Boycott

Submitted by PeterKlima on
How did that work out? I don't think Gardner and the other players really cared too much about it. They seemed to show up and still care.

This was ground zero for the boycott, so I have to imagine someone here knows how it went.

PeterKlima

October 11th, 2014 at 11:47 PM ^

Boycotting some college kids game because you don't like the AD? How dumb is that? Why even think of taking away from the player?

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Gobgoblue

October 12th, 2014 at 2:26 AM ^

people on campus were a little gung ho about the boycott on Monday, but by the end of the week most everyone was saying "fuck you if you boycott." I think many realized we realized our love and support for the players--our peers-- outweighed the contempt for the administration.

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snarling wolverine

October 12th, 2014 at 12:15 AM ^

I was at the game but forgot completely about the boycott and didn't think to look at the student section at kickoff.  If it happened, it wasn't very large in scale.  I definitely didn't hear any anti-Brandon chants, unlike the Minnesota game.

 

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LSAClassOf2000

October 12th, 2014 at 8:55 AM ^

I see the on-field performance more as the catalyst for what really is a larger disenchantment with the current adminstration inside the athletic department though, and part of that is that football does drive the bus when it comes to revenue. I think the problem really is - at its core - the monetization of tradition and the conversion of the culture of the program into a something that a lot of fans try to escape by coming to Michigan Stadium - the modern distractions. David Brandon is the face of a lot of that for many people. 

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bighouse22

October 12th, 2014 at 11:50 AM ^

The reason Michigan can pull in 100k/game and the Lions can't is because college football is not the NFL.  Trying to commercialize it and turn it into the Superbowl each week is not why fans support it.  

For me, the fun of college football is that they are not paid athletes.  That the program is steeped in tradition that was always on exhibit each week during the games.  

In this case the "if it's not broke, break it philosophy is a mistake".  

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bighouse22

October 12th, 2014 at 11:46 AM ^

I know a lot of alumni who have not been happy with Brandon since day one!  After a week of dialogue on the topic, it says that the fans were very sensitive to the support the athletes narrative. I was conflicted on this point as well, but decided to be there for the opening kickoff as a sign of support.

This was not the loudest crowd ever that was for sure.  It was very subdued. 

Talking with a large group on my section, there was still a great deal of disatsifaction with the job that Brandon has done.  Also a lot of discussion about how Brandon has been MIA for the last week or so on twitter.   He has not been out there as much, which has been curious!

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umumum

October 12th, 2014 at 4:11 PM ^

the fans did everything everyone wanted them to do--showed up and cheered hard.  We supported the players.  You, of course, interprete that as confirmation that is really only about wins.  I did all of those things at the game and still believe just as strongly as before that Brandon and Hoke have to go. [and, Penn State and Franklin were beyond horrible]

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KSmooth

October 11th, 2014 at 11:50 PM ^

The folks who were organizing it sort of called it off -- I think it was a combination of things, including some of the statements that Schlissel made at an open house, that led them to "dial it down" at the end of the week.

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Tater

October 12th, 2014 at 12:34 AM ^

A boycott of the first quarter would NOT have constituted "taking it out on the players."  I fail to see why anyone intelligent enough to get into the University would fall for such a classic non sequitur.

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PeterKlima

October 12th, 2014 at 6:37 AM ^

You don't think refusing to go a portion of a game you were going to attend doesn't also send a message to the players? Did you see the players rush the student section after the game? Do you think those players care if the student section has fans? It's shocking you can't see the relation.


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ziggolfer

October 11th, 2014 at 11:53 PM ^

Hard to tell because of it being a night game. The sections were more empty, but I think it had to do more with people arriving on time more than anything. 

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gwkrlghl

October 12th, 2014 at 12:18 AM ^

I couldn't tell a difference on TV. Frankly, it looked much much better than normal since many of our home games open with the student section half full. It looked at capacity from start to finish

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