• The Snow Bowl (1950)

    But none of these games, even the Rose Bowl, told the story of the 1950 season. It was all about what happened in the amazing game in Columbus that year. It was November 25, 1950, in Columbus—a game that will forever be known as The Snow Bowl. The lead-up, game and aftermath of one of the greatest games in college football history: 1950's "Snow Bowl" - Michigan at Ohio State.

  • Tonight’s Hockey Game Postponed

    Per the Freep and thanks to reader Trey: Friday night’s Michigan hockey game against Miami of Ohio has been postponed due to structural damages to Yost Ice Arena. Damage to the brick façade is visible along the roof line on State Street. Workers were making repairs to Friday morning. A U-M release called the damage weather-related from recent snow and wind storms.

  • Stoned Wisconsin Badgers say, “I was there” (1981)

    Here’s a look at an interesting pin commemorating Wisconsin’s 1981 victory over Michigan. Certainly, no one in Madison would produce a trinket today for a regular-season victory, but keep in mind that Barry Alvarez wouldn’t arrive for another decade and Badger football consistently had a place at or near the bottom of the Big Ten. The lowly Badgers and hadn’t defeated the Blue since 1962 and in the previous four meetings, Bo’s Wolverines outscored Wisconsin 176 to zero.   Michigan was riding a nine-game win streak (including Schembechler’s first Rose Bowl victory) and that was enough for the pollsters to slot the Wolverines #1 in the preseason poll. This seemed to be an ideal opponent for the opener, held September 12, 1981, and Michigan came in as a 19 point favorite.  Over 68,000 pickled fans witnessed the historic 21-14 upset.   Longtime sportswriter Jack McCallum was on hand for Sports Illustrated: Last year Wisconsin didn’t score a touchdown until its fourth game. On Saturday in Madison, against a Michigan team that hadn’t yielded a touchdown in 5 games, Wisconsin scored two touchdowns in the second quarter and the gamer—on a 71-yard pass play. Quarterback Jess Cole throwing to Tailback John Williams—in the third. “This win is the best thing that ever happened to me,” said Coach Dave McClain. The issue? Michigan’s new…

  • Mini Me keeps the Faith

    Thanks to Rosie for sending this along, here’s Verne Troyer aka Mini Me showing that he remains faithful to the Maize and Blue: And for any haters who are thinking that’s a wussy-ass dog, proportionally our man Mini Me has a massive beast on his hands. What’s he supposed to own, a Great Dane? Related: – Celebrity Columnist Wanted: Ann Arbor News won’t use Mini Me in 2008

  • Yost should bow to Stoops’ Sooners?

    Fielding H. Yost, 1907 team postcards From a post composed by John Fineran of gatorcountry.com: Even Michigan’s legendary coach Fielding Yost might rise from his grave and pay Oklahoma coach Bob Stoops and his Sooners their due. Yost, you’ll remember, was the architect of Michigan’s “point-a-minute” team of 1901 that scored 550 points in 660 minutes of football in winning the national championship and the first Rose Bowl. Actually, that’s 0.83 points every 60 seconds, making the offense of Michigan’s Yost toast when compared to Oklahoma, where the points come whistling down the plains. These 2008 Sooners, led by Heisman Trophy-winning quarterback Sam Bradford, have scored 702 points in 780 minutes of play this year – 12 regular-season games and the Big 12 Championship – in running up a 12-1 record that has them in the BCS National Championship Game Thursday night at Dolphin Stadium against the potent Florida Gators. Not quite a point-a-minute, mind you. But again, fathom the numbers – 702 points in 780 minutes of play. That’s 0.9 points every 60 seconds. Clearly this isn’t meant to be a deep dive comparison on Yost vs. Stoops– the purpose is to highlight the prolific offense possessed by the Gators’ barrier to another BCS championship.  That said, there’s an inaccuracy in those numbers.   The Wolverines played 11 games in…

  • Bacon Interviews Rodriguez on Inaugural Big Show (audio)

    Local author, professor and Michigan athletics historian John U. Bacon launched his new radio program this afternoon on WTKA’s ‘Big Show’. As announced a few weeks ago, Bacs will take the Monday 3-6pm slot on the live local program which rotates hosts throughout the week. He started off with a bang as just a few minutes after taking the air he had Coach Rich Rodriguez on the line. They discussed the rigors of recruiting, how the internet has changed recruiting, on “derecruiting” (getting players adjusted to school and the football program after they’ve been fawned over for years), on the reception he got at Crisler during the Illinois hoops game, on the search for the defensive coordinator (nothing new, although he admitted a factor was the NFL playoffs) and on the defensive scheme he’s looking for, and more. Enjoy: [display_podcast] A couple notes: * I got a chuckle when he and Bacon joked about how coaches rave over the food served the families of recruits. Rodriguez said jokingly, “the tea tastes sweeter”, which is a reference to southern-style iced tea, also called sweet tea (prounounced swate tay) due to (duh) it being loaded with sugar. You’d be hard pressed to find a recruit’s moms serving sweet tea anywhere in these parts anytime but especially this time of year. I’m not…

  • Webb Explains Will Campbell’s head (audio)

    A great segment of Recruiting Round-up on WTKA this morning. Host Sam Webb broke down the William ‘Big Will’ Campbell recruitment process and revealed some of the inside pool on why Webb and other recruiting gurus weren’t buying Campbell’s declaration that Michigan was off his list last week. Here’s the first five or so minutes where Webb gives you all the goodies and explains: – Campbell’s initial commitment – The reason for Big Will’s decommitment – The rationale behind declaring Michigan was off his list earlier this week – On his mother’s assurance that Michigan was at the top of the list – And, Big Will’s message to Rich Rod and the text he blasted out to his Michigan peeps before the selection: [display_podcast] Summary: – On why he decommitted: There was a coaching change of course, but Webb advises that it was primarily the desire to visit other schools (LSU, for instance, wouldn’t allow a visit if he was committed to Michigan) and his desire to declare on national TV (and pick the hat, etc.) – Why Campbell said Michigan was off his list last week:: “to inject a little bit a intrigue” into the selection. – On why Webb was still confident of Will going to Michigan after those statements: Several things: – Campbell told the Army people…