ^

Maizen struggles to provide reasonable discourse on this message board, can't seem to overcome his perpetually negative disposition, and national signing day is over three months away. Discussion is great. Pointless complaining is not. There are plenty of mgousers willing to provide some fair criticisms and counter-arguments.... Maizen typically isn't. His repeated threads all basketball and football seasons shouldn't have to be tolerated.

Joined: 08/22/2017

MGoPoints: 1388

bronxblue

November 1st, 2017 at 12:53 PM ^

His posts are always the same, and the defenses are also always the same.  It's "people aren't talking about the 'real' issues", as if the '18 class hasn't been discussed already.  And I read that post, and there was nothing new to it.  OSU and PSU are recruiting very well.  Michigan has missed on some kids.  It follows earlier posts where he'd say things like "Michigan really blew it with X", and then post part of a quote from a message board from a guru who said "yeah, it wasn't the best visit for having fun but the kid really liked the coaches" or "look out, Michigan lost a crystal ball for a '19 offensive linemen to Wisconsin, we are DOOOOOOOMMMMMMEDDDD!"

It's just lazy bullshit from a guy who wants attention.  Which is his right.  But there are thoughtful, useful ways to have these discussions and then there's throwing-bags-of-shit-on-fire way he employs.

Joined: 11/22/2008

MGoPoints: 171777

mbrummer

November 1st, 2017 at 12:30 PM ^

In today's world of every game  on TV.  

YOU need to be the change.  You need to become Yankees, Duke (or Kansas), Notre Dame, Cowboys fan.

Start buying only these shirts,  only go to the front page any catelog.  Start vehemently proclaiming your fandom for them.  Cut ties with anyone who questions you.

If anyone asks why you're a fan with no affilation to any of these teams, say  'I liked the colors when I was a kid."

Do it right and you're guarantteed at least one winner every year.

Joined: 07/29/2008

MGoPoints: 7872

I dumped the Dope

November 1st, 2017 at 12:29 PM ^

is going to be the career of Don Brown and Greg Mattison.

The OL is eventually going to catch up.

I really feel if Rashan Gary stays for his 4th year (which would be '19-Fall season) then we are going to be deep in the hunt for the Dr Pep trophy.

Joined: 09/22/2013

MGoPoints: 2342

bronxblue

November 1st, 2017 at 12:38 PM ^

I think your only real recourse is to Truman Show them and pay an entire town to act like Michigan won a conference title last year and will be in the playoffs every other year from now to eternity.

Joined: 11/22/2008

MGoPoints: 171777

TSimpson77

November 1st, 2017 at 12:43 PM ^

Ask an old Cubs fan, try to find one around 70 or 80. I often wonder what they told kids, grandkids and greatgrandkids. The depression never left for that fan base, which were good times for us Cardinals fans. Until then, cheer up buttercup it'll get better, we have Jim Harbaugh not Brady Hoke.

Joined: 05/13/2010

MGoPoints: 2264

DetroitBlue

November 1st, 2017 at 12:59 PM ^

seems really unlikely. i have sincere doubts that maizen has ever gotten laid and if, by some miracle he has, there’s almost no chance his wife/kids could even stand to be around him

Joined: 07/02/2008

MGoPoints: 30311

xtramelanin

November 2nd, 2017 at 7:42 AM ^

no TV 9 months of the year, farm work every day, school 12 months/yr.   they'll learn to love their sports but be too busy to lament too much over whether or not we won X title.  

and we will indeed win titles.  

now turn that sad clown face into a glad clown face and release all those hostages. 

EDIT:  fauxmo, you're the best, but what is with upvoting your own OP?  are you really maizen in disguise.  take off the make-up so we can see your real face.  

EDIT #2:  the upvote is more subtlety.  went over my head first time.  excellent work. 

Joined: 12/09/2014

MGoPoints: 15439

BlockedAccount

November 1st, 2017 at 12:50 PM ^

usually your content is pretty good. I read your comments and think to myself, "that's pretty clever". however, this one's a reach mo. you're better than this.

Joined: 10/22/2017

MGoPoints: 247

jamesjosephharbaugh

November 1st, 2017 at 12:55 PM ^

I have thoughts about this.  You may not like them.  People with access to the green and red buttons may not like them.  ok.

1. In reality, you should tell your kids that evidence is beginning to show that football is a very dangerous sport for the players, with many, many cases of brain damage being discovered.  So for that reason, they should not play or support football whatsoever.  I say this with the understanding that I'm a hypocrite.  But smokers tell their kids not to smoke, sometimes it works.  

2. Tell them to follow Michigan hockey, baseball, soccer, swimming, tennis and basketball (and whatever else!). Tell them to follow men's and women's sports.  Tell them to follow club sports.  Ann Arbor gives them lots and lots of opportunities.  Tell them to take being a community member and supporter of student athletes seriously and turn them into Michigan Superfans.

3. Look 150 miles to the west.  The Cubs won a championship after 108 years of disappointment.  And remember that there's something sickeningly gratifying about being part of the fan base for the team who can never quite get there.  The Lions, the Cleveland Browns, the Cubs before 2016, etc. etc. have a very tight base of support that has almost been a result of them losing all the time.  I loved the Lions fans' reactions to getting cheated out of a win recently - the joke was that only the Lions could invent a new way to lose a game by actually winning the game.  So being a fan of a team that doesn't win Championships can be great fun!

4. The worst thing you can do is teach your kids that it's only worth committing to something if that something "wins."  Don't teach your kids to be fair weather fans, or fans of only the championship teams.  Teach them to be with their team, with their spouses, with their families, with their friends, and with their commitments through thick and thin.  Teach them perseverence.  Loyalty.  Hope.

Way too serious of a response for a sports blog, but if your questions are serious, then these answers are serious.

 

Joined: 10/17/2016

MGoPoints: 495

Sam1863

November 1st, 2017 at 12:56 PM ^

Tell them that saliva causes cancer, but only if swallowed in small amounts over a long period of time.

(Hey, if you can't use George Carlin to emotionally scar your kids, who can you use?)

Joined: 04/27/2014

MGoPoints: 28893

Kevin13

November 1st, 2017 at 12:58 PM ^

and tell them there is no hope UM will never win a significant game in football ever again. At first they will be upset, but in the long run they will come to appreciate your honesty and that they didn't waste their entire lives hoping UM could actually win something in football....

Joined: 01/26/2016

MGoPoints: 16040

Zeke21

November 1st, 2017 at 1:33 PM ^

When people get run over in NYC, I too go to dark place and ponder the future for our kids.

When i think of M football I only can be optimistic about our team, and more so, about the character of our young men. Go Blue.

Joined: 12/20/2016

MGoPoints: 8751

MGoStrength

November 1st, 2017 at 1:47 PM ^

Why are you a UM fan? Did you go to school there, originally from the area, grow up with parents as fans, just like the the uniforms, etc? Regardless, it probably isn't because of how good they were. And, you are not them, so you shouldn't judge your own happiness or self worth on if they win or lose. If you only cared about wins you can simply start liking OSU and your problems are solved. I know it's human to get happy when your team wins and frustrated when they lose, but you also need to realize it's a game and entertainment. It's not your life, your job, or your family. Its a hobby, so I'd encourage you to work on finding some balance and keep UM football in the proper perspective.

Joined: 07/29/2010

MGoPoints: 20002

teamort2

November 1st, 2017 at 2:05 PM ^

My olddest son(28) is a ND fan as is my daughter(22) ugh!  My other son(27) is a Nebraska fan, i have no idea how that happened.  I live 7 miles away from ND so i get that.  Somehow they didn't care about all my Michigan memories, and memorabilia, I have collected being a diehard Mich fan.  Just let goooooooooo.............

 

 

 

Joined: 12/30/2010

MGoPoints: 766