Reports from the People at the Game?
We had a bunch of threads for "who's going to the Game" - I'd love to share my thoughts and hear how you guys did.
Game Report: I got in that morning, and learned that they close the exits for Medical Center Drive and Lane 3.5 hours before kickoff, because we were in line for Medical Center at 8:30 and watched the cops close it. I've missed it twice before, and never been able to find the closure times on Google, but now I know the hard way.
Absolutely no problems wearing Michigan gear. I parked just off campus and walked in from Bradley wearing a Michigan hoodie. I saw sporadic groups of Michigan fans and a few mixed groups, and we yelled "Go Blue" without grief, including at the Gameday crowd and touring the East and West lots looking for a friendly tailgate. To be fair, we were there early and didn't walk in from Oletangy or anything, but no problems at all.
Sitting in the student section, a small amount of shade, but it was all seriously fun. An older woman started to hand me her cell phone to take her picture with the Gameday bus and said "Excuse me, but would you mind ... oh." (I took the picture AND gave her the phone back). One kid patted me on the shoulder during warmups and said "Sorry for your loss." The drunk kid behind me was calling everybody together for the Carmen Ohio hug-rock thing, and said "Not you. I'm sure you're a great guy, but you don't get to do this." When we were dominating in the first half, one guy said (with a smile) "Man, I hate you right now!" When I couldn't help cheering for Michigan during various key moments, nobody gave me grief.
The students were a little classless to the players and the band, with their traditional cheers of "Fuck Michigan," "Fuck You, Harbaugh," and double birds. But Michigan has that stupid "You suck" on failed third downs, and they were perfectly fine with Michigan fan in person, so cae sera.
I can't say anything about The Game that hasn't been said. I give credit to those kids, each of whom played the game of their life under hostile conditions, injury, and insane officiating. It was excruciating, and if we had won, it would have been awesome. It was pretty fun being in an Ohio section and feeling them deflate emotionally during the first half, to the point that most people weren't cheering and the guy behind me just said a deflated "shit" every time the Michigan D dominated Barrett and company. It was less fun in the second half, when they sometimes got so excited that the bleachers bounced like a trampoline (seriously - I fell off once when I didn't think to bend my knees), but I guess that's what makes the rivalry.
It's an awesome game, and an awesome rivalry, but we need Harbaugh to show up and win a "What's Your Deal?" game against Urban, and to do it soon. If anybody can, it's Harbaugh.
November 27th, 2016 at 11:33 AM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 11:49 AM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 11:54 AM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 12:17 PM ^
Uh-huh. We typically rush the field after a win over Northwestern and Purdue and set all-time attendance records for those games. Please go on...
November 27th, 2016 at 2:31 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 12:20 PM ^
I think they were curious about Michigan, but they did not treat us like we treat Northwestern. They definitely still hate us (we do not hate Northwestern) and were nervous throughout. I think the difference though is that once it was back to a 3 point game in the fourth, they felt a lot more confident than we did, which naturally comes with winning so much.
November 27th, 2016 at 4:14 PM ^
I remember at the Desmond Heisman pose game, a sad OSU fan walked past muttering about how sad he was the rivalry was over.
Things change and it's going to stay huge for a few years at least. This is one of the few times it helps to be old, since I can remember 1976-2000 when Michigan dominated.
November 27th, 2016 at 11:49 AM ^
I just posted the 7000 miles, post, hadn't read yours before I did! It was safe, fun, exciting, loud, not as advertised, much better and I would recommend it for anyone who'd want to go in the future!!
November 27th, 2016 at 11:50 AM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 11:50 AM ^
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November 27th, 2016 at 12:05 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 12:23 PM ^
Overall, a great experience and I would recommend to any UM fan.
We were sitting in a row with elderly OSU alums on both sides (Class of 1962 on one side and Class of 1970 on the other) who were friendly and actively protected us from the drunk assholes a row below who were a few seats away from us (they were ragging on us during the PreGame, but they didn't say anything during the game; I think partially because they sobered up and partially because the old couple told them not to). Man behind us had his own foul version of The Victors he would sing every time, but he never said anything to us directly.
But otherwise, inside the stadium was totally fine, even afterwards. We cheered very loudly for Michigan throughout. We were in 8C, but in the bottom 5 rows. (There is the entrance, then the 5 rows below separated from the rest of the section and 35 rows above the entrance). 8C and 10C above the entrances were the majority Michigan fan sections, so maybe that helped, but we were the only UM fans in our bottom subsection of 8C and we were fine.
OSU fans are still the most hostile I've encountered by a significant margin (I've been to both Spartan Stadium and Penn State). The stadium actively cheered for Michigan injuries throughout, which is pretty disgraceful. Saw lots of foul things in the pre and post game outside the stadium (signs and such). Woman a few rows back screamed "KILL HIM!!!" every single time Speight dropped back. They are loud, but they are completely prodded by the stadium organizers, like mindless sheep. The student sections have multiple microphones to lead chants (which is super embarassing, in my opinion) and after seemingly every down some old OSU player would come on the video board to pump the crowd up.
As for how they felt during the game, Ohio State fans seemed incredibly nervous (as we all were) and thought they were going to lose until the later parts of the 4th quarter. Even the OSU fans recognized and laughed at the missed facemask call they got away with that was clear on the video boards.
Afterwards, we shook hands with those in our row and bolted out right after the play. Walking back to the car we got about 10-15 of "MICHIGAN SUCKS!!!", "Better luck next year, losers!!!", people yelling "O-H" at us and one "YOU'RE WORSE THAN FLINT'S WATER!" (the latter of which is horrendous and classless).
To be fair, on the walk back we also encountered a few people who told us "great game", etc, but by far the worst part was walking back to the car.
November 27th, 2016 at 12:34 PM ^
Man, I had forgotten about that dumb "OK, Ohio, let's make some noise" video. Worst thing ever.
November 27th, 2016 at 12:46 PM ^
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November 27th, 2016 at 12:51 PM ^
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November 27th, 2016 at 3:00 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 1:15 PM ^
I traveled via bus with the Metro Detroit M Alumn Assn. Had a tight schedule so had little pregame time around the stadium. I had not been to the shoe since '06, but had some takeaways compared to the other 6 times I had visited for The Game:
1. Did not get one F-Bomb. In contrast to past trips, where profanity filled the air, from both genders and every age group, and young, drunk men behave in a way that proves they have parents who never taught them how to conduct themselves outside the trailer...a pleasant surprise.
2. Stadium was quiet most of the game. I was with a friend, who is an M season ticket holder, but had never been to the shoe. He was amazed at how quiet it was, particularly compared to reputation. O fans were very tentative, until the tie. The ground was shaking after the ot td.
3. The circus acts and ads during breaks were really annoying. At one time they launched t-shirts into the crowd.
In short, it seems that recent efforts have cleaned up some of the behavior that makes the community and the university look classless.
November 27th, 2016 at 1:34 PM ^
Me and my cousin drove in yesterday morning and parked northwest of the stadium off Ackerman Rd. We didn't have a plan going in and ended up in a non-charging lot from what appeared to be a mostly empty medical building. The lot we were targeting (per the OSU pakring map posted on another thread) was closed. Anyways, a nice friendly cop told us we "propbably wouldn't" get towed and that most of the cars in the lot we parked were going to the game.
We walked a solid 30 to 45 min to the stadium with a few roadies in tow. I think we went through three or four different RV parking lots...past the track / field stadium...baseball field...basektball arena, etc. Nobody was overly rude or hostile. A couple "Fuck Michigans" but I was shocked at how civil things were. The only things that stuck out were the number of 8/10 year olds holding "Fuck Michigan" or "Harbaugh is a Douche" signs. Other than that just a pleasant stroll to the stadium.
I was shocked at how easy it was to get into the stadium. We entered about 15 min befor game time and there were no lines due to how many individual gates they have open. Once in I was SHOCKED to discover they sell BEER! We got a beer and hit the john then went to our seats in upper 10C. Lots of Michigan fans around us as well as OSU. The OSU fans were civil and were for three quarters quite and defeated. They could not believe how dominating our defense was. They (fans) were defeated at one point.
As others said when it got loud it was LOUD. The place was shaking when they scored and in OT. We were pretyy high up but the two pass interferences (call / non-call) Harbaugh pointed out were clear as day from our view. The ending happened and the place went nuts. People around me went from silent to hugging each other and taking pictures like they just won the National Championship. I wanted to start chucking cell phones, but took a deep breath and exchanged congratulations. Everryone around us said it was the best game they ever saw.
The fans were a little overboard when Taco was down in OT and when DT (I think...never confirmed) looked like he was knocked out. I think they were booing Taco becasue they though he was trying to stall the hurry up offense. I did yell out a "stay classy Ohio" and got a couple dumbfounded looks at me. Nothing I haven't heard Mich fans do at home.
The long walk back to the car was the same. All Buckeyes were congratulatory and you could tell they were happy to steal one. I saw one Mich fan / Buckeye fan pushing each other outside the stadium but it fizzled pretty quickly. I'm pretty sure we walked right by Orlando Pace right by the baseball stadium. I heard he said on TV the 4th down spot was a bullshit call. Had I known that I would have stopped and confirmed it with him. SHould have got a pick anyways...he is a giant!
Ovearll I was shocked at the civility. I even brought a change of clothes for the ride home as I expected to have something thrown at / dumped on me. Especially once I saw they were actualy selling beer inside. Not sure if the rumors are overblown or if they were truly shocked at pullling that game out. I can honestly say the "feel" in the stadium was that we were winning that game up until they tied at the end...even with the OSU fans. Once OT started that stadium was rocking like nothing I've ever seen. It was a great experience except for the officiating and the outcome.
November 27th, 2016 at 1:34 PM ^
Me and my cousin drove in yesterday morning and parked northwest of the stadium off Ackerman Rd. We didn't have a plan going in and ended up in a non-charging lot from what appeared to be a mostly empty medical building. The lot we were targeting (per the OSU pakring map posted on another thread) was closed. Anyways, a nice friendly cop told us we "propbably wouldn't" get towed and that most of the cars in the lot we parked were going to the game.
We walked a solid 30 to 45 min to the stadium with a few roadies in tow. I think we went through three or four different RV parking lots...past the track / field stadium...baseball field...basektball arena, etc. Nobody was overly rude or hostile. A couple "Fuck Michigans" but I was shocked at how civil things were. The only things that stuck out were the number of 8/10 year olds holding "Fuck Michigan" or "Harbaugh is a Douche" signs. Other than that just a pleasant stroll to the stadium.
I was shocked at how easy it was to get into the stadium. We entered about 15 min befor game time and there were no lines due to how many individual gates they have open. Once in I was SHOCKED to discover they sell BEER! We got a beer and hit the john then went to our seats in upper 10C. Lots of Michigan fans around us as well as OSU. The OSU fans were civil and were for three quarters quite and defeated. They could not believe how dominating our defense was. They (fans) were defeated at one point.
As others said when it got loud it was LOUD. The place was shaking when they scored and in OT. We were pretyy high up but the two pass interferences (call / non-call) Harbaugh pointed out were clear as day from our view. The ending happened and the place went nuts. People around me went from silent to hugging each other and taking pictures like they just won the National Championship. I wanted to start chucking cell phones, but took a deep breath and exchanged congratulations. Everryone around us said it was the best game they ever saw.
The fans were a little overboard when Taco was down in OT and when DT (I think...never confirmed) looked like he was knocked out. I think they were booing Taco becasue they though he was trying to stall the hurry up offense. I did yell out a "stay classy Ohio" and got a couple dumbfounded looks at me. Nothing I haven't heard Mich fans do at home.
The long walk back to the car was the same. All Buckeyes were congratulatory and you could tell they were happy to steal one. I saw one Mich fan / Buckeye fan pushing each other outside the stadium but it fizzled pretty quickly. I'm pretty sure we walked right by Orlando Pace right by the baseball stadium. I heard he said on TV the 4th down spot was a bullshit call. Had I known that I would have stopped and confirmed it with him. SHould have got a pick anyways...he is a giant!
Ovearll I was shocked at the civility. I even brought a change of clothes for the ride home as I expected to have something thrown at / dumped on me. Especially once I saw they were actualy selling beer inside. Not sure if the rumors are overblown or if they were truly shocked at pullling that game out. I can honestly say the "feel" in the stadium was that we were winning that game up until they tied at the end...even with the OSU fans. Once OT started that stadium was rocking like nothing I've ever seen. It was a great experience except for the officiating and the outcome.
November 27th, 2016 at 2:12 PM ^
I was in the bathroom and a drunk OSU student yelled " I hate Michigan fans, Michigan fans have small dicks!" lol
It was a crazy, loud spectacle at the Shoe. Those fans were extremely knowledgeable and INTO the game. The entire stadium was a sea of red. There was just a small Michigan section were he band was.
Please, please Michigan fans DO NOT sell your tickets to OSU fans to The Game ever!
November 27th, 2016 at 2:31 PM ^
what the experiences would have been if we beat them instead. Paticularly if the refs had the balls to overturn that 4th down call at the end. I assume the fans wouldn't have been so considerate then.
November 27th, 2016 at 2:46 PM ^
November 28th, 2016 at 12:22 AM ^
I don't get this acting like a dick after you won. I've been at both Michigan Stadium and Ohio Stadium after we beat them and while I may have been a dick before and during the game, I was as serene and docile as can be after the game.
Why not? I had already proven my point.
November 27th, 2016 at 3:04 PM ^
Arrived Friday and spent night at a club with another Michigan fan and a bunch of Buckeyes. Hit several tailgates on gameday starting at 9 and entered stadium at 11. Surprised by how few Michigan fans were present in the stadium. Was told by an alum next to me that the athletic dept allocates 5000 tickets to visitors, but it didn't seem that there were that many, maybe because the sea of red was so overwhelming.
Much to my surprise based on things I had heard previously about how unruly the fans can be, I found all the people I interacted with to be extremely courteous and gracious. The tailgates were all run by OSU fans and alums, and all went out of their way to ensure I had an enjoyable experience. Lots of good natured ribbing of course, but all in good sport and the hospitality was top notch. Met several ex players who were also very professional. Sat with a large group of red and was one of two in my section with Michigan gear on. Did not witness any unruly or drunken behavior. Most went out of their way to make me feel at home. For most of the game, the fans were nervous and quiet. By 17-14 time, it became extremely loud. Ending and subsequent field rush reminded me of the last game we beat them at the big house, when we were on the winning side and Sweet Caroline was blairing.
Several fans came up to me on the way out and congratulated our team on a great game by Michigan and wished our team well in the bowl. One asked me if I was treated well and was very appreciative when I told them I had a first rate experience with the OSU fanbase. At no time did I feel threatened or offended.
I know this is not what many want to hear, but other than the loss, I couldn't have had a better experience. I would highly recommend the trip down to any who have this on their bucket list, and hopefully the outcome will be much different.
November 27th, 2016 at 3:39 PM ^
It's so loud there. When Jim got the unsportsmanlike 15 yard penalty that place was going insane. Maybe even louder than the winning play. Overall, people were ok to me but I definitely made a point to be respectful as well so that could have played into it.
November 27th, 2016 at 4:06 PM ^
I'm commenting only to echo the reviews / experiences of others... all in all, another positive experience with mostly all positive interactions. Didn't hear any 'F' bombs directed to me. The fans were cordial before the game and afterwards.
I will also reiterate what commenter 'baughhumbug' noted: specifically, that I think OSU fans were nervous about the outcome, but still consider it a pretty much foregone conclusion that they will beat Michigan when it's all said and done. One young man shook my hand and wished me luck before the game, which I returned in kind... then moments later said, "I apologize for what's about to happen to your team".
The fans were dour throughout most of the game - as Michigan's D continued to control their offense. Some of my joy during the game was listening to a late 50 / early 60 year old woman behind me complaining after M shut down almost all of their offensive plays. I must have heard her exclaim "This is bullshit" about 50 separate times yesterday; the real coup de grace was after Mike Webber missed a play and she was yelling to "get him out of there if he can't do anything and put someone in who will"... Nothing more pleasing that listening to a loudmouthed know-it-all venting her suggestions that are ridiculous. And yet, even during that time frame of the second half when they were still down by 10, I heard OSU fans making their plans to rush the field if OSU managed to win. So - even though M was controlling the game, it was like they just knew... or better yet - they just *expected* that the worm was going to turn and the day would still be theirs.
Yesterday was my 28th consecutive version of the game. So, I've been to more than my share... as well as watched my share as a young kid. Yesterday's game is the hardest loss I've had to swallow in all of my years of watching Michigan - from the times I was at the game or the games I watched on TV as I kid. I was alive back in '72 and '74, but was a toddler then. I can only imagine that yesterday's loss ranks up there with those two games in terms of the "bitter pill to swallow" index:
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The '72 game featured two infamous goal line stands by OSU enroute to a 14-11 loss... the second of which you can hear an infamous call by Ufer proclaiming that he was clearly into the endzone but that Woody had the refs in his back pockets and nobody had the guts to make the right call for fear of Woody... I cannot find a link for listening, but the general transcript goes something like this: "Franklin hands off to Banks and it's a touchdown Michigan! Hey, wait a.... Aren't they gonna raise their hands? He was into the end zone! It's just like 1954: I can see Dave Hill taking the hand-off from Lou Baldacci at the same end of the field and he went in...and they claimed he didn't then—and he didn't now, 18 years later! God darn it! What do you gotta do down here to score a touchdown...? Ohhh, I can't believe it! Oh, that's the rottenest deal I've ever seen in football!"
- And tthe '74 game which featured multiple FG missses by Lantry enroute to a 12-10 loss - one of which you can find M alums/fans who *still* believe that the FG was *good*... including ol' Ufe'. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-ps9mgimSVw
I was too little to see and appreciate those, but loving to study the history of the rivalry I can now fully appreciate the anguish they must have induced.
Today has been a day of licking my wounds, reading the words of you fine folks and trying to process everything that happened yesterday. That one hurt. My first thought after the game was that my "soul dong" ((TM) thanks Brian..) can't take it. After the game, I was bitter and frustrated and - quite frankly - sick and tired of playing "the good fan" like I have after losses in '04, and '06... and '12 for that matter. Hopefully, we can draw a good bowl, face a really good team and beat them to close out this season on a high note. I will miss this senior class greatly - they've been the chief people who've put in the work to help right the ship. I can only hope that there are brighter days ahead in this rivalry.
Go Blue.
November 28th, 2016 at 12:46 AM ^
That '74 game video gave me a flashback to when I got revenge and got to rush the field at Ohio Stadium myself in '86 when Matt Frantz missed their field goal and gave Michigan the win.
Sweet redemption.
November 27th, 2016 at 4:19 PM ^
November 27th, 2016 at 7:04 PM ^
Had a great experience. Fan unpleasantness was minimal, and the majority were welcoming and wonderful. Would go back to Columbus again.
November 28th, 2016 at 1:25 PM ^
f bombs and was middle fingered saluted quite often on walk into stadium. Probably due to being parked near High Street and majority were college students. Sat in Michigan section but 4 people behind were osu fans. Very nice so that made sitting through game ok. Leaving stadium had one fan that stayed behind me from upper deck to gate on ground level laughing hysterically and making no effort to go around me and remained a few feet behind whole say so I had to listen to him. From stadium to car encountered only a few hecklers, about normal from as a visting fan of what I have encountered elsewhere. Not as pleasant of experience as others but what I expect from osu fans. Still by far the worse place to watch Michigan games as a visiting fan.