Stadium experience and booing the service academies
This post isn't meant to be a lecture or to stir up a political debate. But I'm interested in having a discussion on whether it's appropriate to boo the service academies when they come to our stadium to play our team. It's a habit for the home fans in any stadium to boo when the opponent first comes out onto the field, but I've always been uncomfortable with this when it's one of the service academies.
Personally, I feel that it's in poor taste to show that sort of treatment to these young men who have signed up to serve our country. This is a completely separate debate from a foreign policy decision, but I had a rather alarming exchange on Twitter with someone who seemed to think that being opposed to US foreign policy made it okay to boo the players. I don't want to dismiss this, so I'm curious to hear other people's thoughts on whether it's ethical. Maybe it's not a big deal to some, but it is to me.
If this topic is too inflammatory then I have no problem with it being removed, but I think that we have shown before that we can be civil and respectful to one another.
September 6th, 2019 at 11:55 PM ^
Wait, "bitch" is now added to the end of that chant?
Oh god, we've now gone full Sparty. smh. God that's sad. And it's not even clever.
September 6th, 2019 at 6:24 PM ^
You had me at “diseased dick”
September 6th, 2019 at 7:21 PM ^
"If you boo Michigan players, fuck you with a diseased dick." This is one of my favorite quotes in many years of reading this blog.
September 6th, 2019 at 7:23 PM ^
The "you suck" chant sucks especially after a third down during 4 down territory. It's like the students don't understand the game. Also, I only boo teams I dislike.
September 6th, 2019 at 8:12 PM ^
Yeah, that's going to be especially bad this Saturday. Army is literally always in 4 down territory.
September 6th, 2019 at 8:40 PM ^
I actually hate the "you suck" cheer; so many times when we do it, we've sucked just as bad or more. If others think it's all in fun, that's fine, I just won't do it.
The only time I've booed my own team was when I watched an obviously concussed quarterback grab his helmet and re-enter the game! My boo was more a way to yell "don't do it" than anything else.
September 6th, 2019 at 9:03 PM ^
Do you sing the fight song? There are so many times that we have not, in fact, been the Champions of the West. In fact, we have not been the Champions of the West more than we have been the Champions of the West.
That's the booing exception that comes to mind, but there's still no way to discern what exactly someone in the crowd is booing. Just literally yelling "don't do it", would be my course of action there. I just hate hearing our fans boo. Even if you're making an appropriate point (and criticizing Shane Morris' reinsertion to that game was certainly appropriate), from the field and other parts of the stadium it still sounds like you're indiscriminately shitting on the children you want to succeed and paid to watch.
September 7th, 2019 at 9:05 AM ^
yes, I still sing the fight song. I’m not that much of a literalist. The YOU SUCK cheer started to bother me in 2014 and I’ve never gotten over it I guess.
And you have a good point about how booing is received by the players on the field. Yelling “don’t do it” likely would have been equally ineffective.
September 6th, 2019 at 6:23 PM ^
boo them with our kindness and cheers..
September 6th, 2019 at 6:27 PM ^
SuPpOrT tHe TrOoPs
September 6th, 2019 at 6:29 PM ^
A "boo" is not a sign of disrespect. The Army cadets have earned our respect and we should behave accordingly, before, during and after the game. But as far as booing them, go ahead with a clear conscience, imho.
September 6th, 2019 at 6:29 PM ^
I believe in all things good, and I’m opposed to all things that are bad. But that’s just me.
September 6th, 2019 at 6:30 PM ^
I don’t boo service academies but I want to whip them on the field.
September 6th, 2019 at 6:31 PM ^
I can't believe this is even a point of a discussion. Do you think Michigan players aren't going to play their very best because it might hurt the feelings of a crew cut cadet? If you're concerned about it just pretend you're a Navy fan, I guarantee you no Navy fan ever gave a second thought before booing Army.
September 6th, 2019 at 6:33 PM ^
But will a player who jawbones a buckeye not do so against an Army player?
September 6th, 2019 at 6:34 PM ^
It’s a football game, not war. This is fun for these guys. Soon they will be involved in something infinitely more serious.
Army guys above everyone else understand that this is just entertainment. What happens tomorrow isn’t life or death.
September 6th, 2019 at 6:41 PM ^
Frankly I doubt their football team cares very much - or if anything, they might take booing as a compliment. No one boos a pushover.
September 6th, 2019 at 6:44 PM ^
We have also shown before, on far FAR more occasions that we cannot be civil when the words like “foreign policy” appear in a post. I’m actually surprised this has been up for about 40 minutes and it is civil. Kudos to those who have already posted. Over / under 2 more hours until someone ruins it?
September 6th, 2019 at 8:10 PM ^
It's civil because it's 2019, not 1969.
September 6th, 2019 at 6:46 PM ^
Navy boos Army and Army boos Navy.
They’re big boys playing a big boy game. It’s not disrespectful...or anymore so than booing Notre Dame is showing disrespect to the Catholic Church.
September 6th, 2019 at 7:51 PM ^
I was just thinking, "Man, must be awkward when Army, Navy, and Air Force play each other. They must celebrate each other's touchdowns."
September 6th, 2019 at 8:28 PM ^
I thought booing Notre Dame was equivalent to booing the Virgin Mary.
September 6th, 2019 at 6:54 PM ^
Only boo MSU,THE(tm), PSU, and ND.
I don't remember anyone booing Air Force.
I think the players are smart enough to understand why they are getting booed.
September 6th, 2019 at 10:35 PM ^
Alt-2 gives you THE™
September 6th, 2019 at 6:57 PM ^
How about we all grow up and stop worshipping the military?
September 6th, 2019 at 7:15 PM ^
Respect =/= worship
The young men and women who willingly volunteer to literally put their lives on the line to protect our freedom and liberty definitely deserve our respect and esteem.
When it comes to “growing up”, these young men and women set the bar pretty high.
Your take is bad and you should feel bad.
September 6th, 2019 at 8:33 PM ^
Please tell us what country is threatening our freedom? Please tell us what war the USA has fought in the last 60 years has been about protecting our freedom?
Like I said. Grow up.
September 6th, 2019 at 9:08 PM ^
Newsflash: WWII wasn’t about protecting our freedom either.
September 6th, 2019 at 9:35 PM ^
The Wold Trade Center went down in the 9/11 attacks which was an act of war. Dude, I lost my best friend. US families lost thousands of mothers and fathers leaving kids without either.
You can espouse otherwise if you want but your views can’t stand the test of history. The World is filled with anarchy. 9/11 was real and devastating. Get your shit together
September 6th, 2019 at 10:09 PM ^
Yeah im sure the hundreds of thousands of Iraqis that died had so much to do with the world trade center.
Libya, Vietnam, Syria, all protecting our freedom eh?
Giving the Saudis billions? Protecting freedom also.
September 6th, 2019 at 10:26 PM ^
You do know that Iraq had nothing to do with 9/11 right? If we had gone to war with any country after that it should've been Saudi Arabia, where all but one of the hijackers came from.
September 6th, 2019 at 7:17 PM ^
Respect =/= worship
The young men and women who willingly volunteer to literally put their lives on the line to protect our freedom and liberty definitely deserve our respect and esteem.
When it comes to “growing up”, these young men and women set the bar pretty high.
Your take is bad and you should feel bad.
September 6th, 2019 at 7:23 PM ^
We should stop worshipping democracy too.
September 6th, 2019 at 9:05 PM ^
Especially since the US is a republic.
September 6th, 2019 at 9:09 PM ^
US is a Democratic Republic.
September 6th, 2019 at 9:18 PM ^
Our elections are democratic. Our nation is a constitutional republic. Learn your history.
September 6th, 2019 at 6:59 PM ^
This isn't the best OP for this discussion.
The MMB actually sent out a great post kindly asking our fans not to boo when they play their fight song. I think that's a perfectly reasonable and positive request. There is a difference between welcoming Army and welcoming THE to Michigan Stadium.
During the game though? Boo away. Army probably would enjoy it actually - it has to be exhausting to be constantly reminded of a bigger game you are playing that is life and death, with every road game they play being a "Military Appreciation Day". They just want to play football like any other college athletes on a Saturday in the fall, so let's do our best to support that by treating them like they belong, not like an outlier.
In short: don't boo their fight song, but as soon as the game starts, let's whoop their asses.
September 6th, 2019 at 7:01 PM ^
Fuck them and fuck the US army.
September 6th, 2019 at 7:11 PM ^
Bold strategy, Cotton. Let's see how it plays out.
September 6th, 2019 at 7:26 PM ^
You’re so edgy.
September 6th, 2019 at 8:09 PM ^
Sorry if you're offended, snowflake. I dont feel the need to be politically correct all the time just to protect people's little fee-fee's.
September 6th, 2019 at 8:43 PM ^
Wouldn't a snowflake by definition be someone who doesn't have the courage to disagree, not someone who does?
September 6th, 2019 at 9:00 PM ^
A snowflake is someone who whine's like a little bitch cause their precious oil protection units aren't worshipped either the proper deference.
September 6th, 2019 at 9:13 PM ^
US receives most of it’s foreign oil outside of the ME(Canada is largest exporter) and has been so for decades.
Humans have fought over land/resources for at least 13,000 years.
September 6th, 2019 at 9:42 PM ^
It's about not just about oil as an import but as a strategic resource and strategic positioning to maintain global empire/hegemony. Not to mention feeding trillions into the MIC.
Ah yes and slavery is totally justifiable since it's old. Amazing argument.
September 6th, 2019 at 8:58 PM ^
You are a cartoon.
September 6th, 2019 at 8:57 PM ^
You don't deserve the protection the military affords you to say such dumb shit.
September 6th, 2019 at 9:02 PM ^
Thank God they've been protecting my freedom of speech in Iraq for 20 years.
September 6th, 2019 at 9:04 PM ^
As one of those vets, GO FUCK YOURSELF CJW3!!!
September 6th, 2019 at 10:23 PM ^
What's gonna be the worse beating, the one army is gonna take tomorrow or the one they took when you were serving?