The Fans
First of all, I would like to say that this collapse in no way falls on the fans. It is completely on the players and even moreso, the coaches. However, as a fan at the game, I noticed a significant difference in the energy of our fans versus South Carolina's fans.
We had a significantly greater number of fans at the game. When we were up 19-3 they were still much louder. Their fans stood the entire game when our's sat. When we scored the cheers were half hearted, while the South Carolina fans seemed to be falling over each other in a see of crazy people. This is definitely a result of the numbing failures of the RichRod, Brady Hoke, and now beginning of the Jim Harbaugh era.
Hopefully next season can bring back the energy our fans had. Last season, the excitement of the better performance was clear, especially in the Orange Bowl where the fans were unbelievable. IMO, the athletic department should provide the maize pom poms for the whole stadium for the two biggest games EVERY year as those always create an unbelievable sight and I would imagine are great for recruiting. Regardless, we need some new traditions or chants to add that will increase our crowd energy and make the big house intimidating next season. Any thoughts on that would be interesting to hear. Regardless, it all start with winning, and until that happens, few things will improve.
Some extra thoughts: Fire Drevno. Also, find a guy who can punt farther than 25 yards. There has to be someone better on the soccer team for goodness sakes.
EDIT: Absolutely NONE of this is on the fans as I said. I was just saying the sheer difference in noise was shocking and disheartening.
January 1st, 2018 at 7:44 PM ^
Thank you for sharing this
January 1st, 2018 at 7:43 PM ^
I think we need to impliment an extreme mgopoint limit to create new threads for a few weeks.....I don't know if I can take these opinion posts for the next month.
January 1st, 2018 at 7:46 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 8:55 PM ^
Post in posbang threads a lot and you too can declare your importance over others!
January 1st, 2018 at 7:46 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 7:59 PM ^
The message board has never been for people to post every opinion about the program that runs through their head. That's what the 247/rivals boards are for. These boards are usefull because their limited to Michigan related news. Actual news and things that relate to the program. If every post was "I think Michigan should do X" or "I can't believe Michigan did X" -- then these would be entirely useless to anyone.
Those opinions should be saved for comments on articles or posts with topics that relate to your opinion.
January 1st, 2018 at 8:10 PM ^
During the week and offseason news seems to be the norm. In the direct aftermath of the games however, opinions and observations seem to be common from what I can tell
January 1st, 2018 at 8:38 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 7:55 PM ^
with the product put in the field
January 1st, 2018 at 7:58 PM ^
No, but my critiques aren't worthy of an entire post. I might share them in the comments on something else relating to my opinions.
January 1st, 2018 at 8:17 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 7:45 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 7:50 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 7:55 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 7:51 PM ^
This is true. I think a large factor has to do with the age of our fans. Many are alumni whereas South Carolina fans there seemed to be younger. The weather definitely didn't help
January 1st, 2018 at 8:47 PM ^
Please conduct this experiment with OSU or MSU fans, if you get 10 out of 50 that can name 10 players I'll mail you a shiny silver dollar.
January 1st, 2018 at 9:42 PM ^
What does any of this have to do with anything? Other than the need to troll us with another "You can't be a real fan if you're not standing for 100% of the game" slapfight.
January 1st, 2018 at 7:45 PM ^
It was obvious that they cared about this game more than we did. Just like we cared more than Florida did in our last 2 bowl games against them.
It's a big difference maker in non CFP / NY6 bowl games where there is nothing specific to play for. They can be about making a statement . . . or just an exhibition.
January 1st, 2018 at 8:19 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 7:49 PM ^
spell pompon, how can we possibly hope to win football games?
January 1st, 2018 at 7:52 PM ^
I think both are correct
January 1st, 2018 at 7:51 PM ^
about fan volume. Give us some reasons to cheer already, it's been 11 years.
January 1st, 2018 at 7:53 PM ^
We don't play the game. We just bitch and complain when things go bad and rave like lunatics who just won the lottery when things are great. That is why we are called fanatics.
But we don't suit up. We don't go on the field. The players do and that's where they need to excel. But for some reason, Michigan players are content on playing mediocre football and taking trips to Europe and playing tag football on the sunny beaches of Florida. Winning B1G titles and beating your most hated rivals isn't much of a concern for them.
Life is good for them, no?
January 1st, 2018 at 7:55 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 7:56 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 8:04 PM ^
I agree, it was a brutal experience. I'm not blaming the fans, but more of wondering if there is anything that could be done to improve the experience, give fans something to do. I was just observing the sheer difference in noise because it was shocking, especially for a team up 16 points
January 1st, 2018 at 8:28 PM ^
and find it hard to believe you don't cheer at most anything, perhaps while bedecked in a maize-and-blue unicorn sweater and backed by a cloned boy band. Then again, I was at the State game too...
January 1st, 2018 at 8:41 PM ^
If our fans played I think the Gamecocks would have completely destroyed us. Those are some talented athletes
January 1st, 2018 at 7:57 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 9:39 PM ^
There have been a handful of games where The Big House is rockin' but I feel like 80% of the time its a lot of fans yelling at people to sit down while watching the game. I feel like these type of fans think that Michigan will cease to exist if every tradition is followed at the exact same moment of every game, every year.
Change can be okay.
January 1st, 2018 at 8:00 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 8:09 PM ^
No. Locking the board is stupid. Period. If you can't handle conversation or a day or two of venting from passionate fans who are upset, then don't ask them to care when it's convenient for you. Fuck off with that nonsense.
January 1st, 2018 at 9:10 PM ^
January 2nd, 2018 at 10:16 AM ^
It keeps the Board posts from becoming "WHAT'S WRONG WITH HARBAUGH?!!!?" for a week. That is a perfectly fine opinion, it just doesn't have to be every topic.
The board has moderators that can control good and bad content. They are apparently still enjoying the holidays.
January 1st, 2018 at 8:01 PM ^
One of these things is not like the others.
Regarding the noise by Michigan fans at the stadium today, I will go out on a limb and hazard a guess that part of the problem might be that our offense looked like complete ass for most of the game, just like it has all season.
January 1st, 2018 at 8:17 PM ^
this team started out struggling against the likes of Cincy, AFA and also rans
I told myself it was because those other teams were good
Not so much. UM was not so good and I needed to put the crack pipe down
January 1st, 2018 at 8:03 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 8:03 PM ^
Our varsity football team's failure to achieve results comparable to past seasons of glory isn't any fault of our fans. It's been way too long to attribute consistent failure to thrive to our fans.
January 1st, 2018 at 8:09 PM ^
who would have thought? This is the price you pay for having a very high nebbish nerd to good old boy ratio in your student and thus alumni pool.
January 1st, 2018 at 8:10 PM ^
January 2nd, 2018 at 11:01 AM ^
it always gets louder after the huddle breaks but not when they're snapping the ball
January 1st, 2018 at 8:12 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 8:15 PM ^
Were you at the same Outback Bowl as me?
January 1st, 2018 at 8:48 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 9:31 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 8:12 PM ^
January 1st, 2018 at 8:18 PM ^