For the rest of the Stadium Atmosphere series, see the sidebar.

With a new headman roaming the sidelines in Ann Arbor, and a facility in transition, 2008 will likely see several changes in the overall atmosphere at The Big House.

Rich Rodriguez brings an exciting new style of play, both offensively and defensively. This may mean that fans in the seats are more into the game, but it could also bode poorly. Transitioning to new systems is always difficult, and the radical change expected of Michigan will likely lead to major struggles, at least on the offensive side of the ball. The fans need to understand this, and support the team through tough times early in the 2008 season.

At West Virginia, Rich Rodriguez’s teams consistently played under the lights, and many fans are hoping the concept of a night game will follow the coach to Ann Arbor. However, this may not be as likely as presumed. While Lloyd Carr never was a proponent of late starts, the general issue stems from the administration. Michigan’s athletic department has routinely stood against night games for several reasons, including national exposure (which is no longer the case with primetime network coverage), alumni preference, and preventing all-day drinking. While Rich may be able to cast one more vote for later games, it would take a minor miracle to make a change in year one.

Michigan Stadium will feature a new look in 2008, as it works through phase one of renovations. New concessions, first aid, and bathrooms will be present, along with a metal frame for the luxury boxes. During the season, work will continue on non-gamedays. The stadium won’t be aesthetically pleasing, but the wait will be worth it for the final result.
http://mgoblue.com/football/article.aspx?id=111194
It will be an interesting dynamic to see how players and fans (and visiting recruits) will respond to a stadium in transition.

Posted under Analysis, Coaching

At the end of October, the MZone reported that Michigan Executive Assistant Athletic Director Michael Stevenson made comments that fan noise should be avoided at all costs, as it provides one team an unfair advantage in athletic competition.

The Michigan Review reports, however, that these statements were taken out of context, and Stevenson’s comments were actually supposed to be responding to the framework of a rule that is no longer in existence, and don’t reflect his actual opinions.

But those rules are no longer enforced by officials, and since fans no longer have to worry about incurring penalties against their own team for their rowdiness, fans should be involved and passionate, Stevenson said.

This should clear up any confusion about whether or not there is an institutional bias against fan noise at Michigan stadium. Whether or not they actively encourage it, of course, is a different issue altogether.

Posted under Analysis

Wondering what Paul and I were talking about Saturday night? Here is your chance to find out. Moderately edited version of our conversation follows.

LSU v. Kentucky

Paul: that [LSU/Kentucky] was a crazy game
Tim: yeah
Tim: i can’t decide if i’m happy about the result or not
Paul: i now have no clue what my ballot will look like
Tim: no joke
Tim: i probably have osu #1
Tim: cal #2 [pre-Cal loss]
Paul: les miles threw rock
Tim: yeah
Tim: which is what lloyd haters hate
Tim: but…
Tim: i guess he is a true michigan man
Paul: kentucky wasn’t exactly paper against rock all game
Tim: truf

Play-by play Announcers

Tim: cbs announcers are terrrrrrrrible
Paul: i don’t hate verne
Paul: that would be like hating your grandpa
Tim: they are frontrunners to promote the SEC. Whoever is winning is doing so because they are just that much more awesome than the almost equally-awesome team they are beating
Tim: i’m going to be honest
Tim: the SEC, Pac 10, and big 10 are about the same on a multi-year basis
Paul: yeah
Tim: =-o
Paul: and also… there’s no way to compare conferences
Tim: the SEC thing comes from an exclusive-ish contract
Tim: because CBS promotes the SEC like its their job
Tim: whereas ABC/ESPN is split amongst all conferences
Tim: pac-10 gets bonus cred from the fox thing, but not much
Tim: when BTN is national, B10 will get more respect [I believe this to be inevitable ay this point]
Paul: i watched a bit of the nd game
Tim: yeah
Tim: ND sucks
Tim: BC was unimpressive
Paul: nbc seemed to be thinking “fuck. first hockey, now this”
Tim: yeah
Tim: they were still pathetic ND homers though
Tim: per usual
Paul: i only get so mad at the homerish
Paul: i mean…
Paul: it’s basically like the announcers on fsn for the tigers
Tim: yeah
Paul: if they only cover one team… i guess it’s allowed
Tim: but vastly different
Paul: it’s that it’s a national network rather than an rsn
Tim: because FSN uses tigers-specific people
Tim: nbc is a national network
Tim: and should theoretically be bias-less
Paul: i bet a vast majority of their audience (esp. this year) appreciates the bias
Paul: and if they were non-biased, they would be accused of hating
Tim: haha espn throws hart a bone in heisman race
Tim: in case you aren’t watching ak/auburn
Tim: ak being my hilariously erroneous “arkansas” abbreviation, rather than its accurate “alaska” abbreviation

Michigan Injuries

Paul: any word on mhart’s condition?
Tim: he’s fine
Tim: was going to come out soon anyway
Tim: could have come back otherwise [prior to the high-ankle sprain news]
Paul: i kind of felt like it was a 30pt lead injury
Tim: and, apparently mouton isn’t so much injured as he gets beaten out by chris graham
Tim: ouch
Tim: that’s like getting beaten out by jason gingell
Paul: i know
Tim: sorry, bryan wright
Tim: but you suck
Paul: apparently wright has a groin injury
Paul: at least that’s the excuse
Tim: really?
Paul: except he’s doing kos
Tim: i had no idea
Tim: he’s not having distance issues
Tim: which i would think would be the probem with an injury
Paul: i know
Tim: especially since an injury like that wouldn’t last 8 weeks, without getting either better or worse
Paul: what happened with englemon?
Tim: ?
Paul: was it just “blow out- get him out?”
Tim: dunno
Paul: stevie was in with the rest of the 1st team
Tim: i didn’t notice he went out
Tim: i think it’s “try to prepare for the future” time
Paul: which could make sense for learning
Tim: in that particular case
Tim: i didn’t feel like staying for the press conferences
Tim: so i don’t know for sure
Paul: gotcha
Tim: but englemon was walking fine after the game
Tim: so i’d assume it’s getting brown starting minutes
Paul: i bet it was learning
Tim: esp. considering he was really the starter at the beginning of the year
Paul: yeah
Paul: good choice…

Michigan Special Teams

Paul: what’d you think of our ko strategy?
Tim: especially since an injury wouldn’t last 8 weeks
Paul: some kids behind me were bitching
Paul: yeah
Tim: i wasn’t upset
Tim: when they are #2 in the country in yds/ko
Tim: plus the first one
Paul: by the way… zoltan has mind lasers
Tim: you do what you have to
Tim: it’s an example that lloyd doesn’t just throw rock while ignoring the results
Tim: zoltan has all sorts of lasers
Paul: this team has made so many adjustments throughout the season
Tim: including fuck lion lasers

The game itself

Paul: so do you ascribe to the “we’re actually a pretty good team at this point” reasoning or the “purdue == straw man” argument?
Tim: a bit of both
Tim: though i definitely believe in each
Tim: so more like a lot of both
Paul: the thing is… michigan didn’t just win
Tim: we could have put up 80 if we wanted
Paul: they were like, “I’ll see your shellacking, and raise you a walloping, OSU…”
Paul: so… can we say that the D didn’t give up one legit TD?
Tim: whether you give them a 6 yard drive or not, you still gave up a td
Tim: especially since you allowed them to tie the game
Paul: it was 4…
Tim: but the only legit td was definitely on the offense
Paul: yeah
Tim: sorry i was on the field where i couldn’t see exactly how many yards

Crowd

Tim: the crowd was actually pretty fucking good
Tim: especially for a blowout
Paul: it was pretty quiet after hart went out
Tim: hart went out when the game was long over
Paul: and when we couldn’t find him after half
Paul: it’s true
Paul: it was nice to have a full on wave in kind of garbagy time
Tim: yeah
Tim: and it was early 3rd too
Paul: it was nice to have garbage time

Comcast

Tim: i hate comcast fyi
Tim: i fully intend to call and bitch at them wasted tonight
Tim: though BTN has them by the balls if they get the UM/MSU game
Paul: yeah
Tim: as both talent and the exec producer and producers think will happen
Paul: the comcast OD lady gave me the company line when i was talking to her
Tim: oh yeah?
Paul: yeha
Paul: i bit my tounge

Posted under Analysis, Coaching, Personnel

Ryan Mallett looked better than Jimmy Clausen. He made more little mistakes, but also didn’t throw into coverage consistently, like Clausen did, and completed a variety of passes.

The only truly downfield pass I recall Clausen completing was the 14-yard slant in the first half, which was really a 5 yard pass with 9 YAC. Almost all of Clausen’s yardage came from swing or screen passes. Oh, and he completed a hopeless bomb to Stevie Brown. Mallett, on the other hand, made a variety of throws, both downfield and short. Obviously, a big part of his success was the talent around him compared to Clausen, but he did apear to be the better passer in the game. That said, a little bird told me that Henne will probably be able to go next week. Said bird also told me that Henne’s sitting against Notre Dame was more to ensure he’d be healthier to play PSU than because he would have been physically unable to perform against the Irish.

A big part of Michigan’s success in this game was based on being able to get to the quarterback, which really hadn’t happened in games 1 & 2. While this improvement is encouraging, it was based on multiple factors:

1. Clausen was poised when throwing screens, not so poised when getting crushed before he had a chance to pass it.
2. Notre Dame’s offensive line is terrible.
3. Brandon Graham was healthy enough to play the whole game.
4. Notre Dame runs a pro-style offense.

Factors 1 & 2 won’t apply against Penn State. Morelli is a senior, and will be able to make better decisions than Clausen (in theory). It will be interesting to see if the memory (or lack thereof) of the Michigan game last year will haunt him. Penn State also returns 4 offensive linemen, all except left tackle Levi Brown. Notre Dame has yielded many more sacks than PSU through 3 games (9, 6, and 8 for a grand total of 23, compared to PSU’s 2, 2, and 1 for a total of 5). Of course, caliber of defense must be taken into account as well, as Michigan is likely to get to the quarterback much better than Buffalo, Notre Dame, or FIU.

The positive factors are 3 & 4. Graham will hopefully stay healthy enough for the rest of the season to be a factor in every remaining game. This will allow Shawn Crable play linebacker, which he can, instead of defensive end, which he cannot. Other players coming back from injury this week included Jonas Mouton, who only played on special teams, though he’ll hopefully be able to slot in at WLB before the year is through.

The rest of the defense played better as well. This included good games from Chris Graham (which is probably not a reliable indicator of future performance, because he isn’t very good), and Brandent Englemon, who solidified his starting position over Stevie Brown. Brown will improve at the position over the course of the year, and will hopefully be ready for starting action next season. Morgan Trent again had a very good game, showing that he is capable of the improvement that now-allegedly-departed Johnny Sears so failed to show.

This week, I was not in the stadium (worked out in the concourse for ESPN: more on that later), but I have heard from multiple sources, including commenters, that the atmosphere in the stadium was much better. The maize out looked pretty good in the student section on TV (but then, they always do).

Posted under Analysis

Every Day Should Be Saturday joins in my (and the M Zone’s) quest against key plays. Little does Orson know, it’s even worse that the cheerleaders actually hold up signs encouraging the GD3DKPT.

Please, Michigan fans, I implore you: Make some noise this weekend.

Posted under Analysis

O.M.F.G.

This actually happened. At least for the rest of this year, the scourge of having lost to a 1-AA team will be hanging over the ehads of Michigan Wolverine players and fans. For players, it may provide the extra motivation they so clearly lacked yesterday. For fans, there is no recourse but to take the abuse from others, and hope to run the table the rest of the way.

Observations on the game:

• Chad Henne had his worst day (by far) that I’ve observed. He was missing deep balls, making bad reads, throwing across his body, etc.
• Mike Hart carried the team, despite being out for most of the game. Brandon Minor has yet to learn how to find a hole.
• The defensive line was bad. The inside zone handoff was a guaranteed three yards for App St. the entire first half, and was still moderately effective in the second. Brandon Graham was in the doghouse and played limited snaps.
• As expected, the secondary sucked. Stevie Brown and Johnny Sears were major liabilities. Morgan Trent was much improved over last year.
• The coaching was bad. Sure, Brandon Minor isn’t cut out for the zone game unless there is a gaping hole, but you have one of the biggest offensive lines in the country, and you’re playing a bunch of guys who don’t breach 300 pounds. Just pound the ball all game.
• We are back to not being able to stop a mobile quarterback. Scary, considering we’re playing Dennis Dixon next week.
• The fans were pathetic except during the late 3rd and early 4th quarters.
• I was interning for the Big Ten network. It is a poorly run organization at every level. Don’t expect it to last longer than a year.

Halfway through, I switch to the royal “we.” I’m too depressed to go back and fix it. I hope to god that this year isn’t 2005 redux.

Posted under Analysis, Coaching

The most comprehensive part, “The Fans,” is still forthcoming. Again, feel free to speakyour mind on the matter in the comments.

Not only are many of the Michigan cheerleaders lacking in the aesthetics department, but their ability to enhance the gameday atmosphere is seemingly nonexistent. They participate in many of the songs in which the band leads the students (doing “The Claw” with their megaphones during “Temptation”), but do little else. They have cheers that nobody has ever heard, and they don’t exactly make up for their novelty with catchiness. Moreover, they seem to feel like they are working, rather than having fun at the game (which, admittedly, they are, but when it’s your job to seem excited, then you had better do it). They rarely encourage the fans to make noise on opponents’ possessions, and when they do, it’s only by holding up signs that say “NOISE” on them, or even by having signs instructing people to perform the :shudder: God Damn 3rd Down Key Play Thingy.

A sad state of affairs was exposed at the Homecoming game last year, against Northwestern. Two old men who couldn’t have been younger then 70 did a better job exciting the students for 2 quarters than the regular cheerleaders did for the rest of the year combined. Merely by showing enthusiasm, they were able to get the fans in a frenzy, despite the dismal weather. They also introduced a new generation of students to the most amazing cheer I’ve heard in my time at Michigan, the “Rah Rah Rah Rah Rah Rah Michigan Michigan” chant (of course ending with the superfluous “Hooray!”). I can only hope that enough students remember this cheer next year, allowing it to become a regular occurrence at Michigan Stadium.

Watching ESPN Classic games featuring Michigan, it is easy to see that the cheerleaders of bygone days were far more enthusiastic than today’s breed. While the flying cheerleaders (AWESOME AWESOME AWESOME)will probably never grace Michigan Stadium again (seriously, someone please put video of these guys on Youtube), that doesn’t mean that the cheerleaders can’t positively impact the gameday experience for all involved.

Posted under Analysis

One of the comments on Tim’s post about the Michigan Marching Band really surprised me. In it Anonymous wrote:

3:30 games are obviously better atmospheres than noon games. We should only play once or twice at noon.

I will go on record that I really dislike 3:30 games. In the interest of full disclosure, I was one those assholes who left probably the greatest game in Big House history early, Michigan vs. Michigan St. my freshman year (2004). Everyone I was sitting with wanted to leave after the last huge shotgun-counter back breaker. I succumbed to peer pressure and left. I ended up sprinting back to Mary Markley Hall and breaking in through the window of my buddy’s room because the door wasn’t working. I caught Braylon killing the will of MSU and all of overtime (which is the only reason that people seem to think Tim Massaqoui was worth a damn). So, it could be argued that my hatred of 3:30pm games is a result of my natural self-loathing for leaving early.

Now that I feel freed by confessing my biggest Michigan Football related sin, I hate 3:30pm games. Part of it comes from being a member of one of the State street fraternities (it may or may not have a volleyball court). My football Saturday’s generally start at 7am when I hop in a car and head over to whichever sorority we are Pregame partners with to wake them up and invite them over. This happens every game (except Homecoming) no matter when the starting time. Noon games are beautiful because it’s the perfect amount of time to get into a proper level of pre-game preparedness and there is time to rest between either celebrating a victory or self medicating a loss (the Year of Infinite Pain probably cut a good 5 years off my life span). Also, I definitely feel more into Noon games. There’s something inherently college football about it.

The arguments for 3:30pm games seem to be:

1. OMFG was the MSU game amazing under the lights (I FEEL ASHAMED STOP RUBBING IT IN)
2. More national exposure for recruiting and general Michigan viewing purposes.
3. You don’t have to wake up early.

I’ll concede point one to an extent. Having that game end under the lights added an element of coolness and novelty for Michigan fans who aren’t used to night games. But, realistically, that changed the game from a 9.998 to a 9.999 (always have to leave room for a better game). Arguably, the fact that the game was a day before Halloween and there was everyone from Waldo to a man sized lobster in the student section had as much value added as the night-ness. What made the game was Braylon Edwards decided he didn’t want to lose, and it would be a top game at the Big House no matter when it was played.

On the second point, I can’t really agree completely. I may not be the best one to judge this since I’ve never lived out of Michigan, but it seems that starting at 3:30pm would be nice because it would be 12:30 on the West Coast, but then you have to compete with the regional games there for viewership. How many people are going to watch a Michigan game in Texas when both Texas and A&M are in action? And does Michigan really have a problem with spreading it’s brand nationally? Also all these points might be moot with the new structure of ABC/ESPN* coverage structure.

Finally, like I said in the beginning, I always wake up around 7am for football games. I don’t like waiting. No matter who Michigan is playing, I’m always wired and worried and need to see the game to relax. 3:30 never seems to come soon enough. Also, I really think it would be cool to have a pregame atmosphere like some of the schools we play. Penn State has the benefit of being surrounded by nothing and hills, but it is amazing to see the caravan of RVs and tailgaters coming in on Friday night. An entirely new city was up and running by 7am when the game starting around 8pm. I really wish there was more of push for a Michigan Football Saturday: presented by Adidas (I kid) feel than the current Michigan Football Game feel. As corny as it is, and how much I hate to credit Notre Dame with anything, the excitement and school pride was shooting through the dome while the Notre Dame football team walked (and Charlie Wiess waddled/rode a golf cart) from the chapel to the football stadium. It isn’t a big thing, but it got everyone fired up a few hours before the game, which is something I feel Michigan lacks. I hope that if the Athletic Department tried to put something together before a football game at like 9-10am fans would show up and get fired up for the game. The only thing Michigan has close to this is the MMB marching from Revelli Hall to the tunnel (see, we still love the MMB).

I am for a night game once a year. I don’t want to a night game for no reason. Ideally we would pick a good team (Penn St., Wisconsin, Iowa?), do it every year (home and away) and make it an event at Michigan. One reason the Admin types have reservations (besides Martin’s comments on travel) is what will the students and many of the fans do during the day before the game. Worst cast scenario: drink themselves into oblivion during the day making it Hell for the crotchety old guys in yellow vests. The obvious solution seems to be provide something! Have a pep rally (do we even know what those are?) Have players address a crowd. Bring in some bands. I don’t know what exactly would work, but if some effort is put into a day full of football related events, I think it could something really special.

So, my ideal schedule would be all Noon games except one exceptional night game with a day full of football related festivities preceding it. Bill Martin, get on that…

Posted under Analysis

Please note that when I wrote my (apparently over-) critical piece on the MMB, that it was but one in a series of such posts, and fear not, much of my vitriol has been saved for fans themselves, cheerleaders, athletic department, etc.

I know not every change in my post was entirely realistic, that is why I write on a blog, saying that they are ideals, not things that OMG must change immediately!!! Things like the placement of the band aren’t going to change, and I’m aware of that, I just wanted to note that I thought it was far from optimal.

Most of the points I’m going to rebut or at least respond to come from Hoover Street Rag‘s response to my original post. I’m glad Jeremy (along with a bunch of commenters) took the time to develop arguments, and we can have a suitable, productive-ish discussion, rather “omfg ur dum!!1” going on left and right (though not all commenters were above that the first time around).

And on to the discussion:

1. Band location – already mentioned.
2. Lack of cheers either catchy or able to be participated in by students/fans – I will stand by this statement (and Jeremy seemed to agree with it, though I take issue with his statement that students get into “Respect” – as a student, I’ve never noticed anyone with any particular joy for that song).
3. The claw – I don’t hate the claw itself, it’s something that’s not necessarily unique (see the FSU Tomahawk Chop), but at least it exists, to fill in the dearth of fan participation, if onlt slightly. The onlt aspect I hate is the words to accompany “Temptation” that the students employ (just say “you suck” a bunch of times). If there were some sort of creative lyrical content to accompany the Claw, I’d be all for it. However, I do respect Jeremy’s opinion on UM not having anything to do with actual wolverines (though if that’s the case, why are their bronze statues in the Big House concourse, and actual stuffed creatures in Crisler?).
4. GD3DKPT. HATEHATEHATEHATEHATE. Just had to get that out there. I sat next to the band last year. To the best of my observations, there was not necessarily silence during said thingy, but certainly not as loud as the other students around me (despite mass participation in GD3DKPT and no mouth noises). Also, don’t even try to imply that MMB doesn’t perpetuate the GD3DKPT, as Professor Nix was up on his little podium deal miming the activity, for not only the band, but also the students to copy, but with actual keys in their hands.
5. Alma mater. You will not convince me otherwise. Alma maters exist as something to be sung or played at the end of a contest. I don’t know where in my original post it came off that I wanted it to be played before the conclusion of the game. I just want the tradition of college football (and, yes, even MMB, when Revelli was still around) to be upheld by the most recognizable band in the nation.
6. The postgame show. Paul responded in the original comments with (approximately) my opinion on this, and the cheering factors:
   

   Finally, I don’t mean to sound like an ass, but the crowd isn’t there for the
   band, the band is there for the crowd. The crowd should not cater to the Band’s
   traditions or history. The supplier has to provide the consumer with what it
   wants and the consumer wants cheers (and developing cheers for cadences is huge.

Feel free to respond away once more. Again, I’m glad there is actually some intelligent discussion going on. Remember, my criticism of the band won’t sound quite so harsh when other volumes in the series come out (re: idiots in comments thinking I’m just picking on the band). To the best of my knowledge, Paul, a former band nerd himself, will also be responding on VB.

Also, the halftime music is going to suck this year. Take that, band!

Posted under Analysis

I’d really enjoy feedback on this series, so please comment. Also, please note that I didn’t do so much of the “extended editing” on this piece, so be gentle about those types of issues.

As someone who is not an insider to the ways of the band, but rather a student and fan of the Michigan football team, the band has been failing in its responsibilities to enhance the gameday atmosphere inside Michigan Stadium. There are various ways in which the band’s presence could be improved.

The first improvement is the placement of the band. While the band exists to enhance the experience for all fans, the students are the primary participants in the cheers and songs that are played by the band. In Michigan Stadium, the band is placed in the stand within the student section, so that the sound moves away from the students. This makes it difficult for all students to hear certain songs by the band, and nearly impossible for the poor freshmen in row 98, who can hear almost nothing the band plays.

The students’ participation in cheers led by the band is hindered not only by their inability to hear what the band is playing, but by an utter lack of these cheers in general. On any given Saturday, the band typically plays 3-4 songs with participation by students: “Temptation” (3rd down stop, with the claw and the “You Suck” chant – which I despise), “Hawaiian War Chant” (I think, it’s the one they play on most first downs, with the hands in the air and the “Let’s Go Blue” at the end), “Let’s Go Blue” (random, with clapping and yelling “Let’s Go Blue” at the end), and “The Victors” (With the singing, and the clapping, and the fist pumping, etc.). If there are any others I’m forgetting, let me know, but this is still sparse, sparse stuff.

Encouraging the God Damn 3rd Down Key Play Thingy. The GD3DKPT is the bane of my existence. It not only gives people (mostly students) an excuse to not make loud noise on opponents’ 3rd downs, but even encourages them not to. The band endorses the GD3DKPT by remaining silent, and wiggling their hands in the air, without even having keys to make noise. This renders them literally silent, at a time when every soul in the stadium should be making as much noise as possible.

Refusal to play the alma mater at the end of games. A very important tradition in college football is the playing of the school’s alma mater at the conclusion of the contest, win or lose. Some of the most powerful moments have come during this time. Matt Leinart, confetti flowing around him, conducts the Sprit of Troy in “All Hail” after the Trojans clinch the National Championship over Oklahoma in January 2005. Jim Tressel and his fellow coaches and players stopping in front of the Block O to sing “Carmen Ohio,” before (while) the students in Columbus stormed the field after defeating Michigan in 2006. Under Jamie Nix, the Michigan Marching Band has refused to participate in this tradition. My freshman year, I e-mailed Professor Nix, asking him why the band did not engage in this time-honored tradition. His (remarkably rude) response was that he would do things the way he wanted, and if fans wanted to hear the alma mater, they could wait until the end of the postgame show. I can only hope that the new director has the respect for college football tradition (and concerned fans) that Mr. Nix so clearly lacked.

Posted under Analysis