Played January 11, 2009, scheduled January 9, 2009 Red Berenson and crew continued its roll yesterday afternoon, wrapping up a sweep of Miami, OH with a 4-0 shutout. The rare Sunday tilt was of course due to the postponement of Friday’s scheduled game, due to the structural issues uncovered at Yost Ice Arena. This wasn’t the first time a scheduled game had to be moved, and unfortunately many of the other incidents were brought on by darker circumstances. I thought this would be a nice opportunity to look at some of those instances: 1963 – Kennedy The assassination of President Kennedy on November 22, 1963 moved out the Ohio State game which was scheduled to be played in Ann Arbor the next day. Played November 30, 1963, scheduled November 23, 1963 I was able to connect with Dr. Barry Dehlin, a sophomore on Bump Elliott’s 1963 crew and ask him about his memories of the days surrounding the assassination. Here’s what he wrote: Naturally the assassination was a shock to all of us. I remember being in the dorm getting ready to go to practice when I heard what had happened. One of those sentinel moments in your life that you will always remember. We still met that Friday and the decision was already made that the game was postponed…
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Witnessing Horrific History at Lambeau
As we conclude Wildcard weekend today, I thought I’d offer one back look at the miserable Lions. A friend of mine, Paul, made the trek to Green Bay last weekend to witness a bit of history as Detroit failed to prevent what’s widely considered the worst season in pro sports history. I asked him to send me a few takes and photos from the trip, enjoy: We didn’t have any issue getting tickets, but because every game at Lambeau is sold out for years to come we had to go to StubHub. We bought very nice seats that had a $62/face for $106. We drove in for the game and it was a mess getting to the stadium. It took us an hour to travel the last five miles. As far as the tailgating environment, they have a bunch of special tents set up around the stadium and around Brett Favre’s steakhouse. There were folks tailgating where they parked but they really don’t have large parking lots around the stadium. It was a lot of car dealership lots, truck stops, car pool areas, and malls. Lambeau looks like they took Spartan Stadium except it’s painted yellow instead of white. Similar press box, ramps, scoreboard. They really don’t have any advertising inside the stadium except for on the scoreboard. The…
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Brandstatter Blowing a .111
Just an update to my post this year that considered the brutal 2008 it’s been for Michigan football and Detroit Lions color man Jim Brandstatter. Tallied up through Sunday, the man they call Brando on Saturdays and Brandy on Sundays has covered 27 games with the good guys losing in 24, giving him a .111 win percentage. As for the Lions, I truly want them to beat Green Bay Sunday. Screw this ‘we need to send a message to the Fords’ nonsense–I want a win. Related: Speaking of tough years– “AP: Burress Crashes Uninsured Mercedes”
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Rx for Pre-game: Larry Foote on WDFN (audio)
First off, here’s Larry Foote on WDFN back in July with his special message for Michigan State: “Go Blue and Michigan State, y’all always gonna suck.” Here’s the unabashed Rich Rodriguez backer and current Steeler on the radio today with Stoney and Wojo: Foote admits he like Tom Izzo and notes that they have some fine women up there in East Lansing. Hilarious moment, listen to him at the end of the interview sing the company line for the NFL.
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Fire(d) Millen, and the Millen Day Mix
As if the Maize Rage didn’t have enough things to worry about To pump it up a little bit a little audio for you. It’s a mix I pulled together of drops, Mike ‘Stoney’ Stone, and callers into WDFN, Detroit sports talk radio drive time Stoney and Wojo Show just hours after the Matt Millen firing was announced: [display_podcast] . My favorite memory of the Millen era? I wasn’t actually there, but during that Millen Man march back in November 2005 before the Cincinnati game, a reliable source of mine confirmed spotting someone toting a sign that read, “WE STILL HATE AINGE” including a photo:
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Foote to MSU: “y’all always gonna suck” (audio)
Continuing the roll of Michigan athletes, coaches and beat writers on the WDFN 1130AM Stoney and Wojo radiothon is former Wolverine Larry Foote. As usual, Foote came hard and came raw. He hit on a variety of topics including what it’s like working out with Mike Barwis, his Steelers, and like Jalen Rose yesterday, took time to blast MSU. Notes:– Thinks this team will “shock a lot of people” based on the conditioning they are going through.– He confirmed Barwis is “a psycho”, “a freak”, is “nutso”, and has “some screws missing.”– Said Tyrone Wheatley’s been working out just “testing it out.”– Said he “had a dream” about the Detroit Lions’ season. “9-7 and they make the playoffs.”– When asked the obligatory Brett Favre question: “he’s definitely being selfish.” For your ringtones and tailgate mixtapes, here’s just Foote’s message to the Spartans as he signed off, “Go Blue and Michigan State, y’all always gonna suck.”
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Blue to Blame for Brady’s Beantown Betrayal
As Boston is in pure freakout mode over the sight of Tom Brady walking the streets with a Yankee hat, the media has been quick to find a reasonable explanation. The concensus? Blame Ann Arbor! It turns out most folks are pointing to Brady’s ties to Michigan buddy and former pinstriper ‘Super’ Drew Henson, and current Bronx Bomber Derek Jeter. I heard ESPN’s Dan Patrick show mention the link to Henson yesterday on the air and this blurb was posted in the Boston Herald: But avid Brady Bunchers know this isn’t the first time No. 12 has committed the ultimate in homer heresy. We told you way back in 2003 that Tom was sporting a Pinstripes lid when our ever-vigilant spies spotted him fueling up at a Dunkin’ Donuts in Foxboro. At the time, the excuse was that it was a gesture of solidarity with then-Yankees rookie Drew Henson, who, like Tom, is a former quarterback for the University of Michigan. Of course, that lame-o rationalization has gone by the boards now that Henson has ditched MLB for the NFL to play third-string quarterback for the Minnesota Vikings If not Henson, then it must be Jeter, where the NY Post writes: Maybe he’s just friends with Derek Jeter, who frequents the sidelines of Brady’s alma matter, the University of Michigan…
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Gerald Ford, Michigan Man
We all learned this morning that President Ford died yesterday at the age of 93. Many know of his ties to the University of Michigan and of course to some of the great Michigan football teams of the 1930s led by Harry Kipke. The above photo was taken from the 1934 team photo, Ford was starting center on that squad.
