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 10:03 AM ^
I personally think a spring game would be a mistake this year. We already know that the defense is still learning the new scheme so they probably wouldn't look very good. Why would we want to pack 20,000 people into the stadium to see that? It would probably be demoralizing for the players and just feed the keyboard warriors who take any opportunity to criticize the team, the coaches, the trainers, etc.
I also like the submarine mentality this year and I hope they do the same thing in August. I think it worked out pretty well in 2015. Take the time to learn the new defense without any distractions. No hype, just focus. Then come out hungry to show us what's up on September 4.
March 25th, 2021 at 10:06 AM ^
Man, we talking about practice, not a game....practice!
March 25th, 2021 at 10:15 AM ^
I never cared about the spring game because, well, it's practice, and I don't live in Michigan or anywhere near there, so it's not like I was going to attend it. But it is my understanding that at most of the big powerhouse schools this is a major event that is used to galvanize local support, hype boosters and create some media buzz. In other words, it's seen as a significant marketing tool.
Has Michigan become so jaded that it doesn't think it needs it? The fact that even on a Michigan forum half the responses are "Good, I don't wanna see our football team" surely indicates that the team needs a PR boost badly.
March 25th, 2021 at 10:15 AM ^
As I get older, I believe more and more in emulating those you are striving to be, as they obviously know what they're doing. See: massive spring games every year for Alabama, Clemson, OSU, Oklahoma, etc...
Sure, it may not seem like much, but still a missed marketing opportunity.
March 25th, 2021 at 10:19 AM ^
This makes me sad and really disappointed for my family. My daughters are 6 & 3, the oldest still talks about the one and only time she was able to go a Spring Game/pratice. They both have Michigan cheerleading outfits and would love to go the Big House in them. They don't have the patience for a full game yet so this was a great and affordable way to introduce them to one of Dad's passions. People without kids don't realize what a short time period you have with them in life.
And yes, there's covid so follow the Gov's order for 15% capacity, wear masks, and stay 3' apart. By now this should be ingrained in everyone.
March 25th, 2021 at 11:18 AM ^
I hear you dude. I have fond memories of taking my kids to spring games when they were your kids ages because they wouldn't last more than a half of a real game (if that).
I want to point something out that I put out in an earlier post. If you were a current senior who has already been told that they aren't allowed to have a graduation ceremony after putting in four years of hard work to get your degree, how are you going to feel if the University were to then put on a fan attended spring game (read: glorified football scrimmage) in approximately the same time frame. The look from the University would not be good and if I was a senior I'd be livid.
As I said earlier, I guarantee you that no one in the Athletic Department had any say on this. There is no way the University could sanction a fan attended Spring Game/Scrimmage/Anything when they've already cancelled any form of graduation.
March 25th, 2021 at 10:58 AM ^
Well, since kids under 16 can't get vaccinated yet I have no idea how they could be admitted according to your criteria.
Anyway, it's not a "game" anymore and I'd rather they just keep it under wraps for the year.
March 25th, 2021 at 11:03 AM ^
For one, it's Warde Manuel's fault for letting Harbaugh get away with this. Then second, the fan base is very important and needs to be recruited just like getting new players every year. It is also very important to get the youngsters fired up about Michigan football for they are tomorrow's fan base.
Fan apathy will set in that much sooner if this team ends up 6 and 6. As for not showing what this team can do, it's really not a big secret. If we have the athletes that can execute plays, then it's up to the other team to stop them.
Once a real game begins, whatever offensive or defensive plan is, the other team will figure it out quickly so much sooner than later, Plan B goes into affect, and so on.
Thumbs down to dismissal of no spring game. Harbaugh is telling us, he doesn't care about his fan base.
March 25th, 2021 at 11:20 AM ^
Thumbs down to dismissal of no spring game. Harbaugh is telling us, he doesn't care about his fan base.
Or maybe Harbaugh is trying to get the team focused on doing their jobs without any distractions. Things haven't been right over the past two seasons and I would much rather have them focus on fixing these issues.
What distractions? They haven't put on a real spring game in years. Sure hasn't helped.
March 25th, 2021 at 11:43 AM ^
Come on dude....... THERE IS NO WAY THAT ANYONE IN THE ATHLETIC DEPARTMENT MADE THIS CALL!!!!! This was 100% called by the University administration!
The University has put a FULL STOP on any form of congregating in the name of the University until the fall. I've said it a few times but I'll say it again, how the hell is the University going to allow Warde/Harbaugh to sanction a spring game if the University won't even allow graduation?? Classes are cancelled. Dorms are closed. The University has cancelled all of the tours that HS seniors trying to decide where to go in the fall typically take this time of year. Freshman orientation has already been cancelled. How on earth do you think the University is going to allow a spring game when the University won't permit functions that are a heck of a lot more crucial to its operation.
You have to think this through before you start bombing Warde/Harbaugh
March 25th, 2021 at 11:04 AM ^
personally, i think this is a mistake, but whatever...
spring scrimmages are meaningless in terms of what it shows about your team... Everyone knows that. - what it is for is fan service.
After last year's performance, Michigan needs to be more fan friendly...and show some fan appreciation....
March 25th, 2021 at 11:38 AM ^
In as friendly a manner as I can I want to take your "fan friendly" theory on. While fan appreciation is important, take a look at my post about five above yours.
How do you tell this year's University graduates who have had their graduation ceremony cancelled that having a fan attended spring game is more important than their graduation???
The fan friendly arguments are lacking in the context of both the times and the fact that we often forget that Michigan Football is still attached to a University. Next year pick up on the fan friendly thing in all its glory. For this year, how do you even consider it in the context of the bigger picture.
March 25th, 2021 at 12:26 PM ^
While I agree that the covid protocols should take precedent, it doesn't preclude them from playing a spring game even if its only televised with no fans in attendance
Pretty sure Michigan has cancelled spring scrimmages in non covid years too...
March 25th, 2021 at 11:24 AM ^
Usually love the spring game but after recent years I’d rather just assume it wouldn’t be good and see what we have in the fall hoping things have improved and good rumors are true for once.
March 25th, 2021 at 11:38 AM ^
"[T]hey're not interested in even trying to put on a fun, safe, experience for the fans. . ."
This is the kind of sillypants stuff you wish posters would spend a nanosecond thinking through before they turdpost. Assertions that administrators and coaches actively WANT to f up is just dumbazz in the extreme. Until you've actually dug into the reasons a game is not being held, and assessed them for us, save your time and ours and bugger off.
March 25th, 2021 at 11:39 AM ^
On the bright side, that virtually guarantees Detroit/Ann Arbor will have a nice spring weather day ahead.
Maybe I'm wrong, but it seems like the weather is iffy when there is a game, and delightful when there's not.
March 25th, 2021 at 11:40 AM ^
This is a mistake. Harbaugh needs to go back to having a spring game and they need to play it AND televise it.
Agreed, JH makes a mistake by being so closed off to the public. I think his distaste of media prevents him from taking advantage of spreading positive messages. If he embraced the media a bit more I'd guess he'd get better stories coming out and a better fan reception.
He gets better stories and better fan reception by winning, not by spreading positive messages. Many people are sick and tired of the positive messages followed by less than positive results on the field.
Winning helps, but I think things would be different if the positive messages weren't just total bullshit. Everything has to be "the best" or "the next insert former player here". And it's not just the media, coaches have done it too.
Of course winning helps and people can see BS when they hear it. Those don't help. But, it's also obvious JH doesn't want to let the media in and is tight with information. I think that's a mistake and people get frustrated with him because of it and the media tends to ask more negative/probing questions because he's not telling them wha they need to know to do their jobs, like who's injured, who's the starter, what the problems are, and what he's doing to fix them. Does it really change anything to know the depth chart or to say that player X is either day to day, out, or playing?
March 25th, 2021 at 12:20 PM ^
What is the OP talking about? I've done a Google search and found no sports outlets saying that the Spring Game has been cancelled. Is there a link with this information I'm missing?
March 25th, 2021 at 12:54 PM ^
So.....you want a fun, safe experience for the fans and you propose a Michigan Football spring game????
Am I missing the /s ?
Something something something whatever we're a basketball school anyway.
Something something something doesn't make a difference because all the practice in the world still won't help this team beat OSU.
Something something something 8-4 team next year at best.
Am I doing this right?
It’s funny (at least to me) , that while I see Covid as a convenient excuse to cancel the spring game, I think there are actually good football and public relations reasons for doing so aside from Covid.
While there is part of me that is jonesing for football news, there is a part of me that feels like there has been a real (and positive) change in Schembeckler Hall. They seem to be realizing that we are all sick of hearing positive news and how this year is the year, we want to see actual results and that us all they should be focused on. In the long term, spring games are important. They create buzz, excite fans and excite recruits, but it is far from clear that is what they would do this year.
In this day and age, a spring game can’t just be a fun event.. it sets expectations. It is hard to see what can be gained that usefully changes the narrative. If they look bad, we will have a bunch of bad press further hurting recruiting (and given what little we have heard about the new defensive install - that is a very real possibility). If they look good, they raise expectations and increase the challenges they have in digging themselves out of the hole Harbaugh has dug.
I hope this team turns it around and I hope next year we have a spring game. This year, I am quite happy with the approach being taken. Keep your head down and show us the results on the field, in the fall, when the games matter.
Yes, enough with the marketing BS. Enough with the Revenge tour. Enough with modern offense this year. Yadda yadda.
Let's act like it's the 20th century again, shut up and show us the Team learned how to win.
Is it true that Harbaugh was going to unveil a wishbone option attack on offense?
With "fans" like these, it's now clear to me that our program is down the tube. The program has so little support, particularly compared to other midwest programs as well as those in the south. We might as well just shut down the sport and root for a MAC school. Recruits reading this thread should be alarmed at the lack of support. Good riddance.
It's honestly sad how little apathy there is around this team. Penn State had a terrible Covid season last year too, but I guarantee they're going to fill as much of Beaver Stadium as possible (safely) and put on a show because James Franklin (for all his faults) understands how to market and generate enthusiasm that translates to recruiting and fan support (and then onto field results). I can't believe that Ohio State has practically tried to hand us the handbook to success lately (calling out our outdated and messy recruiting strategy, lack of yearly focus on The Game, lack of mental toughness on the field) and yet we still fail to do simple things like hold a Spring Game that can be used to generate excitement and momentum.
And then to make matters worse, everyone here will say "so holding a Spring Game will help us beat Ohio State?" like it's some sort of helpful comment or useful tidbit, rather than the pathetic and unfunny sign of a fanbase that's utterly checked out. Is there a reason to be positive about our football prospects? Not really, that doesn't mean we shouldn't be doing everything possible. New, young coaches was a step in the right direction. Now let's get to the motivated Harbaugh that was pushing buttons and barnstorming around the country and generating mass hype for the team and translate that to the field.
Fans or no fans, this is just another missed opportunity to make the team better.
So many sides to this one....
First off, if there are COVID concerns, then they can make it a closed game and televise it. BTN or whoever (FS1?) would eat that up. So I don't buy that angle.
Does not having a Spring game really affect anything? Not necessarily. Fans will still buy gear, root for the team, and show up when they are allowed to. Recruits that dump Michigan for not having a Spring game would sound flaky as hell, so no big loss.
On the other hand, not having one when other teams are sends a pretty clear message of "yeah, we're kinda weird.....we don't have much fun" and I could see that making a difference for borderline recruits. Part of playing college sports is having fun. And it's obvious that playing for Michigan isn't fun -- hell, starters and would-be starters transfer from M with alarming frequency. That said, stop playing like hot garbage on Saturdays and things will start to improve overall.
As far as my opinion, I don't give much of a shit. I would watch it if it was on, but I would probably bitch about poor play. For several years, I've had the opinion that this team under JH is not much fun to watch, and now we're not even that good. So, overall, meh.
Practice. Get better. Figure out how to play the modern game.
Agree with almost everything you said except proving you are vaccinated. Its an outdoor stadium and would only get like 15,000 people so plenty of space.
As long as we are still having the Signing of the Stars!