25 Things We Love About Michigan Football Saturdays: #17 Hearing the Attendance

Continuing on with the 25 Things We Love About Michigan Football Saturdays, we find ourselves just two days before kickoff and yet only on #17 on our countdown (which should come as no surprise to those who follow the MZone and know my utter disdain - not for countdowns - but for having to actually produce them on a daily basis once started).  In any event, sit back, relax and enjoy...

#17 Hearing the Attendance

I don't care how many times I go to a game in The Big House, I still love hearing the stadium announcer come over the loudspeakers in the second half and announce the attendance:



Why do I still get such a thrill for something that's a foregone conclusion?  Not sure.  I mean, it's kinda like going to see the same movie over and over again.  You know how it ends, but somehow it's still awesome.  Like Caddyshack or Animal House.  We're always thanked for "being part of the largest crowd watching a football game in America today!"  Always.   As expected.  Yet still I cheer.   Always.

I guess in some small way, I feel like I'm doing my part holding up a small piece of Meeechigan tradition.  I sure as hell could never have contributed as a player on the actual football team (although I'm guessing my kicking skills last year couldn't have been much worse).  However, my being "part of the largest crowd watching a football game in America" and keeping Michigan's attendance above 100K every home game since 1975 (when the streak started) does keep a Michigan tradition alive, one that I can directly claim I contributed to, in my own 1/100,000th way.

Although, let's be honest - we've all been to one of those crappy games against a shitty team with a noon start when the team was struggling - and it's raining for good measure! - where it feels like they might have counted the ass of the fat guy two rows in front me twice... or 12,384 times.  I mean, at kick-off in the student section, it looks like somebody yelled "COP!" at a dorm keg party.  And it never does quite fill up.  Plus, outside the student section during those contests, you can actually - imagine this! - sit with both butt cheeks touching the metal bleacher underneath, the number printed on your ticket, shockingly, right below your ass!

But I believe, even on those days, we're still somehow, some way, over 100K.  Why?  Because I have to.  I did my part being there.  And I'll be damned if it was in vain.