Five Things Maize n Brew Would Change About the Michigan Football Gameday Experience

by Maize n Brew Dave on Aug 25, 2009 1:10 PM CDT in Michigan Football Comment 19 comments

During Big Ten Media Days Coach Rodriguez mentioned that there were extra things Michigan could do to improve the Michigan Football Gameday experience for Michigan fans.

[I]n the works are things like making "the band and the students and some music" more a part of the gameday experience. "There’s some venues we’ve been to and some venues I’ve been to in the past that get everybody fired up," Rodriguez said. "They just can’t wait to come. And we have that some. When we’re playing well, and I know in the Big House there’s been some great moments, but there’s more that we can do to make the experience even better for everybody. So that’s what we’re talking about."

Obviously when Rodriguez said "music," we all panicked. MGoBlog in particular was not happy about the prospect of piped in RAWK MUSIK! However, there are other things we can do that don't involve pumping in "Come on Feel the Noize!", despite how awesome it is. Everyone's bound to have their opinions on this, but I put together five thoughts that would not just improve our enjoyment watching the games, but improve the overall atmosphere at Michigan Stadium. Got other ideas? Put 'em in the comments and I'll try to post the most insightful and funniest ones later this week.

Here's my five. Who's in yours?

5. More Stuff With the Cheerleaders - You may be thinking, "Whuuuu?", but hear me out. I'm not talking "Bring it On," or competitive cheerleading stuff, I'm just talking more crowd interaction. Get them into the stands. Have them run around the stadium firing people up. Get them up to the top of the stands, rallying people. Make it a more interactive group. Next, get the older cheerleading alumni to start the M-I-C-H-I-G-A-N MICHIGAN! cheer all over the stadium. Invite them to walk around the stadium during games to start the cheers during the TV timeouts. Our cheerleaders do a great job at the tumbling, the pyramids, and all the other things they've been doing for years. So let's expand their roll. Add on to the " Go!....... Blue!" chant. Further, let's start dispelling the "9 out of 10 girls in Michigan are hot, the tenth goes to Michigan" myth. I know that Michigan's taken some flak the last few years for the Soccer Mom style of outfits, but come on, I think times are a changin....

Kristy_um_medium

via i.cdn.turner.com

If you're worried about the female cheerleaders, have you seen the male cheerleaders? Most of these dudes could start at nose tackle in the Sun Belt. I'm not so worried. They're cool kids. They're spirited kids. Let's get them more involved.

4. Install the Cloverfieldtron - This is non-negotiable. Michigan Stadium needs bigger, better, gigantic-er screens. The current "jumbotrons" aren't cutting it. They add nothing to the gameday experience, they're small, they're old, and like Notre Dame's pitiful scoreboards, they're from a bygone era. Hell, PURDUE's jumbotron is bigger than our two screens combined. More importantly, when people the new luxury boxes flanking our current scoreboards they're not going to be happy. "Hey look! Beautiful, soaring brick edifices... and a 1965 scoreboard." We need this. Make it happen.

Umwoo__medium

"What about tradition?" you say. Are you serious? They're big aluminum boxes full of tubes and wires (much like the Interwebz). they've changed dozens of times. So long as Michigan can build a pair of bigger, better screens without advertising on them, there's no reason not to. What's that? We don't have the money? Yeah. I'm not buying that. More details after the jump...

3. Implement Stand, No Stand Sections - This is somewhat of a bow to the blue hairs that contribute the bulk of the Athletic Department's war chest. If you need a visual on this, picture Bill Martin diving like Scrooge McDuck into a pile of coins and dollar bills. Actually, here's the building itself. It's just behind the Union.

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Here's the thing. These elderly, no-standing alumni make it possible for us to have all these fun toys. Like Newsterbann. So to some extent, they should get a pass on the standing issue. When you've got an artificial hip, knee, ankle, etc... standing up at a game for 4 hours is probably not the best thing in the world for you. That said, there are plenty of younger alumni and donors who actually like standing at games. You feel more into the game, you can see better. You're not scrunched up next to the 350 pound dude who should have to pay for two seats. NFL teams have alcohol free sections, so why can't we have standing free sections. Make a section here and there sit down only. Because it's the richer, old group we're talking about, give them a couple of premium sections, then charge them a smidgen more to "sit" there. (HIKM!). This way if you wanna sit on your butt and cheer or whether you prefer to stand and do it, no subset of Michigan fans are pitted against one another. Just my modest proposal.

2. Put the Band on the Field - This one may cause some consternation, but I think it needs to happen. There's been a lot of hand wringing over where to put the band so that we get more sound out of them. It's obvious where they are isn't working. the size of the stadium combined with their location makes it difficult for the band to maximize their awesome, eardrum splitting power. My proposal? Put them in the corner of one of the endzones, on the field. Have them wrap around the inside of one of the endzone corners so that the sound projects toward the inside of the stadium rather than straight across the goal line/five yard line. With the new boxes in place the sound would reflect back in and certainly be louder than the current location. Further, the location would allow for better sound clarity for more of the stadium. This wouldn't be a 100% fix, but it'd be better than it is right now.

1. We Need a Live Wolverine - This just has to happen. If LSU can have a live f-ing tiger,Michigan can have a live Wolverine. Bring Back Biff! Bring Back Biff! Put Biff in a sizable cage, roll it out to mid field, and chuck a live deer into his den. How awesome would that be. People let their kids watch the discovery channel don't they? If you let a kid watch a lion take down a wildebeest on TV, then they're not going to be fazed by Biff mauling Bambi.

Wolverine_on_rock_medium

As an added bonus, we could make sure that Biff's lair is right by the visitor's locker room. So all the stench of whatever he's eating and whatever he's excreting can waft into our "guest's" changing area. Come on. If Iowa can have pink lockers, LSU can have Mike IV's cage by the tunnel, why can't we have Biff snarling at tOSU before they take the field? Think about it. Yost said this about Biff the first go 'round the animal had at Michigan:

"It was obvious that the Michigan mascots had designs on the Michigan men toting them, and those designs were by no means friendly."

If the thing was enough to scare YOST, imagine the home field advantage we'd get from having Biff chillin' in the tunnel? Come on, Bill. Make this happen.

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You sir ... have some fine ideas

The only one I might even have a slight issue with is the band on the field. There has got to be a better way to make the sound travel throughout the stadium … hmmmmm …. double it! Make it twice as big twice as loud and twice as many scholorships for those music students to get in. Everyone wins!

StarBaseball "

by IowaLion on Aug 25, 2009 1:58 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

A Live Wolverine...

… is one of the best ideas I’ve heard of in a long time. I remember going to Colorado games as a little kid and seeing Ralphie run out onto the field. When you’re six, and watching Iowa get throttled by CU, at least you can be impressed by a giant buffalo careening through the stadium.

As for a deer getting eaten by the wolverine, it would be cooler to see a Spartan get mauled. Take the fans back to the good old days of the Roman Coliseum…

They took the bar, the whole damn bar!

by recoveringfratguy on Aug 26, 2009 10:01 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

that is the greatest picture i've ever seen.

"People sleep peaceably in their beds at night only because rough men stand ready to do violence on their behalf."
--George Orwell

by jackmca on Aug 26, 2009 12:02 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

I seem to recall that the band was often on the field before the expansion in 1998. But perhaps now there simply isn’t room? Bonus effect to this move would be to free up more seats and therefore increase the stadium’s capacity.

I’m not keen on the live mascot. Well, let me clarify. I’m not keen on any mascot, but if we have to have one, then I’d say make it a real Wolverine. So I’m in half-agreement.

Michigan girls aren’t looking. Definitely better than Ohio State (which was surprising to me because I figured the Big Ten school that was ranked the lowest academically would do pretty well in that regard).

Here’s what I’d like to see: An easier way to get into the damn stadium! I don’t mean the exterior gate, but to get into most sections is a gigantic clusterf*ck. Extra time at the tailgate often means waiting in line while the game starts. This surely must be fixable somehow.

The pregame stadium walk that they’re implementing this year is a good idea. I hope people show up for it. Apparently this idea was popularized (though technically not originated) by Auburn, and nearly every SEC school has copied them. The fans there go bonkers for it.

Lastly, greater camaraderie between tailgates. I see more competition than friendliness at Michigan. We’re not the worst, but we could stand to improve this a bit. I have no idea what actions should be taken.

Road Games

by Reed97 on Aug 25, 2009 3:28 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

How about

Everyone over the age of 65 must sit in the nosebleeds?

We shall return to Galactic Days standing strong, and unafraid, we'll carry on...

by Pinchy The Lobster on Aug 25, 2009 4:44 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Having hotter chicks always helps… but destroying opponents on the field is the best way to make the gameday experience rule!

We shall return to Galactic Days standing strong, and unafraid, we'll carry on...

by Pinchy The Lobster on Aug 25, 2009 4:42 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

I'll second that

Maize n Brew
Because Football is Better with Beer

by Maize n Brew Dave on Aug 25, 2009 5:49 PM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

General Admission

I’ve always liked what they’ve done at Penn State: General Admission. Those who arrive early get the best seats.

by BlueYork on Aug 26, 2009 9:57 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

How about a night game once a year…

by Biakabatuka on Aug 26, 2009 10:30 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Will the live Wolverine be ill-tempered?

A futile crusade to prevent mass ignorance

HammerAndRails, SBNation's Boilermaker Blog

by BoilerTMill on Aug 26, 2009 10:30 AM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Is there any other kind?

by SpartanDan on Aug 26, 2009 10:32 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

laser beams on his head

Maize n Brew
Because Football is Better with Beer

by Maize n Brew Dave on Aug 26, 2009 10:40 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

as opposed to the laser, rocket arm of Tate Forcier?

A futile crusade to prevent mass ignorance

HammerAndRails, SBNation's Boilermaker Blog

by BoilerTMill on Aug 26, 2009 11:06 AM CDT up reply actions 0 recs

Crushed Buckeye Red Chilli Stew

The food sold at Michigan during games is not very good and plainly plain. And how come the only place you can get good, wholesome food on game days is in my house, served by my super hot wife? (She might read this). So here’s what I propose: cups of Crushed Buckeye Red Chilli Stew need to hit the concessions at Michigan Stadium. That would be awesome.

We could even incorporate this into a tradition of some kind. Open the gates earlier, let fans buy their Crushed Buckeye Red Chilli Stew and file in to their seats, release Biff from his cage right in the middle of the block M to devour his own vat of Stew in front of a sea of screaming fans devouring their own, all of this happening while the band plays The Victors in a continuous loop. That would be the very definition of awesomeness.

This tradition would certainly turn into our players dramatizing eating a cup of Stew after every touchdown. Only one example of a by-product of this tradition.

This is an infantile idea. Please embellish on it.

But first, someone call V/Gladieux Enterprises, Inc. and give them a recipe.

by k-raw on Aug 26, 2009 2:59 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs

Michigan Gameday Experience

Agree with ALL of your proposals!! Can’t think of anything I’d add. The only U-M game I’ve been to, I experienced the “stand or sit” matter first-hand. It was the 2007 Rose Bowl v USC and there was a group of three girls, right in front of me, who were really into the game…like me…but a group of more “middle-aged, family” people, who were right next to me, were not very receptive of the girls’ standing & it almost led to a fight. Fortunately, cooler heads prevailed, but I do believe that Michigan Stadium should have a “Stand Only” section, for those who want to stand, cheer & scream without any problems.

I LOVE the Wolverine mascot idea but not sure about the name, Biff? Isn’t there a better name that we can use?

HAIL, TO THE VICTORS VALIANT
HAIL, TO THE CONQUERIN' HEROES
HAIL, HAIL TO MICHIGAN
THE CHAMPIONS OF THE WEST!!

by bleedmaizeandblue on Aug 26, 2009 4:25 PM CDT reply actions 0 recs