Students, fans from both U-M and Notre Dame flock to GameDay telecast
Fans watch a live broadcast of ESPN's "College GameDay" at Ingalls Mall on the University of Michigan campus Saturday.
Melanie Maxwell | AnnArbor.com
- More coverage: Your mega guide to No. 17 Michigan vs. No. 14 Notre Dame under the lights
- Photo gallery: Images from ESPN's "College GameDay" visit to U-M campus
They came from as far away as Florida and North Carolina to Ann Arbor for the big University of Michigan-Notre Dame football game at 8 p.m. Saturday.
Even though kick-off wasn't for 12 hours, at 8 a.m. fans were already out en masse showing support for their teams with signs, costumes and even hair-dos at Ingalls Mall on U-M's campus for a telecast of ESPN's "College GameDay".
Kyle Schultz of Brighton showed off his sign at the GameDay telecast.
John Counts | AnnArbor.com
Kyle Schultz of Brighton got into the spirit, too, holding a sign with a chicken on it with the words, "Notre Dame New Logo" on it.
"Brian Kelly said it wasn't a real rivalry," Schultz said. "He chickened out."
U-M senior Jade Warner was clad in a maize and blue outfit .
"I thought I'd do something big," he said about the outfit. "I'm enjoying (GameDay) so far."
Notre Dame fans were also getting into the action.
Russ and Robin Paige had a sign that said "Kiss my dog, he's 'Irish.'" Sure enough, their spaniel was right next to them. And his name is Irish. The Paiges said they've been coming to Ann Arbor for years for the Michigan-Notre Dame game.
"We drove all the way from the mountains of North Carolina last night," Russ Paige said. "We don't want to see the ... series end." The couple and their pooch welcomed numerous U-M fans who walked up to give Irish a pet — despite the rivalry.
Russ Paige said he's always had a great experience in Ann Arbor for the game.
"If we weren't Notre Dame fans, we would be Michigan fans," the Boone, N.C., resident said.
Another Notre Dame fan, Liam Kane, wasn't satisfied with a temporary sign. He got his Irish pride shaved into his head.
The Notre Dame junior had "ND" and the school's leprechaun mascot buzzed into his head at a barber shop in South Bend, Ind. yesterday before hitting the road for Ann Arbor.
John Counts covers cops, courts and GameDay events for AnnArbor.com. He can be reached at johncounts@annarbor.com or you can follow him on Twitter.
Comments
Hugh Giariola
Sun, Sep 8, 2013 : 12:57 p.m.
See the sign in the top photo with the likeness of the guy wearing the hat that says "Fan Coach?" Well I thought that was a photo of Rich Kinsey when I was watching Gameday earlier on Saturday.
Eduard Copely
Sat, Sep 7, 2013 : 8:50 p.m.
NOTRE DAME by 14 points.
A2comments
Sun, Sep 8, 2013 : 12:05 p.m.
Oops...
John Counts
Sat, Sep 7, 2013 : 6:37 p.m.
Thanks for sharing, BenWoodruff. Did anyone else see a particular sign while watching GameDay this morning that stuck with them?
operabethie
Sun, Sep 8, 2013 : 4:30 p.m.
Los Pollos Hermanos! Loved it!
amlive
Sat, Sep 7, 2013 : 5:59 p.m.
As fun a game as football is to play, I still can't for the life of me understand why anyone but perhaps the players' parents and friends would go to a game or care two hoots who wins or loses. Sports fanaticism and diehard team loyalty are truly some bizarre social / psychological phenomena I don't think I'll ever be able to understand.
amlive
Sun, Sep 8, 2013 : 3:34 a.m.
Wow. I really wasn't expecting two entirely intelligent and reasonable answers to my ashamedly snarky initial comment. My hat's off to you both, and cheers to the final days of occasionally intelligent posts before AnnArbor.com is fully integrated in to the cesspool of Mlive.
Dog Guy
Sat, Sep 7, 2013 : 11:16 p.m.
Search Giacomo Rizzolatti or mirror neurons, amlive, to discover monkey see=monkey IS doing. Fans identify physically with observed running, throwing, scratching, tackling, and splatting into the turf. Fans also are playing that game.
Ross
Sat, Sep 7, 2013 : 6:21 p.m.
You don't understand basic clan psychology? We all want to be part of a group. This is a battle that evokes our most primal instincts for survival. Or, something like that. It's just dang fun. If you don't get it, that's ok too.
BenWoodruff
Sat, Sep 7, 2013 : 5:11 p.m.
The best sign I saw today on ESPN said, "Rudy was offside!" I laughed my butt off!
15crown00
Sat, Sep 7, 2013 : 4:56 p.m.
Van Patrick once said you either love Notre Dame or you hate them.Count me PROUDLY among the latter group.To me that university has NO redeeming qualities.NONE!!!!
15crown00
Sat, Sep 7, 2013 : 4:52 p.m.
"Roll Wolverines" just as the Tide did. Notre Dame now gets to pad it's record with ACC Teams Who you gonna CHICKEN OUT Next on you tarnished Domers?
Michigan Man
Sat, Sep 7, 2013 : 4:49 p.m.
My next door neighbor is a former ND Leprechaun - back in the70's - we are not speaking to each other until tomorrow AM.
Ignatz
Sat, Sep 7, 2013 : 8:43 p.m.
Just don't talk down to him.
15crown00
Sat, Sep 7, 2013 : 4:53 p.m.
so much the better for you.
Dog Guy
Sat, Sep 7, 2013 : 2:43 p.m.
The time of rivalry between the archetypal theist school and the archetypal anti-theist school is long past; Notre Dame chickened out years ago.
Peggysue
Sat, Sep 7, 2013 : 3:22 p.m.
How many national title do the maize and blue wolverines have for football??????how many for Notre Dame!!!!! Go Irish!