The second interview in the fan series is out, and this time it’s Michigan football and basketball fan Christian Attianese.
Not living in-state can be tough for a diehard Michigan football and basketball fan, but this man has his ways of keeping in touch and keeping his loyalty intact. Meet Christian Attianese.
Q: Tell me a little about yourself?
A: “Michigan enthusiast. Pizza connoisseur. Dad. Whatever is left in the tank gets put towards my job and my wife.”
Q: What does the University of Michigan mean to you?
A: “It’s a passion of mine. You can’t fake being a diehard supporter. When someone from UM is recognized for something positive, even when it’s not related to athletics, I take pride in that. When you’re in a distant city, and you see the block M on a cap, you make sure you throw out that ‘Go Blue!'”
Q: What was your first memory as a Michigan fan?
A: “My first vivid memory is 12-year-old me anguishing over Chris Webber’s timeout in the 93 title game vs. UNC. My father wasn’t into sports, so I sort of stumbled into my fandom by fluke. My mother actually bought me a Starter jacket the preceding winter, and once I saw the maize and blue on TV, I adopted Michigan as my team.”
Q: What’s your favorite Michigan sports experience?
A: “The first Under the Lights game in 2011 vs. ND was an all-time experience. The Big House, which let’s face it, is not the most imposing venue, had an electricity flowing through it during the comeback that you could only capture on a Hollywood set. I remember the PA announcer pleading with fans to go home!”
Q: What’s your least favorite Michigan sports experience?
A: “The long walk out of the Horseshoe in 2016.”
Q: How’s life in New York? Is it tough being a Michigan fan from so far away?
A: “New York, specifically NYC, is like nowhere else. If you’re from here, you usually stick out like a sore thumb when you’re out of town. Luckily there is a huge alumni base here, and that lends itself to crowded bars and like-minded Michigan fans to watch games with. It’s tough being so far, but I, along with two other gentlemen, run a Michigan related Facebook group with 20k+ members, so I’m always engaged even from the east coast.”
Q: Do you come to the games often? Or do you try and catch them when UM is in town
A: “Present-day I go to at least one game per season. When my wife and I weren’t parents, we had more flexibility, but kids change that. At a minimum, each year, my buddies and I rent an RV and drive west to see Michigan play at a different road venue. This past year we actually returned to Ann Arbor for that fourth Saturday of November clash that never seems to go our way. Basketball wise I’ll catch the team when they are local. Two years ago, the BIG Tournament was at Madison Square Garden, and I was there to see them dispatch the Spartans. This past season I got to see them hand Rutgers their first home loss. Penn State is close enough that I’ve made 3 or 4 trips to see the football team play in Happy Valley. If Maryland fields a good team, I’d make that trip again. I’ll tailgate for a matchup at Rutgers, but the 78-0 game forever changed my willingness to attend a game where a blowout is on the horizon.”
Q; Favorite sport and why.
A; “Football. So much is on the line each and every Saturday it can consume your whole Fall.”
Q: Favorite tailgating memory.
A: “Probably at Penn State in 2017. They were number two in the country, so there was a big buildup to the weekend. A lot of our fans made the trip out, and it was a night game, so it made for a full day of festivities.”
Q; If you were Michigan Athletic Director Warde Manuel for a day, what would you change at UM?
A: “I’m in the camp of I’d make THAT change if you know what I mean.”