It's time for Something Good

Submitted by Generic MGoBlogger on

After last night and a lot of time to reflect, I've realized that as fans, being a Michigan/Detroit fan has really sucked really the last 7-10 years. You're probably thinking at this point, at least we aren't Iowa or Northwestern fans and we should be happy with what we have, but I'm absolutely sick of it. I mean think about it. Just in the last 10 years, we have had to watch  Michigan football alone lose to Ohio seven times in a row, Sparty four in a row, endure the Rich Rod era, Appy State, uniformz (kind of irrelevant but humorous), Ohio going undefeated playing a soft schedule, and finally Notre Dame in the national championship. It's an exhausting list that could go on even further. I could go on with how disappointing it has been watching the Lions, U of M basketball, and the Tigers (mainly before Leyland) within the last ten years, but I don't want to deter you guys even more.  

 

So what I'm getting at is that last night's loss really put me over the edge... It MUST be time for something better. 2013 has to be a year of something better. And maybe it's just me overreacting about a loss to a crap Big Ten team in basketball, but as fans this has been just a tough stretch. Maybe I'm just spoiled, too, to be a fan of such a wonderful university, but as fans, we have to be due for something great. Whether that be the Men's Basketball team, or the Lions, or the Tigers, or most of all The Team, The Team, The Team, we are due for greatness. Hopefully my optimism, which is surprisingly high now, can speak for itself, and something fantastic can happen.

 

So I'm going to leave this to you now. Leave your thoughts, and give yourselves a pat on the back for staying true to Michigan and Detroit through this stretch but for most of all reading my entire tirade. Thanks for the read. Go Blue/Lions/Tigers.

 

Edit: Hopefully this is better for those whining about the spacing.

2nd Edit: Sorry for those who are misinterpreting this.  I didn't make this to sound whiny... I made it to point out that things are going to begin to look up for us at some point soon. And I know a lot of people still have pent up feelings about last night so, maybe this wasn't the best time to post this.

Sorry guys, this obviously wasn't a great post and definitely not a great time to post it... Mods feel free to delete. Yikes.

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ThadMattasagoblin

February 28th, 2013 at 10:41 PM ^

I agree everything from college sports to pro sports has been terrible.  The only Detroit team to win a championship in recent memory was the Red Wings.  The Tigers choked both times in the World Series.

Joined: 08/24/2011

MGoPoints: 64068

jmblue

March 1st, 2013 at 7:55 AM ^

The only Detroit team to win a championship in recent memory was the Red Wings. The Tigers choked both times in the World Series.
You do realize that the odds are greatly stacked against any one pro franchise from winning it all, right? There are 32 NFL teams and 30 teams in MLB, the NBA and NHL, respectively. In the last 10 years the Pistons and Red Wings have each won their league championships and reached the championship round a second time, while the Tigers have reached the championship round twice. That's much better than the average city has done.

Joined: 11/07/2008

MGoPoints: 102796

evenyoubrutus

February 28th, 2013 at 10:41 PM ^

I get what you're saying about Michigan specifically, but we have had an NBA championship with 5 straight eastern conference championships, two AL championships, and the most dominant dynasty in hockey. Yeah being a fan of Detroit sports sucks.

Joined: 11/04/2008

MGoPoints: 178188

Wolverine Devotee

February 28th, 2013 at 10:43 PM ^

The return/enter key is your friend.

/s

1997-98 was the best athletic year, PERIOD. 

  • Football- Big Ten, Rose Bowl and National Champions
  • Basketball- First-ever Big Ten Tournament Champions
  • Hockey- NCAA National Champions
  • Red Wings- Second straight Stanley Cup

Find me a year that tops that. 

Joined: 06/29/2009

MGoPoints: 31528

Commie_High96

March 1st, 2013 at 7:58 AM ^

From when I remember caring about sports at age seven growing up in A2, I only had to suffer through three losses to OSU over 15 years until I graduated college. Plus, several rose bowl wins and final fours in the late eighties and early nineties. Four national championships in the three sports I followed. Then graduated in 2000 and everything has been fairly shit since.

Joined: 02/10/2012

MGoPoints: 19679

TheGhostofYost

February 28th, 2013 at 10:57 PM ^

 If I may add to the list, Michigan has finished 10th or below in the Directors Cup 4 times, and 3 of them have been in the last 3 years, including our worst ever finish in 2010.  We are not in a golden age of Michigan sports right now, but the tides are turning.

I think what bothers me most is not the lack of recent success, but the headline losses:  App St., PSU yesterday, the hit on Smith all over every sports network for a month, historic MSU and OSU streak, NCAA scandal, Josh Groban, etc.  

Joined: 04/20/2011

MGoPoints: 2971

Generic MGoBlogger

February 28th, 2013 at 10:54 PM ^

of March falls on the quarterfinals of the Big Ten Tournament... Maybe this is when OSU, Indiana, and MSU all lose in the same day and ignites a flame in the basketball team. Wishful thinking, though.

Joined: 09/02/2012

MGoPoints: 3546

DealerCamel

February 28th, 2013 at 10:54 PM ^

2011, now that was supposed to be the start of something new and grand.  Hoke came in and magicked the team to a BCS bowl.  The basketball team suddenly started winning and made it to the playoffs for the first time in ever, sharing the B1G championship along the way.  Fate had smiled upon us.  Things were turning around.  The arenas and stadiums were rocking as they hadn't for years. 

Then suddenly this year happened.  Neither the football nor basketball teams it seems could win when it mattered.  Even hockey fell. 

So yeah.  We were there, and then we lost a step somewhere along the way.  Hard to say where. 

Ah, whatever.  It's great to be a Michigan Wolverine.

Joined: 07/25/2012

MGoPoints: 7598

TheGhostofYost

February 28th, 2013 at 10:58 PM ^

Things are still turning around.  Both the football team and basketball teams are better this year than they were last year.  Unfortunately, the schedules have been much more difficult as well.

Joined: 04/20/2011

MGoPoints: 2971

Hank Hill

February 28th, 2013 at 10:56 PM ^

Had me something good.... Cheer up little fella. I know it has been a long winter, but spring is right around the corner. In the meantime, try to spend as much time in the sun as possible, and drink plenty of water.

Joined: 10/03/2008

MGoPoints: 2918

Michigan248

February 28th, 2013 at 10:57 PM ^

Dude get over it, 14x this month alone a top 5 team has lost, Dick Vitale called it the wildest season he ever witnessed. 13 months ago Michigan won the sugar bowl.

Joined: 01/25/2011

MGoPoints: -995185

Soulfire21

February 28th, 2013 at 10:58 PM ^

we have to be due for something great

I disagree with this, perhaps for professional sports that's fine, but student-athletes don't owe us anything, thus, we aren't due for anything.  I don't care much for professional sports, so this will be college-oriented.

I think the phrasing that better suits the situation is, something great should be coming, and to be honest, it is.

We went 11-2 under Hoke's first year, and while 2012 was a disappointing campaign (we lost to 5 teams that combined for 6(!!) losses), our strong recruiting would suggest we're on a path to contend for the Big Ten (and more) year in and year out.

Our basketball team has gone from a school worst 10-22 to contending for the Big Ten (first championship since 1986(!!) last season) and one-seed and national discussion.  While yesterday was a huge letdown, the overall trend is of a positive one.

I agree the last 7-10 years have been pretty rough, but all signs are pointing up.  Michigan is about to be something very, very special.

Joined: 03/18/2010

MGoPoints: 22716

Soulfire21

March 1st, 2013 at 2:38 PM ^

I agree, did you read my post or stop after the first two sentences?  I go on to say that I understood what he meant, but I felt it should've been phrased better.  Feeling like collegiate student athletes "owe us" something is the wrong perspective to take, IMO, but feeling like we are due for better times after nearly a decade of mediocrity (at least by Michigan standards) is better.

Joined: 03/18/2010

MGoPoints: 22716

Soulfire21

March 1st, 2013 at 2:36 PM ^

U mad bro?

I have a feeling you probably only read the first couple sentences of my post, so I will go ahead and summarize it for you:  I felt the OP's phrasing of "we are owed" was incorrect, and it should've been along the lines of "we're due for something good".  I then go on to point out why we are moving towards those good things.

You've actually mischaracterized my entire post, thus you, yourself are using a straw man argument.  What you should have gotten from my post (but clearly missed) is that I agree with that sentiment, but I felt it should've been phrased differently.  If you're going to flame, please read the entire post.

Joined: 03/18/2010

MGoPoints: 22716

kvnryn

February 28th, 2013 at 11:26 PM ^

As a young'n, I got to watch Michigan win a national title in bball, witness the Fab Five era first hand, and all the while know that I'd be going to football games where the team I was cheering for would be amongst the best in the country. Then, in '97, everything was taken to another level of awesomeness. I went to all of the home games that year, went to the MSU game, went to the PSU game, went to the Rose Bowl, and it was nothing but joy and happiness.

So all of this crap in the last several years just makes me cherish those moments even more. At the time, success was all that I knew, and that was cool and all, but maybe not totally grounded in reality. Weird as it may sound, I like that the last few years have proven that those were really special times, and I was glad to be a part of it.

Joined: 06/30/2008

MGoPoints: 1202

htownwolverine

March 1st, 2013 at 7:20 AM ^

I'm with ya. My prime years were were those years I think that's why this stretch of mediocrity has gotten under my skin. The 'kids' now seem to accept this mediocrity a little too much for my liking. I don't know if I'm 'waxing nostalgic' over the past but I don't think we would have accepted some of the sub par performances that are becoming more the norm with quite as much 'back in the day'.

Holy hell I'm getting to be that old guy.

Joined: 09/02/2009

MGoPoints: 7149

BOX House

February 28th, 2013 at 11:28 PM ^

I've given this a lot of thought myself. I'm not sure if it is a function of me getting older(?) or a function of some rather turbulent sports seasons in the past 5 years or so, but sports have really started to feel like a burden rather than an enjoyment more often than not. Or maybe I'm just on the Nick Hornby descent into fan-madness.

Joined: 12/14/2008

MGoPoints: 4057

NoMoPincherBug

February 28th, 2013 at 11:54 PM ^

Tell me something good?  Hmmm... well Coach Hoke and Co. are recruting OL at an all time high.  Michigan has never had this many consistently high ranked OL come in as they have in the past 3 classes, and there are no signs of this stopping.... Crank up the Running Game!  Michigan is about to reestablish itself as an NFL OL pipeline.

Coach Funk approve

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cm_cFzVAoo8&playnext=1&list=PLFC51ACA5C9…:

Something else good? ... well just thinking outloud...the Lions are due for a change in ownership sometime in the next few years... not that Jr. has shown to be any more competent than his old man.  The brains in that family missed their branch.

Joined: 04/08/2011

MGoPoints: 1834