Ed. Steve Sapardanis aka “Dr. Sap” is back with his decals. This week I added the Editor’s Pick & the Fan Award. Here are the picks from Week 1, Week 2, Week 3, Week 4, Week 5, Week 6 and Week 7 and Week 8 and Week 9 and Week 10. OFFENSE DEVIN GARDNER – Let me get this right: over 300 yards passing and SIX touchdowns? Dude looks like he’s been playing QB all season and not just 3 weeks. Hope DG saved some magic, and TDs, for next week! DEFENSE JAKE RYAN – Here’s why I think “manster” is such a big deal on defense: it’s not his forced fumbles or his tackles for loss. It’s the fact that offenses have to treat him much like defenses have to treat Denard – YOU MUST ACCOUNT FOR THE MANSTER! It’s that simple. When was the last time UM had a defender that the offenses had to account for? You got it, Charles Woodson. ‘Nuff said. SPECIAL TEAMS BRENDAN GIBBONS – Sure he scored 6 points, but the reason he gets the nod this week is his TACKLE on a 2nd quarter kickoff. And get this – it was not even his first tackle of the year! Gibby had a tackle earlier in the season. Now that’s my kind…
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Handling Family Business – Sights & Sounds (Michigan 42, Iowa 17)
The hugs and smiles were flying and that’s how you do Senior Day. Hoke’s got the hug thing down pat, and it’s tough to beat the lead photo of Denard smiling.
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Senior Day Pageantry (Photos)
Indeed it was a gorgeous day on Senior Day. A few shots from pregame: Amazing to see Brock Mealer cruising around the sideline with relative ease! JT Floyd’s cute daughter doesn’t care what you think! Captain Kovacs wondering why none of his classmates bothered to show up for the pregame. Maybe it was the crappy weather. [Hoke bear hug]. Forgiven. There was a 3 mph breeze that would cut through anyone in shorts. Probably best stay home and straighten out the sock drawer. Plus some clouds started to move in: Legends: Don Lund and Bump Elliott catching up before the game upstairs Gibby gives a thumbs up to the squares with the right, while with the left he’s got a salute to all the badasses out there. (And you know who you are). Denard waiting for his moment. [Hoke bear hug]. Strength coaches and T. Lewan have always been tight. #77 squeezes a rare smile out of Wellman, while below, remember this monster hug with Barwis after the Gator deBowlcle? Obligatory cake. Love the Cake. Everybody loves the Cake. This is what Bo was talking to Moeller about. The Senior Day pregame never disappoints. Follow MVictors on Twitter Related: Handling Family Business (Michigan 42, Iowa 17) Senior…
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Bear Hugs Aplenty
Congrats seniors. Here is Denard and Kovacs getting wrapped up by Coach Hoke, how shows a little one handed ceremonial ball security. Here’s a look at the custom made pigskins they received. Kovacs indeed had a #11, not a 32, on his ball. Here’s how they looked FWIW: One more: here’s Denard tapping the banner for the last time, but check out Treezy with 180 of his 360 degree leap (thanks for nothing, zebras): Follow MVictors on Twitter More here from MVictors: Handling Family Business (Michigan 42, Iowa 17) Senior Day Pageantry (Photos) TWIMFbH: Platooning to Stop Davis, Blanchard (1945) Moeller and Holtz Breaking Down “The Catch”
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Platooning to Stop Davis, Blanchard (1945)
While 1945 isn’t the greatest in Michigan football history, Fritz Crisler’s crew finished the season #6 in the country and played one of the toughest schedules in the land. More importantly, Crisler made history when he faced the #1 Army at Yankee Stadium and their Heisman-winning duo Glenn Davis and Doc Blanchard. TWIMFbH gets into it here, and I even said “Fritzmen”: You can catch all of the This Week in Michigan Football History clips here. Listen to it live tomorrow on the KeyBank Countdown to kick-off on WTKA 1050AM or catch it live inside the Bud Light Victors Lounge.
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How Bo Lost recruit Billy Taylor (WTKA audio)
Today on 1050AM WTKA “Touchdown” Billy Taylor was studio to promote the Perseverance documentary. I mentioned in my review earlier this week that one of the outstanding stories in the movie was about the recruiting trip BT and Thom Darden made to Oxford to visit Miami, OH and then coach Bo Schembechler (inset photo via the U-M Bentley Historical Library): * Thom Darden talking about how the recruiting trip he and Taylor made to see Bo Schembechler while he was still head man at Miami, OH. (Bo didn’t exactly wine and dine them). This morning TDBT provided some more hilarious details on that trip to see Bo, and the aftermath, and it’s priceless: [display_podcast] For the full interview this morning check out the WTKA podcasts. Related: PERSEVERANCE – The Story of Dr. Billy Taylor premieres Friday 11/16 in Ann Arbor Follow MVictors on Twitter
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Classic Ufer U-M Football Nicknames
Here's a rundown of Bob Ufer's most famous Michigan player nicknames and Uferisms over the years. Thanks to the great Dr. Sap! Read on:
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First Look: Perseverance – The Story of Dr. Billy Taylor
This weekend I got a sneak peek at the latest Michigan football-related documentary, Perseverance – The Story of Dr. Billy Taylor. You can see it yourself later this week as the film premieres in Ann Arbor at the Michigan Theater this Friday November 16th in two showings: 7:30PM and 9:55PM. Touchdown BT himself will be there and I suggest you grab a seat. One thing I didn’t expect going in: I loved the pace of the film. While the BT backstory follows the typical documentary formula of blending photos, news clippings and video footage with music, it moves very quickly and seamlessly, more in line with the up tempo style of the 30 for 30 series than say a PBS Ken Burns feature. Given the subject matter and the potential for a few gems in the form of classic stories, old pics and vintage footage to emerge, naturally going in I assumed I would like the film. To my delight there were gems aplenty packed but it brought much more—they did a wonderful job of weaving this story together. Like a memorable documentary should, Perseverance delivers a series of special moments that grab you such as: * Taylor discussing his strategy for sleeping inside abandoned houses, upstairs vs. downstairs, where he lived in Detroit over a two year stretch. *…
