UM cancels spring game/practice
This is a mistake. Harbaugh needs to go back to having a spring game and they need to play it AND televise it. I'd make it super kid-friendly and offer free tickets to anyone that can show that they were vaccinated. We need to have the band out there and have safe interactions between kids and the players, etc. It's a fantastic opportunity to get young kids excited about UM football. They should be able to put 20,000 people in there and make the best of it. Sadly, they're not interested in even trying to put on a fun, safe, experience for the fans.
March 25th, 2021 at 12:27 AM ^
It was going to be ugly. Best kept hidden.
March 25th, 2021 at 12:39 AM ^
Disagree. The spring game is a meaningless exhibition. Yes, it's fun for fans and cheap to attend. But it's stupid to pack people into public spaces while vaccination rates are still so low.
Yep. Far better for the public would be a spring
Big House Max Vax event.
March 25th, 2021 at 12:19 PM ^
Yeah...and we can get the vaccines for MaxVax from an AstraZenica plant in the EU.
you "people"... I swear.
March 25th, 2021 at 12:22 PM ^
Dave Brandon promotional idea, get a covid vaccine and receive 2 free tickets to the spring game!
And a box of Kraft Mac n Cheese.
March 25th, 2021 at 10:43 AM ^
I hear the OP wanted to add a kissing both to this year's festivities.
Fun!
March 25th, 2021 at 12:15 PM ^
Meaningless practice game that doesn't have to be meaningless. Moreover, what would be the problem with presenting your vaccination card for sake of entry to the stadium? While others may still wish to just view on TV. The level of excitement for Michigan football is nearing an all-time nadir. Would seem appropriate to put on some kind of fan engaging experience that also allowed players to showcase a bit of their own excitement for what's happening in the program.
March 25th, 2021 at 10:37 PM ^
I love the vaccination card as entry ticket idea. I think Krispy Kreme is onto something with that one.
March 25th, 2021 at 12:52 AM ^
I cannot take this post serious.
*seriously
March 25th, 2021 at 11:01 AM ^
I am serious, and don’t call Shirley.
March 25th, 2021 at 11:20 AM ^
That joke only works if he used the word "surely"... which he didn't.
March 25th, 2021 at 11:39 AM ^
"Don't call me Serious, I am Shirley."
March 25th, 2021 at 12:57 AM ^
You know what’s a “fantastic opportunity to get young kids excited about UM football?” Not being mediocre at football in the fall, when it matters.
March 25th, 2021 at 12:57 AM ^
I like the opportunity to see the younger players on the field and I believe the players enjoy the opportunity to play in the Big House in front of fans. It blows my mind that some of our fans are indifferent about having an actual spring game with fans in the stands. Amazing.
It really blows your mind?
It’s Patrick. He thinks mayonnaise is an instrument. Don’t think it’s too hard to blow his mind with all that hot air in his head
We really are talking about a glorified practice.
So the truth comes out. This is really about you and your desire to see the spring game.
Also, there's this thing called "coronavirus" going around. It's a respiratory (breathing) illness that spreads very rapidly and is deadly to those over 75. You should do a Google search.
March 25th, 2021 at 12:42 PM ^
If you open it up, it would then be up to the people to decide. Choices matter. Can't complain about money when the choice is to not open up I guess.
March 25th, 2021 at 12:55 PM ^
I agree with it being people's decision, rather than canceling it just because the poster above you thinks we are somehow unaware there is a Novel Coronavirus in existence we should be planning around.
However, this is still a meaningless Spring Game, and a waste of a perfectly good practice time which our team sorely needs. I'm good with that not being reason enough to put a bunch of people in a stadium to hang out too.
Yeah... well the thing is, it has been repeatedly proven that today, for whatever reason, people aren't capable of making informed (that word is the key) choices. If you don't/won't/can't see this by now, I'm not sure what to say.
I don't care if they can or can't. That does not give you the right to make their choice for them.
Not to mention I'm almost 100% sure the people I believe making informed choices right now would be the exact opposite of those you think are.
Well, the decision is actually the school's to make, and they made it. They made it because those of you who don't really comprehend unnecessary risk taking during a pandemic. A public viewing of a glorified practice is not necessary. You think of you, the school is thinking of their student athletes.
It’s caused by a respiratory virus, it actually manifests as a vascular disease.
March 25th, 2021 at 12:04 PM ^
Agreed. My oldest is 13 and likes to watch and root for M but doesn't have the same passion that i did at 13 in 1998. And it's mainly just because we can't beat OSU. Can't say that I blame him!
Yes we won a national championship when I was his age, but before that, I grew up watching decent-good M teams that would beat OSU more often than not. My son's last few years watching have seen decent-good M teams (except last year) but he has never seen us beat OSU. He was 3 the last time we did
March 25th, 2021 at 12:57 PM ^
Yeah, but here's the issue. It's not financially easy to take kids to games with the price of tickets these days like it was when Canham made it a family event in the 70s. The spring game is a good alternative to that. I understand not being able to do it this year, but even if they could it would probably be half assed like it has been every year since 2016.
Well we weren't mediocre last fall... ?
I worry that this submarine mentality we isolate fans to the point that they just don’t care. I know they say just come to the games but if there is no build up people are just going to lose interest and I wish Harbaugh understood that.
I think Michigan fans, particularly those who frequent this blog, wish they didn’t care as much as they did. I sincerely doubt a loss of interest is on the horizon.
Exactly. Michigan football may elicit a wide variety of emotions, but apathy isn't one of them. And the loss of a spring game isn't going to magically cause it.
I don't know about that. I agree the fanbase does care but certainly not nearly as much as Harbaugh's first three years when coach had fire and the program appeared to be headed in the right direction.
But I also agree that a spring game won't move the apathy meter much. It's all about what happens in games in the fall.
March 25th, 2021 at 11:30 AM ^
During these pandemic times, absolutely go ahead and cancel. But... we shouldn't act like spring time practices and games don't exist elsewhere and have a large following. The recent top-tier football teams have very well-attended and well-promoted spring football events. Once we kick the Covid, might be nice?
Plus one
I assure you Michigan can fill a 20k capacity stadium on Saturdays.
March 25th, 2021 at 10:24 AM ^
The spring game has exactly zero impact on my enthusiasm for Michigan football.
March 25th, 2021 at 10:56 AM ^
Too late. Football has delivered so many dong punches over so many years that it has just become the season after baseball and before basketball.
Bad takes are bad.
Bummer. But as this is the 3rd straight year, kinda getting used to it.
During the long days of counting down til September, I always enjoy when there is a "game" in April.
Those countdowns to September aren’t what they used to be. It’s more of a dreading feeling. Fearing that I’ll have to sit through another painful Army game or a Wisconsin or OSU style ass kicking.
Why do I still watch religiously? Great question. If this upcoming season looks anything like last year, I won’t be.
If I could remember who "won" any of these games, ever, maybe I'd pretend this was a big deal.
It's not that I hate the game. I'll watch on television if it's available. I remember the game about ten years ago, seeing a young running back come in and look like he had exceptional burst and an eye for the position - much better than the veterans on the roster. That was Fitz Toussaint.
He wasn't as good as I thought he'd be - an injury cost him considerably, but at least he had a decent NFL career for a priority UDFA.
Interesting Michigan trivia question: who was the last Michigan running back drafted into the NFL (not including converted quarterbacks)?
(spoiler one)
You'll find him on the sidelines again this season.
(spoiler two)
It was all the way back in 2008, about 50 Michigan draftees ago.
(answer)
Mike Hart.
This post is not about the basketball team which confuses me. What is this "football team" you speak of? We're a basketball school! Does Villanova's, or Depaul's, or Gonzaga's message board talk about this football thing whatever the hell that is? Probably not!
I can't seem to find any posts about basketball with more than 100 replies other than game threads.
Don't forget baseball. We're a basketball and baseball school. Basically we are UCLA.
Go Bluins??
Somebody should have told Zach before he transferred. Or, maybe only basketball schools are interested.
I don’t care
because
we are a basketball school