I know, the Titletown thing on ESPN is pretty gay, but I'm a little "shocked" [smilie=wink2.gif] about 2 things. First, that AA is even on the list, and second, that it was loud there.

http://vmedia.rivals.com/uploads/883/659058.jpg

http://media.www.michigandaily.com/media/storage/paper851/news/2008/07/14/AnnArbor/Michigan.Fans.Stun.Espn.Crew.With.Noise.Level-3390694.shtml

How the hell is AA on the list? All Ann Arbor has is UM and the Wolverines aren't winning many titles these days.

How the hell is AA on the list? All Ann Arbor has is UM and the Wolverines aren't winning many titles these days.

Well, they do have the most wins in NCAA football history. They have many football titles, a couple final four titles, and 9 frozen four titles I think. They also have a lot of titles in wrestling, baseball, swimming, etc.

I don't think they have a prayer against NY, Boston or LA...but they deserve to be on there.

Not a surprise it was loud. UM can easily turn out a few thousand loud fans. It's when those few thousand are lost among 100,000 or when they're the only ones in an old cave called Crisler - that they seem quiet.

Ann Arbor is on the list for one very simple reason that most people missed.

Go back to ESPN's coverage and look very closely, I mean with a microscope. You will see:

Titletown (sponsored by Adidas).

the search for titletown is still on the things that suck list, but this is kind of cool

Michigan fans stun ESPN crew with noise level
ESPN and its crew have witnessed some pretty crazy productions this summer during the network's newest segment, TitleTown.

There were the 2,000 Kentucky faithful that filed into Rupp Arena in Lexington. The 4,000-plus who showed up in Valdosta, Ga. to honor one of the most dominant high school football teams ever, the Valdosta Wildcats, made quite an impression on the production crew. And, of course, trips to the premier pro sports towns in the country - Detroit, Boston, Chicago and the list goes on - were a given.

But of all the places it has gone, all the people it has seen, the TitleTown crew found something it had yet to experience when it visited the Diag this afternoon:

Too much crowd noise.

Ann Arbor is the 16th town out of 20 that will be featured on the segment, and, despite the famous stereotype that Michigan fans are subdued and quiet, it's the only city so far in which the ESPN producer had to stifle the crowd noise so the anchors' voices could be heard on the microphones.

"I live in North Carolina," ESPN personality Nicole Manske said, comparing her Michigan experience to the only other TitleTown segment she's anchored, Chapel Hill, N.C. "So I'm kind of biased to North Carolina, but this is way cooler. The fans have come out here in full force, which is great, because (this competition) is not just about how many titles a town has one, but also the passion of the fans."

The fans certainly had passion. Maize-and-blue clad people started packing the Diag almost an hour before Manske even got to the set, cheering at anything even mildly exciting, including a starry-eyed group of incoming freshmen taking a campus tour during Orientation. The fans brought signs, football helmets, thunder sticks, cowbells and more collective Michigan memorabilia than even the most hardcore fan would know want to do with.

And once the cameras started rolling, not even Manske could hear what she was saying.

The anchor, who usually splits time as a color commentator for football and motor sports, threw her hands up in a playful shrug and started laughing after the second straight take that was ruined by the crowd's excessive rowdiness. From then on out producer John Fish had to give visual cues to hush the 200-to-300 spectators every time they got too excited.

"We just set the bar - it's what we do," Heisman Trophy winner, former Michigan great and guest anchor Desmond Howard said of the crowd's intensity. "We're the leaders and the best. Everyone will follow our lead from now on. They'll see what Ann Arbor did and try to imitate, cause that just what happens. "

Although Howard didn't make an appearance on the makeshift stage until the very last piece taped for the show, the fans made sure he heard them. Several times, chants of "Desmond Howard" and "We want Desmond" erupted from members of the crowd.

When he finally made his way to the stage - wearing a light yellow shirt - the crowd went berserk, jumping up and down, chanting his name and reaching for high fives.

Howard was decidedly excited to be a part of the segment, especially at the end when he led the band in a rendition of The Victors. But he wasn't the only one glad to make Michigan's case for TitleTown.

Fish, a Michigan alum who worked at the University's radio station when he was a student, ran around the Diag checking to make sure the camera shot looked good, introducing himself to passersby, inviting said passersby to the show and chatting it up with friends and acquaintances.

"I love this place," Fish said. "Coming back to Michigan, it's a school that's very important part of my life. To be able to throw a pep rally and show America what the University of Michigan is all about is very special to me."

From here, the TitleTown crew fittingly travels to the city of Michigan's fiercest rival, Columbus, home to Ohio State. The Ann Arbor TitleTown piece will air on July 20th, and fan voting will determine which town will win the TitleTown Championship, which will take place July 23-27 on espn.com. Plans to revisit the winning town are in the works, but nothing for the award ceremony is official yet.

I think NY wins this thing BTW. I'm sure it helps to have the allstar game/Yankee stadium closing during the search to remind you of their history.

I wonder if Pioneer HS will get love in this thing...b/c they win like 12 state titles in all sorts of different sports each year...

I think Boston will win it.

HOW ABOUT COLUMBUS?

OR BETTER YET, BOONE, NC?

OR BETTER YET, BOONE, NC?

Don't you forget it!

aww yeah boy

I think Boston will win it.

I have to agree.

They have history with the Celtics, current arguable dynasties like the Patriots, the Red Sox as being one of the most storied franchises (also Sox and Celtics are reigning champs in their respective sports), some ups and downs with the Bruins - but also a plethora of college successes - whether it be Boston U, Boston College, UMass, or Harvard (especially historically with football).

ESPN needs to stick to highlights and news. They have yet to come up with a single idea that is interesting. Titletown will be a popularity contest and nothing else. If they wanted a true titletown, Cleveland would be on the list. [/Zekyl]

They always have to come up with new gimmicks to sell sponsorship packages for.

It's inventory.

They always have to come up with new gimmicks to sell sponsorship packages for.

It's inventory.

May I refer you to the "Who's Now?" tournament

May I refer you to the "Who's Now?" tournament

Super gay.

I'd have to pick LA as titletown. Doesn't really seem that way, but think about it, the Lakers (Wilt, Magic, Shaq), Dodgers have multiple titles, the Raiders had a few, Gretzky and the Kings, don't forget about UCLA's 11 titles in basketball, and USC's dominance in college football.

Am I really talking about this?

I'm with you except I don't think the Kings ever got one. Dodgers, Lakers, Bruins, Raiders have plenty though, and I guess you have to throw in the Trojans too.

(Edit: Sorry, saw you had the Trojans...)

I would think LA's inability to keep an NFL franchise would be a strike against them. LA often catches a bad rap in the public arena for team movement.

I'm with you except I don't think the Kings ever got one. Dodgers, Lakers, Bruins, Raiders have plenty though, and I guess you have to throw in the Trojans too.

(Edit: Sorry, saw you had the Trojans...)

Yeah, I don't remember the Gretsky Kings doing anything. I think they may have made a Cup final but they didn't win at all.

Kings never won it. Gretzky got all his rings with the Canadiens.
Yes, I know it was with the Oilers.

You mean the Oilers

The Kings did make the finals once and lost, the year before Messier led the Rangers to a cup I think.

Read the white....

Detroit for Titletown is on right now

Kstat needs to tell us why Auburn Hills is actually Titletown.

Detroit has a legit argument to be in the rankings, not to win but to at least be in the top group. With all the titles the Red Wings have won in the last 10-11 years, the Bad Boys and the '04 Pistons championship, the '84 Tigers, and the Shock won a few I believe. Its definitely not enough to win, but it gets us up there.

The Shock's titles should carry a lot of weight.

The 98 Rose Bowl is on ESPN Classic right now. The 1989 National Championship game was on before that.