The Fans
First of all, I would like to say that this collapse in no way falls on the fans. It is completely on the players and even moreso, the coaches. However, as a fan at the game, I noticed a significant difference in the energy of our fans versus South Carolina's fans.
We had a significantly greater number of fans at the game. When we were up 19-3 they were still much louder. Their fans stood the entire game when our's sat. When we scored the cheers were half hearted, while the South Carolina fans seemed to be falling over each other in a see of crazy people. This is definitely a result of the numbing failures of the RichRod, Brady Hoke, and now beginning of the Jim Harbaugh era.
Hopefully next season can bring back the energy our fans had. Last season, the excitement of the better performance was clear, especially in the Orange Bowl where the fans were unbelievable. IMO, the athletic department should provide the maize pom poms for the whole stadium for the two biggest games EVERY year as those always create an unbelievable sight and I would imagine are great for recruiting. Regardless, we need some new traditions or chants to add that will increase our crowd energy and make the big house intimidating next season. Any thoughts on that would be interesting to hear. Regardless, it all start with winning, and until that happens, few things will improve.
Some extra thoughts: Fire Drevno. Also, find a guy who can punt farther than 25 yards. There has to be someone better on the soccer team for goodness sakes.
EDIT: Absolutely NONE of this is on the fans as I said. I was just saying the sheer difference in noise was shocking and disheartening.
January 1st, 2018 at 8:18 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 8:20 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 8:51 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 9:54 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 8:21 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 8:27 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 8:31 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 8:55 PM ^
Regarding the MSU game, I would have to agree, the atmosphere was awesome
January 1st, 2018 at 10:08 PM ^
There was no excuse we all knew at some point it was going to be pretty wet. These nfl coaches sure can game plan.
January 1st, 2018 at 8:22 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 8:27 PM ^
I knew the "new offense" I was expecting to see was not going to show up. I think we need to put an asterisk whenever talk about coaching comes up. The defense is good IMO. But OMG, the offense needs to be retooled.
January 1st, 2018 at 8:22 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 8:23 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 8:26 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 8:24 PM ^
I was at JH's home opener against a very bad OSU (not that OSU) team. The place was loud and hopping for a cheap opponent - and we were coming off a loss at Utah.
We fans have been doing our part for years - there were a lot of fans at home for the night game vs. Minnesota even after a storm delay.
What we need are coaches and players fully engaged 365 days a year - I hate to say it but MSU coaches and players were all-in and focused after last year's 3-9. THAT is what we need this offseason.
January 1st, 2018 at 8:24 PM ^
Regardless, we need some new traditions or chants to add that will increase our crowd energy and make the big house intimidating next season. Any thoughts on that would be interesting to hear. Regardless, it all start with winning, and until that happens, few things will improve.
I guess my counter to this would be that even back in the day when the stadium had poor acoustics and you could sometimes read in the perceived silence, we still did OK for ourselves. It is a lot louder now and a bit more intimidating, IMHO, but the problems - as have been discussed in many threads this evening - a closer to ground-level, if you will.
January 1st, 2018 at 8:31 PM ^
This place is worse than fucking Twitter these days.
January 1st, 2018 at 8:50 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 9:49 PM ^
Yeah, here I am making a grand total of one (now two) comments. I've probably read about five posts.
Emo cunts. All of you.
January 1st, 2018 at 9:05 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 8:31 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 8:38 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 8:42 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 8:47 PM ^
so if we're upset about the current state of the program and would like to see a better product that beats opponents with winning records and makes rivalries actual rivalries again not just losing efforts year in and year out then sure, I'll get over myself as a Michigan fan. Sorry for wanting more. Instead we should all be happy no matter the results, would that be better?
January 1st, 2018 at 9:21 PM ^
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:47 AM ^
Good programs know how to ignore them.
January 1st, 2018 at 8:49 PM ^
other fanbases "hate us so much" because we have sucked for a decade now and yet many fans still think we are "better" than teams that have clearly been more successful over that span of time. the arrogant asshats are the ones who watch that shitfest all smug like, "just wait, Harbaugh has the whole conference right where he wants them. next year is the year..."
January 1st, 2018 at 8:35 PM ^
My senior year at UM, 1985, we were coming off what Bo later called "a dismal season" (6-6 in '84. Expectations were low (we weren't even ranked at the start of the season) - but it was clear during the opener vs. ND that something was different about THAT team and the fans were loud in that game. It continued and peaked vs. OSU to end the season. Perhaps my favorite UM team of all time.
Fact is - complacency ON THE FIELD was apparent from the Cincy game on - fans booed a crappy offense for the 1st time in the Harbaugh era - and when did we ever really light it up all year? Expecting the fans to stand for the whole game and shout when the players are not focused and showing that they have not been prepared to play this season is not going to make the team play better.
The roots of our performance problems on the field this seasons started last January - coaches, players, off-season lifting and strength program, watching tape, new players being prepared to step up. SOME players really did their hard work this year (Winovich, Hurst, Hudson, etc.) for 365 days.
Tomorrow is the opening of the 2018 season. I expect a lot of better prep work, energy, focus, etc. We (the fans) will do our part next September 8th. Just like the guys coming back for '85 learned the lessons from '84, we have a chance to have a GREAT season and break a lot of curses and losing streaks.
January 1st, 2018 at 8:42 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 8:51 PM ^
If the team stops underpreforming and blowing it the fans will get louder. We all feel PTSD coming on every time we witness a collapse like today. Maybe if Michigan teams spanning the last decade weren't frequently prone to total collapses, the fans would be more enthused.
January 1st, 2018 at 8:55 PM ^
The more I think about it, the more people saying the fans "aren't loud enough" pisses me off. If this was any team but Michigan, after the years of this BS we've endured, there would hardly be a fan base left.
January 1st, 2018 at 8:56 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 9:20 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 9:23 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 11:11 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 9:30 PM ^
of any of it being on the fans? Dumb.
January 1st, 2018 at 10:10 PM ^
Did you even read my post? It had nothing to do with it being the fans' fault
January 2nd, 2018 at 12:48 PM ^
It's like saying something like this: A New York Strip is a fine cut of meat but Michelin tires have some problems. What? What the h*ll are you blathering about?
January 1st, 2018 at 9:39 PM ^
January 2nd, 2018 at 5:10 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 9:40 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 10:38 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 9:45 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 10:03 PM ^
I’ll show myself out
January 1st, 2018 at 10:50 PM ^
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January 1st, 2018 at 11:08 PM ^
January 2nd, 2018 at 5:08 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 11:13 PM ^
It's done. Time for roster prognostication.
January 2nd, 2018 at 8:13 AM ^
I would like to see some more enthusiasm from the team and the assistant coaches and sideline hanger ons as well