• Old 98 Rides Again

    Cheers! Schwing!!  Via Media Relations: Michigan to Face Notre Dame in Primetime, Honor Tom Harmon as Michigan Football Legend Ann Arbor, Mich. – The University of Michigan football team will face the University of Notre Dame in a nationally-televised primetime game at Michigan Stadium, it was announced Tuesday (Dec. 11) in a joint announcement with ESPN. The athletic department will honor 1940 Heisman Trophy winner Tom Harmon, installing him as a Michigan Football Legend during a pre-game ceremony. The actual game time and ABC/ESPN platform for the Sept. 7, 2013 contest will be announced at a later date. This will be the third consecutive night game played between the winningest programs in college football history. “Our athletic department is looking forward to recreating the night game magic from two years ago,” said Dave Brandon, the Donald R. Shepherd Director of Athletics. “We have more in store for this game than the initial night game and will work hard to create many WOW moments. One of those magical moments will be the honoring of Tom Harmon. He is one of the greatest athletes in school history and we are excited to celebrate all that he accomplished at Michigan. Having Tom’s ‘Old 98’ back on the field will be special. This will be a memorable evening for everyone at Michigan Stadium or…

  • PSDs, Ticket Prices Hold and the New Transfer Policy

    Note:  This website is NOT affiliated with the University of Michigan Via Media Relations.  Notes: Validates the $500 transfer policy for all tickets.    I stubbed my toe on that last week. Implements required donation for ALL seats.  Previously if you had tickets in the end zone (prior to when they started the PSD program in 2005) areas you weren’t required to make a donation:  Season ticket holders of record prior to the 2005 season will have their PSD phased in over two seasons ($37.50 per seat in 2013, $75 per seat in 2014). New end zone season ticket accounts since 2005 will be adjusted to $75 per seat starting in 2013. The new PSD prices:  The PSD levels will be adjusted to the following prices per seat in the bowl for 2013: Victors ($600), Valiant ($475), Maize ($350), Blue ($200) and End Zone ($75). Full release: Link: http://www.mgoblue.com/genrel/121012aaa.html U-M Announces 2013-14 Preferred Seat Donation Plan; Football Per Game Ticket Prices Remain Same ANN ARBOR, Mich. – The University of Michigan Athletic Department announced Monday (Dec. 10) its comprehensive 2013-14 Preferred Seat Donation program for football, men’s basketball and ice hockey. Michigan will also provide season ticket holders with the opportunity to transfer their season tickets to another individual for a one-time donation per season ticket. The per game season ticket…

  • Gary Moeller Recalls Scouting Bo Jackson

    Did you catch the premiere of the latest ESPN 30 for 30 films, this one on Bo Jackson?   I sat down with coach Gary Moeller a few weeks ago and he shared this story..thought it was timely: MVictors: Is there an opposing player that you faced while coaching at Michigan that was really special—a guy you really had to gameplan for. Does anybody stand out? Gary Moeller:  It’s always hard to pick one guy. There were two times I went to Birmingham, Alabama to scout the Alabama-Auburn game.  One time to scout Alabama when we played them in the Hall of Fame Bowl, and and another time, to prepare for the Sugar Bowl when we were to face Auburn. The time we were going to scouting Auburn, this guy gets the ball and he starts to sweep to the left and it’s all bottled up. He turns around, reverses the field—he must have gave 10 or 15 yards—takes off down the other sideline for a touchdown.  It was the fastest thing; it was like he was shot out of a gun. He did it twice in the game, about the same distance from about the same spot for two long touchdowns.  Bo Jackson. That guy was unbelievable.  We were talking to each other, ‘How are we going to stop this…

  • Ticket Transfers Back On ?

    I didn’t see a release on this, but up on the U-M ticket site is form that allows current hoops, football or hockey season ticket holders to transfer their tickets to…anyone.   As I understand it this is a exception to the regular policy: Is it possible to transfer my season tickets to any person? The purchase of season tickets is not a property right but rather a privilege that is assigned annually to you by the Michigan Athletic Department. Season ticket holder privileges may only be transferred to a spouse of a season ticket holder, or to the surviving spouse in the event of death. Such privileges cannot be transferred to children, colleagues, or friends of a season ticket holder. I believe #1000SSS allowed this around 5 years ago or so and it looks like it is back on, once again with a required donation of $500 per ticket to make it happen.  Deadline to take part is February 15, 2013. MGOBLUE.com Ticket site

  • Black and Blue Airs in Detroit Saturday

    Saturday! The Emmy-nominated documentary “Black and Blue: The Story of Gerald Ford, Willis Ward and the 1934 Michigan-Georgia Tech Football Game” will air at 1 p.m. Saturday, Dec. 8, on WXYZ-TV in Detroit. This is the first time the acclaimed film has aired on TV in southeast Michigan. via Gerald Ford, Willis Ward U-M football documentary ‘Black and Blue’ to air on TV.

  • 2012 Football Bust Notes

    Why do so many fans attend this the Bust each year?  I chatted with a few folks while the players were still signing autographs for fans, well before the event officially started and asked that question.  It’s not cheap (small glass of beer is $5, rail cocktail $7), and there are other opportunities during the year to see the players.   While U-M fans are charitable, it’s got nothing to do with supporting the U-M Club of Detroit. When the seniors got up to speak I was reminded why, to me, the Bust is such a special event.  It’s really a unique chance to see these young guys in this moment when they say what really want they want to say—relatively unfiltered.  I remember Angelique asking Kovacs to reflect on this career moments after the Ohio State game.  Understandably he wouldn’t (probably couldn’t) do it.  It’s so rare to get these guys to open up about anything beyond what happened on the field. While all the seniors, especially Kovacs, Denard, Will Campbell (hilarious), Pat Omameh and Jack Kennedy did a real nice job, it was Roy Roundtree who delivered the moment of the night. He started out in a joking mood talking about his recruitment, basically saying despite his commitment to Purdue, once offered by Michigan he was on his way…

  • The Sting & the 1965 Rose Bowl Ring

    Naturally, the question emerges from fans when they see stuff belonging to former U-M players up on eBay:  How could (or how dare?) a Wolverine player do that?   As I’ve stated on these pages, again and again, we usually don’t know the circumstances of how or why something ends up for sale so I’d rather not speculate on the reason.  And we know, of course, that property of former athletes has value and thus is sought after—sometimes by deviants.   Take the case of former footballer Jerry Mader.  He earned 3 letters in football and played on Bump Elliott’s 1964 Big Ten & 1965 Rose Bowl championship squad.   When his ‘64 Rose Bowl ring showed up on eBay recently he sent this note to his teammates explaining what happened..along with the rosy conclusion.  Thanks to Mader for sharing a copy: For those of you who are concerned about my Rose Bowl being put up for sale on EBay, please understand that I’m not destitute and in need of extra cash. Of course, a little extra cash will always help but I wouldn’t mortgage my past efforts and experience as a member of the 1965 Rose Bowl Team! I especially appreciate the close relationships I have with many of you. As background, my ring was stolen from the Med- Sport locker room…