Lost
by Maize n Brew Dave on Nov 23, 2009 10:25 AM CST
in Michigan Football
8 comments
There are a lot of things that go through your head after the final game of the year. Usually those thoughts comprise of "what if's." But not on Saturday. While I was disappointed by Michigan's 21-10 loss to Ohio State, our sixth straight loss to our rivals, I thought the team played well. Our much maligned defense gave up only 14 points and generally looked competent the entire game. Our offense put up decent numbers, and in spite or a nightmare inducing day from Tate Forcier, moved the ball on a pretty good defense. I saw progress, and that was sufficient for me to release my normal post game neuroses to the winds. I mean, prior to the game, I thought we'd lose by four touchdowns. As a result, my thoughts on the game itself were relatively clear.
However, as I made the long trek up the stadium to exit, I looked back at the Big House and saw something that I'm not likely to forget or forgive. A sea of red. Ohio State fans everywhere. In front, in back, to the sides, across the bowl. All singing their fight song in the Big House, on senior day, as our players walked off the turf for the last time.
That was inexcusable.
If you are a season ticket holder who sold your tickets to Ohio State fans, or put them up for auction on a non-Michigan ticket site, you should have your season tickets revoked. What I saw in our stadium on Saturday was horrifying. Looking at the DVR when I got home the stadium was equal parts red and maize.
How? Why? What could possibly possess you to sell your OHIO STATE MICHIGAN tickets to an OSU fan? I don't care about selling your tickets for Michigan State, Notre Dame, Wisconsin, or any other opponent in the Big Ten. With MSU and Notre Dame there are so many familial ties between the schools that it is inevitable that a few will get in. With the rest, they don't travel well enough for it to matter. And frankly, those games don't mean that much. They are not Ohio State.
For the Michigan fans who stood fast, held your tickets, and cheered for this team through thick and thin, I commend you. You are part of the reason why this program will remain strong and return to its rightful place in college football.
For the Michigan "fans" who sold your tickets to OSU fans, shame on you. You are the worst type fair weather fan. Don't give me the "I was making a statement about Rodriguez" crap either. You sold out your team. You sold it down the river to the Devil himself. You let our seniors walk out of the Big House to the strains of Carmen Ohio rather than the Victors. You allowed OSU fans to chant "O-H" the entire game. You allowed the noise on the field to be just as bad for our offense as it was for OSU's.
For what? So you could feel you made a statement? Congrats. The statement you made is "I'm a fair weather fan and unwilling to face reality." Michigan is going through a trying time right now. It's in transition to a modern offense and trying to make up for years upon years of neglect on the defensive side of the ball. These things do not correct themselves in a year. Worse, by selling your tickets to OSU fans, you undercutour recruiting! That game was one of the most important recruiting days of the year, almost twenty high calibre recruits were in attendance, and you let OSU fans in the House?
If you are still calling for Rodriguez' head, you are oblivious to the facts before you. This site and many others have chronicled the disaster Carr left Rodriguez on the defensive side of the ball. Even ESPN has realized this.
1. Todd McShay told me that Michigan will have two players drafted in April, same as last April. Among the Wolverine juniors this season, only Donovan Warrenhas attracted attention vis-à-vis the 2011 draft. That would be five draftees over three seasons. The fewest any Michigan coach(es) has had over a three-year period is nine from 1984-86. The point? Rich Rodriguez’s biggest problem isn’t fitting in at Michigan. It’s talent. All of his is young. - Ivan Maisel
Rodriguez has had onefull recruiting class that was his. One. His next class is loaded with the top quarterback in America, five defensive backs, linemen, linebackers and speed. Our offense has improved by leaps and bounds this year with freshmen leading the way. Are you, Mr. Sell-My-Tickets-To-OSU-Fans, so impatient that you can't wait two years to be back on top of the football universe? Are you so blind that you can't see Rodriguez history of success and leadership? Are you so blind as not to see the utter disaster that he inherited?
Why am I asking this? Of course you are. You see a young team with obvious flaws and weaknesses and expect it to win a national championship. Well, I can't help you. You're on your own.
Say what you want to make yourself feel better. Tell me in the comments I have no right to say this sort of thing. Do what you have to.
All I know is that I stayed and cheered for our seniors. And you abandoned them.
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Students
Other than the occassional OSU fan, the student section represented well. I’d guess at least 95% of sections 26-33 were Michigan fans. The rest of the stadium was an embarrassment to the team and the institution.
Check out Detroit4Lyfe & The Gordie Howe Hat Trick
by handsomerob1 on Nov 23, 2009 12:50 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Sell out
You are completely right and will completely admit I sold out this year. I saw the sea of red and realized what I had contributed to. I am embarrassed and vow to never do that again. I travel from San Diego and rationalized in my head that the annual trek of watching us lose was killing me. However that is NO EXCUSE for what I did. I apologize to all you UM fans.
That being said, I completely agree I am incredibly encouraged by the team’s progress. Offense was top in Big Ten and the D just needs RR recruiting (which he is awesome at). Another year and we’ll be kicking some serious…. Again, good blog and I’ll see u in 2 years regardless.
UM ‘88
p.s. I can’t give up my season tix. Took me too long to get them. :)
by Goblue88 on Nov 23, 2009 1:15 PM CST via mobile reply actions 0 recs
Red Mark
Your commentary almost mirrored mine during dinner last night with my family and this morning during a conversation with a fellow in the office.
In the 25+years that we’ve been season ticket holders and regular spectators on football Saturdays, I’ve never felt so ashamed of the Michigan experience as I did during the OSU game.
My gosh, they even had synchronized cheering that sounded like they were the home fans. They did that idiotic O-H I-O chant using different sections of the stadium and it put our feeble “GO BLUE” chant to shame.
This can never happen again and when I see the season ticket holder behind me who sold out to OSU fans, I’ll tell him that. (He may be Goblue88 as the OSU fan told me he bought the tix from a guy in San Diego).
On a brighter note: I was impressed with the defense, especially in the first quarter. They held the Buckeyes to 31 total offensive yards. Where was this defense all year?
I don’t totally agree with your assessment of Carr’s last four recruiting classes but I can understand how that could affect Rodriguez’s teams.
I have seen a great deal of sideline mismanagement this year and I can only attribute that to poor coaching.
These two years won’t compel me to hate him, or join the tar and feather mentality, but, Rodriguez better produce a vastly improved team in 2010 and quit blaming the past or he’s going to be SOL.
Press on regardless.
by BluBlud on Nov 23, 2009 1:43 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
Shit, man
I live in Argentina. I’ve converted my girlfriend here (wasn’t hard – she liked the maize-colored pants). On Saturday morning, I told her I was really doubtful about the game. I said, “The only thing is that since we’re playing at home, we might have a chance.” But then I said, “But our fans suck and aren’t very good at supporting the team.” I didn’t realize what an understatement I had made. I was at the game two years ago, when they tried their “O-H” chant and the student section shouted them down. I have no idea how it went this year, but shame on us for giving them the opportunity.
These are dark days. We can’t even rely on each other.
Fuck negativity, man. Those who stay will be champs. And you all know it.
by Reed97 on Nov 23, 2009 2:32 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
As an Ohio State fan in attendance
This was the loudest game at Michigan Stadium I’ve been to. I suspect it had something to do with the addition of the two massive flanking press boxes, but the Big House sheltered some intimidating sound.
And while I think there were a good number of Buckeyes concentrated through the stadium (especially on the section 12 perimeter above the endzone, and in the corner down low), I still felt very much like a visitor. The Columbus Dispatch estimated 10,000 Ohio State fans were in attendance. That’s a mere 1/11th of the listed capacity.
Accordingly, I think it’s a bit of an exaggeration to say we gave your offense as much sound as you gave ours. That being said, I can’t deny that it was magical getting the O-H-I-O cheer going in the Big House.
The Rivalry, Esq.
The quintessential Big Ten smoking room.
by Law Buckeye on Nov 24, 2009 12:20 AM CST reply actions 0 recs
I'd love to have season tickets
And I think the program will get better.
There is nothing so bitter that a patient mind cannot find some solace for it
by Nayru'sSolace on Nov 24, 2009 2:17 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
I don't want to bring this thread back from the dead...
I sympathize with you guys. NU has had longer and more brutal doldrums than most programs will ever see. However, you guys have a real opportunity here to build conference goodwill.
Let go of your sense of entitlement to a “rightful place” in CFB. Let OSU and PSU be the evil empires for a while. I look forward to a day of evenly matched NU and UM teams battling it out, and I want to see fierce competition for the B10 championship.
Much of the conference resents OSU and UM because the fans and the institutions act like they deserve the championship based on tradition alone. I think UM will step up to the plate and join the rest of the B10 as a serious competitor in an exciting BCS conference. Let OSU ride its money and sleaze fueled dynasty until it withers… don’t try to build your own.
by PFitzFTW on Nov 25, 2009 8:14 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
I am so sorry it took me so long to comment on this post. Let me first give you my background information so you know where I am coming from when I speak my mind. I was born in Arizona, both sides of my family are from Michigan. I have grown up on Michigan football and have no ties whatsoever to the school as of now. I have lived in Michigan for parts of summers playing Minor League Baseball and became even more of a fan after attending some games. If baseball doesn’t work out as an occupation I plan on going back to school(hopefully to UM). As an Arizona native with an extremely weak tie to the state of Michigan I have not been lucky enough to go to a Michigan-Ohio State game, although its one of the things on my “Bucket List” if you will. For people that take tickets to that game and put them on craigslist for $25 was sickening to ME…someone who doesn’t even go to Michigan but just a fan from a distance..IT WAS SICKENING.. I am so glad this was posted, and I am sure you could have gone on for 10 more pages about it because I could. Hopefully the people who committed these crimes read this and learn from it, because as you said, the fact that there was so many OSU fans there hurt me more than the actual game. Wolverine Nation was a joke for that and not only could things like that cost a program recruits because the atmosphere sucks but it can cause people in general to turn their noses up on the university. I know, some of you might think I am overreacting, well I know of 3 of my friends who played professional baseball and were looking for major football schools to go back to school and earn a degree and be able to watch quality football. Well congrats to all you fake season ticket holders because you just convinced all three of them to try to get into Ohio State because they thought is was hilarious that they could waltz into one of the biggest rivalries in the world and not only dominate it on the field but also dominate the pathetic fan base that is Michigan….. I am more loyal than half of the students there and I have only been on campus once…It is just sad….No other way to describe it.
by Bmacjr11 on Dec 1, 2009 7:42 PM CST reply actions 0 recs
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