Michigan Arrogance Quantified Once Again
So I was scanning my feed reader and I clicked on a MSC post that referenced a BTN list of B10 athletes competing in Beijing. Feel free to count for yourselves, but I wouldn't even bother. Michigan athletes make up about 40-45% of B10 representatives. M has more than 25 athletes in China. Second place comes in at 7 athletes. My question: Does this Michigan dominance justify in any way the arrogance of Michgan fans? Or does it just perpetuate the falsehood? Maybe the answer depends on what school you went or what state you grew up in or what team you follow. Maybe it depends on if you went to Michigan or not. Here's what I think: Michigan, more than any other university in the B10 and perhaps the nation, attracts the cream of the crop. Not only athletically, but academically. There are only a handful of institutions that exceed Michigan's academics in most fields. Only a handful exceed Michigan athletically in most sports. Exceed Michigan in both? At most, one: Stanford. So does this list justify my arrogance as a Michgan fan & alum? You bet your sweet arse it does, brah.*
*speaking of brah, where are the Aggies on that list?
The biggest reason why I chose to attend Michigan was that it excelled in both academics and athletics. The school is top 25 in the nation, and Michigan's football program is one of the best programs of all time. No other school has a balance like we have. I'm quite proud of this fact.
I talk trash to friends who chose places with high academics and no athletics, and I talk trash to friends who chose places with high athletics and no academics. Both groups missed out on something special, especially the high athletics group, as their jobs suck now.
I agree with your point Chitown, but I think the Michigan arrogance doesn't really refer to each associated individual, but with the school as a whole. I work with a guy who went to Northwest Missouri State (or something like that) and he's the most respected guy in my office, somehow. Do I think I'm better than him because I went to Michigan? No. Do I think my college is superior to his? Absolutely.
August 1st, 2008 at 12:08 PM ^
yes. the original post was more heavily weighted on the arrogance side...
to me, pride and humility are not mutually exclusive, and their combination is certainly preferable to arrogance... i think it is part of the culture of the university, and of the program, but it unfortunately is often either misunderstood by outsiders, or is occasionally (or habitually, depending on the person) disregarded by fellow wolverines, who take the arrogance train and run with it...
August 1st, 2008 at 12:03 PM ^
nevermind
The fact that U-M has so many athletes participating in olympic sports (BTW, I totally won't be watching) is due in large part to the fact that the athletic department tells all of its coaches to recruit nationally. I believe it's the case that the U-M athletic department has the biggest tuition bill in the country, and it's not even close. The coaches go all over the country to get the best athletes, the athletes want to come because they see what a great school / sports program it is, those good athletes make the sports program even better, and coaches then have an easier time recruiting nationally. It's a big circle of awesomeness. But the circle wouldn't be so awesome if Bill Martin wasn't willing to be "dad" to hundreds of kids from all over the country who pay out-of-state tuition at one of the country's most expensive public schools.
It's not arrogance when you're the best; it's called honesty.
both academically and athletically than all but maybe stanford is untrue. Based on a very few select rankings alone, UCLA is our doppleganger out west. Cal is right there (slightly higher ranked academics, slightly fewer DC points). I will say, though, that there are very few schools that achieve such a high level in both arenas, particularly with regard to the "money" programs.
School, USNWR undergrad rank, Directors cup rank
Michigan, 25, 3
UCLA, 25, 2
Cal, 21, 7
USC, 27, 13
Virginia, 23, 17
Notre Dame, 19, 21
UNC, 28, 14
1)It's not arrogance when you're the best; it's called honesty. 2)...justify my "superiority" over any other human being... 3)The thing that justifies my arrogance is that I'm awesome. 4)Do I think I'm better than him because I went to Michigan? No. Do I think my college is superior to his? Absolutely. 1)basically agree 2)agree... no one is a superior human being based on school attendance. but some degrees don't exactly carry the same weight. IOW, a degree from NW assigns automatic respect from square one. A degree from Generic State U? You gotta show me something, brah. 3)granted 4)can't agree any more w/ you. Also, the assertion that UM is better both academically and athletically than all but maybe stanford is untrue.... yes, but Stanford is the only school you can say is DEFINITELY quantitatively better than Michigan in sum.
I'll get the new html tags down soon. the comments were easier in the old days under my old handle. certainly a good change overall tho.
August 1st, 2008 at 11:11 AM ^
August 1st, 2008 at 11:14 AM ^
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