Thursday, June 29, 2006

Square One in bed with Ann Arbor?

Remember the TV series Square One? It was a show that taught mathematics to kids, and boy was it fun.

MathMan

However, as Wikipedia explains, it has a dark underbelly that makes me feel dirty just thinking about. I can't believe I was subjected to this at a young age...
University of Michigan athletics

The number of references to the Michigan Wolverines that appeared in the show leaves little doubt that the people behind the show counted fans of the school among their ranks.

  • The show would occasionally feature a segment about estimation in which a Michigan cheerleader would place a small object (e.g., a hamburger, a playing card, or a ping pong ball) in the corner of the playing field of Michigan Stadium. The viewer was then asked to estimate how many of the same object it would take to fill (or cover the field of play of) the stadium.
  • Mathman was a walking green head in a Wolverines football helmet.
  • In one Dirk Niblick segment, his mother posed a riddle about probability which mentioned a drawer full of maize and blue socks (Michigan's team colors are maize and blue).
  • Another Dirk Niblick episode called "Do Not Fold, Spindle or Tape" had Dirk's old college friend Wrongway wearing a GO BLUE! shirt backwards. "GO BLUE!" is a Wolverines battle cry.
  • Among other sightings of U of M logos, a member of a ship's crew during an episode of Mathnet staged in Monterey, California wore a cap commemorating a Michigan championship victory.

What a let down!

Go Bucks.

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