• Going Down Bloody-Nose-Lane With Bob Ufer (1965) | Storytime with Dr. Sap

    [Ed.  Did you know the great Bob Ufer called the occasional hoops game?  Believe it.  Here’s Sap breaking down a recording from the 1965 IU game with Ufe on the mic.  P.S. If Ufe were alive today I bet he’d have a few choice words for Crean! #DONG] A guest post by Steve “Dr. Sap” Sapardanis With Michigan winning their first outright B1G Basketball Championship in 28 years, I thought it would be appropriate to look back on the 1965 Michigan – Indiana Basketball game. Not because UM will be playing IU this weekend, but because Bob Ufer was doing the play-by-play radio on WPAG (the predecessor to your beloved WTKA 1050AM). Back in 1965 Michigan, led by the great Cazzie Russell, also won the B1G title and was ranked #2 in the country behind some school out west (UCLA).  But the real story here is Ufer. A few years ago, Ufer.org came out with a CD that had the first half of the UM-IU Hoops game and it is priceless.  To hear Ufer call a basketball game in much the same fashion that he called a football game is pure joy.  Here’s a breakdown of a few selected tracks: [display_podcast] Track #1:  Here you’ve got Ufe calling the opening tip of the game. Track #2: If you listen closely…

  • Wire Photo Wednesday | Men Amongst Boys

    This week WPW takes a look at three outstanding shots, each featuring a unique perspective of three Michigan greats – Cazzie Russell, Tom Harmon and Bill Yearby: Crisler is known as the house that Cazzie built, but here’s a look at Cazzie’s original digs: Yost Arena.  Dang it looks pretty cool in there and I love the angle of that photo.   Memo to #41: Nice socks, Milhous. Speaking of that venue, who’d like to see a hoops game at Yost?  Get on board #1000SSS.   And maybe they’d even bring back the Old Man?:    Speaking of cool angles, I’m not sure I can recall a old shot quite like this, here you’ve got Old 98 Tom Harmon in 1938 trotting out of the tunnel handling a pigskin.   Uniform snobs will note the block M socks.  I also love the cheerleader’s sweater and the shiny pants (that guy has a little Barney Fife in him).  Turning to the crowd, clearly if you didn’t wear a hat (children and ladies included) to the game back then you were a square, Daddy-O.  A real flat tire. What I can’t make out is what’s on the guy’s sweatshirt behind Harmon?  Best guess – it either reads “Maroons” (played in the Big House 10/8/38) or “Spartans” (the season opener 10/1/38).    Hmm, who do you…