<p>As some of you probably know, I am not the biggest basketball fan, but I must say, Michigan is looking decent. There' still a lot of playing left to be done, but we are off to a decent start.</p>
<p>I'd call the start more than decent. Wins over MSU and Wisconsin WITHOUT Lester Abram is quite an accomplishment. We'll be ranked come tomorrow and we probably only need 4 more wins to make the tourney.</p>
<p>They are actually going to be ranked this week, first time I can remember in quite a few years. Granted their record is a bit inflated from all the cupcake teams at the beginning of the season...</p>
<p>How big is basketball at UM? I know it's no Duke, but the place seems to be rocking during home games.</p>
<p>(1) U-Mich has enough school spirit to go around
(2) The athletic department does everything it can to fill the stands when a game is nationally broadcasted. They give great deals for nationally broadcasted games (the latest buy 2, get 2 for free comes to mind), and sometimes they give tickets away for free.</p>
<p>I have heard that basketball is third behind hockey, but then again, the guy I heard that from is a huge hockey fan.</p>
<p>Basketball is definitely behind hockey. Go to a hockey game. The spirit is just incredible. </p>
<p>No one at the basketball games is cheering except for the students.</p>
<p>But let us remember that Michigan Hockey is the #1 program in the nation. 9 NCs and 24 Frozen Fours. </p>
<p>Basketball used to be huge in my day. My first two years, Michigan made it to the NCAA finals and lost both times. 3 years before I got to Michigan, we won the NCAA tournament. But since 1994, we have been pretty average. Bu6t that can easily change with a couple of good seasons.</p>
<p>Basketball is bigger than hockey still. Sure, hockey has more spirit for those who go to the games, but more still go to basketball games. Hockey doesn't even sell out Yost Arena consistently. I would say that Yost and Crisler fill to the same percentage of capacity on average (maybe 80%) and Crisler is much bigger than Yost.</p>
<p>What, UM hockey #1 in the nation? BS! Maine and Boston College are just as good or better:</p>
<p>Maine since becoming Div 1 in 1984-85:
4 Regular season titles
5 Conference Tourney titles
14 NCAA appearances
9 Frozen Fours
2 National Championships</p>
<p>Michigan during that same time:
7 Regular season titles
6 Conference Tourney titles
14 NCAA appearances
9 Frozen Fours
2 National Championships</p>
<p>To say that UM is the greatest program in the nation is like saying Duke is #1 at B-ball, or Tennessee is #1 at women's college basketball, or Notre Dame is #1 at college football. UM is an elite program at hockey, but not the best.</p>
<p>Maguo, in college Hockey, Michigan is generally considered the best program. It has the most National Championships (9) and the most Frozen Four appearances (22). In the last 15 seasons alone, Michigan has made it to 9 Frozen Fours. </p>
<p>And by the way, a quick correction, Michigan has won 8 regular season titles and 7 conference tournament titles since 1990...not 7 and 6. </p>
<p>Anyway, I agree that in the modern era (1990-present), Maine is as good as Michigan in Hockey. However, overall, as a complete program, Michigan has been the most consistant.</p>
<p>hockey aside, it is all about hoosier basketball. but this year the big 10 is such a strong conference that every team is amazing. there won't be many wins for away games. (purdue still sux)</p>
<p>Do Michigan basketball fans get crazy and rowdy for big games like MSU? And, by crazy and rowdy I mean like Maryland vs. Duke with full stadium and everyone screaming their heads off the whole night.</p>
<p>For the big games, yes. I can't compare it to Duke-Maryland because I haven't been to any of those games, but the fans get pretty pumped for MSU and OSU games of any sort.</p>
<p>No. I've been to REAL games, and Michigan's environment doesn't even compare. The Big House isn't even close to other venues as well. The Michigan alumni are quiet, and don't give the team much of a home court advantage. The students however, are cheering their behinds off. That's only about 1/10th the Big House though. And at Crisler, only about 1/8th.</p>
<p>I went to the Swamp for a game (friend who went there) and the place was absolutely insane. No wonder EA sports has it ranked as the #1 hardest place to play.</p>
<p>A2Wolves, I have been to many football games...both at the Big House and in other stadia. The beauty of Michigan's stadium is that even in silence, the place intimadates the visiting team. The relative quiet of the stadium is partly due to physics. The stadium is cavernous, allowing much of the noise to escape, rather than be trapped within it. Secondly, there is a certain dignity and noblesse oblige surounding the typical Michigan fan. Sure you have your hooligans, but those are definitely in the minority. But the stadium itself, the pride and spirit of the alumni, the fight songs, the uniforms, and our football tradition make the football atmosphere almost magical and very intimidating to the visiting team. Personally, I cannot think of a better football atmosphere.</p>
<p>I'll name 10.</p>
<p>Florida: Ben Hill Griffin Stadium (The Swamp)
Tennessee: Neyland Stadium
Ohio State: Ohio Stadium (The Horseshoe)
LSU: Tiger Stadium (Death Valley)
Oregon: Autzen Stadium
Wisconsin: Camp Randall Stadium
Florida State: Doak Campbell Stadium
Iowa: Kinnick Stadium
Penn State: Beaver Stadium (Happy Valley)
Auburn: Jordan-Hare Stadium</p>
<p>A2Wolves, I have been to 8 of those 10 stadia (never been to Auburn or LSU) and I do not think any of those teams have better game-day atmospheres. Many of them have equally nice atmospheres. PSU and Tennessee have great game day atmospheres. Although you did not list them, Notre Dame and Washington also have excellent game-day atmospheres. Florida, Iowa, Oregon and Wisconsin aren't quite as good but they are still quite nice. FSU, I am sorry to say, is a thug's convention. As for OSU, we'll, let us just say that I am too biased to give a fair evaluation! hehe</p>
<p>which NBA players, if any, you saw playing at michigan?</p>
<p>Rumeal Robinson, Glenn Rice, Terry Mills, Chris Webber, Jalen Rose and Juwan Howard. Most of those guys had/have reasonably successful NBA careers. By the way, I only saw the latter three play at Michigan. The former three were at Michigan before my time.</p>