Michigan Wolverines: The Foundation — Part II

Posted ay 8:00am — 6/15/2014

Michigan Wolverines: The Foundation — Part II

Rebuilding An Interesting Challenge

A second ingredient of foundation is a combination of loyalty, commitment and support. This is more problematical in today’s societal environment. Loyalty and commitment, traits that yield support, were once thought of as near permanent and inferred forces. The nature of today’s society is instant gratification and satisfaction. Some only look at a football program from the broad lens of wins and losses.

Other observers, fortunately many whom are program administrators, fall within the assembly of a more holistic and patient type. Doing things the right way counts, as does scholarship, service, organization, respect, and conduct. Other sports typically enjoy a narrow and sometimes tinted lens of observation, one that is not near as critical. Football generates money, that is, when the team wins. As such, it becomes the highest stake poker table in the department.

September 15, 2012; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; Michigan Wolverines athletic director Dave Brandon before the game against the Massachusetts Minutemen at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Osentoski-USA TODAY SportsBrandon values winning, loyalty, commitment, and support. He is firm in his ideals, but pragmatic enough to institute obvious change. Brandon is not a hell-bent organicist, but instead is cautious. Some cheer this trait, while others become almost depressed and select the hat of pessimism.

Pessimism is a powerful force, in reality the opposite of optimism. Optimists many times ignore pessimists, probably because the images and outcomes linked to pessimism simple are unacceptable to the optimist’s worldview. Pessimists, on the other hand, can become obsessed with championing the negative and one result of this mindset is an almost built- in arrogance against any optimist viewpoint.

Oct 13, 2012; Ann Arbor, MI, USA; A general view of a Michigan Wolverine megaphone before their game against the Illinois Fighting Illini at Michigan Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Raj Mehta-USA TODAY SportsThere is little that Michigan football can do to combat the force of pessimism except win. There is marketing; there is courteous service, and there is a good public relation program. Even then, there will be the skeptics and naysayers that implode when anything less than an undefeated national championship results. This perception is indeed unrealistic, but exists even in programs that have garnered many recent championships.

Teams do have one time-tried successful strategy to combat collective public pessimism: circle the wagons in isolation and become a tight knit family. Most very successful coaches quickly educate their charges that “we” are the family. We are the ones that play. We are the ones that are in the know and actually observe what is happening on the inside. It is our team, fans are welcome, but are merely followers and observers. As a result what we think counts and what the others think, good or bad, ignore, or take into account with caution.

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Written by GBMWolverine Staff — Doc4Blu

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