mgoblog’s Hail to the Victors preseason mag is an annual must-have. This year the Tales from Old Blue history section alone features pieces by Craig Ross, John U Bacon, John Kryk, Michael Florek, and yrs truly.
Florek pulled together a brilliant slice of U-M lore by chronicling the origins of The Wave at Michigan Stadium.
In a nutshell: U-M experienced the Wave, coupled with deafening fan noise, in action during the September 17, 1983 loss at Husky Stadium against Washington (U-Dub invented it in 1981). Five weeks later the cheerleading team introduced it to Michigan Stadium when #12 Iowa came to Ann Arbor.
The story around the origins is very cool, but even better is the reaction of one Gen. Glenn E. “Bo” Schembechler a couple of weeks after it was introduced:
“That thing (the Wave) never should have started. If it never started nobody would know that we have an oval stadium and that you can make an ass of yourself all the way around the oval. I can’t believe that fans are not sophisticated enough to understand the game. It’s unsportsmanlike to both teams.”
Damn, Bo was a beauty. Needless to say, the fans didn’t like being told what to or not to do in the stadium & letters to the Michigan Daily blasted back at Bo for his comments.
Bo backed off, the Wave endured. For better or for worse.
