I love our Wal-Mart Wolverines

I was accepted to U of M, but actually went to Michigan Tech.

Deciding to go to Tech instead of UofM was one of the harder decision I had to make.

I made the actually decision to go to Tech over Michigan when a Michigan recruiter actually recommeded going to Tech because my origianl major was Computer Science.

Of course I ended up a business major so I really probably should have just went to Michigan. The fact that Tech gave me a full scholarship didn't hurt either.

I have however been a huge Michigan fan since the day I was born more or less, and still cheer for Michigan every weekend (except when they play Tech in hockey at the GLI).

If it helps I will probably be going to Michigan to get my MBA as soon as I get confirmation that I was actually accepted.

The hate goes like this:

Michigan is the pretty, popular girl at school.  MSU is the trashy whore.

MSU bashes people for being "mainstream" and "sell outs" because they are friends with the popular girl.  However, secretly she really wants to be the popular girl.

Too far out of an analogy?  Probably.  Sorry, I tried, now back to work for me.

does being born at U-M hospital make me a Wolverine?

Sparties just want a reason to trash UM and they really suck at it, just like they suck at math, science, reading, writing, and football.

Good post.  Fandom and alumni ties need not be mutually exclusive, and nobody should ever feel bad for the team they root for (well, except if it is a team that UM is playing).

What I find funny is that I have friends and relatives who graduated from State and they still root for either UM or ND (in-laws, I can't help it). That says it all about their fanbase.

Yeah, my dad bought me this sweater at Wal Mart. So what?

Agree.  I have been a life long UM fan.  My father and my uncle both played for UM, my mom's brother was the salutatorian at UM, and I have a lot of family in and around Ann Arbor.  Just because I chose to go to a smaller liberal arts school means I can't continue my fandom? I'm not going to cheer for anyone else.

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I didn't go to michigan and even if i could of I wouldn't of applied there.  I wasn't one for going to a big school just not for me  Michigan is an amazing school, but  I found exactly what i needed in my education and got it.  Yet michigan football is the only thing that matters come fall.  Our family has had season tickets since 1973, so im sure the donations to the stadium have been well over what would of been spent on tuition by now

and has spent a lot of time trying to get kids adopted. 

That kind of reminds me of this issue.  When parents have biological AND adopted children, they never refer to only the former as "their kids."  Every person is part of the family and no one is cherished less than any other.

So, whether "adopted" or not in this case, all of us are part of the Michigan family.

It drives me nuts when I'm told that I shouldn't be able to root for M because I didn't go to the mothership campus.  I think the fact that I've watched virtually every single game since the 1997 opener when I was 10 years old and have never wavered in my allegiance should count for a little something.

Sparty apparently hasn't figured out that, without their own non-alumni fans, their games wouldn't even be televised.

They really should stop ridiculing their non-alumni fanbase and embrace them like we do ours.

I never understood it either.  Living in Grand Rapids, I have friends that use the Wal-Mart Wolverine card and the easy way around is to say, "So you're a Lions fan yet you don't live in Detroit?"

It's pretty simple; if you want to go to state, you can. You'll get in. Easy as pie.

A lot of really smart, succesful, good people want to go to UM but can't get in because only so many can. It becomes arbitrary at a certain point who gets in and who doesn't when you have so many qualified students applying.

I slacked too much in high school to even consider applying as an undergrad. So I got my sh*t together, and came back and got an MBA at Ross. My first 29 years of being a fan were no less special than the last 6.

It's great to be a Michigan  Wolverine regardless of your alumnus status, that's one of the best parts baby!

it was the $.

Could never have afforded UM even though I was accepted.
WMU offered me a scholarship my family & I couldn't say no to.

It probably limited the breadth of my fandom, but not it's depth.

I don't remember the point at which I became a Michigan but I know it was sometime in my youth.  Heck I don't even remember the catalyst...it was either the colors or Bo or a combination of the both.  It might even have something to do with my dad watching the game on TV and listening to the game on radio (Ufer rules btw).  But I knew I was a fan.  Throughout high school I wanted to go to Michigan, so I kept my grades up and did well on the ACT (except for English).  Filled out my application but it got lost in our school somewhere, so it was turned in late.  As it was, I think I was conditionally accepted so I pursued other options and was accepted to EMU with a scholarship.  I intended to transfer to Michigan at some point but never did....believe it or not I actually liked it at Eastern and graduated from there.  I still followed the Wolverines but I had a new love in the Hurons/Eagles.  About the only time that is in conflict is when they play each other but we generally know the outcome of that ahead of time.  Even though my Alma Mater's colors are green and white....I'm not going to root for that other Green and White school.

Anyways, now I am grown up and have re-kindled my love for photography....U of M makes a nice photogenic campus and in the process I learn about the buildings and some of the traditions there.  So if that makes me a WalMart Wolverine...whatever.

And another thing....where do they get off on this thing anyway?  I seriously wonder how many people in State regalia are truly graduates?

a fine excuse for me to post an unaltered photo from a Walmart in Holland, MI.

I hva been told from people on this very blog that having not gone to school at UM means I am less a fan than they are (though most on here don't share that sentiment), it isn't only MSU fans who have this opinion.

I am from NS Canada and loved UM since I started following College sports. Only after I became a fan did I find out that my uncle did his PHD there back in the seventies. I was astonished and jealous as hell that he had that opportunity.

When it came time for me to attend university I had a two year old daughter who lived with her mother here in NS so my dream of attending UM had to be let go. I don't think that makes me or anyone else who chooses to cheer for the wolverines more or less fans than anyone else.

On a happy note, me, my brother and my uncle are planning to come to UM to see the OSU game next year and that will be a thrill of a lifetime for me. GO BLUE, and thanks for acknowledging that non-alumni can be fans too. +1

was/ am not smart enough to attend the great University. But at the same time they call us "walmart wolverines" because they think we only support Michigan football, I support the University as a whole and the entire athletic department.. I have been a Big Blue guy since i was about 3. I can not tell you how many times I have been called a walmart wolverine this week alone. I support the University the teams and this blog! Thank you for your love and go blue!

Been a life long fan:

1)  first memory was watching Rob Lytle and Rick Leach play in the Rose Bowl. 

2) Cried when they called White's fumble a touchdown and stole Bo national title.

3) Punched a hole in the wall when Kordell threw that pass.

4) threw a huge house party in '97 when we beat tOSU

5) My wife's best friends daughter (3 years old) is alive because of the hospital (she had 4 open heart surgries her first week alive to switch here arteries to her heart.  Her dad is a life long Domer slappy, but now has a soft place in his heart for Blue)

My older brother and sister are grads.  My best High School memories were when my brother would get me tickets.  Wound up going to Ferris State on an athletic schollie.  Now I am carrying on the tradition, my two boys watch the games with me (the ones that mimic Denard and want to be him for Halloween).  My oldest has vowed to go to Michigan, right now he has straight A's and a fair athlete, so he is on his way.

I only find Sparty's feeble attempt to "mock us" as yet another sign of their inferiority complex...

Thank-you to all Michigan alums and GO BLUE!

I got into UM, but didn't have the money. I am still a bigger M fan than all my friends who go to Michigan.

The only reason someone roots for State is because they have to.

I live in NC and didn't give a damn in high school.That shouldn't take away from the fact that I was born and raised a Michigan fan, just as I was born and raised a fan of all Detroit professional sports. The first UM game I watched was OSU 2006. My first 4 games as a fan were losses, and we have a losing record since I've been a legit fan (I don't think I'm the reason for us losing so much), so they can get off of my nuts.

Brainwashed from brith (and proud).  Could have never afforded out-of-state tuition at Michigan...but at this point there are always doctoral possibilities.

I have been a UM fan since I was born. No one in my family has attended UM, but the majority of it loves the university just the same as if we had been alumni. Being a resident of NW Ohio all my life, rooting for UM has been rough sometimes with there being plenty of tOSU fans around, but I wouldn't have it any other way. 

Oh and I have not bought any UM gear from Wal-Mart in a very long time, GO MDEN!