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Posted on 7/5/15 at 9:30 am to SemperAuburn
quote:but at least you knew it was a thing. No one is going to argue the regional draw of the rivalry, but it's not on the same national level as OSU/UM
Meh I didn't know shite about OSU/MU until about 2008
And I'm calling bullshite, no way you didn't know about the game in 2006
This post was edited on 7/5/15 at 9:32 am
Posted on 7/5/15 at 9:33 am to sarc
quote:it wasn't on a national level
But even before that I think it was widely considered top 3 along with Army-Navy and OSU-UM
Posted on 7/5/15 at 9:34 am to WestCoastAg
I don't even know what the game is now, bitch.
Posted on 7/5/15 at 9:34 am to WestCoastAg
Here is the test
All four teams are 4-8. Which game gets watched across the nation more? The answer is clearly Um/Osu. The iron bowl in a year like that is watched jn Alabama and a few cities like Atlanta where some alumni are. Um vs OSU would still get watched across the nation simply because their alumni fanbase spans the country. I'm not saying I enjoy the Game more, I don't. The iron bowl is tops for me. But if all 4 teams are even the game gets the national spotlight
All four teams are 4-8. Which game gets watched across the nation more? The answer is clearly Um/Osu. The iron bowl in a year like that is watched jn Alabama and a few cities like Atlanta where some alumni are. Um vs OSU would still get watched across the nation simply because their alumni fanbase spans the country. I'm not saying I enjoy the Game more, I don't. The iron bowl is tops for me. But if all 4 teams are even the game gets the national spotlight
Posted on 7/5/15 at 9:35 am to Patton
What's the iron bowl? Sounds like a euphemism for butt sex
Posted on 7/5/15 at 9:37 am to WestCoastAg
It's the best butt sex in the world. Easily the most nationally relevant butt sex event in the country.
Posted on 7/5/15 at 9:42 am to WestCoastAg
quote:only a aggie would equate a iron bowl to butt sex.
What's the iron bowl? Sounds like a euphemism for butt sex
Posted on 7/5/15 at 9:43 am to TT9
What? You have a problem with butt sex?
Posted on 7/5/15 at 9:43 am to Buckeye06
quote:
2014 Michigan was 5-6 and OSU was 5th or 6th at the time
So you're saying that when one of the teams in The Game is bad, that the fans of that bad team don't give a shite about The Game?
Wow... sounds like the mega-best rivalry in the country to me!
Posted on 7/5/15 at 9:44 am to beatbammer
You think the iron bowl is any different?
Posted on 7/5/15 at 9:47 am to beatbammer
Posted on 7/5/15 at 9:47 am to WestCoastAg
quote:
it wasn't on a national level
So your argument is that a few good years propelled the Iron Bowl from a regional rivalry no one outside the SEC cared about to the #1 rivalry (at least according a majority of publications and backed up by TV ratings).
Which sounds more likely? That or the fact you weren't aware of it may not be representative of people all over the country?
No one disputes that Army/Navy is a huge national rivalry but I can honestly say I was barely aware of it until I joined the Navy and barely cared about it even as a member of the Navy. That must mean it's not a national rivalry, right?
This post was edited on 7/5/15 at 9:54 am
Posted on 7/5/15 at 9:47 am to WestCoastAg
quote:
You think the iron bowl is any different?
Every one I've ever been to, since 1980, was sold-out and the tailgating was active.
Hell, in special years people come to the game just to sit outside the stadiums and watch it on TV (since it moved to campus from that shithole in Birmingham, thank you Sainted Patrick Fain Dye).
Posted on 7/5/15 at 9:51 am to beatbammer
and MI vs OSU hasn't been sold out lol.
Posted on 7/5/15 at 9:53 am to sarc
quote:no, that it's nationally relevant right now, but traditionally, UM/OSU has been much more nationally relevant for a lot longer than the iron bowl has
So your argument is that a few good years propelled the Iron Bowl to a regional rivalry no one outside the SEC cared about to the #1 rivalry
Posted on 7/5/15 at 9:59 am to WestCoastAg
quote:
it wasn't on a national level
It depends on the era.
Back in the old days, southern football was considered a joke. Many great teams were ignored because they considered south eastern teams to be a joke (this was changed when Alabama beat Washington in the 1925 Rose Bowl, and proceeded to go 3-1 in the first 4 Rose Bowls they went to). Prior to this, any southern rivalry would not have had any national appeal.
Secondly, during Alabama's impressive run between 1925 and 1945, there was no Iron Bowl. That means teams like some of Alabama's best (1925, 1926, 1930, 1931, 1937, 1945) and some of Auburn's (1913, 1914, 1932) never got a chance to play each other. Right when the rivalry renewed, both teams had stretches of horribleness (1948 - 1952 for Auburn, 1954 - 1957 for Alabama).
Then came the dual era of Coach Paul "Bear" Bryant and Coach Ralph "Shug" Jordan (apparently, we liked our coaches with nicknames back then). This included some huge match-ups, including 1963, 1972 and 1974.
That said, UM - OSU was also having a list of consecutive, marquee match-ups, especially in the 1970s. Outside of this era, the fact that both teams have been more impressive on a year-by-year basis (as opposed to Alabama vs Auburn, where Auburn seems to jump between impressive and "not so" impressive). So, during this time frame, both squads would have had a lot of press due to marquee coaching match-ups.
Ultimately, however, we now live in the internet age. People can read up on past rivalry games easily, but they're going to remember the ones that were important on the national landscape and were also very impressive during game time. Alabama vs Auburn has had two teams highly ranked twice in the past 5 years (2010, 2013), three epic games (The Drive - 2009, Camback - 2010, Kick Six - 2013). It's been 8 years since two teams went into the UM-OSU game ranked in the top 10, and in that time frame only once were both teams ranked (2012). While they have had a couple of good games in the same stretch as the Iron Bowl (2011 - 2013 were all by a single score), they just didn't have the national relevance between the outcome for both teams that the Iron Bowl did.
So, ultimately, the question is "who are you asking". Assuming no regional bias, ff the person is in their early 20s, possibly early 30s, they'll likely say the Iron Bowl. If they are older than that, they'll probably say "The Game". Of course, if they're from the Northeast, they'll rattle off something about hockey or baseball and walk away. ;)
Posted on 7/5/15 at 10:03 am to skrayper
quote:right. Like I've said, the iron bowl is currently more relevant, but overall, it's most definetly the game
they just didn't have the national relevance between the outcome for both teams that the Iron Bowl did.
Posted on 7/5/15 at 10:05 am to WestCoastAg
Your most definitely the game
Posted on 7/5/15 at 10:10 am to skrayper
People like to talk about this whole TV ratings things, which changes on a regular basis, but the highest rating ever for a Mi vs OSU game is higher than the highest rating an Alabama vs Auburn game has had.
Mi vs OSU in 2006 = 21.8M viewers
Auburn vs Alabama (11/30/13) - 8.2/17, 13.8 million viewers
The Auburn vs Alabama game in 2014 had fewer viewers too.
Mi vs OSU in 2006 = 21.8M viewers
Auburn vs Alabama (11/30/13) - 8.2/17, 13.8 million viewers
The Auburn vs Alabama game in 2014 had fewer viewers too.
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