Article on Michigan fans/students
Nice piece. There ought to be a policy whereby a fraternity's membership loses its ticket-buying privilege if less than half of its ticket-holding members make it to the stadium by the national anthem (in favor of playing Edward 40 Hands and passing out).
Max, your post is full of dumb. First of all, if you think that the fraternities are the only people who get fucked up before football games and show up late, you're very wrong and you should probably walk down state (near hoover) or Arbor or a number of other streets where many non-Greeks are also wasted. Also, lots of Greeks stay sober and show up to watch the band. Great sweeping generalization though. I suppose all the Asians don't go because they're too busy studying or hanging out at Bubble Island too, huh?
And really, if someone buys a ticket and shows up in the second quarter and leaves in the third, isn't that their business? Buying a ticket doesn't mean you need to be a superfan. I know a lot of alumni who buy season tickets and don't even show up to half the games. Should they have their ticket privileges revoked too?
EDIT: Mahorn, I like what you're doing with the new avatar. I hope you treat her like a lady, she deserves it.
Amen. If only frats got fucked up, what about the parking structures outside crisler, or the golf course? Lol, tailgait is a classy way to say get fucked up :)
Also, crowd noise (like the maize section) is improving. I was in an alumni section last year where people stood for much of the game and made noise. I think the fans listen when Rich Rod asks for noise and maize. Lloyd never really addressed it with the media.
Trying to find the part of my post where I said that all non-Greeks are blameless. Nope, it's not there.
I appreciate that you fight feverishly to defend the name of the fraternities, but "fraternity guy generalizations = Asians generalizations"; really? It doesn't occur to you that one is a self-selected group (a prominent attribute of which is heavy drinking), the other an ethnicity?
The fact that you said "a prominent attribute of which is heavy drinking" shows me that you're ignorant and really don't know anything about which you speak.
And a generalization is a generalization, regardless of how the group's membership is determined. Is it correct for me to say that all NASCAR fans are racist? You aren't born a NASCAR fan, so it's OK to generalize them, right?
Alright, I can see this is pointless.
When someone argues that drinking isn't an aspect of Greek life, you know it's just not worth it.
Drinking is an aspect of Greek Life in the same way it's an aspect of college. You said that it is a "prominent attribute" which is blatantly false. Are the dry fraternities not fraternities then?
Are you this close minded in every aspect of your life?
+1
of course many greeks drink, not all, and thats not what being greek is all about
"prominent attribute" ≠ prohibitive activity.
I can't conceive of anyone being dumber than you.
Come on Max, I bet you could. Almost all of your posts on here have been an insult to a person or group, in one manner or another. Congrats, you're super intelligent. And an asshole.
#1 I am a member of a State St. frat
#2 Yes, pregaming is a huge deal for us to the point that I will be up at 6 am for any noon game (intrestingly enough thats 5 hrs earlier than ill get up for class)
#3 That being said, I have never missed us running under the banner or any second of action, I never left early including the Northwestern game where I actually stayed in the stadium for a while after the game cause I was so disgusted with the result I couldn't face the walk home
#4 I missed only 1 non break basketball game for a family wedding and I made sure my ticket was given (not sold) to the biggest fan I knew without one
#5 I am also far from the only Greek who acts like this, obviously we don't all care like that, but some of the hardest core fans i know tend to be ex-high school athletes who just werent d1 quality but wanted the michigan expirence and still love sports and greek life has alot of similarities to the lifestyle and feelings expirenced by high school athletes, its not as good as playing, but it is fun
#6 Much of the student body not just Greeks get drunk or sometimes very drunk before the game
clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap clap :)
ooo cuts deep. slightly true. i suppose we just need to be better and hopefully the renovations help with that.
Conversely... the more time I spend at the Frat houses the louder I get...
These articles annoy me. When I read this Monday I discounted it as a new sports writer trying "make a statement."
There are several problems with this article. First, comparing the fandom to NASCAR fans is an extremely flawed argument. She goes at length about how NASCAR fans start preparing for the race by taking Wednesday, Thurs, Fri off work. Ummm, okay. That's somewhat fine when there's one race in, what 5 months, and you decide to make it your vacation for the summer. It's pretty incomprable to a student's life at Michigan. What do you want students to do, skip Wednesday's class to stake out a spot in the Crisler parking lot, a mere two blocks from that students house?
Then there's this gem:
"In the Wolverines last home game of the season, only 40,000 total fans made it to halftime — with the student section only about 20 percent full."
First, this is a presentation of fact... what is this girl, the census queen? I stayed the entire game (and through the post game show) and I'll tell you this: The students were in attendance more than the general ticket holders. I would say the student section was around 45%. The rest of the bowl was considerably more scattered.
The other thing that bothers me is the general lumping together of all students - this line in particular:
"Do you really think Michigan football fans bleed maize and blue?
I haven't seen so much as a paper cut recently."
Maybe she should have come to Kansas City with the hundreds of students who made the 8 hour drive to support the Wolverines. Or maybe she should have stuck around with the fans who did stick it out through the Northwestern game - many of which were seniors and knew that this was their last hurray. I remember my friend tearing up saying of the loss on the last game he'd see as a student, "It's not supposed to happen like this"
20,000 students get tickets. Probably 4,000-5,000 are the problems she speaks of, yet she lumps us all together.
By the end of halftime there had to be less than 45% right? At the very least, I remember my seats as a freshman were row 88, and I was standing in the mid teens by the end of that game.
I feel like if you're a UM student going leaving every game early, then fine; you were probably useless in your seat and texting the whole time anyway.
Possibly - it's hard to remember. I specifically remember thinking "Wow, this is terrible and someone could become seriously ill out here, but the student section is holding stronger than the regular folk."
I was in probably the 8th-ish row, however, so maybe it was hard for me to see really what the percentage was. Like I said, I remember seeing no more than 40% of the rest of the crowd around by the 4th quarter.
I have to agree, but the article does make some meaningful points that we should all take to heart. I don't really care about starting tailgates on wednesday because we have an excellent tailgate atmosphere as it is. All the fans need to make an effort to be louder during the game. Old people are a big problem. I don't understand why these guys feel the need to tell other people to sit down and be quiet. If they can't see the field then look at the jumbo screen for that play. Most of them have the radios on in their ear to listen to the play-by-play anyways. If they really can't stand other people making the stadium better for the team, then they need to stay home. There are many people out there willing to take your seat to be able to make noise. That is all.
you're missing the older fans perspective. i'm sure there's a significant number who physically cannot stand or it's really uncomfortable to stand the whole game who also have every right to be there that we do
It's good to stand to be louder, but you got to be respectful too. Who ever said you can't yell sitting down?
Old people only make noise when something is negative. "What the hell are they doing?" "This is pathetic" "COVER HIM!!!".
Only thing old people and us do together is slap hands on touchdowns.
the drive to watch the team in KC was a great example of the love we do have for the team and fwiw was a great trip (thou i must have taken a shitty route cause i remember it being like an 11-12 hr drive)
Ahh, no you're right. I now remember it being 11. And we drove overnight both there and back - through Wednesday night and then through Saturday night right after the game. Those were rough rides, but that trip will easily be the highlight of my college career.
One of the few daily articles I truly appreciate:
http://www.michigandaily.com/content/2009-03-23/michigan-fans-storm-kan…
it was def a great expirence and a good call on the daily article
Somewhat off topic but whether it's a bandwagon or not, Michigan basketball fans represented well last year. Plenty of noise. I went to a game in Chicago where we were outnumbered by Wildcat fans but were much louder than them.
"100 years of tradition" is more than acceptable for the football program, but Michigan Stadium isn't "an arena with over 100 years of tradition," since it was opened in 1927 and still has 18 years to go.
Y'know, my one experience in the student section was kind of a mixed bag. A pretty noticeable amount of people did leave, which probably had a lot to do with being down by 10 late to MSU. But it wasn't that many that left, and the place was still pretty full and as jacked up as ever for Sparty's eventual Braylonizing.
The more I attend games, the more I think the problem is in large part the student section. I have sat with some loud, crazy fans the past couple years, and I can tell you this: no one in my section was half assing it. We were on our feet and yelling the whole time each game.
I've been in the student section for the past 5 years. In my humble epinion, it's not the problem. Part of the problem is the "traditions" like Key Play, but the biggest part is that the Michigan culture is never going to be LSU/UF, etc.
Part of it could be Michigan has been good to great for the entirety of most fans lives, so instead of celebrating victories and good plays, people seem to be more relieved when sword of Damocles doesn't drop before the end of the game.
I'm not sure if it's ever going to change, and it's just as much a part of Michigan football as the winged helmet.
I agree - this will be my 7th (ahh!) year in the student section (a friend and I decided to go out on this year... with Ohio State); most of the noise from the entire stadium comes from this corner - its rare that the rest of the stadium really gets into it and gets off their seats.
With that said, the times that they do makes it a loud stadium.
In regards to the article, I agree. Let's think about the make up of the Michigan student body. Intelligent, driven, type-A, not overly friendly, and snobby from time to time. We generally get a more academically driven student body who come to Michigan for the education and not the atmosphere of Michigan football. Also, we get a lot of international students, East coast sorostitutes and frat douchebags that have never been to a Michigan game and really have no clue what it is about (especially if you are a freshman).
As a comparison, take a look at OSU. They have some truly obnoxious and rowdy fans, and they like to make a mockery of our fans. However, most the OSU fanbase is in Ohio and the vast majority of the students are from Ohio. They grew up closer to OSU football enabling a greater cultivation of fandome and general all around excitement.
Then it's no wonder why you see a lot of Michigan students show up late, leave early, and text their friends sitting right next to them - a far less percentage grew up around Michigan football and many are just becoming Michigan football fans.
This, combined with the other 70% of the stadium - older and quieter season ticket holders - is recipe for what many call an unenthusiastic crowd.
Now, I am OK with this because you cannot confuse quiet fans with unloyal fans. Despite the reserved nature of our crowd, I still think we have some of the most loyal and true fans in the WORLD, and we provide and appetizing environment for opposing fans to enjoy. Can't say that about OSU.
another putting blame on the frat boys ... ive already wrote one impassioned defense feel free to read it
"East coast sorostitutes and frat douchebags that have never been to a Michigan game and really have no clue what it is about"
Just to clarify this: Does this only apply to sorostitutes and frat douchebags from the East Coast? What if I was a frat douchebag from Grand Rapids? Do I not know what it's about? Am I still a douchebag? What if I'm from the East Coast but my dad is an alum (we do still send alums to NYC, right) and I grew up cheering for Michigan football since I able to?
And what if (heaven for-fucking-bid) I'm a douchebag but I decided not to join a frat? Can I still be clueless?
Enlighten me.
a little pissed off by these posts
Yeah, sweeping hateful generalizations are pretty uncool, regardless of the group. What if I said "the stadium wouldn't be so quiet if it weren't for those dorky Dance Marathoners."
By the way, what house are you in?
were not loved by everyone but hey i love it there
The more I attend games, the more I think the problem is in large part the student section.
Strongly disagree (and I graduated a few years ago). Yes, there are some students who aren't really into it, but those who are generate a ton of noise. No other part of the stadium (and I've sat in several other sections) comes close. The only non-student sections that generate any real noise are in the endzones. The sections from the 10-yard lines in are shockingly quiet.
It's easier to get students hyped up in stadiums where there's no resistance to pumping in loud music during breaks.
The average student (non die-hard fan) doesn't go crazy for the things that most of us do. I love the echoing voice of the announcer and the marching band, but I'd be willing to bet that students would get quite a bit louder if ACDC was being cranked up to 11.
There should be a happy medium somewhere, but I don't know where that is.
The "average student" is possibly a female born in the 90s, possibly foreign, and probably doesn't listen to classic rock.
I love ACDC, but I don't think it belongs anywhere in the Stadium, unless the band is playing it. Which is a good option, IME. Also, they need to look into some way to mic the band. I think it has been said by someone who knows these things that it work be technically impossible to do, but, yeah, that would be nice.
I can see how it would be difficult to mic the band and still have it sound decent. Though I can't see them doing it, an easy way around that would be to pre-record some band songs and play that on the speakers at opportune times.
And for the record, I'd hate to hear ACDC blaring at a game as well. I had enough of that while watching games at home last season.
Then how about TI at the spring game?
Michigan Stadium != a minor league hockey rink.
Rawk Music works for other places, but it's been a little awkward the few times they've tried it at Michigan Stadium. Give me the marching band playing popular music mixed in with Perry Como/Muppet hits from the 70s.
If anything, mic the band so people on the West side of the stadium can hear it better.
Chantel covers baseball. I'm not sure why she's writing about the football student section other than "it's summer."
Actually, if the sports department is like it was when I was there a few years ago, the people who covered baseball one year often go on to cover football the following fall. There's a hierarchy of sports at the Daily. Baseball is one of the top spring assignments. People who cover it usually are pretty high up on the ladder.
I didn't mean to imply that her baseball duties made her unqualified to write about football, only that the relevance of such an article is heightened by the collegiate sports-free doldrums of summer. My comment looks pretty snarky from here, so apologies to Chantel.
And the sports department has not changed since your era; baseball is a highly coveted beat, which is probably why I write so many field hockey articles.
I double posted, so here's Jeff Goldblum.
I love the Goldblum.
I like how she talks about fans being in a drunk stupor as if that made them more quiet and then uses NASCAR fans as the fan par excellence. Let me tell you, if any fans are in a drunken stupor, it's NASCAR fans. And that's cool. And it's also part of why they are so loud.
I know its stubborn, but maybe we should all take it upon ourselves to be rowdy. I know not everyone is going to join in, but it is contagious when you see it happening around you. If you see some people getting into it, you tend to bring your energy to their level as well. I'll reach across aisles to high five the other crazy asshole who's making as much noise as I am.
Side note: I went to a bar in Chicago (Mad River) UM/OSU 2 years ago, and though we lost, any good plays were not cheered on by the bar crowd. Maybe it is universal the 90% of UM fans are silent. I had to storm out in my own disgust to go watch it at home...ok, so maybe I was kicked out.