• Stanford 1973 and The Vote | This Week in Michigan Football History

    This week we get into our history playing Stanford – the first Rose Bowl, 1947 and finally 1973 as Bo’s #5 Wolverines faced the Cardinal on this Saturday back 45 years ago.   Of course we can’t leave 1973 without mentioning the infamous postseason vote and I’m not naming names (yes I am) but your beloved Meechigan got screwed!  Audio:Listen to it “live” tomorrow afternoon on the KeyBank Countdown to kick-off on WTKA 1050AM….or inside the Go Labatt Blue Victors Lounge!script after the jump: Today we look back to September 22, 1973, as General Bo George Patton Schembechler’s 5th ranked Wolverines were set to take on the Stanford Cardinal. Stanford holds a special place in Wolverine football lore.  Not only is it where Jim Harbaugh established himself as an elite coach, historically speaking, they were Michigan’s opponent in the first Rose Bowl.  Really it was the first bowl of any kind, played back in 1902 when they faced Fielding Yost’s undefeated, untied, unscored-upon squad in Pasadena.  The Indians as they were then known were pounded early and often by Yost’s point-a-minute wrecking crew.   With 8 minutes STILL left on the clock, Stanford tossed in the white towel and conceded the 49-0 defeat.Nearly half a century later these two teams met again on October 4, 1947 this time against Fritz Crisler’s Mad Magicians.  Stanford…

  • Toasting Yost | October 19, 1940

    In 1940 "The Toast to Yost from Coast to Coast" was held at Waterman Gymnasium.  Fielding H. Yost was honored by a host of dignitaries - (Willie Heston, Tom Harmon and Louis Elbel to name a few) in an event that was broadcast on NBC radio around the country. The Bentley Library has the original recording of that tribute. It's a tad choppy in spots but well worth a listen if you have the means. The highlight for me is certainly hearing the voice of Yost as he addresses the audience.

  • Sap’s Salute to Frank Beckmann

    [Ed. Saturday night is of course the final call for longtime play-by-play man Frank Beckmann.   I’ve offered up a couple of salutes on these pages around the Ohio State game, but this week Dr. Sap shared a few touching thoughts on Beckmann that I wanted to pass along.] Guest post by Steve “Dr. Sap” Sapardanis Before Frank Beckmann took over the reins from Bob Ufer as the “Voice of Michigan Football,” Frankie cut his teeth on the radio broadcasts by doing the locker room interviews. As a Michigan Fan who grew up with Bob Ufer, I gotta tell ya, I did NOT like Frank’s style initially. There was no horn blast after every TD.There was no, “5, 4, 3, 2, 1 TOUCHDOWN MEECHEEGAN!!” call. Ufer’s passing marked the end of my innocence for Michigan Football.  It would never be the same again.  Sure, I was 16 years old at the time, but to me, Ufer WAS Michigan Football.  Who was this Beckmann guy, anyway? Frank’s tenure as the Voice of Michigan Football would signal a change in my Michigan fanhood.  During Frank’s run, I grew up as a person and as a fan.   Sure, I would continue to follow the maize and blue, but the result of the games would no longer determine my mood for the remainder of the…

  • Merry Meeeeechigan Christmas

    Thanks for my friends at Moe’s and Underground Printing – my fav, the Ufer shirt: get yours here get yours here   The shirts are posed in front of my authentic #77 Michigan Schembechler Hall locker (yes, I convinced the boss to let me put it in my office).    Want one?  Email me.